the young king-第2章

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Outside　he　could　see　the　huge　dome　of　the　cathedral；　looming　like　a

bubble　over　the　shadowy　houses；　and　the　weary　sentinels　pacing　up

and　down　on　the　misty　terrace　by　the　river。　　Far　away；　in　an

orchard；　a　nightingale　was　singing。　　A　faint　perfume　of　jasmine

came　through　the　open　window。　　He　brushed　his　brown　curls　back　from

his　forehead；　and　taking　up　a　lute；　let　his　fingers　stray　across

the　cords。　　His　heavy　eyelids　drooped；　and　a　strange　languor　came

over　him。　　Never　before　had　he　felt　so　keenly；　or　with　such

exquisite　joy；　the　magic　and　the　mystery　of　beautiful　things。



When　midnight　sounded　from　the　clock…tower　he　touched　a　bell；　and

his　pages　entered　and　disrobed　him　with　much　ceremony；　pouring

rose…water　over　his　hands；　and　strewing　flowers　on　his　pillow。　　A

few　moments　after　that　they　had　left　the　room；　he　fell　asleep。





And　as　he　slept　he　dreamed　a　dream；　and　this　was　his　dream。



He　thought　that　he　was　standing　in　a　long；　low　attic；　amidst　the

whir　and　clatter　of　many　looms。　　The　meagre　daylight　peered　in

through　the　grated　windows；　and　showed　him　the　gaunt　figures　of　the

weavers　bending　over　their　cases。　　Pale；　sickly…looking　children

were　crouched　on　the　huge　crossbeams。　　As　the　shuttles　dashed

through　the　warp　they　lifted　up　the　heavy　battens；　and　when　the

shuttles　stopped　they　let　the　battens　fall　and　pressed　the　threads

together。　　Their　faces　were　pinched　with　famine；　and　their　thin

hands　shook　and　trembled。　　Some　haggard　women　were　seated　at　a

table　sewing。　　A　horrible　odour　filled　the　place。　　The　air　was　foul

and　heavy；　and　the　walls　dripped　and　streamed　with　damp。



The　young　King　went　over　to　one　of　the　weavers；　and　stood　by　him

and　watched　him。



And　the　weaver　looked　at　him　angrily；　and　said；　'Why　art　thou

watching　me？　　Art　thou　a　spy　set　on　us　by　our　master？'



'Who　is　thy　master？'　asked　the　young　King。



'Our　master！'　cried　the　weaver；　bitterly。　　'He　is　a　man　like

myself。　　Indeed；　there　is　but　this　difference　between　us　…　that　he

wears　fine　clothes　while　I　go　in　rags；　and　that　while　I　am　weak

from　hunger　he　suffers　not　a　little　from　overfeeding。'



'The　land　is　free；'　said　the　young　King；　'and　thou　art　no　man's

slave。'



'In　war；'　answered　the　weaver；　'the　strong　make　slaves　of　the　weak；

and　in　peace　the　rich　make　slaves　of　the　poor。　　We　must　work　to

live；　and　they　give　us　such　mean　wages　that　we　die。　　We　toil　for

them　all　day　long；　and　they　heap　up　gold　in　their　coffers；　and　our

children　fade　away　before　their　time；　and　the　faces　of　those　we

love　become　hard　and　evil。　　We　tread　out　the　grapes；　and　another

drinks　the　wine。　　We　sow　the　corn；　and　our　own　board　is　empty。　　We

have　chains；　though　no　eye　beholds　them；　and　are　slaves；　though　men

call　us　free。'



'Is　it　so　with　all？'　he　asked；



'It　is　so　with　all；'　answered　the　weaver；　'with　the　young　as　well

as　with　the　old；　with　the　women　as　well　as　with　the　men；　with　the

little　children　as　well　as　with　those　who　are　stricken　in　years。

The　merchants　grind　us　down；　and　we　must　needs　do　their　bidding。

The　priest　rides　by　and　tells　his　beads；　and　no　man　has　care　of　us。

Through　our　sunless　lanes　creeps　Poverty　with　her　hungry　eyes；　and

Sin　with　his　sodden　face　follows　close　behind　her。　　Misery　wakes　us

in　the　morning；　and　Shame　sits　with　us　at　night。　　But　what　are

these　things　to　thee？　　Thou　art　not　one　of　us。　　Thy　face　is　too

happy。'　　And　he　turned　away　scowling；　and　threw　the　shuttle　across

the　loom；　and　the　young　King　saw　that　it　was　threaded　with　a　thread

of　gold。



And　a　great　terror　seized　upon　him；　and　he　said　to　the　weaver；

'What　robe　is　this　that　thou　art　weaving？'



'It　is　the　robe　for　the　coronation　of　the　young　King；'　he　answered；

'what　is　that　to　thee？'



And　the　young　King　gave　a　loud　cry　and　woke；　and　lo！　he　was　in　his

own　chamber；　and　through　the　window　he　saw　the　great　honey…coloured

moon　hanging　in　the　dusky　air。





And　he　fell　asleep　again　and　dreamed；　and　this　was　his　dream。



He　thought　that　he　was　lying　on　the　deck　of　a　huge　galley　that　was

being　rowed　by　a　hundred　slaves。　　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。



The　slaves　were　naked；　but　for　a　ragged　loin…cloth；　and　each　man

was　chained　to　his　neighbour。　　The　hot　sun　beat　brightly　upon　them；

and　the　negroes　ran　up　and　down　the　gangway　and　lashed　them　with

whips　of　hide。　　They　stretched　out　their　lean　arms　and　pulled　the

heavy　oars　through　the　water。　　The　salt　spray　flew　from　the　blades。



At　last　they　reached　a　little　bay；　and　began　to　take　soundings。　　A

light　wind　blew　from　the　shore；　and　covered　the　deck　and　the　great

lateen　sail　with　a　fine　red　dust。　　Three　Arabs　mounted　on　wild

asses　rode　out　and　threw　spears　at　them。　　The　master　of　the　galley

took　a　painted　bow　in　his　hand　and　shot　one　of　them　in　the　throat。

He　fell　heavily　into　the　surf；　and　his　companions　galloped　away。　　A

woman　wrapped　in　a　yellow　veil　followed　slowly　on　a　camel；　looking

back　now　and　then　at　the　dead　body。



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。



And　the　master　of　the　galley　laughed；　and；　reaching　out；　he　took

the　pearl；　and　when　he　saw　it　he　pressed　it　to　his　forehead　and

bowed。　　'It　shall　be；'　he　said；　'for　the　sceptre　of　the　young

King；'　and　he　made　a　sign　to　the　negroes　to　draw　up　the　anchor。



And　when　the　young　King　heard　this　he　gave　a　great　cry；　and　woke；

and　through　the　window　he　saw　the　long　grey　fingers　of　the　dawn

clutching　at　the　fading　stars。





And　he　fell　asleep　again；　and　dreamed；　and　this　was　his　dream。



He　thought　that　he　was　wandering　through　a　dim　wood；　hung　with

strange　fruits　and　with　beautiful　poisonous　flowers。　　The　adders

hissed　at　him　as　he　went　by；　and　the　bright　parrots　flew　screaming

from　branch　to　branch。　　Huge　tortoises　lay　asleep　upon　the　hot　mud。

The　trees　were　full　of　apes　and　peacocks。



On　and　on　he　went；　till　he　reached　the　outskirts　of　the　wood；　and

there　he　saw　an　immense　multitude　of　men　toiling　in　the　bed　of　a

dried…up　river。　　They　swarmed　up　the　crag　like　ants。　　They　dug　deep