第39章 CIRCE'S PALACE(8)

"You are our king," cried they; "and what is more, you are the wisest man in the whole world, and nothing but your wisdom and courage can get us out of this danger.If you desert us, and go to the enchanted palace, you will suffer the same fate as our poor companions, and not a soul of us will ever see our dear Ithaca again.""As I am your king," answered Ulysses, "and wiser than any of you, it is therefore the more my duty to see what has befallen our comrades, and whether anything can yet be done to rescue them.Wait for me here until tomorrow.If I do not then return, you must hoist sail, and endeavor to find your way to our native land.For my part, I am answerable for the fate of these poor mariners, who have stood by my side in battle, and been so often drenched to the skin, along with me, by the same tempestuous surges.I will either bring them back with me, or perish."Had his followers dared, they would have detained him by force.

But King Ulysses frowned sternly on them, and shook his spear, and bade them stop him at their peril.Seeing him so determined, they let him go, and sat down on the sand, as disconsolate a set of people as could be, waiting and praying for his return.

It happened to Ulysses, just as before, that, when he had gone a few steps from the edge of the cliff, the purple bird came fluttering towards him, crying, "Peep, peep, pe--weep!" and using all the art it could to persuade him to go no farther.

"What mean you, little bird?" cried Ulysses."You are arrayed like a king in purple and gold, and wear a golden crown upon your head.Is it because I too am a king, that you desire so earnestly to speak with me? If you can talk in human language, say what you would have me do.""Peep!" answered the purple bird, very dolorously."Peep, peep, pe--we--e!"Certainly there lay some heavy anguish at the little bird's heart; and it was a sorrowful predicament that he could not, at least, have the consolation of telling what it was.But Ulysses had no time to waste in trying to get at the mystery.He therefore quickened his pace, and had gone a good way along the pleasant wood path, when there met him a young man of very brisk and intelligent aspect, and clad in a rather singular garb.He wore a short cloak and a sort of cap that seemed to be furnished with a pair of wings; and from the lightness of his step, you would have supposed that there might likewise be wings on his feet.To enable him to walk still better (for he was always on one journey or another) he carried a winged staff, around which two serpents were wriggling and twisting.

In short, I have said enough to make you guess that it was Quicksilver; and Ulysses (who knew him of old, and had learned a great deal of his wisdom from him) recognized him in a moment.

"Whither are you going in such a hurry, wise Ulysses?" asked Quicksilver."Do you not know that this island is enchanted?

The wicked enchantress (whose name is Circe, the sister of King Aetes) dwells in the marble palace which you see yonder among the trees.By her magic arts she changes every human being into the brute, beast, or fowl whom he happens most to resemble.""That little bird, which met me at the edge of the cliff,"exclaimed Ulysses; "was he a human being once?""Yes," answered Quicksilver."He was once a king, named Picus, and a pretty good sort of a king, too, only rather too proud of his purple robe, and his crown, and the golden chain about his neck; so he was forced to take the shape of a gaudy-feathered bird.The lions, and wolves, and tigers, who will come running to meet you, in front of the palace, were formerly fierce and cruel men, resembling in their disposition the wild beasts whose forms they now rightfully wear.""And my poor companions," said Ulysses."Have they undergone a similar change, through the arts of this wicked Circe?""You well know what gormandizers they were," replied Quicksilver; and rogue that he was, he could not help laughing at the joke."So you will not be surprised to hear that they have all taken the shapes of swine! If Circe had never done anything worse, I really should not think her so very much to blame.""But can I do nothing to help them?" inquired Ulysses.

"It will require all your wisdom," said Quicksilver, "and a little of my own into the bargain, to keep your royal and sagacious self from being transformed into a fox.But do as Ibid you; and the matter may end better than it has begun."While he was speaking, Quicksilver seemed to be in search of something; he went stooping along the ground, and soon laid his hand on a little plant with a snow-white flower, which he plucked and smelt of.Ulysses had been looking at that very spot only just before; and it appeared to him that the plant had burst into full flower the instant when Quicksilver touched it with his fingers.

"Take this flower, King Ulysses," said he."Guard it as you do your eyesight; for I can assure you it is exceedingly rare and precious, and you might seek the whole earth over without ever finding another like it.Keep it in your hand, and smell of it frequently after you enter the palace, and while you are talking with the enchantress.Especially when she offers you food, or a draught of wine out of her goblet, be careful to fill your nostrils with the flower's fragrance.Follow these directions, and you may defy her magic arts to change you into a fox."Quicksilver then gave him some further advice how to behave, and bidding him be bold and prudent, again assured him that, powerful as Circe was, he would have a fair prospect of coming safely out of her enchanted palace.After listening attentively, Ulysses thanked his good friend, and resumed his way.But he had taken only a few steps, when, recollecting some other questions which he wished to ask, he turned round again, and beheld nobody on the spot where Quicksilver had stood; for that winged cap of his, and those winged shoes, with the help of the winged staff, had carried him quickly out of sight.