the young king-第4章

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your　vices　give　us　bread。　　To　toil　for　a　hard　master　is　bitter；　but

to　have　no　master　to　toil　for　is　more　bitter　still。　　Thinkest　thou

that　the　ravens　will　feed　us？　　And　what　cure　hast　thou　for　these

things？　　Wilt　thou　say　to　the　buyer；　〃Thou　shalt　buy　for　so　much；〃

and　to　the　seller；　〃Thou　shalt　sell　at　this　price〃？　　I　trow　not。

Therefore　go　back　to　thy　Palace　and　put　on　thy　purple　and　fine

linen。　　What　hast　thou　to　do　with　us；　and　what　we　suffer？'



'Are　not　the　rich　and　the　poor　brothers？'　asked　the　young　King。



'Ay；'　answered　the　man；　'and　the　name　of　the　rich　brother　is　Cain。'



And　the　young　King's　eyes　filled　with　tears；　and　he　rode　on　through

the　murmurs　of　the　people；　and　the　little　page　grew　afraid　and　left

him。



And　when　he　reached　the　great　portal　of　the　cathedral；　the　soldiers

thrust　their　halberts　out　and　said；　'What　dost　thou　seek　here？

None　enters　by　this　door　but　the　King。'



And　his　face　flushed　with　anger；　and　he　said　to　them；　'I　am　the

King；'　and　waved　their　halberts　aside　and　passed　in。



And　when　the　old　Bishop　saw　him　coming　in　his　goatherd's　dress；　he

rose　up　in　wonder　from　his　throne；　and　went　to　meet　him；　and　said

to　him；　'My　son；　is　this　a　king's　apparel？　　And　with　what　crown

shall　I　crown　thee；　and　what　sceptre　shall　I　place　in　thy　hand？

Surely　this　should　be　to　thee　a　day　of　joy；　and　not　a　day　of

abasement。'



'Shall　Joy　wear　what　Grief　has　fashioned？'　said　the　young　King。

And　he　told　him　his　three　dreams。



And　when　the　Bishop　had　heard　them　he　knit　his　brows；　and　said；　'My

son；　I　am　an　old　man；　and　in　the　winter　of　my　days；　and　I　know　that

many　evil　things　are　done　in　the　wide　world。　　The　fierce　robbers

come　down　from　the　mountains；　and　carry　off　the　little　children；

and　sell　them　to　the　Moors。　　The　lions　lie　in　wait　for　the

caravans；　and　leap　upon　the　camels。　　The　wild　boar　roots　up　the

corn　in　the　valley；　and　the　foxes　gnaw　the　vines　upon　the　hill。

The　pirates　lay　waste　the　sea…coast　and　burn　the　ships　of　the

fishermen；　and　take　their　nets　from　them。　　In　the　salt…marshes　live

the　lepers；　they　have　houses　of　wattled　reeds；　and　none　may　come

nigh　them。　　The　beggars　wander　through　the　cities；　and　eat　their

food　with　the　dogs。　　Canst　thou　make　these　things　not　to　be？　　Wilt

thou　take　the　leper　for　thy　bedfellow；　and　set　the　beggar　at　thy

board？　　Shall　the　lion　do　thy　bidding；　and　the　wild　boar　obey　thee？

Is　not　He　who　made　misery　wiser　than　thou　art？　　Wherefore　I　praise

thee　not　for　this　that　thou　hast　done；　but　I　bid　thee　ride　back　to

the　Palace　and　make　thy　face　glad；　and　put　on　the　raiment　that

beseemeth　a　king；　and　with　the　crown　of　gold　I　will　crown　thee；　and

the　sceptre　of　pearl　will　I　place　in　thy　hand。　　And　as　for　thy

dreams；　think　no　more　of　them。　　The　burden　of　this　world　is　too

great　for　one　man　to　bear；　and　the　world's　sorrow　too　heavy　for　one

heart　to　suffer。'



'Sayest　thou　that　in　this　house？'　said　the　young　King；　and　he

strode　past　the　Bishop；　and　climbed　up　the　steps　of　the　altar；　and

stood　before　the　image　of　Christ。



He　stood　before　the　image　of　Christ；　and　on　his　right　hand　and　on

his　left　were　the　marvellous　vessels　of　gold；　the　chalice　with　the

yellow　wine；　and　the　vial　with　the　holy　oil。　　He　knelt　before　the

image　of　Christ；　and　the　great　candles　burned　brightly　by　the

jewelled　shrine；　and　the　smoke　of　the　incense　curled　in　thin　blue

wreaths　through　the　dome。　　He　bowed　his　head　in　prayer；　and　the

priests　in　their　stiff　copes　crept　away　from　the　altar。



And　suddenly　a　wild　tumult　came　from　the　street　outside；　and　in

entered　the　nobles　with　drawn　swords　and　nodding　plumes；　and

shields　of　polished　steel。　　'Where　is　this　dreamer　of　dreams？'　they

cried。　　'Where　is　this　King　who　is　apparelled　like　a　beggar　…　this

boy　who　brings　shame　upon　our　state？　　Surely　we　will　slay　him；　for

he　is　unworthy　to　rule　over　us。'



And　the　young　King　bowed　his　head　again；　and　prayed；　and　when　he

had　finished　his　prayer　he　rose　up；　and　turning　round　he　looked　at

them　sadly。



And　lo！　through　the　painted　windows　came　the　sunlight　streaming

upon　him；　and　the　sun…beams　wove　round　him　a　tissued　robe　that　was

fairer　than　the　robe　that　had　been　fashioned　for　his　pleasure。　　The

dead　staff　blossomed；　and　bare　lilies　that　were　whiter　than　pearls。

The　dry　thorn　blossomed；　and　bare　roses　that　were　redder　than

rubies。　　Whiter　than　fine　pearls　were　the　lilies；　and　their　stems

were　of　bright　silver。　　Redder　than　male　rubies　were　the　roses；　and

their　leaves　were　of　beaten　gold。



He　stood　there　in　the　raiment　of　a　king；　and　the　gates　of　the

jewelled　shrine　flew　open；　and　from　the　crystal　of　the　many…rayed

monstrance　shone　a　marvellous　and　mystical　light。　　He　stood　there

in　a　king's　raiment；　and　the　Glory　of　God　filled　the　place；　and　the

saints　in　their　carven　niches　seemed　to　move。　　In　the　fair　raiment

of　a　king　he　stood　before　them；　and　the　organ　pealed　out　its　music；

and　the　trumpeters　blew　upon　their　trumpets；　and　the　singing　boys

sang。



And　the　people　fell　upon　their　knees　in　awe；　and　the　nobles

sheathed　their　swords　and　did　homage；　and　the　Bishop's　face　grew

pale；　and　his　hands　trembled。　　'A　greater　than　I　hath　crowned

thee；'　he　cried；　and　he　knelt　before　him。



And　the　young　King　came　down　from　the　high　altar；　and　passed　home

through　the　midst　of　the　people。　　But　no　man　dared　look　upon　his

face；　for　it　was　like　the　face　of　an　angel。