珀涅罗珀的织品（7）
《泰西故事30篇》作者：李汉昭 2017-04-10 17:32
珀涅罗珀的织品（7）
“All except the great bow which hangs at the head of the hall,” whispered Telemachus. “What say you? Shall we strike now?”
“Shall we strike now?” said old Eumaeus, drawing near and speaking below his breath.
“What is it the old vagrant is telling the boy?” cried Antinous. “Out with him!”
“Yes, out with him!” cried the younger suitors, crowding forward with threatening gestures.
“Let him stay,” said Leocritus. “Let him stay. We shall have great sport with him. Perhaps he, too, has come to claim the hand of fair Penelope. Say, is it not so, my humble friend?”
The beggar made no answer. He grasped his staff with a firmer grip and gazed across the hall where was the lofty stairway that led to the queen’s chambers. Down the stairs came Penelope, stately and beautiful, with her servants and maids around her.
“The queen! the queen!” cried the suitors. “She has come to redeem her promise.”
“Telemachus, my son,” said Penelope, “what poor man is this whom our guests treat so roughly?”
“Mother, he is a strolling beggar whom the waves cast upon our shores last night,” answered the prince. “He says that he brings news of my father.”
“Then he shall tell me of it,” said the queen, “But first he must rest and be fed and receive the attentions due to every guest.” With this she caused the beggar to be led to a seat at the farther side of the room, and she bade Telemachus bring him food and drink with his own hands. “Here, Melampo,” she said to one of her maids, “bring a bowl and water with which to wash the poor man’s feet.”
“Not I,” said the proud maid, “I touch no beggar’s foot.”
“Then I will do the queen’s bidding,” said Dame Eurycleia, the old nurse who had cared for Ulysses when he was a child.
Forthwith she brought a great bowl and warm water and towels; and kneeling on the stones before the stranger she began to bathe and wash his feet. Then suddenly, with a scream, she sprang up, overturning the bowl in her confusion. “O master! the scar!” she muttered hoarsely, but so low that only the stranger heard her. And then, to turn away suspicion, she added in a louder tone, “How awkward I have become in my old age, that I should do so careless a thing! Now I shal
本章未完，请点击下一页继续阅读》》
“All except the great bow which hangs at the head of the hall,” whispered Telemachus. “What say you? Shall we strike now?”
“Shall we strike now?” said old Eumaeus, drawing near and speaking below his breath.
“What is it the old vagrant is telling the boy?” cried Antinous. “Out with him!”
“Yes, out with him!” cried the younger suitors, crowding forward with threatening gestures.
“Let him stay,” said Leocritus. “Let him stay. We shall have great sport with him. Perhaps he, too, has come to claim the hand of fair Penelope. Say, is it not so, my humble friend?”
The beggar made no answer. He grasped his staff with a firmer grip and gazed across the hall where was the lofty stairway that led to the queen’s chambers. Down the stairs came Penelope, stately and beautiful, with her servants and maids around her.
“The queen! the queen!” cried the suitors. “She has come to redeem her promise.”
“Telemachus, my son,” said Penelope, “what poor man is this whom our guests treat so roughly?”
“Mother, he is a strolling beggar whom the waves cast upon our shores last night,” answered the prince. “He says that he brings news of my father.”
“Then he shall tell me of it,” said the queen, “But first he must rest and be fed and receive the attentions due to every guest.” With this she caused the beggar to be led to a seat at the farther side of the room, and she bade Telemachus bring him food and drink with his own hands. “Here, Melampo,” she said to one of her maids, “bring a bowl and water with which to wash the poor man’s feet.”
“Not I,” said the proud maid, “I touch no beggar’s foot.”
“Then I will do the queen’s bidding,” said Dame Eurycleia, the old nurse who had cared for Ulysses when he was a child.
Forthwith she brought a great bowl and warm water and towels; and kneeling on the stones before the stranger she began to bathe and wash his feet. Then suddenly, with a scream, she sprang up, overturning the bowl in her confusion. “O master! the scar!” she muttered hoarsely, but so low that only the stranger heard her. And then, to turn away suspicion, she added in a louder tone, “How awkward I have become in my old age, that I should do so careless a thing! Now I shal