the ninth vibration-第7部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


rom　Samarkhand；　and；　with　his　head　bent；　he　whispered　in　her　willing　ear。

Then　clasping　her　hands；　the　Princess　drew　a　long　sobbing　breath；　and　he　turned　and　his　eyes　grew　hard　as　blue　steel。

〃Go；　slave；〃　he　cried。　〃What　place　have　you　in　Kings'　gardens？　Go。　Let　me　see　you　no　more。〃

（The　man　lying　at　the　feet　of　the　Dweller　in　the　Heights；　raised　a　heavy　arm　and　flung　it　above　his　head；　despairing；　and　it　fell　again　on　the　cross　of　his　torment。　And　the　voice　went　on。）

And　as　he　said　this；　her　heart　broke；　and　she　went　and　her　feet　were　weary。　So　she　took　the　wise　book　she　loved　and　unrolled　it　until　she　came　to　a　certain　passage；　and　this　she　read　twice；　〃If　the　heart　of　a　slave　be　broken　it　may　be　mended　with　jewels　and　soft　words；　but　the　heart　of　a　Princess　can　be　healed　only　by　the　King　who　broke　it；　or　in　Yamapura；　the　City　under　the　Sunset　where　they　make　all　things　new。　Now；　Yama；　the　Lord　of　this　City；　is　the　Lord　of　Death。〃　And　having　thus　read　the　Princess　rolled　the　book　and　put　it　from　her。

And　next　day；　the　King　said　to　his　women；　〃Send　for　her；〃　for　his　heart　smote　him　and　he　desired　to　atone　royally　for　the　shame　of　his　speech。　And　they　sought　and　came　back　saying；

〃Maharaj；　she　is　gone。　We　cannot　find　her。〃

Fear　grew　in　the　heart　of　the　King　…　a　nameless　dread；　and　he　said；　〃Search。〃　And　again　they　sought　and　returned　and　the　King　was　striding　up　and　down　the　great　hall　and　none　dared　cross　his　path。　But；　trembling；　they　told　him；　and　he　replied；　〃Search　again。　I　will　not　lose　her；　and；　slave　though　be；　she　shall　be　my　Queen。〃

So　they　ran；　dispersing　to　the　Four　Quarters；　and　King　strode　up　and　down　the　hall；　and　Loneliness　kept　step　with　him　and　clasped　his　hand　and　looked　his　eyes。

Then　the　youngest　of　the　women　entered　with　a　tale　to　tell。　Majesty；　we　have　found　her。　She　lies　beside　the　lake。　When　the　birds　fled　this　morning　she　fled　with　them；　but　upon　a　longer　journey。　Even　to　Yamapura；　the　City　under　the　Sunset。〃

And　the　King　said；　〃Let　none　follow。〃　And　he　strode　forth　swiftly；　white　with　thoughts　he　dared　not　think。

The　Princess　lay　among　the　gold　of　the　fallen　leaves。　All　was　gold；　for　her　bright　hair　was　out…spread　in　shining　waves　and　in　it　shone　the　glory　of　the　hidden　crown。　On　her　face　was　no　smile　…　only　at　last　was　revealed　the　patience　she　had　covered　with　laughter　so　long　that　even　the　voice　of　the　King　could　not　now　break　it　into　joy。　The　hands　that　had　clung；　the　swift　feet　that　had　run　beside　his；　the　tender　body；　mighty　to　serve　and　to　love；　lay　within　touch　but　farther　away　than　the　uttermost　star　was　the　Far　Away　Princess；　known　and　loved　too　late。

And　he　said；　〃My　Princess　…　0　my　Princess！〃　and　laid　his　head　on　her　cold　bosom。

〃Too　late！〃　a　harsh　Voice　croaked　beside　him；　and　it　was　the　voice　of　the　Jester　who　mocks　at　all　things。　〃Too　late！　0　madness；　to　despise　the　blood　royal　because　it　humbled　itself　to　service　and　so　was　doubly　royal。　The　Far　Away　Princess　came　laden　with　great　gifts；　and　to　her　the　King's　gift　was　the　wage　of　a　slave　and　a　broken　heart。　Cast　your　crown　and　sceptre　in　the　dust；　0　King　…　0　King　of　Fools。〃

（The　man　at　the　feet　of　the　Dweller　in　the　Heights　moved。　Some　dim　word　shaped　upon　his　locked　lips。　She　listened　in　a　divine　calm。　It　seemed　that　the　very　Gods　drew　nearer。　Again　the　man　essayed　speech；　the　body　dead；　life　only　in　the　words　that　none　could　hear。　The　voice　went　on。）

