cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第62部分

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barley…bread　in　the　persons　of　the　monks；　who　very　seldom　indulged　in
flesh。　The　actual　head　of　the　monastery　was　a　handsome　man　of　seventy；
perfectly　erect　in　figure；　as　though　fresh　from　military　drill；　and　as
strong　and　active　as　most　men　of　fifty。　The　younger　priests　were　all
good…looking；　active；　healthy　men；　who　thought　nothing　of　a　morning's
walk　over　the　fatiguing　rocky　paths　to　Troodos　and　back　（twelve　miles）；
to　be　refreshed　on　their　return　by　an　afternoon's　work　in　their　gardens。
The　head　of　the　Church　was　an　especial　friend　of　ours；　and　was　a　dear
old　fellow　of　about　seventy；　with　a　handsome　face；　a　pair　of　greasy
brass　spectacles　bound　with　some　substance　to　retain　them　that　was　long
since　past　recognition；　and　swelled　feet　that　prevented　him　from　walking
beyond　the　precincts　of　the　monastery；　which　he　had　never　quitted　for
twelve　years。　The　feet　looked　uncommonly　like　the　gout；　but　I　can　hardly
believe　in　the　co…existence　of　that　complaint　with　dry　beans　and
barley…bread；　although　the　truth　must　be　confessed；　that　the　monks　are
fond　of　commanderia；　or　any　other　production　of　the　vineyard。　There　was
one　exceedingly　disagreeable　monk　with　whom　we　held　a　most　remote
acquaintance；　and　whose　name　I　willingly　conceal；　he　has　been　seen　upon
several　occasions　to　sit　down　upon　an　imaginary　chair；　the　real　article
of　furniture　being　eighteen　inches　distant；　and　the　stunning　effect　of
arriving　suddenly　in　a　sitting　posture　upon　the　hard　stone　of　the
courtyard　disabled　him　from　rising；　and　even　when　assisted　his　legs　were
evidently　affected　by　the　shock。　His　enemies　declared　（as　they　always
do）　that　he　was　the　victim　to　an　over…indulgence　in　the　raki　and　wine　of
Phyni。　We　generally　knew　him　by　the　alias　of　〃Roger；〃　in　memory　of　the
Ingoldsby　Legends；　where

　　　　〃Roger　the　Monk
　　　　Got　excessively　drunk；
　　　　So　they　put　him　to　bed；
　　　　And　tucked　him　in。〃

There　was　no　friend　to　bestow　such　care　upon　our　Roger；　he　therefore　lay
helplessly　upon　the　bare　stone　until　refreshing　sleep　restored　his
eyesight　and　his　perpendicular。

Our　particular　friend　the　head　of　the　Church　was　a　very　different
character；　and　was　a　most　simple…minded　and　really　good　religious　man。　I
employed　a　photographer　of　the　Royal　Engineers　（kindly　permitted　by
Major　Maitland；　R。E。）　specially　to　take　his　picture；　as　he　sat　every
morning　knitting　stockings；　with　a　little　boy　by　his　side　reading　the
Greek　Testament　aloud；　in　the　archway　of　the　monastery。　This　was　his
daily　occupation；　varied　only　when　he　exchanged　the　work　of　knitting
either　for　spinning　cotton；　or　carving　wooden　spoons　from　the　arbutus：
these　he　manufactured　in　great　numbers　as　return　presents　to　those　poor
people　who　brought　little　offerings　from　the　low　country。　Never　having
mixed　with　the　world；　the　old　man　was　very　original　and　primitive　in　his
ideas；　which　were　limited　to　the　monastery　duties　and　to　the　extreme
trouble　occasioned　by　the　numerous　goats　which　trespassed　upon　the
unfenced　gardens；　and　inflicted　serious　damage。　The　chapel；　which　was
under　his　control；　was　of　the　usual　kind；　and　at　the　same　time　rough　and
exceedingly　gaudy；　the　pulpit　being　gilded　throughout　its　surface；　and
the　reredos　glittering　with　gold　and　tawdry　pictures　of　the　lowest　style
of　art；　representing　the　various　saints；　including　a　very　fat　St。　George
and　the　meekest　possible　dragon。　Our　old　friend　had　never　seen　a　British
sovereign　with　the　St。　George；　and　was　vastly　pleased　when　he　discovered
that　his　saint　and　ours　were　the　same　person；　only　differing　in　symmetry
of　figures　and　in　ferocity　of　dragons。

There　was　one　very　extraordinary　effigy　in　bas…relief　upon　silver…gilt
about　two　feet　six　inches　high；　of　the　Virgin　Mary；　to　which　peculiar
miraculous　properties　were　attributed。　The　possession　of　this　relic
formed　the　principal　attraction　of　the　monastery。　About　a　quarter　of　a
mile　above　the　present　establishment　there　is　a　small　cave　concealed
among　the　ragged　masses　of　rock　that　crust　the　mountain　side；　this　has
been　formed　by　one　rock　which；　leans　across　another；　and　each　end　has
been　walled　up　artificially；　so　as　to　form　a　stone　chamber　of　about
twelve　feet　in　length　by　seven　in　width；　with　a　small　entrance。
According　to　the　account　given　by　the　old　monk；　this　cave　was　the　origin
of　the　present　monastery　through　the　following　accident。　Among　these
wild　mountains；　where　no　dwelling　of　any　kind　exists；　it　has　always　been
the　custom　after　the　melting　of　the　snows　in　early　spring　to　pasture　the
numerous　flocks　of　goats；　which　are　at　that　season　driven　up　from　the
parched　herbage　of　the　low　country　to　the　fresh　herbs　of　the　cooler
altitudes。　Three　or　four　hundred　years　ago　a　shepherd；　having　lost　his
goat　at　night；　was　surprised　at　the　appearance　of　a　light　among　the
rocks　high　up　on　the　mountain；　and　with　superstitious　awe　he　related　his
discovery　to　his　fellows。　For　some　time　the　mysterious　light　was
observed　nightly；　and　various　conjectures　were　on　foot　as　to　its　origin；
but　no　one　dared　to　venture　upon　an　examination。

