【赫临译笔】三个托钵僧的故事（9.1） - 心云驛站

“是的，陛下，”官员们答道：“这是一只猴子当着我们的面写的。”

然后，他们给我穿上华丽的服装，划到岸上。他们在那儿把我扶上了马，带到了王宫。苏丹王正率领着百官隆重地等待我。

在沿途的每一条街道上，我成了人们好奇的对象。每一个门口，每一个窗口，都有一双双好奇的眼睛。我是在这些人的叫喊和欢呼声中被带到苏丹王面前的。

我走近他坐的宝座，向他深深地鞠了三个躬，然后跪拜在他脚下。这令所有人都很吃惊，他们不明白一只猴子怎能从人群中分辨出哪位是国王，并向他表示适合他身份的尊敬。然而，除了不会说话外，拜见国王的礼仪我一样也没落下。

当这些结束时，苏丹王打发走了所有官员。只剩下太监总管和一个小奴隶。然后，他进了另一房间，命令把食物端上来。示意我坐在桌子上与他一起吃。我从座位上站起，吻了吻地面，然后坐在餐桌旁，正像你料想的那样，小心而有节制地吃起来。

在盘子被撤走以前，我做手势，让他们把放在屋子角落里的书写工具拿到我面前。然后，我拿起一只桃子，在上面写了几行赞美苏丹王的诗句，苏丹王惊得说不出话来。当我正在向自己喝过酒的杯子上书写诗句时，只听他小声自语道：“哇，一个人能够做到这些已经聪明无比了，而他只是一只猴子。”

晚餐过后，拿来了棋子，苏丹王做手势问我是否能和他比试一下。我吻了地面，把手放到头顶以示我可以接受这份荣宠。第一局他胜，第二局第三局我胜，看到他有点不高兴，我匆忙写了一首诗来安慰他。

苏丹王对我业以证明的所有才能非常喜欢，他想向别人展示一下我的才能。于是，他转向太监总管说：“去把我美貌绝伦的女儿请来，我要让他看一样她以前从没见过的东西。”

太监总管鞠了个躬，离开了这个房间，过了一会儿，他带来了公主，一个绝代佳人。她的脸上没有遮盖，但她刚一进屋，就把面纱罩在了头上。“陛下，”她对父亲说：“您在想什么，怎能让我这样来见一个男人？”

“我不明白你的话，”苏丹王答道：“这里除了我，你的奴仆太监总管和这个小奴隶外，哪有别人？而你却带上面纱，责怪我将你召来，好像我犯了错一样。”

“陛下，”公主答道：“我是对的，你是错的。这只猴子根本就不是一只猴子，而是一个年轻的王子。他是被魔王的外孙，一个魔鬼邪恶的魔咒变成猴子的。”

可以预料，这些话使苏丹王大吃一惊。他转向我，看看我对公主的话反应如何。因为我不能说话，我把手放到头顶，表示这是真的。

“陛下，”绝代美人答道：“小时候照顾我的老太太是个博学多才的魔法师，她教了我七十着魔法。我可以在眨眼之间，把您的首都移到大海中央。她的魔法还教我如何一眼就能识别出被施了魔法的人，并知道是谁施的魔法。”

"Yes, sire," answered the officials. "They were written by a monkey in our presence."

The Sultan's officials returned to the ship and showed the royal order to the captain.

Then they put on me the gorgeous robe and rowed me to land, where I was placed on the horse and led to the palace. Here the Sultan was awaiting me ingreat state surrounded by his court.

All the way along the streets I had been the object of curiosity to a vastcrowd, which had filled every doorway and every window, and it was amidst their shouts and cheers that I was ushered into the presence of the Sultan.

I approached the throne on which he was seated and made him three low bows, then prostrated myself at his feet to the surprise of everyone, who could not understand how it was possible that a monkey should be able to distinguish a Sultan from other people, and to pay him the respect due to his rank. However, excepting theusual speech, I omitted none of the common forms attending a royal audience.

When it was over the Sultan dismissed all the court, keeping with him onlythe chief of the eunuchs and a little slave. He then passed into another room and ordered food to be brought, making signs to me to sit at table with him and eat. I rose from my seat, kissed the ground, and took my place at the table,eating, as you may suppose, with care and in moderation.

Before the dishes were removed I made signs that writing materials, which stood in one corner of the room, should be laid in front of me. I then took a peach and wrote on it some verses in praise of the Sultan, who was speechless with astonishment; but when I did the same thing on a glass from which I had drunk he murmured to himself, "Why, a man who could do as much would be cleverer than any other man, and this is only a monkey!"

Supper being over chessmen were brought, and the Sultan signed to me toknow if I would play with him. I kissed the ground and laid my hand on my headto show that I was ready to show myself worthy of the honour. He beat me the first game, but I won the second and third, and seeing that this did not quite please I dashed off a verse by way of consolation.

The Sultan was so enchanted with all the talents of which I had given proof that he wished me to exhibit some of them to other people. So turning to the chief of the eunuchs he said, "Go and beg my daughter, Queen of Beauty, to come here. I will show her something she has never seen before."

The chief of the eunuchs bowed and left the room, ushering in a few moments later the princess, Queen of Beauty. Her face was uncovered, but the moment she set foot in the room she threw her veil over her head."Sire," she said to her father, "what can you be thinking of to summon me like this into the presence of a man?"

"I do not understand you," replied the Sultan. "There is nobody here but the eunuch, who is your own servant, the little slave, and myself, yet you cover yourself with your veil and reproach me for having sent for you, as if I had committed a crime."

"Sire," answered the princess, "I am right and you are wrong. This monkey is really no monkey at all, but a young prince who has been turned into a monkey by the wicked spellsof a genius, son of the daughter of Eblis."

As will be imagined, these words took the Sultan by surprise, and he looked at me to see how I should take the statement of the princess. As I was unable to speak, I placed my hand on my head to show that it was true.

"Sire," replied Queen of Beauty, "the old lady who took care of me in my childhood was an accomplished magician, and she taught me seventy rules of her art, by means of which I could, in the twinkling of an eye,transplant your capital into the middle of the ocean. Her art likewise teaches me to recognise at first sight all persons who are enchanted, and tells me by whom the spell was wrought."