尤利西斯-第70章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ain　when　by　general　consent　they　affirm　that　other　circumstances　being　equal　by　no　exterior　splendour　is　the　prosperity　of　a　nation　more　efficaciously　asserted　than　by　the　measure　of　how　far　forward　may　have　progressed　the　tribute　of　its　solicitude　for　that　proliferent　continuance　which　of　evils　the　original　if　it　be　absent　when　fortunately　present　constitutes　the　certain　sign　of　omnipollent　nature's　incorrupted　benefaction。　For　who　is　there　who　anything　of　some　significance　has　apprehended　but　is　conscious　that　that　exterior　splendour　may　be　the　surface　of　a　downwardtending　lutulent　reality　or　on　the　contrary　anyone　so　is　there　inilluminated　as　not　to　perceive　that　as　no　nature's　boon　can　contend　against　the　bounty　of　increase　so　it　behoves　every　most　just　citizen　to　bee　the　exhortator　and　admonisher　of　his　semblables　and　to　tremble　lest　what　had　in　the　past　been　by　the　nation　excellently　menced　might　be　in　the　future　not　with　similar　excellence　acplished　if　an　inverecund　habit　shall　have　gradually　traduced　the　honourable　by　ancestors　transmitted　customs　to　that　thither　of　profundity　that　that　one　was　audacious　excessively　who　would　have　the　hardihood　to　rise　affirming　that　no　more　odious　offence　can　for　anyone　be　than　to　oblivious　neglect　to　consign　that　evangel　simultaneously　mand　and　promise　which　on　all　mortals　with　prophecy　of　abundance　or　with　diminution's　menace　that　exalted　of　reiteratedly　procreating　function　ever　irrevocably　enjoined？　
It　is　not　why　therefore　we　shall　wonder　if；　as　the　best　historians　relate；　among　the　Celts；　who　nothing　that　was　not　in　its　nature　admirable　admired；　the　art　of　medicine　shall　have　been　highly　honoured。　Not　to　speak　of　hostels；　leperyards；　sweating　chambers；　plaguegraves；　their　greatest　doctors；　the　O'Shiels；　the　O'Hickeys；　the　O'Lees；　have　sedulously　set　down　the　divers　methods　by　which　the　sick　and　the　relapsed　found　again　health　whether　the　malady　had　been　trembling　withering　or　loose　boyconnell　flux。　Certainly　in　every　public　work　which　in　it　anything　of　gravity　contains　preparation　should　be　with　importance　mensurate　and　therefore　a　plan　was　by　them　adopted　（whether　by　having　preconsidered　or　as　the　maturation　of　experience　it　is　difficult　in　being　said　which　the　discrepant　opinions　of　subsequent　inquirers　are　not　up　to　the　present　congrued　to　render　manifest）　whereby　maternity　was　so　far　from　all　accident　possibility　removed　that　whatever　care　the　patient　in　that　allhardest　of　woman　hour　chiefly　required　and　not　solely　for　the　copiously　opulent　but　also　for　her　who　not　being　sufficiently　moneyed　scarcely　and　often　not　even　scarcely　could　subsist　valiantly　and　for　an　inconsiderable　emolument　was　provided。　
To　her　nothing　already　then　and　thenceforward　was　anyway　able　to　be　molestful　for　this　chiefly　felt　all　citizens　except　with　proliferent　mothers　prosperity　at　all　not　to　can　be　and　as　they　had　received　eternity　gods　mortals　generation　to　befit　them　her　beholding；　when　the　case　was　so　having　itself；　parturient　in　vehicle　the　reward　carrying　desire　immense　among　all　one　another　was　impelling　on　of　her　to　be　received　into　that　domicile。　O　thing　of　prudent　nation　not　merely　in　being　seen　but　also　even　in　being　related　worthy　of　being　praised　that　they　her　by　anticipation　went　seeing　mother；　that　she　by　them　suddenly　to　be　about　to　be　cherished　had　been　begun　she　felt！　
