the ninth vibration-第30部分

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ll　her　women　followed。

All　the　streets　were　thronged　with　women；　weeping　and　beating　their　breasts。　Very　greatly　they　wept；　and　no　men　were　seen；　for　their　livers　were　black　within　them　for　shame　as　the　Treasure　of　Chitor　departed；　nor　would　they　look　upon　the　sight。　And　across　the　plains　went　that　procession；　as　if　the　stars　had　fallen　upon　the　earth；　so　glittered　the　sorrowful　lights　of　the　Queen。

But　in　the　camp　was　great　rejoicing；　for　the　Barbarians　knew　that　many　fair　women　attended　on　her。

Now；　before　the　entrance　to　the　camp　they　had　made　a　great　shamiana　＇tent＇　ready；　hung　with　shawls　of　Kashmir　and　the　plunder　of　Delhi；　and　there　was　set　a　silk　divan　for　the　Rani；　and　beside　it　stood　the　Loser　and　the　Gainer；　Allah…u…Din　and　the　King；　awaiting　the　Treasure。

Veiled　she　entered；　stepping　proudly；　and　taking　no　heed　of　the　Moslem；　she　stood　before　her　husband；　and　even　through　the　veil　he　could　feel　the　eyes　he　knew。

And　that　Accursed　spoke；　laughing。

〃I　have　won…I　have　won；　0　King！　Bid　farewell　to　the　Chosen　of　the　Palace　…　the　Beloved　of　the　Viceregent　of　Kings！〃

Then　she　spoke　softly；　delicately；　in　her　own　tongue；　that　the　outcast　should　not　guess　the　matter　of　her　speech。

〃Stand　by　me。　Stir　not。　And　when　I　raise　my　arm；　cry　the　cry　of　the　Rajputs。　NOW！〃

And　she　flung　her　arm　above　her　head；　and　instantly；　like　a　lion　roaring；　he　shouted；　drawing　his　sword；　and　from　every　litter　sprang　an　armed　man；　glittering　in　steel；　and　the　bearers；　humble　of　mien；　were　Rajput　knights；　every　one。

And　Allah…u…Din　thrust　at　the　breast　of　the　Queen；　but　around　them　surged　the　war；　and　she　was　hedged　with　swords　like　a　rose　in　the　thickets。

Very　full　of　wine；　dull　with　feasting　and　lust　and　surprised；　the　Moslems　fled　across　the　plains；　streaming　in　a　broken　rabble；　cursing　and　shouting　like　low…caste　women；　and　the　Rajputs；　wiping　their　swords；　returned　from　the　pursuit　and　laughed　upon　each　other。

But　what　shall　be　said　of　the　joy　of　the　King　and　of　her　who　had　imagined　this　thing；　in…　structed　of　the　Goddess　who　is　the　other　half　of　her　Lord？

So　the　procession　returned；　singing；　to　Chitor　with　those　Two　in　the　midst；　but　among　the　dogs　that　fled　was　Allah…u…Din；　his　face　blackened　with　shame　and　wrath；　the　curses　choking　in　his　foul　throat。

（Aid！　that　the　evil　still　walk　the　ways　of　the　world！）


V

So　the　time　went　by　and　the　beauty　of　the　Queen　grew；　and　her　King　could　see　none　but　hers。　Like　the　moon　she　obscured　the　stars；　and　every　day　he　remembered　her　wisdom；　her　valour；　and　his　soul　did　homage　at　her　feet；　and　there　was　great　content　in　Chitor。

It　chanced　one　day　that　the　Queen；　looking　from　her　high　window　that　like　an　eagle's　nest　overhung　the　precipice；　saw；　on　the　plain　beneath；　a　train　of　men；　walking　like　ants；　and　each　carried　a　basket　on　his　back；　and　behind　them　was　a　cloud　of　dust　like　a　great　army。　Already　the　city　was　astir　because　of　this　thing；　and　the　rumours　came　thick　and　the　spies　were　sent　out。

In　the　dark　they　returned；　and　the　Rana　entered　the　bower　of　Padmini；　his　eyes　burning　like　coal　with　hate　and　wrath；　and　he　flung　his　arm　round　his　wife　like　a　shield。

〃He　is　returned；　and　in　power。　Counsel　me　again；　0　wife；　for　great　is　thy　wisdom！〃

