国立情報学研究所 - ディジタル・シルクロード・プロジェクト
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The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 | |
マルコ=ポーロ卿の記録 : vol.1 |
CHAP. XXXIV. THE GREAT CITY OF SAMARCAN
185
Christians rejoiced greatly at this, and they built a great
church in the city, in honour of John the Baptist ; and
by his name the church was called. And they took a
very fine stone which belonged to the Saracens, and
placed it as the pedestal of a column in the middle of
the church, supporting the roof. It came to pass, how-
ever, that Sigatay died. Now the Saracens were full
of rancour about that stone that had been theirs, and
which had been set up in the church of the Christians ;
and when they saw that the Prince was dead, they said
one to another that now was the time to get back their
stone, by fair means or by foul. And that they might
well do, for they were ten times as many as the
Christians. So they gat together and went to the
church and said that the stone they must and would
have. The Christians acknowledged that it was theirs
indeed, but offered to pay a large sum of money and so
be quit. Howbeit, the others replied that they never
would give up the stone for anything in the world.
And words ran so high that the Prince heard thereof,
and ordered the Christians either to arrange to satisfy
the Saracens, if it might be, with money, or to give up
the stone. And he allowed them three days to do either
the one thing or the other.
What shall I tell you ? Well, the Saracens would on
no account agree to leave the stone where it was, and
this out of pure despite to the Christians, for they knew
well enough that if the stone were stirred the church
would come down by the run. So the Christians were
in great trouble and wist not what to do. But they did
do the best thing possible ; they besought Jesus Christ
that he would consider their case, so that the holy
church should not come to destruction, nor the name
of its Patron Saint, John the Baptist, be tarnished by
its ruin. And so when the day fixed by the Prince
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