the history-第39章

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ly　visit　them　with　great　punishments。　Such；　at　least；　is　my　view　of　the　matter。　　　　　（1。）　When　Proteus　died；　Rhampsinitus；　the　priests　informed　me；　succeeded　to　the　throne。　His　monuments　were　the　western　gateway　of　the　temple　of　Vulcan；　and　the　two　statues　which　stand　in　front　of　this　gateway；　called　by　the　Egyptians；　the　one　Summer；　the　other　Winter；　each　twenty…five　cubits　in　height。　The　statue　of　Summer；　which　is　the　northernmost　of　the　two；　is　worshipped　by　the　natives；　and　has　offerings　made　to　it；　that　of　Winter；　which　stands　towards　the　south；　is　treated　in　exactly　the　contrary　way。　King　Rhampsinitus　was　possessed；　they　said；　of　great　riches　in　silver…　indeed　to　such　an　amount；　that　none　of　the　princes；　his　successors；　surpassed　or　even　equalled　his　wealth。　For　the　better　custody　of　this　money；　he　proposed　to　build　a　vast　chamber　of　hewn　stone；　one　side　of　which　was　to　form　a　part　of　the　outer　wall　of　his　palace。　The　builder；　therefore；　having　designs　upon　the　treasures；　contrived；　as　he　was　making　the　building；　to　insert　in　this　wall　a　stone；　which　could　easily　be　removed　from　its　place　by　two　men；　or　even　by　one。　So　the　chamber　was　finished；　and　the　king's　money　stored　away　in　it。　Time　passed；　and　the　builder　fell　sick；　when　finding　his　end　approaching；　he　called　for　his　two　sons；　and　related　to　them　the　contrivance　he　had　made　in　the　king's　treasure…chamber；　telling　them　it　was　for　their　sakes　he　had　done　it；　that　so　they　might　always　live　in　affluence。　Then　he　gave　them　clear　directions　concerning　the　mode　of　removing　the　stone；　and　communicated　the　measurements；　bidding　them　carefully　keep　the　secret；　whereby　they　would　be　Comptrollers　of　the　Royal　Exchequer　so　long　as　they　lived。　Then　the　father　died；　and　the　sons　were　not　slow　in　setting　to　work：　they　went　by　night　to　the　palace；　found　the　stone　in　the　wall　of　the　building；　and　having　removed　it　with　ease；　plundered　the　treasury　of　a　round　sum。　　　　　（2。）　When　the　king　next　paid　a　visit　to　the　apartment；　he　was　astonished　to　see　that　the　money　was　sunk　in　some　of　the　vessels　wherein　it　was　stored　away。　Whom　to　accuse；　however；　he　knew　not；　as　the　seals　were　all　perfect；　and　the　fastenings　of　the　room　secure。　Still　each　time　that　he　repeated　his　visits；　he　found　that　more　money　was　gone。　The　thieves　in　truth　never　stopped；　but　plundered　the　treasury　ever　more　and　more。　At　last　the　king　determined　to　have　some　traps　made；　and　set　near　the　vessels　which　contained　his　wealth。　This　was　done；　and　when　the　thieves　came；　as　usual；　to　the　treasure…chamber；　and　one　of　them　entering　through　the　aperture；　made　straight　for　the　jars；　suddenly　he　found　himself　caught　in　one　of　the　traps。　Perceiving　that　he　was　lost；　he　instantly　called　his　brother　and　telling　him　what　had　happened；　entreated　him　to　enter　as　quickly　as　possible　and　cut　off　his　head；　that　when　his　body　should　be　discovered　it　might　not　be　recognised；　which　would　have　the　effect　of　bringing　ruin　upon　both。　The　other　thief　thought　the　advice　good；　and　was　persuaded　to　follow　it　then；　fitting　the　stone　into　its　place；　he　went　home；　taking　with　him　his　brother's　head。　　　　　