Before　born　babe　bliss　had。　Within　womb　won　he　worship。　Whatever　in　that　one　case　done　modiously　done　was。　A　couch　by　midwives　attended　with　wholesome　food　reposeful　cleanest　swaddles　as　though　forthbringing　were　now　done　and　by　wise　foresight　set：　but　to　this　no　less　of　what　drugs　there　is　need　and　surgical　implements　which　are　pertaining　to　her　case　not　omitting　aspect　of　all　very　distracting　spectacles　in　various　latitudes　by　our　terrestrial　orb　offered　together　with　images；　divine　and　human；　the　cogitation　of　which　by　sejunct　females　is　to　tumescence　conducive　or　eases　issue　in　the　high　sunbright　wellbuilt　fair　home　of　mothers　when；　ostensibly　far　gone　and　reproductitive；　it　is　e　by　her　thereto　to　lie　in；　her　term　up。　
Some　man　that　wayfaring　was　stood　by　housedoor　at　night's　oning。　Of　Israel's　folk　was　that　man　that　on　earth　wandering　far　had　fared。　Stark　ruth　of　man　his　errand　that　him　lone　led　till　that　house。　
Of　that　house　A。　Horne　is　lord。　Seventy　beds　keeps　he　there　teeming　mothers　are　wont　that　they　lie　for　to　thole　and　bring　forth　bairns　hale　so　God's　angel　to　Mary　quoth。　Watchers　they　there　walk；　white　sisters　in　ward　sleepless。　Smarts　they　still　sickness　soothing：　in　twelve　moons　thrice　an　hundred。　Truest　bedthanes　they　twain　are；　for　Horne　holding　wariest　ward。　
In　ward　wary　the　watcher　hearing　e　that　man　mild…hearted　eft　rising　with　swire　ywimpled　to　him　her　gate　wide　undid。　Lo；　levin　leaping　lightens　in　eyeblink　Ireland's　westward　welkin！　Full　she　dread　that　God　the　Wreaker　all　mankind　would　fordo　with　water　for　his　evil　sins。　Christ's　rood　made　she　on　breastbone　and　him　drew　that　he　would　rathe　infare　under　her　thatch。　That　man　her　will　wotting　worthful　went　in　Horne's　house。　
Loth　to　irk　in　Horne's　hall　hat　holding　the　seeker　stood。　On　her　stow　he　ere　was　living　with　dear　wife　and　lovesome　daughter　that　then　over　land　and　seafloor　nine　year　had　long　outwandered。　Once　her　in　townhithe　meeting　he　to　her　bow　had　not　doffed。　Her　to　forgive　now　he　craved　with　good　ground　of　her　allowed　that　that　of　him　swiftseen　face；　hers；　so　young　then　had　looked。　Light　swift　her　eyes　kindled；　bloom　of　blushes　his　word　winning。　
As　her　eyes　then　ongot　his　weeds　swart　therefor　sorrow　she　feared。　Glad　after　she　was　that　ere　adread　was。　Her　he　asked　if　O'Hare　Doctor　tidings　sent　from　far　coast　and　she　with　grameful　sigh　him　answered　that　O'Hare　Doctor　in　heaven　was。　Sad　was　the　man　that　word　to　hear　that　him　so　heavied　in　bowels　ruthful。　All　she　there　told　him；　ruing　death　for　friend　so　young；　algate　sore　unwilling　God's　rightwiseness　to　withsay。　She　said　that　he　had　a　fair　sweet　death　through　God　His　goodness　with　masspriest　to　be　shriven；　holy　housel　and　sick　men's　oil　to　his　limbs。　The　man　then　right　earnest　asked　the　nun　of　which　death　the　dead　man　was　died　and　the　nun　answered　him　and　said　that　he　was　died　in　Mona　island　through　bellycrab　three　year　agone　e　Childermas　and　she　prayed　to　God　the　Allruthful　to　have　his　dear　soul　in　his　undeathliness。　He　heard　her　sad　words；　in　held　hat　sad　staring。　So　stood　they　there　both　awhile　in　wanhope；　sorrowing　one　with　other。　
Therefore；　everyman；　look　to　that　last　end　that　is　thy　death　and　the　dust　that　gripeth　on　every　man　that　is　born　of　woman　for　as　he　came　naked　forth　from　his　mother's　womb　so　naked　shall　he　wend　him　at　the　last　for　to　go　as　he　came。　
The　man　that　was　e　into　the　house　then　spoke　to　the　nursingwoman　and　he　asked　her　how　it　fared　with　the　woman　that　lay　there　in　childbed。　The　nursingwoman　answered　him　and　said　that　that　woman　was　in　throes　now　full　three　days　and　that　it　would　be　a　hard　birth　unneth　to　bear　but　that　now　in　a　little　it　would　be。　She　said　thereto　that　she　had　seen　many　births　of　women　but　never　was　none　so　hard　as　was　that　woman's　birth。　Then　she　set　it　forth　all　to　him　that　time　was　had　lived　nigh　that　house。　The　man　hearkened　to　her　words　for　he　felt　with　wonder　women's　woe　in　the　travail　that　they　have　of　motherhood　and　he　wondered　to　look　on　her　face　that　was　a　young　face　for　any　man　to　see　but　yet　was　she　left　after　long　years　a　handmaid。　Nine　twelve　bloodflows　chiding　her　childless。　
