《道林格雷的画像》第44章

the　bezoar；　that　was　found　in　the　heart　of　the　arabian　deer；　was　a　charm　that　could　cure　the　plague。　in　the　nests　of　arabian　birds　was　the　aspilates；　that；　according　to　democritus；　kept　the　wearer　from　any　danger　by　fire。
the　king　of　ceilan　rode　through　his　city　with　a　large　ruby　in　his　hand；　as　the　ceremony　of　his　coronation。　the　gates　of　the　palace　of　john　the　priest　were　〃made　of　sardius；　with　the　horn　of　the　horned　snake　inwrought；　so　that　no　man　might　bring　poison　within。〃　over　the　gable　were　〃two　golden　apples；　in　which　were　two　carbuncles；〃　so　that　the　gold　might　shine　by　day　and　the　carbuncles　by　night。　in　lodges　strange　romance　a　margarite　of　america；　it　was　stated　that　in　the　chamber　of　the　queen　one　could　behold　〃all　the　chaste　ladies　of　the　world；　inchased　out　of　silver；　looking　through　fair　mirrours　of　chrysolites；　carbuncles；　sapphires；　and　greene　emeraults。〃　marco　polo　had　seen　the　inhabitants　of　zipangu　place　rose…coloured　pearls　in　the　mouths　of　the　dead。　a　sea…monster　had　been　enamoured　of　the　pearl　that　the　diver　brought　to　king　perozes；　and　had　slain　the　thief；　and　mourned　for　seven　moons　over　its　loss。　when　the　huns　lured　the　king　into　the　great　pit；　he　flung　it　away……　procopius　tells　the　story……nor　was　it　ever　found　again；　though　the　emperor　anastasius　offered　five　hundred…weight　of　gold　pieces　for　it。　the　king　of　malabar　had　shown　to　a　certain　venetian　a　rosary　of　three　hundred　and　four　pearls；　one　for　every　god　that　he　worshipped。
when　the　duke　de　valentinois；　son　of　alexander　vi；　visited　louis　xii　of　france；　his　horse　was　loaded　with　gold　leaves；　according　to　brantome；　and　his　cap　had　double　rows　of　rubies　that　threw　out　a　great　light。　charles　of　england　had　ridden　in　stirrups　hung　with　four　hundred　and　twenty…one　diamonds。　richard　ii　had　a　coat；　valued　at　thirty　thousand　marks；　which　was　covered　with　balas　rubies。　hall　described　henry　viii；　on　his　way　to　the　tower　previous　to　his　coronation；　as　wearing　〃a　jacket　of　raised　gold；　the　placard　embroidered　with　diamonds　and　other　rich　stones；　and　a　great　bauderike　about　his　neck　of　large　balasses。〃　the　favourites　of　james　i　wore　ear…rings　of　emeralds　set　in　gold　filigrane。　edward　ii　gave　to　piers　gaveston　a　suit　of　red…gold　armour　studded　with　jacinths；　a　collar　of　gold　roses　set　with　turquoise…stones；　and　a　skull…cap　parsemé　with　pearls。　henry　ii　wore　jewelled　gloves　reaching　to　the　elbow；　and　had　a　hawk…glove　sewn　with　twelve　rubies　and　fifty…two　great　orients。　the　ducal　hat　of　charles　the　rash；　the　last　duke　of　burgundy　of　his　race；　was　hung　with　pear…shaped　pearls　and　studded　with　sapphires。
how　exquisite　life　had　once　been！　how　gorgeous　in　its　pomp　and　decoration！　even　to　read　of　the　luxury　of　the　dead　was　wonderful。