But　she　answered　only　this；…

〃Fight；　for　this　time　it　is　to　the　death。〃

Then　each　day　she　watched　bow　the　baskets　of　earth；　emptied　upon　the　plain　at　first；　made　nothing；　an　ant　heap　whereat　fools　might　laugh。　But　each　day　as　the　trains　of　men　came；　spilling　their　baskets；　the　great　earthworks　grew　and　their　height　mounted。　Day　after　day　the　Rajputs　rode　forth　and　slew；　and　as　they　slew　it　seemed　that　all　the　teeming　millions　of　the　earth　came　forth　to　take　the　places　of　the　slain。　And　the　Rajputs　fell　also；　and　under　the　pennons　the　thundering　forces　returned　daily；　thinned　of　their　best。

（A　hi！　that　Evil　rules　the　world　as　God！）

And　still　the　earth　grew　up　to　the　heights；　and　the　protection　of　the　hills　was　slowly　withdrawn　from　Chitor；　for　on　the　heights　they　made　they　set　their　engines　of　war。

Then　in　a　red　dawn　that　great　saint　Narayan　came　to　the　Queen；　where　she　watched　by　her　window；　and　spoke。

〃0　great　lady；　I　have　dreamed　a　fearful　dream。　Nay；　rather　have　I　seen　a　vision。〃

With　her　face　set　like　a　sword；　the　Queen　said；…

〃Say　on。〃

〃In　a　light　red　like　blood；　I　waked；　and　beside　me　stood　the　Mother；　…　Durga；　…　awful　to　see；　with　a　girdle　of　heads　about　her　middle；　and　the　drops　fell　thick　and　slow　from　That　which　she　held　in　her　hand；　and　in　the　other　was　her　sickle　of　Doom。　Nor　did　she　speak；　but　my　soul　heard　her　words。〃

〃Narrate　them。〃

〃She　commanded：　‘Say　this　to　the　Rana：　〃In　Chitor　is　My　altar；　in　Chitor　is　thy　throne。　If　thou　wouldest　save　either；　send　forth　twelve　crowned　Kings　of　Chitor　to　die。'〃

As　he　said　this；　the　Rana；　fore…spent　with　fighting；　entered　and　heard　the　Divine　word。

Now　there　were　twelve　princes　of　the　Rajput　blood；　and　the　youngest　was　the　son　of　Padmini。　What　choice　had　these　most　miserable　but　to　appease　the　dreadful　anger　of　the　Goddess？　So　on　each　fourth　day　a　King　of　Chitor　was　crowned；　and　for　three　days　sat　upon　the　throne；　and　on　the　fourth　day；　set　in　the　front；　went　forth　and　died　fighting。　So　perished　eleven　Kings　of　Chitor；　and　now　there　was　left　but　the　little　Ajeysi；　the　son　of　the　Queen。

And　that　day　was　a　great　Council　called。

Few　were　there。　On　the　plains　many　lay　dead；　holding　the　gates　many　watched；　but　the　blood　was　red　in　their　hearts　and　flowed　like　Indus　in　the　melting　of　the　snows。　And　to　them　spoke　the　Rana；　his　hand　clenched　on　his　sword；　and　the　other　laid　on　the　small　dark　head　of　the　Prince　Ajeysi；　who　stood　between　his　knees。　And　as　he　spoke　his　voice　gathered　strength　till　it　rang　through　the　hall　like　the　voice　of　Indra　when　he　thunders　in　the　heavens。

〃Men　of　the　Rajputs；　this　child　shall　not　die。　Are　we　become　jackals　that　we　fall　upon　the　weak　and　tear　them？　When　have　we　put　our　women　and　children　in　the　forefront　of　the　war？　I　…　I　only　am　King　of　Chitor。　Narayan　shall　save　this　child　for　the　time　that　will　surely　come。　And　for　us　…　what　shall　we　do？　I　die　for　Chitor！〃

And　like　the　hollow　waves　of　a　great　sea　they　answered　him；…

〃We　will　die　for　Chitor。〃

There　was　silence　and　Marwar　spoke。

〃The　women？〃

〃Do　they　not　know　the　duty　of　a　Rajputni？〃　said　the　King。　〃My　household　has　demanded　that　the　caves　be　prepared。〃

