Story of the Three Calenders - 11

When I reached the top I found the brass ¹ dome ² and the statue exactly as the pilot had described, but was too wearied with all I had gone through to do more than glance at them, and, flinging myself under the dome, was asleep in an instant. In my dreams an old man appeared to me and said, "Hearken, Agib! As soon as thou art awake dig up the ground underfoot, and thou shalt find a bow of brass and three arrows of lead. Shoot the arrows at the statue, and the rider shall tumble into the sea, but the horse will fall down by thy side, and thou shalt bury him in the place from which thou tookest the bow and arrows. This being done the sea will rise and cover the mountain, and on it thou wilt ³ perceive the figure of a metal man seated in a boat, having an oar ⁴ in each hand. Step on board and let him conduct thee; but if thou wouldest behold ⁵ thy kingdom again, see that thou takest not the name of Allah into thy mouth." , ,Having uttered these words the vision left me, and I woke, much comforted. I sprang up and drew the bow and arrows out of the ground, and with the third shot the horseman fell with a great crash into the sea, which instantly began to rise, so rapidly, that I had hardly time to bury the horse before the boat approached me. I stepped silently in and sat down, and the metal man pushed off, and rowed without stopping for nine days, after which land appeared on the horizon. I was so overcome with joy at this sight that I forgot all the old man had told me, and cried out, "Allah be praised! Allah be praised!" , ,The words were scarcely out of my mouth when the boat and man sank from beneath me, and left me floating on the surface. All that day and the next night I swam and floated alternately, making as well as I could for the land which was nearest to me. At last my strength began to fail, and I gave myself up for lost, when the wind suddenly rose, and a huge wave cast me on a flat shore. Then, placing myself in safety, I hastily spread my clothes out to dry in the sun, and flung myself on the warm ground to rest. , , ,The sailors ran the ship into a creek ⁷, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes（鹤嘴锄，镐）. In the middle of the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor（活板门）. They then returned to the vessel ⁸ two or three times for furniture and provisions, and finally were accompanied by an old man, leading a handsome boy of fourteen or fifteen years of age. They all disappeared down the trapdoor, and after remaining below for a few minutes came up again, but without the boy, and let down the trapdoor, covering it with earth as before. This done, they entered the ship and set sail. , ,As soon as they were out of sight, I came down from my tree, and went to the place where the boy had been buried. I dug up the earth till I reached a large stone with a ring in the centre. This, when removed, disclosed a flight of stone steps which led to a large room richly furnished and lighted by tapers ⁹. On a pile of cushions, covered with tapestry ¹⁰, sat the boy. He looked up, startled and frightened at the sight of a stranger in such a place, and to soothe ¹¹ his fears, I at once spoke ¹²: "Be not alarmed, sir, whoever you may be. I am a king, and the son of a king, and will do you no hurt. On the contrary, perhaps I have been sent here to deliver you out of this tomb, where you have been buried alive." , ,Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。,The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着 。