At　length；　the　authorities　of　the　Church　having　been　consulted；　it　was
resolved　that　a　priest　should　accompany　the　party　of　investigation　and
the　matter　should　be　thoroughly　cleared　up。

It　was　a　difficult　climb　to　the　pathless　crags　at　night；　but　the　light
was　glimmering　like　〃the　star　that　the　wise　men　saw　in　the　east；〃　and
though　occasionally　lost　at　intervals；　it　guided　the　party　on　their　way。
Upon　arrival　at　the　cave；　there　was　no　inhabitant。　A　lamp　burnt　before　a
small　effigy　of　the　Virgin　Mary　suspended　against　the　wall　of　rock；　but
no　trace　of　human　foot　or　hand　could　be　discovered。

Such　is　the　legend；　and　the　inexplicable　mystery　caused　much　excitement
and　agitation　in　the　minds　of　the　Church　authorities。　At　length　it　was
determined　that；　as　the　apparition　of　the　light　was　miraculous；　it　was
incumbent　upon　the　people　to　erect　a　monastery　upon　the　site　of　the
appearance；　contiguous　to　the　now　sacred　cave。

This　was　an　extreme　difficulty；　as　the　inclination　formed　an　angle　of
about　60　degrees；　and　the　mountain　was　hard　gneiss　that　could　only　have
been　scarped　by　expensive　blasting。　However；　it　was　hoped　that　a
blessing　would　attend　the　good　work；　therefore；　in　spite　of　all
obstacles；　it　was　commenced；　and　masons　were　engaged　from　the　village　of
Phyni　to　arrange　a　foundation。

There　was　no　water　nearer　than　the　torrent　in　the　deep　hollow　half　a
mile　below；　therefore　extreme　labour　was　required　in　mixing　the　mortar
for　the　walls；　the　jars　in　which　the　necessary　water　was　conveyed　upon
men's　shoulders　up　the　precipitous　rocks　appeared　to　be　influenced　by
some　adverse；　but　unseen；　agency；　as　they　constantly　slipped　from　their
hold　and　broke。　During　the　night　the　work　which　the　masons　had
accomplished　in　the　day　fell　down；　and　was　discovered　every　morning　as　a
heap　of　ruin；　the　building　could　not　proceed。　In　this　perplexity　the
Church　was　relieved　by　a　supernatural　interposition。　Early　one　morning　a
jar　of　pure　water　was　discovered　in　the　sharp　angle　of　the　hollow
between　the　hills；　exactly　below　the　rachkooba；　where　I　am　now　writing。
It　was　evident　to　the　priestly　mind　that　an　angel　had　placed　this　jar　of
water　to　denote　the　spot　where　some　hidden　spring　might　be　developed；
which　would　be　a　favourable　site　for　the　new　monastery。　They　dug；　and
shortly　discovered　the　expected　source。

It　was　therefore　resolved　that　instead　of　erecting　the　monastery　close
to　the　effigy　in　the　cave；　where　bad　luck　had　hitherto　attended　their
efforts；　it　would　be　more　advisable　to　commence　the　building　upon　a
favourable　spot；　where　a　level　already　existed；　in　the　angle　between　two
mountain　slopes　within　a　few　yards　of　the　spring；　it　would　be　easier　to
convey　the　small　effigy　to　the　new　building　than　to　erect　the　monastery
close　to　the　effigy。　Accordingly　the　work　was　commenced：　the　walls　no
longer　fell　during　the　night；　and　the　unseen　agency　was　evidently
propitious。

Upon　completion　of　the　monastery　the　original　effigy　was　enshrined；　and
Trooditissa　became　famous　as　a　holy　site。　Years　passed　away；　and　the
reputation　of　the　establishment　was　enhanced　by　the　arrival　of　a　lady　of
high　position　from　Beyrout；　together　with　her　husband；　as　pilgrims　to
the　now　celebrated　mountain　cave。　The　lady　was　childless；　and　having
presented　a　handsome　offering；　and　kissed　the　rock　entrance　of　the　cave；
in　addition　to　the　effigy　within　the　monastery；　she　waited　in　the
neighbourhood　for　a　certain　number　of　months；　at　the　expiration　of　which
she　gave　birth　to　a　son。　The　monks　claimed　this　boy　as　their　lawful
prize；　and　he　was　brought　up　as　a　priest；　but　there　is　some　discrepancy
in　the　accounts　which　I　could　not　well　understand；　as　it　appears　that
his　parents　insisted　upon　his　restoration；　and　that　an　angelic
interposition　at　length　prevented　litigation。　It　may　be　well　imagined
that　the　result　of　the　lady's　pilgrimage　spread　far　and　wide；　the
reputation　of　the　monastery　reached　its　zenith；　and　all　the　unfruitful
women　flocked　to　the　shrine　to　kiss　the　cave　and　the　picture　of　the
Virgin　within　the　church；　at　the　same　time　offering　a　certain　sum　for
the　benefit　of　the　establishment。　The　frictio