第34章 CIRCE'S PALACE(3)

No sooner had they clambered up the cliff, than they discerned the tall marble towers of the palace, ascending, as white as snow, out of the lovely green shadow of the trees which surrounded it.A gush of smoke came from a chimney in the rear of the edifice.This vapor rose high in the air, and, meeting with a breeze, was wafted seaward, and made to pass over the heads of the hungry mariners.When people's appetites are keen, they have a very quick scent for anything savory in the wind.

"That smoke comes from the kitchen!" cried one of them, turning up his nose as high as he could, and snuffing eagerly."And, as sure as I'm a half-starved vagabond, I smell roast meat in it.""Pig, roast pig!" said another."Ah, the dainty little porker.

My mouth waters for him."

"Let us make haste," cried the others, "or we shall be too late for the good cheer! "But scarcely had they made half a dozen steps from the edge of the cliff, when a bird came fluttering to meet them.It was the same pretty little bird, with the purple wings and body, the yellow legs, the golden collar round its neck, and the crown-like tuft upon its head, whose behavior had so much surprised Ulysses.It hovered about Eurylochus, and almost brushed his face with its wings.

"Peep, peep, pe--weep!" chirped the bird.

So plaintively intelligent was the sound, that it seemed as if the little creature were going to break its heart with some mighty secret that it had to tell, and only this one poor note to tell it with.

"My pretty bird," said Eurylochus--for he was a wary person, and let no token of harm escape his notice--"my pretty bird, who sent you hither? And what is the message which you bring?""Peep, peep, pe--weep! " replied the bird, very sorrowfully.

Then it flew towards the edge of the cliff, and looked around at them, as if exceedingly anxious that they should return whence they came.Eurylochus and a few of the others were inclined to turn back.They could not help suspecting that the purple bird must be aware of something mischievous that would befall them at the palace, and the knowledge of which affected its airy spirit with a human sympathy and sorrow.But the rest of the voyagers, snuffing up the smoke from the palace kitchen, ridiculed the idea of returning to the vessel.One of them (more brutal than his fellows, and the most notorious gormandizer in the crew) said such a cruel and wicked thing, that I wonder the mere thought did not turn him into a wild beast, in shape, as he already was in his nature.

"This troublesome and impertinent little fowl," said he, "would make a delicate titbit to begin dinner with.Just one plump morsel, melting away between the teeth.If he comes within my reach, I'll catch him, and give him to the palace cook to be roasted on a skewer."The words were hardly out of his mouth, before the purple bird flew away, crying, "Peep, peep, pe--weep," more dolorously than ever.

"That bird," remarked Eurylochus, "knows more than we do about what awaits us at the palace.""Come on, then," cried his comrades, "and we'll soon know as much as he does."The party, accordingly, went onward through the green and pleasant wood.Every little while they caught new glimpses of the marble palace, which looked more and more beautiful the nearer they approached it.They soon entered a broad pathway, which seemed to be very neatly kept, and which went winding along, with streaks of sunshine falling across it and specks of light quivering among the deepest shadows that fell from the lofty trees.It was bordered, too, with a great many sweet-smelling flowers, such as the mariners had never seen before.So rich and beautiful they were, that, if the shrubs grew wild here, and were native in the soil, then this island was surely the flower garden of the whole earth; or, if transplanted from some other clime, it must have been from the Happy Islands that lay towards the golden sunset.

"There has been a great deal of pains foolishly wasted on these flowers," observed one of the company; and I tell you what he said, that you may keep in mind what gormandizers they were.

"For my part, if I were the owner of the palace, I would bid my gardener cultivate nothing but savory pot herbs to make a stuffing for roast meat, or to flavor a stew with."" Well said!" cried the others."But I'll warrant you there's a kitchen garden in the rear of the palace."At one place they came to a crystal spring, and paused to drink at it for want of liquor which they liked better.Looking into its bosom, they beheld their own faces dimly reflected, but so extravagantly distorted by the gush and motion of the water, that each one of them appeared to be laughing at himself and all his companions.So ridiculous were these images of themselves, indeed, that they did really laugh aloud, and could hardly be grave again as soon as they wished.And after they had drank, they grew still merrier than before.

"It has a twang of the wine cask in it," said one, smacking his lips.

"Make haste!" cried his fellows: "we'll find the wine cask itself at the palace, and that will be better than a hundred crystal fountains."Then they quickened their pace, and capered for joy at the thought of the savory banquet at which they hoped to be guests.

But Eurylochus told them that he felt as if he were walking in a dream.