the ninth vibration-第3章

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imaginable　that　a　woman　should　leave　the　way　and　take　to　the　dangers　of　the　woods。

〃Puna…i…Khoda　…　God　protect　us！〃　said　Ali　Khan　in　a　shuddering　whisper。　〃She　was　a　devil　of　the　wilds。　Press　on；　Sahib。　We　should　not　be　here　in　the　dark。〃

There　was　nothing　else　to　do。　We　made　the　best　speed　we　could；　and　the　trees　grew　more　dense　and　the　trail　fainter　between　the　close　trunks；　and　so　the　night　came　bewildering　with　the　expectation　that　we　must　pass　the　night　unfed　and　unarmed　in　the　cold　of　the　heights。　They　might　send　out　a　search　party　from　The　House　in　the　Woods　…　that　was　still　a　hope；　if　there　were　no　other。　And　then；　very　gradually　and　wonderfully　the　moon　dawned　over　the　tree　tops　and　flooded　the　wood　with　mysterious　silver　lights　and　about　her　rolled　the　majesty　of　the　stars。　We　pressed　on　into　the　heart　of　the　night。　From　the　dense　black　depths　we　emerged　at　last。　An　open　glade　lay　before　us　…　the　trees　falling　back　to　right　and　left　to　disclose　…　what？

A　long　low　house　of　marble；　unlit；　silent；　bathed　in　pale　splendour　and　shadow。　About　it　stood　great　deodars；　clothed　in　clouds　of　the　white　blossoming　clematis；　ghostly　and　still。　Acacias　hung　motionless　trails　of　heavily　scented　bloom　as　if　carved　in　ivory。　It　was　all　silent　as　death。　A　flight　of　nobly　sculptured　steps　led　up　to　a　broad　veranda　and　a　wide　open　door　with　darkness　behind　it。　Nothing　more。

I　forced　myself　to　shout　in　Hindustani　…　the　cry　seeming　a　brutal　outrage　upon　the　night；　and　an　echo　came　back　numbed　in　the　black　woods。　I　tried　once　more　and　in　vain。　We　stood　absorbed　also　into　the　silence。

〃Ya　Alla！　it　is　a　house　of　the　dead！〃　whispered　Ali　Khan；　shuddering　at　my　shoulder；　…　and　even　as　the　words　left　his　lips　I　understood　where　we　were。　〃It　is　the　Sukh　Mandir。〃　I　said。　〃It　is　the　House　of　the　Maharao　of　Ranipur。〃

It　was　impossible　to　be　in　Ranipur　and　hear　nothing　of　the　dead　house　of　the　forest　and　Ali　Khan　had　heard　…　God　only　knows　what　tales。　In　his　terror　all　discipline；　all　the　inborn　respect　of　the　native　forsook　him；　and　without　word　or　sign　he　turned　and　fled　along　the　track；　crashing　through　the　forest　blind　and　mad　with　fear。　It　would　have　been　insanity　to　follow　him；　and　in　India　the　first　rule　of　life　is　that　the　Sahib　shows　no　fear；　so　I　left　him　to　his　fate　whatever　it　might　be；　believing　at　the　same　time　that　a　little　reflection　and　dread　of　the　lonely　forest　would　bring　him　to　heel　quickly。

I　stood　there　and　the　stillness　flowed　like　water　about　me。　It　was　as　though　I　floated　upon　it　…　bathed　in　quiet。　My　thoughts　adjusted　themselves。　Possibly　it　was　not　the　Sukh　Mandir。　Olesen　had　spoken　of　ruin。　I　could　see　none。　At　least　it　was　shelter　from　the　chill　which　is　always　present　at　these　heights　when　the　sun　sets；　…　and　it　was　beautiful　as　a　house　not　made　with　hands。　There　was　a　sense　of　awe　but　no　fear　as　I　went　slowly　up　the　great　steps　and　into　the　gloom　beyond　and　so　gained　the　hall。