And　the　men　clashed　stew　joy　with　their　swords；　and　the　council　dispersed。

Then　that　very　great　saint；　the　Twice…Born；　put　off　the　sacred　thread　that　is　the　very　soul　of　the　Brahman。　In　his　turban　he　wound　it　secretly；　and　he　stained　his　noble　Aryan　body　until　it　resembled　the　Pariahs；　foul　for　the　pure　to　see；　loathsome　for　the　pure　to　touch；　and　he　put　on　him　the　rags　of　the　lowest　of　the　earth；　and　taking　the　Prince；　he　removed　from　the　body　of　the　child　every　trace　of　royal　and　Rajput　birth；　and　he　appeared　like　a　child　of　the　Bhils　…　the　vile　forest　wanderers　that　shame　not　to　defile　their　lips　with　carrion。　And　in　this　guise　they　stood　before　the　Queen；　and　when　she　looked　on　the　saint；　the　tears　fell　from　her　eyes　like　rain；　not　for　grief　for　her　son；　nor　for　death；　but　that　for　their　sake　the　pure　should　be　made　impure　and　the　glory　of　the　Brahman…hood　be　defiled。　And　she　fell　at　the　old　man's　feet　and　laid　her　head　on　the　ground　before　him。

〃Rise；　daughter！〃　he　said；　〃and　take　comfort！　Are　not　the　eyes　of　the　Gods　clear　that　they　should　distinguish？　…　and　this　day　we　stand　before　the　God　of　Gods。　Have　not　the　Great　Ones　said；　‘That　which　causes　life　causes　also　decay　and　death'？　Therefore　we　who　go　and　you　who　stay　are　alike　a　part　of　the　Divine。　Embrace　now　your　child　and　bless　him；　for　we　depart。　And　it　is　on　account　of　the　sacrifice　of　the　Twelve　that　he　is　saved　alive。〃

So；　controlling　her　tears；　she　rose；　and　clasping　the　child　to　her　bosom；　she　bade　him　be　of　good　cheer　since　he　went　with　the　Gods。　And　that　great　saint　took　his　hand　from　hers；　and　for　the　first　time　in　the　life　of　the　Queen　he　raised　his　aged　eyes　to　her　face；　and　she　gazed　at　him；　but　what　she　read；　even　the　ascetic　Visravas；　who　saw　all　by　the　power　of　his　yoga；　could　not　tell；　for　it　was　beyond　speech。　Very　certainly　the　peace　thereafter　possessed　her。

So　those　two　went　out　by　the　secret　ways　of　the　rocks；　and　wandering　far；　were　saved　by　the　favour　of　Durga。


VI

And　the　nights　went　by　and　the　days；　and　the　time　came　that　no　longer　could　they　hold　Chitor；　and　all　hope　was　dead。

On　a　certain　day　the　Rana　and　the　Rani　stood　for　the　last　time　in　her　bower；　and　looked　down　into　the　city；　and　in　the　streets　were　gathered　in　a　very　wonderful　procession　the　women　of　Chitor；　and　not　one　was　veiled。　Flowers　that　had　bloomed　in　the　inner　chambers；　great　ladies　jewelled　for　a　festival；　young　brides；　aged　mothers；　and　girl　children　clinging　to　the　robes　of　their　mothers　who　held　their　babes；　crowded　the　ways。　Even　the　low…caste　women　walked　with　measured　steps　and　proudly；　decked　in　what　they　had　of　best；　their　eyes　lengthened　with　soorma；　and　flowers　in　the　darkness　of　their　hair。

The　Queen　was　clothed　in　a　gold　robe　of　rejoicing；　her　bodice　latticed　with　diamonds　and　great　gems；　and　upon　her　bosom　the　necklace　of　table　emeralds；　alight　with　green　fire；　which　is　the　jewel　of　the　Queens　of　Chitor。　So　she　stood　radiant　as　a　vision　of　Shri；　and　it　appeared　that　rays　encircled　her　person。

And　the　Rana；　unarmed　save　for　his　sword；　had　the　saffron　dress　of　a　bridegroom　and　the　jeweled　cap　of　the　Rajput　Kings；　and　below　in　the　hall　were　the　Princes　and　Chiefs；　clad　even　as　he。

Then；　raising　her　lotus　eyes　to　her　lord；　the　Princess　said；…

〃Beloved；　the　time　is　come；　and　we　have　chosen　rightly；　for　this　is　the　way　of　honour；　and　it　is　but　another　link　forged　in　the　chain　of　existence；　for　until　existence　itself　is　ended　and　rebirth　destroyed；　still　shall　we　meet　in　lives　to　come　and　still　be　husband　and　wife。　What　room　then　for　despair？〃

And　he　answered；…

〃This　is　true。　Go　first；　wife；　and　I　follow。　Let　not　the　door　swing　to　behind　thee。　But　oh；　to　see　thy　beauty　once　more　that　is　the　very　speech　of　Gods　with　men！　Wilt　thou　surely　come　again　to　me　and　again　be　fair？〃

And　f