then　he　turned　his　attention　to　embroideries　and　to　the　tapestries　that　performed　the　office　of　frescoes　in　the　chill　rooms　of　the　northern　nations　of　europe。　as　he　investigated　the　subject……　and　he　always　had　an　extraordinary　faculty　of　being　absolutely　absorbed　for　the　moment　in　whatever　he　took　up……he　was　almost　saddened　by　the　reflection　of　the　ruin　that　time　brought　on　beautiful　and　wonderful　things。　he；　at　any　rate；　had　escaped　that。　summer　followed　summer；　and　the　yellow　jonquils　bloomed　and　died　many　times；　and　nights　of　horror　repeated　the　story　of　their　shame；　but　he　was　unchanged。　no　winter　marred　his　face　or　stained　his　flowerlike　bloom。　how　different　it　was　with　material　things！　where　had　they　passed　to？　where　was　the　great　crocus…coloured　robe；　on　which　the　gods　fought　against　the　giants；　that　had　been　worked　by　brown　girls　for　the　pleasure　of　athena？　where　the　huge　velarium　that　nero　had　stretched　across　the　colosseum　at　rome；　that　titan　sail　of　purple　on　which　was　represented　the　starry　sky；　and　apollo　driving　a　chariot　drawn　by　white；　gilt…reined　steeds？　he　longed　to　see　the　curious　table…napkins　wrought　for　the　priest　of　the　sun；　on　which　were　displayed　all　the　dainties　and　viands　that　could　be　wanted　for　a　feast；　the　mortuary　cloth　of　king　chilperic；　with　its　three　hundred　golden　bees；　the　fantastic　robes　that　excited　the　indignation　of　the　bishop　of　pontus　and　were　figured　with　〃lions；　panthers；　bears；　dogs；　forests；　rocks；　hunters……all；　in　fact；　that　a　painter　can　copy　from　nature〃；　and　the　coat　that　charles　of　orleans　once　wore；　on　the　sleeves　of　which　were　embroidered　the　verses　of　a　song　beginning　〃madame；　je　suis　tout　joyeux；〃　the　musical　acpaniment　of　the　words　being　wrought　in　gold　thread；　and　each　note；　of　square　shape　in　those　days；　formed　with　four　pearls。　he　read　of　the　room　that　was　prepared　at　the　palace　at　rheims　for　the　use　of　queen　joan　of　burgundy　and　was　decorated　with　〃thirteen　hundred　and　twenty…one　parrots；　made　in　broidery；　and　blazoned　with　the　kings　arms；　and　five　hundred　and　sixty…one　butterflies；　whose　wings　were　similarly　ornamented　with　the　arms　of　the　queen；　the　whole　worked　in　gold。〃　catherine　de　médicis　had　a　mourning…bed　made　for　her　of　black　velvet　powdered　with　crescents　and　suns。　its　curtains　were　of　damask；　with　leafy　wreaths　and　garlands；　figured　upon　a　gold　and　silver　ground；　and　fringed　along　the　edges　with　broideries　of　pearls；　and　it　stood　in　a　room　hung　with　rows　of　the　queens　devices　in　cut　black　velvet　upon　cloth　of　silver。　louis　xiv　had　gold　embroidered　caryatides　fifteen　feet　high　in　his　apartment。　the　state　bed　of　sobieski；　king　of　poland；　was　made　of　smyrna　gold　brocade　embroidered　in　turquoises　with　verses　from　the　koran。　its　supports　were　of　silver　gilt；　beautifully　chased；　and　profusely　set　with　enamelled　and　jewelled　medallions。　it　had　been　taken　from　the　turkish　camp　before　vienna；　and　the　standard　of　mohammed　had　stood　beneath　the　tremulous　gilt　of　its　canopy。
and　so；　for　a　whole　year；　he　sought　to　accumulate　the　most　exquisite　specimens　that　he　could　find　of　textile　and　embroidered　work；　getting　the　dainty　delhi　muslins；　finely　wrought　with　gold…thread　palmates　and　stitched　over　with　iridescent　beetles　wings；　the　dacca　gauzes；　that　from　their　transparency　are　known　in　the　east　as　〃woven　air；〃　and　〃running　water；〃　and　〃evening　dew〃；　strange　figured　cloths　from　java；　elaborate　yellow　chinese　hangings；　books　bound　in　tawny　satins　or　fair　blue　silks　an