the ninth vibration-第18章

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〃Yes；　I　saw　it　once　when　I　was　here　with　the　Meryons。　But　we　lay　at　the　Bund　then　…　just　under　the　Club。　This　is　better。　Did　you　like　the　ride　up？〃

I　threw　myself　on　the　grass　beside　her　with　a　feeling　of　perfect　rest。

〃It　was　like　a　new　heaven　and　a　new　earth。　What　a　country！〃

The　very　spirit　of　Quiet　seemed　to　be　drowsing　in　those　branches　towering　up　into　the　blue；　dipping　their　green　fingers　into　the　crystal　of　the　water。　What　a　heaven！

〃Now　you　shall　have　your　tea　and　then　I　will　show　you　your　rooms；〃　she　said；　smiling　at　my　delight。　〃We　shall　stay　here　a　few　days　more　that　you　may　see　Srinagar；　and　then　they　tow　us　up　into　the　Dal　Lake　opposite　the　Gardens　of　the　Mogul　Emperors。　And　if　you　think　this　beautiful　what　will　you　say　then？〃

I　shut　my　eyes　and　see　still　that　first　meal　of　my　new　life。　The　little　table　that　Pir　Baksh；　breathing　full　East　in　his　jade…green　turban；　set　before　her；　with　its　cloth　worked　in　a　pattern　of　the　chenar　leaves　that　are　the　symbol　of　Kashmir；　the　brown　cakes　made　by　Ahmad　Khan　in　a　miraculous　kitchen　of　his　own　invention　…　a　few　holes　burrowed　in　the　river　bank；　a　smoldering　fire　beneath　them；　and　a　width　of　canvas　for　a　roof。　But　it　served；　and　no　more　need　be　asked　of　luxury。　And　Vanna；　making　it　mysteriously　the　first　home　I　ever　had　known；　the　central　joy　of　it　all。　Oh；　wonderful　days　of　life　that　breathe　the　spirit　of　immortality　and　pass　so　quickly　…　surely　they　must　be　treasured　somewhere　in　Eternity　that　we　may　look　upon　their　beloved　light　once　more。

〃Now　you　must　see　the　boat。　The　Kedarnath　is　not　a　Dreadnought；　but　she　is　broad　and　very　comfortable。　And　we　have　many　chaperons。　They　all　live　in　the　bows；　and　exist　simply　to　protect　the　Sahiblog　from　all　discomfort；　and　very　well　they　do　it。　That　is　Ahmad　Khan　by　the　kitchen。　He　cooks　for　us。　Salama　owns　the　boat；　and　steers　her　and　engages　the　men　to　tow　us　when　we　move。　And　when　I　arrived　he　aired　a　little　English　and　said　piously；　The　Lord　help　me　to　give　you　no　trouble；　and　the　Lord　help　you！〃　That　is　his　wife　sitting　on　the　bank。　She　speaks　little　but　Kashmiri；　but　I　know　a　little　of　that。　Look　at　the　hundred　rat…tail　plaits　of　her　hair；　lengthened　with　wool；　and　see　her　silver　and　turquoise　jewelry。　She　wears　much　of　the　family　fortune　and　is　quite　a　walking　bank。　Salama；　Ahmad　Khan　and　I　talk　by　the　hour。　Ahmad　comes　from　Fyzabad。　Look　at　Salama's　boy　…　I　call　him　the　Orange　Imp。　Did　you　ever　see　anything　so　beautiful？〃

I　looked　in　sheer　delight；　and　grasped　my　camera。　Sitting　near　us　was　a　lovely　little　Kashmiri　boy　of　about　eight；　in　a　faded　orange　coat；　and　a　turban　exactly　like　his　father's。　His　curled　black　eyelashes　were　so　long　that　they　made　a　soft　gloom　over　the　upper　part　of　the　little　golden　face。　The　perfect　bow　of　the　scarlet　lips；　the　long　eyes；　the　shy　smile；　suggested　an　Indian　Eros。　He　sat　dipping　his　feet　in　the　water　with　little　pigeon…like　cries　of　content。

〃He　paddles　at　the　bow　of　our　little　shikara　boat　with　a　paddle　exactly　like　a　water…lily　leaf。　Do　you　like　our　friends？　I　love　them　already；　and　know　all　their　affairs。　And　now　for　the　boat。〃

〃One　moment　…　If　we　are　friends　on　a　great　adventure；　I　must　call　you　Vanna；　and　you　me　Stephen。〃

〃Yes；　I　suppose　that　is　part　of　it；〃　she　said；　smiling。　〃Come；　Stephen。〃

It　was　like　music；　but　a　cold　music　that　chilled　me。　She　should　have　hesitated；　should　have　flushed　…　it　was　I　who　trembled。　So　I　followed　her　across　the　broad　plank　into　our　new　home。

〃This　is　our　sitting…room。　Look；　how　charming！〃

It　was　better　than　charming；　it　was　home　indeed。　Windows　at　each　side　opening　down　almost　to　the　water；　a　little　table　for　meals　that　lived　mostly　on　the　bank；　with　a　grey　pot　of　iris　in　the　middle。　Another　table　for　writing；　photography；　and　all　the　little　pursuits　of　travel。　A　bookshelf　with　some　well　…　worn　friends。　Two　long　cushioned　chairs。　Two　for　meals；　and　a　Bokhara　rug；　soft　and　pleasant　for　the　feet。　The　interior　was　plain　unpainted　wood；　but　set　so　that　the　grain　showed　like　satin　in　the　rippling　lights　from　the　water。

