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Tanglewood Tales-Part27_NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE(1804-1864)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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Then the voice melted again into the indistinct murmur of the

rustling leaves, and died gradually away. When it was quite



gone, Jason felt inclined to doubt whether he had actually

heard the words, or whether his fancy had not shaped them out



of the ordinary sound made by a breeze, while passing through

the thick foliage of the tree.



But on inquiry among the people of Iolchos, he found that there

was really a man in the city, by the name of Argus, who was a



very skilful builder of vessels. This showed some intelligence

in the oak; else how should it have known that any such person



existed? At Jason's request, Argus readily consented to build

him a galley so big that it should require fifty strong men to



row it; although no vessel of such a size and burden had

heretofore been seen in the world. So the head carpenter and



all his journeymen and apprentices began their work; and for a

good while afterwards, there they were, busily employed, hewing



out the timbers, and making a great clatter with their hammers;

until the new ship, which was called the Argo, seemed to be



quite ready for sea. And, as the Talking Oak had already given

him such good advice, Jason thought that it would not be amiss



to ask for a little more. He visited it again, therefore, and

standing beside its huge, rough trunk, inquired what he should



do next.

This time, there was no such universal quivering of the leaves,



throughout the whole tree, as there had been before. But after

a while, Jason observed that the foliage of a great branch



which stretched above his head had begun to rustle, as if the

wind were stirring that one bough, while all the other boughs



of the oak were at rest.

"Cut me off!" said the branch, as soon as it could speak



distinctly; "cut me off! cut me off! and carve me into a

figure-head for your galley."



Accordingly, Jason took the branch at its word, and lopped it

off the tree. A carver in the neighborhood engaged to make the



figurehead. He was a tolerably good workman, and had already

carved several figure-heads, in what he intended for feminine



shapes, and looking pretty much like those which we see

nowadays stuck up under a vessel's bowsprit, with great staring



eyes, that never wink at the dash of the spray. But (what was

very strange) the carver found that his hand was guided by some



unseen power, and by a skill beyond his own, and that his tools

shaped out an image which he had never dreamed of. When the



work was finished, it turned out to be the figure of a

beautiful woman, with a helmet on her head, from beneath which



the long ringlets fell down upon her shoulders. On the left arm

was a shield, and in its center appeared a lifelike



representation of the head of Medusa with the snaky locks. The

right arm was extended, as if pointing onward. The face of this



wonderful statue, though not angry or forbidding, was so grave

and majestic, that perhaps you might call it severe; and as for



the mouth, it seemed just ready to unclose its lips, and utter

words of the deepest wisdom.



Jason was delighted with the oaken image, and gave the carver

no rest until it was completed, and set up where a figure-head



has always stood, from that time to this, in the vessel's prow.

"And now," cried he, as he stood gazing at the calm, majestic



face of the statue, "I must go to the Talking Oak and inquire

what next to do."



"There is no need of that, Jason," said a voice which, though

it was far lower, reminded him of the mighty tones of the great



oak. "When you desire good advice, you can seek it of me."

Jason had been looking straight into the face of the image when



these words were spoken. But he could hardly believe either his

ears or his eyes. The truth was, however, that the oaken lips



had moved, and, to all appearance, the voice had proceeded from

the statue's mouth. Recovering a little from his surprise,



Jason bethought himself that the image had been carved out of

the wood of the Talking Oak, and that, therefore, it was really



no great wonder, but on the contrary, the most natural thing in

the world, that it should possess the faculty of speech. It



would have been very odd, indeed, if it had not. But certainly

it was a great piece of good fortune that he should be able to






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