And　whiles　they　spake　the　door　of　the　castle　was　opened　and　there　nighed　them　a　mickle　noise　as　of　many　that　sat　there　at　meat。　And　there　came　against　the　place　as　they　stood　a　young　learning　knight　yclept　Dixon。　And　the　traveller　Leopold　was　couth　to　him　sithen　it　had　happed　that　they　had　had　ado　each　with　other　in　the　house　of　misericord　where　this　learning　knight　lay　by　cause　the　traveller　Leopold　came　there　to　be　healed　for　he　was　sore　wounded　in　his　breast　by　a　spear　wherewith　a　horrible　and　dreadful　dragon　was　smitten　him　for　which　he　did　do　make　a　salve　of　volatile　salt　and　chrism　as　much　as　he　might　suffice。　And　he　said　now　that　he　should　go　into　that　castle　for　to　make　merry　with　them　that　were　there。　And　the　traveller　Leopold　said　that　he　should　go　otherwhither　for　he　was　a　man　of　cautels　and　a　subtle。　Also　the　lady　was　of　his　avis　and　reproved　the　learning　knight　though　she　trowed　well　that　the　traveller　had　said　thing　that　was　false　for　his　subtility。　But　the　learning　knight　would　not　hear　say　nay　nor　do　her　mandement　ne　have　him　in　aught　contrarious　to　his　list　and　he　said　how　it　was　a　marvellous　castle。　And　the　traveller　Leopold　went　into　the　castle　for　to　rest　him　for　a　space　being　sore　of　limb　after　many　marches　environing　in　divers　lands　and　sometimes　venery。　
And　in　the　castle　was　set　a　board　that　was　of　the　birchwood　of　Finlandy　and　it　was　upheld　by　four　dwarfmen　of　that　country　but　they　durst　not　move　for　enchantment。　And　on　this　board　were　frightful　swords　and　knives　that　are　made　in　a　great　cavern　by　swinking　demons　out　of　white　flames　that　they　fix　in　the　horns　of　buffalos　and　stags　that　there　abound　marvellously。　And　there　were　vessels　that　are　wrought　by　magic　of　Mahound　out　of　seasand　and　the　air　by　a　warlock　with　his　breath　that　he　blares　into　them　like　to　bubbles。　And　full　fair　cheer　and　rich　was　on　the　board　that　no　wight　could　devise　a　fuller　ne　richer。　And　there　was　a　vat　of　silver　that　was　moved　by　craft　to　open　in　the　which　lay　strange　fishes　withouten　heads　though　misbelieving　men　nie　that　this　be　possible　thing　without　they　see　it　natheless　they　are　so。　And　these　fishes　lie　in　an　oily　water　brought　there　from　Portugal　land　because　of　the　fatness　that　therein　is　like　to　the　juices　of　the　olive　press。　And　also　it　was　marvel　to　see　in　that　castle　how　by　magic　they　make　a　post　out　of　fecund　wheat　kidneys　out　of　Chaldee　that　by　aid　of　certain　angry　spirits　that　they　do　into　it　swells　up　wondrously　like　to　a　vast　mountain。　And　they　teach　the　serpents　there　to　entwine　themselves　up　on　long　sticks　out　of　the　ground　and　of　the　scales　of　these　serpents　they　brew　out　a　brewage　like　to　mead。　
And　the　learning　knight　let　pour　for　childe　Leopold　a　draught　and　halp　thereto　the　while　all　they　that　were　there　drank　every　each。　And　childe　Leopold　did　up　his　beaver　for　to　pleasure　him　and　took　apertly　somewhat　in　amity　for　he　never　drank　no　manner　of　mead　which　he　then　put　by　and　anon　full　privily　he　voided　the　more　part　in　his　neighbour　glass　and　his　neighbour　wist　not　of　his　wile。　And　he　sat　down　in　that　castle　with　them　for　to　rest　him　there　awhile。　Thanked　be　Almighty　God。　
This　meanwhile　this　good　sister　stood　by　the　door　and　begged　them　at　the　reverence　of　Jesu　our　alther　liege　lord　to　leave　their　wassailing　for　there　was　above　one　quick　with　child　a　gentle　dame；　whose　time　hied　fast。　Sir　Leopold　heard　on　the　upfloor　cry　on　high　and　he　wondered　what　cry　that　it　was　whether　of　child　or　woman　and　I　marvel；　said　he；　that　it　be　not　e　or　now。　Meseems　it　dureth　overlong。　And　he　was　ware　and　saw　a　franklin　that　hight　Lenehan　on　that　side　the　table　that　was　older　than　any　of　the　tother　and　for　that　they　both　were　knights　virtuous　in　the　one　emprise　and　eke　by　cause　that　he　was　elder　he　spoke　to　him　full　gently。　But；　said　he；　or　it　be　long　too　she　wi