That　is　the　inventory　of　the　place　I　have　loved　best　in　the　world；　but　what　eloquence　can　describe　what　it　gave　me；　what　its　memory　gives　me　to　this　day？　And　I　have　no　eloquence　…　what　I　felt　leaves　me　dumb。

〃It　is　perfect；〃　was　all　I　said　as　she　waved　her　hand　proudly。　〃It　is　home。〃

〃And　if　you　had　come　alone　to　Kashmir　you　would　have　had　a　great　rich　boat　with　electric　light　and　a　butler。　You　would　never　have　seen　the　people　except　at　meal　…　times。　I　think　you　will　like　this　better。　Well；　this　is　your　tiny　bedroom；　and　your　bathroom；　and　beyond　the　sitting　…　room　are　mine。　Do　you　like　it　all？〃

But　I　could　say　no　more。　The　charm　of　her　own　personality　had　touched　everything　and　left　its　fragrance　like　a　flower　…　breath　in　the　air。　I　was　beggared　of　thanks；　but　my　whole　soul　was　gratitude。　We　dined　on　the　bank　that　evening；　the　lamp　burning　steadily　in　the　still　air　and　throwing　broken　reflections　in　the　water；　while　the　moon　looked　in　upon　them　through　the　leaves。　I　felt　extraordinarily　young　and　happy。

The　quiet　of　her　voice　was　soft　as　the　little　lap　of　water　against　the　bows　of　the　boat；　and　Kahdra；　the　Orange　Imp；　was　singing　a　little　wordless　song　to　himself　as　he　washed　the　plates　beside　us。　It　was　a　simple　meal；　and　Vanna；　abstemious　as　a　hermit　never　ate　anything　but　rice　and　fruit；　but　I　could　remember　no　meal　in　all　my　days　of　luxury　where　I　had　eaten　with　such　zest。

〃It　looks　very　grand　to　have　so　many　to　wait　upon　us；　doesn't　it？　But　this　is　one　of　the　cheapest　countries　in　the　world　though　the　old　timers　mourn　over　present　expenses。　You　will　laugh　when　I　show　you　your　share　of　the　cost。〃

〃The　wealth　of　the　world　could　not　buy　this；〃　I　said；　and　was　silent。

〃But　you　must　listen　to　my　plans。　We　must　do　a　little　camping　the　last　three　weeks　before　we　part。　Up　in　the　mountains。　Are　they　not　marvellous？　They　stand　like　a　rampart　round　us；　but　not　cold　and　terrible；　but　〃Like　as　the　hills　stand　round　about　Jerusalem〃　…　they　are　guardian　presences。　And　running　up　into　them；　high　…very　high；　are　the　valleys　and　hills　where　we　shall　camp。　Tomorrow　we　shall　row　through　Srinagar；　by　the　old　Maharaja's　palace。〃



V

And　so　began　a　life　of　sheer　enchantment。　We　knew　no　one。　The　visitors　in　Kashmir　change　nearly　every　season；　and　no　one　cared…no　one　asked　anything　of　us；　and　as　for　our　shipmates；　a　willing　affectionate　service　was　their　gift；　and　no　more。　Looking　back；　I　know　in　what　a　wonder…world　I　was　privileged　to　live。　Vanna　could　talk　with　them　all。　She　did　not　move　apart；　a　condescending　or　indifferent　foreigner。　Kahdra　would　come　to　her　knee　and　prattle　to　her　of　the　great　snake　that　lived　up　on　Mahadeo　to　devour　erring　boys　who　omitted　their　prayers　at　proper　Moslem　intervals。　She　would　sit　with　the　baby　in　her　lap　while　the　mother　busied　herself　in　the　sunny　bows　with　the　mysterious　dishes　that　smelt　so　savory　to　a　hungry　man。　The　cuts；　the　bruises　of　the　neighbourhood　all　came　to　Vanna　for　treatment。

〃I　am　graduating　as　a　nurse；〃　she　would　say　laughing　as　she　bent　over　the　lean　arm　of　some　weirdly　wrinkled　old　lady；　bandaging　and　soothing　at　the　same　moment。　Her　reward　would　be　some　bit　of　folk…lore；　some　quaintness　of　gratitude　that　I　noted　down　in　the　little　book　I　kept　for　remembrance　…　that　I　do　not　need；　for　every　word　is　in　my　heart。

We　rowed　down　through　the　city　next　day　…　Salama　rowing；　and　little　Kahdra　lazily　paddling　at　the　bow　…　a　wonderful　city；　with　its　narrow　ways　begrimed　with　the　dirt　of　ages；　and　its　balconied　houses　looking　as　if　disease　and　sin　had　soaked　into　them　and　given　them　a　vicious　tottering　beauty；　horrible　and　yet　lovely　too。　We　saw　the　swarming　life　of　the　bazaar；　the　white　turbans　coming　and　going；　diversified　by　the　rose　and　yellow　Hindu　turbans；　and　the　caste…marks；　orange　and　red；　on　the　dark　brows。

I　saw　two　women　…　girls　…　painted　and　tired　like　Jezebel；　looking　out　of　one　window　carved　and　old；　and　the　grey　burnished　doves　flying　about　it。　They　leaned　indolently；　like　all　the　old；　old　wickedness　of　the　East　that　yet　is　ever　young　…　〃Flowers　of　Delight；〃　with　smooth　black　hair　braided　with　gold　and　blossoms；　and　covered