But　the　Princess　flying　wearily　because　of　the　sore　wound　in　her　heart；　came　at　last　to　the　City　under　the　Sunset；　where　the　Lord　of　Death　rules　in　the　House　of　Quiet；　and　was　there　received　with　royal　honours　for　in　that　land　are　no　disguises。　And　she　knelt　before　the　Secret　One　and　in　a　voice　broken　with　agony　entreated　him　to　heal　her。　And　with　veiled　and　pitying　eyes　he　looked　upon　her；　for　many　and　grievous　as　are　the　wounds　he　has　healed　this　was　more　grievous　still。　And　he　said；

〃Princess；　I　cannot；　But　this　I　can　do　…　I　can　give　a　new　heart　in　a　new　birth　…　happy　and　careless　as　the　heart　of　a　child。　Take　this　escape　from　the　anguish　you　endure　and　be　at　peace。〃

But　the　Princess；　white　with　pain；　asked　only；

〃In　this　new　heart　and　birth；　is　there　room　for　the　King？〃

And　the　Lord　of　Peace　replied；

〃None。　He　too　will　be　forgotten。〃

Then　she　rose　to　her　feet。

〃I　will　endure　and　when　he　comes　I　will　serve　him　once　more。　If　he　will　he　shall　heal　me；　and　if　not　I　will　endure　for　ever。〃

And　He　who　is　veiled　replied；

〃In　this　sacred　City　no　pain　may　disturb　the　air；　therefore　you　must　wait　outside　in　the　chill　and　the　dark。　Think　better；　Princess！　Also；　he　must　pass　through　many　rebirths；　because　he　beheld　the　face　of　Beauty　unveiled　and　knew　her　not。　And　when　he　comes　he　will　be　weary　and　weak　as　a　new…born　child；　and　no　more　a　great　King。〃　And　the　Princess　smiled；

〃Then　he　will　need　me　the　more；〃　she　said；　〃I　will　wait　and　kiss　the　feet　of　my　King。〃

And　the　Lord　of　Death　was　silent。　So　she　went　outside　into　the　darkness　of　the　spaces；　and　the　souls　free　passed　her　like　homing　doves；　and　she　sat　with　her　hands　clasped　over　the　sore　wound　in　her　heart；　watching　the　earthward　way。　And　the　Princess　is　keeping　still　the　day　of　her　long　patience。〃

The　voice　ceased。　And　there　was　a　great　silence；　and　the　listening　faces　drew　nearer。

Then　the　Dweller　in　the　Heights　spoke　in　a　voice　soft　as　the　falling　of　snow　in　the　quiet　of　frost　and　moon。　I　could　have　wept　myself　blind　with　joy　to　hear　that　music。　More　I　dare　not　say。

〃He　is　in　the　Lower　State　of　Perception。　He　sorrows　for　his　loss。　Let　him　have　one　instant's　light　that　still　he　may　hope。〃

She　bowed　above　the　man；　gazing　upon　him　as　a　mother　might　upon　her　sleeping　child。　The　dead　eyelids　stirred；　lifted；　a　faint　gleam　showed　beneath　them；　an　unspeakable　weariness。　I　thought　they　would　fall　unsatisfied。　Suddenly　he　saw　What　looked　upon　him；　and　a　terror　of　joy　no　tongue　can　tell　flashed　over　the　dark　mirror　of　his　face。　He　stretched　a　faint　hand　to　touch　her　feet；　a　sobbing　sigh　died　upon　his　lips；　and　once　more　the　swooning　sleep　took　him。　He　lay　as　a　dead　man　before　the　Assembly。

〃The　night　is　far　spent；〃　a　voice　said；　from　I　know　not　where。　And　I　knew　it　was　said　not　only　for　the　sleeper　but　for　all；　for　though　the　flying　feet　of　Beauty　seem　for　a　moment　to　outspeed　us　she　will　one　day　wait　our　coming　and　gather　us　to　her　bosom。

As　before；　the　vision　spread　outward　like　rings　in　a　broken　reflection　in　water。　I　saw　the　girl　beside　me；　but　her　hand　grew　light　in　mine。　I　felt　it　no　longer。　I　heard　the　roaring　wind　in　the　trees；　or　was　it　a　great　voice　thundering　in　my　ears？　Sleep　took　me。　I　waked　in　my　little　room。

