第13部分(第2/7 頁)

d　Moliere

joined　for　a　measure；　both　talking　at　once；　Moliere　in　Greek　and

Aristophanes　in　German。　I　thought　this　odd；　because　it　occurred　to　me

that　German　was　a　dead　language　before　Aristophanes　was　born。

Bright…eyed　Shelley　brought　in　a　fluttering　lark　which　burst　into　the

song　of　Chaucer's　chanticleer。　Henry　Esmond　gave　his　hand　in　a　stately

minuet　to　Diana　of　the　Crossways。　He　evidently　did　not　understand　her

nieenth　century　wit；　for　he　did　not　laugh。　Perhaps　he　had　lost　his

taste　for　clever　women。　Anon　Dante　and　Swedenborg　came　together

conversing　earnestly　about　things　remote　and　mystical。　Swedenborg　said

it　was　very　warm。　Dante　replied　that　it　might　rain　in　the　night。

Suddenly　there　was　a　great　clamour；　and　I　found　that　〃The　Battle　of　the

Books〃　had　begun　raging　anew。　Two　figures　entered　in　lively　dispute。　One

was　dressed　in　plain　homespun　and　the　other　wore　a　scholar's　gown　over　a

suit　of　motley。　I　gathered　from　their　conversation　that　they　were　Cotton

Mather　and　William　Shakspere。　Mather　insisted　that　the　witches　in

〃Macbeth〃　should　be　caught　and　hanged。　Shakspere　replied　that　the

witches　had　already　suffered　enough　at　the　hands　of　mentators。　They

were　pushed　aside　by　the　twelve　knights　of　the　Round　Table；　who　marched

in　bearing　on　a　salver　the　goose　that　laid　golden　eggs。　〃The　Pope's

Mule〃　and　〃The　Golden　Bull〃　had　a　bat　of　history　and　fiction　such　as

I　had　read　of　in　books；　but　never　before　witnessed。　These　little　animals

were　put　to　rout　by　a　huge　elephant　which　lumbered　in　with　Rudyard

Kipling　riding　high　on　its　trunk。　The　elephant　changed　suddenly　to　〃a

rakish　craft。〃　（I　do　not　know　what　a