OSCARS GARDEN

A selection of Oscar Wilde narrative

THE YOUNG COUPLE He passed by the palace and heard the sound of dancing. A beautiful girl came out on the balcony with her lover. "How wonderful the stars are," he said to her, "and how wonderful is the power of love!" "I hope my dress will be ready in time for the State-ball," she answered; "I have ordered passion-flowers to be embroidered on it; but the seamstresses are so lazy." THE DRAGONFLY Then you should certainly lecture on Philosophy, said the Dragon-fly; and he spread a pair of lovely gauze wings and soared away into the sky. THE PEARL FISHER On a carpet by his side the master of the galley was seated. He was black as ebony, and his turban was of crimson silk. Great earrings of silver dragged down the thick lobes of his ears, and in his hands he had a pair of ivory scales. As soon as they had cast anchor and hauled down the sail, the negroes went into the hold and brought up a long rope-ladder, heavily weighted with lead. The master of the galley threw it over the side, making the ends fast to two iron stanchions. Then the negroes seized the youngest of the slaves and knocked his gyves off, and filled his nostrils and his ears with wax, and tied a big stone round his waist. He crept wearily down the ladder, and disappeared into the sea. A few bubbles rose where he sank. Some of the other slaves peered curiously over the side. At the prow of the galley sat a shark-charmer, beating monotonously upon a drum. After some time the diver rose up out of the water, and clung panting to the ladder with a pearl in his right hand. The negroes seized it from him, and thrust him back. The slaves fell asleep over their oars. Again and again he came up, and each time that he did so he brought with him a beautiful pearl. The master of the galley weighed them, and put them into a little bag of green leather. The young King tried to speak, but his tongue seemed to cleave to the roof of his mouth, and his lips refused to move. The negroes chattered to each other, and began to quarrel over a string of bright beads. Two cranes flew round and round the vessel. Then the diver came up for the last time, and the pearl that he brought with him was fairer than all the pearls of Ormuz, for it was shaped like the full moon, and whiter than the morning star. But his face was strangely pale, and as he fell upon the deck the blood gushed from his ears and nostrils. He quivered for a little, and then he was still. The negroes shrugged their shoulders, and threw the body overboard. THE DANCING BOYS IN EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY CLOTHES The boys wore old-fashioned court dresses of white velvet, and their curious three-cornered

hats were fringed with silver and surmounted with huge plumes of ostrich feathers, the dazzling whiteness of their costumes, as they moved about in the sunlight, being still more accentuated by their swarthy faces and long black hair. Everybody was fascinated by the grave dignity with which they moved through the intricate figures of the dance, and by the elaborate grace of their slow gestures, and stately bows, and when they had finished their performance and doffed their great plumed hats to the Infanta, she acknowledged their reverence with much courtesy, and made a vow that she would send a large wax candle to the shrine of Our Lady of Pilar in return for the pleasure that she had given her.

OSCARS GARTEN IM WIEN

DAS LIEBESPAAR Sie kam am Schlo vorber und hrte den Lrm des Balles. Ein schnes Mdchen trat mit seinem Anbeter auf den Altan hinaus. Wie wunderreich die Sterne sind, sagte er zu ihr, und wie wunderreich ist die Macht der Liebe! Hoffentlich wird mein Kleid rechtzeitig fr den Hofball fertig, antwortete sie. Ich habe Auftrag gegeben, da Passionsblumen daraufgestickt werden; aber die Nherinnen sind so faul.

EL PATIO VALENCIANO DE OSCAR

Seleccin de Oscar Wilde
LA JOVEN PAREJA Pas sobre el palacio real y oy la msica de baile. Una bella muchacha apareci en el balcn con su novio. -Qu hermosas son las estrellas -la dijo- y qu poderosa es la fuerza del amor! -Querra que mi vestido estuviese acabado para el baile oficial -respondi ella-. He mandado bordar en l unas pasionarias, pero son tan perezosas las costureras! LA LIBLULA -Entonces debe de ser licenciado en Filosofa -dijo la liblula. Y desplegando sus lindas alas de gasa, se elev hacia el cielo. EL PESCADOR DE PERLAS El patrn de la galera era negro como el bano, y su turbante era de seda carmes. Grandes aros de plata pendan de los espesos lbulos de sus orejas, y en sus manos tena una balanza de marfil.

Cuando hubieron echado el ancla y bajado la vela, los negros descendieron a la cala del buque y sacaron una larga escala de cuerdas con lastre de plomo. El jefe de la galera ech al agua la escala, despus de haber enganchado el extremo en dos puntales de hierro. Entonces los negros asieron al ms joven de los esclavos, le quitaron sus grillos, le llenaron de cera las narices y las orejas y le ataron una gran piedra a la cintura. Con aire cansado descendi por la escala y desapareci en el mar. Unas cuantas burbujas se levantaron del lugar donde se hundi. Algunos de los otros esclavos miraron con curiosidad hacia el mar. En la proa de la galera estaba sentado un encantador de tiburones, tocando montonamente un tambor para alejarlos. Momentos despus, el buzo surgi del agua y jadeando asi la escala. Traa la perla en la mano derecha. Los negros se la quitaron y volvieron a echarlo al agua. Los esclavos se quedaron dormidos sobre sus remos. Una vez y otra vez baj y subi el joven esclavo, y cada vez trajo en la mano una hermosa perla. El jefe de la galera las pesaba y las pona en un saquito de cuero verde. El joven rey quera hablar; pero su lengua pareca pegada al paladar, y sus labios se negaban a moverse. Los negros parloteaban entre s y comenzaron a pelearse por una sarta de cuentas brillantes. Dos grullas volaban en torno al barco. El buzo subi por ltima vez y la perla que trajo era ms hermosa que todas las perlas de Ormuz, porque tena forma de luna llena y era ms blanca que la estrella de la maana. Pero la cara del buzo tena extraa palidez, y se le vio caer sobre la cubierta del buque: le brotaba sangre de la nariz y de las orejas. Se agit durante breves momentos, y luego dej de moverse. Los negros se encogieron de hombros, y echaron al agua el cadver. EL MINU Estos nios zaragozanos venan vestidos con trajes antiguos, de terciopelo blanco, y sus tricornios estaban ribeteados de plata y adornados con grandes penachos de blanqusimas plumas de avestruz. Todo el mundo se sinti encantado por la lindura y dignidad con que bailaron las complicadas figuras de la danza y por la gracia de sus ademanes y reverencias. Cuando terminaron, se sacaron los sombreros para saludar a la Infanta, y ella contest con mucha cortesa, prometiendo adems mandar un gran cirio al santuario, para agradecer la alegra y el placer con que la haban agasajado.