Strange　and　sad　…　I　saw　her　next　day　and　did　not　remember　her　whom　of　all　things　I　desired　to　know。　I　remembered　the　vision　and　knew　that　whether　in　dream　or　waking　I　had　heard　an　eternal　truth。　I　longed　with　a　great　longing　to　meet　my　beautiful　companion；　and　she　stood　at　my　side　and　I　was　blind。

Now　that　I　have　climbed　a　little　higher　on　the　Mount　of　Vision　it　seems　even　to　myself　that　this　could　not　be。　Yet　it　was；　and　it　is　true　of　not　this　only　but　of　how　much　else！

She　knew　me。　I　learnt　that　later；　but　she　made　no　sign。　Her　simplicities　had　carried　her　far　beyond　and　above　me；　to　places　where　only　the　winged　things　attain…　〃as　a　bird　among　the　bird…droves　of　God。〃

I　have　since　known　that　this　power　of　direct　simplicity　in　her　was　why　among　the　great　mountains　we　beheld　the　Divine　as　the　emanation　of　the　terrible　beauty　about　us。　We　cannot　see　it　as　it　is　…　only　in　some　shadowing　forth；　gathering　sufficient　strength　for　manifestation　from　the　spiritual　atoms　that　haunt　the　region　where　that　form　has　been　for　ages　the　accepted　vehicle　of　adoration。　But　I　was　now　to　set　forth　to　find　another　knowledge　…　to　seek　the　Beauty　that　blinds　us　to　all　other。　Next　day　the　man　who　was　directing　my　preparations　for　travel　sent　me　word　from　Simla　that　all　was　ready　and　I　could　start　two　days　later。　I　told　my　friends　the　time　of　parting　was　near。

〃But　it　was　no　surprise　to　me；〃　I　added；　〃for　I　had　heard　already　that　in　a　very　few　days　I　should　be　on　my　way。

Mrs。　Ingmar　was　more　than　kind。　She　laid　a　frail　hand　on　mine。

〃We　shall　miss　you　indeed。　If　it　is　possible　to　send　us　word　of　your　adventures　in　those　wild　solitudes　I　hope　you　will　do　it。　Of　course　aviation　will　soon　lay　bare　their　secrets　and　leave　them　no　mysteries；　so　you　don't　go　too　soon。　One　may　worship　science　and　yet　feel　it　injures　the　beauty　of　the　world。　But　what　is　beauty　compared　with　knowledge？〃

〃Do　you　never　regret　it？〃　I　asked。

〃Never；　dear　Mr。　Ormond。　I　am　a　worshipper　of　hard　facts　and　however　hideous　they　may　be　I　prefer　them　to　the　prismatic　colours　of　romance。〃

Brynhild；　smiling；　quoted；

　　〃Their　science　roamed　from　star　to　star　　　　And　than　itself　found　nothing　greater。　　　　What　wonder？　In　a　Leyden　jar　　　　They　bottled　the　Creator？〃

〃There　is　nothing　greater　than　science；〃　said　Mrs。　Ingmar　with　soft　reverence。　〃The　mind　of　man　is　the　foot…rule　of　the　universe。〃

She　meditated　for　a　moment　and　then　added　that　my　kind　interests　in　their　plans　decided　her　to　tell　me　that　she　would　be　returning　to　Europe　and　then　to　Canada　in　a　few　months　with　a　favourite　niece　as　her　companion　while　Brynhild　would　remain　in　India　with　friends　in　Mooltan　for　a　time。　I　looked　eagerly　at　her　but　she　was　lost　in　her　own　thoughts　and　it　was　evidently　not　the　time　to　say　more。

If　I　had　hoped　for　a　vision　before　I　left　the　neighbourhood　of　that　strange　House　of　Beauty　where　a　spirit　imprisoned　appeared　to　await　the　day　of　enlightenment　I　was　disappointed。　These　things　do　not　happen　as　one　expects　or　would　choose。　The　wind　bloweth　where　it　listeth　until　the　laws　which　govern　the　inner　life　are　understood；　and　then　we　would　not　choose　if　we　could　for　we　know　that　all　is　better　than　well。　In　this　world；　either　in　the　blinded　sight　of　daily　life　or　in　the　clarity　of　the　true　sight　I　have　not　since　seen　it；　but　that　has　mattered　little；　for　having　heard　an　authentic　word　within　its　walls　I　have　passed　on　my　way　elsewhere。

Next　day　a　letter　from　Olesen　reached　me。

〃Dear　Ormond；　I　hope　you　have　had　a　good　time　at　the　House　in　the　Woods。　I　saw　Rup　Singh　a　few　days　ago　and　he