（3。）　When　day　dawned；　the　king　came　into　the　room；　and　marvelled　greatly　to　see　the　body　of　the　thief　in　the　trap　without　a　head；　while　the　building　was　still　whole；　and　neither　entrance　nor　exit　was　to　be　seen　anywhere。　In　this　perplexity　he　commanded　the　body　of　the　dead　man　to　be　hung　up　outside　the　palace　wall；　and　set　a　guard　to　watch　it；　with　orders　that　if　any　persons　were　seen　weeping　or　lamenting　near　the　place；　they　should　be　seized　and　brought　before　him。　When　the　mother　heard　of　this　exposure　of　the　corpse　of　her　son；　she　took　it　sorely　to　heart；　and　spoke　to　her　surviving　child；　bidding　him　devise　some　plan　or　other　to　get　back　the　body；　and　threatening；　that　if　he　did　not　exert　himself；　she　would　go　herself　to　the　king；　and　denounce　him　as　the　robber。　　　　　（4。）　The　son　said　all　he　could　to　persuade　her　to　let　the　matter　rest；　but　in　vain；　she　still　continued　to　trouble　him；　until　at　last　he　yielded　to　her　importunity；　and　contrived　as　follows：…　Filling　some　skins　with　wine；　he　loaded　them　on　donkeys；　which　he　drove　before　him　till　he　came　to　the　place　where　the　guards　were　watching　the　dead　body；　when　pulling　two　or　three　of　the　skins　towards　him；　he　untied　some　of　the　necks　which　dangled　by　the　asses'　sides。　The　wine　poured　freely　out；　whereupon　he　began　to　beat　his　head；　and　shout　with　all　his　might；　seeming　not　to　know　which　of　the　donkeys　he　should　turn　to　first。　When　the　guards　saw　the　wine　running；　delighted　to　profit　by　the　occasion；　they　rushed　one　and　all　into　the　road；　each　with　some　vessel　or　other；　and　caught　the　liquor　as　it　was　spilling。　The　driver　pretended　anger；　and　loaded　them　with　abuse；　whereon　they　did　their　best　to　pacify　him；　until　at　last　he　appeared　to　soften；　and　recover　his　good　humour；　drove　his　asses　aside　out　of　the　road；　and　set　to　work　to　rearrange　their　burthens；　meanwhile；　as　he　talked　and　chatted　with　the　guards；　one　of　them　began　to　rally　him；　and　make　him　laugh；　whereupon　he　gave　them　one　of　the　skins　as　a　gift。　They　now　made　up　their　minds　to　sit　down　and　have　a　drinking…bout　where　they　were；　so　they　begged　him　to　remain　and　drink　with　them。　Then　the　man　let　himself　be　persuaded；　and　stayed。　As　the　drinking　went　on；　they　grew　very　friendly　together；　so　presently　he　gave　them　another　skin；　upon　which　they　drank　so　copiously　that　they　were　all　overcome　with　the　liquor；　and　growing　drowsy　lay　down；　and　fell　asleep　on　the　spot。　The　thief　waited　till　it　was　the　dead　of　the　night；　and　then　took　down　the　body　of　his　brother；　after　which；　in　mockery；　he　shaved　off　the　right　side　of　all　the　soldiers'　beards；　and　so　left　them。　Laying　his　brother's　body　upon　the　asses；　he　carried　it　home　to　his　mother；　having　thus　accomplished　the　thing　that　she　had　required　of　him。　　　　　（5。）　When　it　came　to　the　king's　ears　that　the　thief's　body　was　stolen　away；　he　was　sorely　vexed。　Wishing；　therefore；　whatever　it　might　cost；　to　catch　the　man　who　had　contrived　the　trick；　he　had　recourse　（the　priests　said）　to　an　expedient；　which　I　can　scarcely　credit。　He　sent　his　own　daughter　to　the　common　stews；　with　orders　to　admit　all　comers；　but　to　require　every　man　to　tell　her　what　was　the　cleverest　and　wickedest　thing　he　had　done　in　the　whole　course　of　his　life。　If　any　one　in　reply　told　her　the　story　of　the　thief；　she　was　to　lay　hold　of　him　and　not　allow　him　to　get　away。　The　daughter　did　as　her　father　willed；　whereon　the　thief；　who　was　well　aware　of　the　king's　motive；　felt　a　desire　to　outdo　him　in　craft　and　cunning。　Accordingly　he　contrived　the　following　plan：…　He　procured　the　corpse　of　a　man　lately　dead；　and　cutting　of　one　of　the　arms　at　the　shoulder；　put　it　under　his　dress；　and　so　went　to　the　king's　daughter。　When　she　put　the　question　to　him　as　she　had　done　to　all　the　rest；　he　replied　that　the　wickedest　thing　he　had　ever　done　was　cutting　off　the　head　of　his　brother　when　he　was　caught　in　a　trap　in　the　king's　treasury；　and　the　cleverest　was　making　the　guards　drunk　and　carrying　off　the　body。　As　he　spoke；　the　princess　caught　at　him；　but　the　thief　took　advantage　of　the　darkness　to　hold　out　to　her　the　hand　of　the　corpse。　Imagining　it　to　be　his　own　hand；　she　seized　and　held　it　fast；　while　the　thief；　leaving　it　in　her　grasp；　made　his　escape　by　the　door。　　　　　（6。）　The　king；　when　word　was　brought　him　of　this　fresh　success；　amazed　at　the　sagacity　and　boldness　of　the　man；　sent　messengers　to　all　the　towns　in　his　dominions　to　proclaim　a　free　pardon　for　the　thief；　and　to　promise　him　a　rich　reward；　if　he　came　and　made　himself　known。　The　thief　took　the　king　at　his　word；　and　came　boldly　into　his　presence；　whereupon　Rhampsinitus；　greatly　admiring　him；　and　looking　on　him　as　the　most　knowing　of　men；　gave　him　his　daughter　in　marriage。　〃The　Egyptians；〃　he　said；　〃excelled　all　the　rest　of　the　world　in　wisdom；　and　this　man　excelled　all　other　Egyptians。〃　　　　　The　same　king；　I　was　also　informed　by　the　priests；　afterwards　descended　alive　into　the　region　which　the　Greeks　call　Hades；　and　there　played　at　dice　with　Ceres；　sometimes　winning　and　sometimes　suffering　defeat。　After　a　while　he　returned　to　earth；　and　brought　with　him　a　golden　napkin；　a　gift　which　he　had　received　from　the　goddess。　From　this　descent　of　Rhampsinitus　into　Hades；　and　return　to　earth　again；　the　Egyptians；　I　was　told；　instituted　a　festival；　which　they　certainly　celebrated　in　my　day。　On　what　occasion　it　was　that　they　instituted　it；　whether　upon　this　or　upon　any　other；　I　cannot　determine。　The　following　are　the　ceremonies：…　On　a　certain　day　in　the　year　the　priests　weave　a　mande；　and　binding　the　eyes　of　one　of　their　number　with　a　fillet；　they　put　the　mantle　upon　him；　and　take　him　with　them　into　the　roadway　conducting　to　the　temple　of　Ceres；　when　they　depart　and　leave　him　to　himself。　Then　the　priest；　thus　blindfolded；　is　led　（they　say）　by　two　wolves　to　the　temple　of　Ceres；　distant　twenty　furlongs　from　the　city；　where　he　stays　awhile；　after　which　he　is　brought　back　from　the　temple　by　the　wolves；　and　left　upon　the　spot　where　they　first　joined　him。　　　　　Such　as　think　the　tales　told　by　the　Egyptians　credible　are　free　to　accept　them　for　history。　For　my　own　part；　I　propose　to　myself　throughout　my　whole　work　faithfully　to　record