The　moon　went　with　me　and　from　a　carven　arch　filled　with　marble　tracery　rained　radiance　that　revealed　and　hid。　Pillars　stood　about　me；　wonderful　with　horses　ramping　forward　as　in　the　Siva　Temple　at　Vellore。　They　appeared　to　spring　from　the　pillars　into　the　gloom　urged　by　invisible　riders；　the　effect　barbarously　rich　and　strange　…　motion　arrested；　struck　dumb　in　a　violent　gesture；　and　behind　them　impenetrable　darkness。　I　could　not　see　the　end　of　this　hall　…　for　the　moon　did　not　reach　it；　but　looking　up　I　beheld　the　walls　fretted　in　great　panels　into　the　utmost　splendour　of　sculpture；　encircling　the　stories　of　the　Gods　amid　a　twining　and　under…weaving　of　leaves　and　flowers。　It　was　more　like　a　temple　than　a　dwelling。　Siva；　as　Nataraja　the　Cosmic　Dancer；　the　Rhythm　of　the　Universe；　danced　before　me；　flinging　out　his　arms　in　the　passion　of　creation。　Kama；　the　Indian　Eros；　bore　his　bow　strung　with　honey…sweet　black　bees　that　typify　the　heart's　desire。　Krishna　the　Beloved　smiled　above　the　herd…maidens　adoring　at　his　feet。　Ganesha　the　Elephant…Headed；　sat　in　massive　calm；　wreathing　his　wise　trunk　about　him。　And　many　more。　But　all　these　so　far　as　I　could　see　tended　to　one　centre　panel　larger　than　any；　representing　two　life…size　figures　of　a　dim　beauty。　At　first　I　could　scarcely　distinguish　one　from　the　other　in　the　upward…reflected　light；　and　then；　even　as　I　stood；　the　moving　moon　revealed　the　two　as　if　floating　in　vapor。　At　once　I　recognized　the　subject　…　I　had　seen　it　already　in　the　ruined　temple　of　Ranipur；　though　the　details　differed。　Parvati；　the　Divine　Daughter　of　the　Himalaya；　the　Emanation　of　the　mighty　mountains；　seated　upon　a　throne；　listening　to　a　girl　who　played　on　a　Pan　pipe　before　her。　The　goddess　sat；　her　chin　leaned　upon　her　hand；　her　shoulders　slightly　inclined　in　a　pose　of　gentle　sweetness；　looking　down　upon　the　girl　at　her　feet；　absorbed　in　the　music　of　the　hills　and　lonely　places。　A　band　of　jewels；　richly　wrought；　clasped　the　veil　on　her　brows；　and　below　the　bare　bosom　a　glorious　girdle　clothed　her　with　loops　and　strings　and　tassels　of　jewels　that　fell　to　her　knees　…　her　only　garment。

The　girl　was　a　lovely　image　of　young　womanhood；　the　proud　swell　of　the　breast　tapering　to　the　slim　waist　and　long　limbs　easily　folded　as　she　half　reclined　at　the　divine　feet；　her　lips　pressed　to　the　pipe。　Its　silent　music　mysteriously　banished　fear。　The　sleep　must　be　sweet　indeed　that　would　come　under　the　guardianship　of　these　two　fair　creatures　…　their　gracious　influence　was　dewy　in　the　air。　I　resolved　that　I　would　spend　the　night　beside　them。　Now　with　the　march　of　the　moon　dim　vistas　of　the　walls　beyond　sprang　into　being。　Strange　mythologies　…　the　incarnations　of　Vishnu　the　Preserver；　the　Pastoral　of　Krishna　the　Beautiful。　I　promised　myself　that　next　day　I　would　sketch　some　of　the　loveliness　about　me。　But　the　moon　was　passing　on　her　way　…　I　folded　the　coat　I　carried　into　a　pillow　and　lay　down　at　the　feet　of　the　goddess　and　her　nymph。　Then　a　moonlit　quiet　I　slept　in　a　dream　of　peace。

Sleep　annihilates　time。　Was　it　long　or　short　when　I　woke　like　a　man　floating　up　to　the　surface　from　tranquil　deeps？　That　I　cannot　tell；　but　once　more　I　possessed　myself　and　every　sense　was　on　guard。

My　hearing　first。　Bare　feet　were　coming；　falling　softly　as　leaves；　but　unmistakable。　There　was　a　dim　whispering　but　I　could　hear　no　word。　I　rose　on　my　elbow　and　looked　down　the　long　hall。　Nothing。　The　moonlight　lay　in　pools　of　light　and　seas　of　shadow　on　the　floor；　and　the　feet　drew　nearer。　Was　I　afraid？　I　cannot　tell；　but　a　deep　expectation　possessed　me　as　the　sound　grew　like　the　rustle　of　grasses　parted　in　a　fluttering　breeze；　and　now　a　girl　came　swiftly　up　the　steps；　irradiate　in　the　moonlight；　and　passing　up　the　hall　stood　beside　me。　I　could　see　her　robe；　her　feet　bare　from　the　jungle；　but　her　face　wavered　and　changed　and　re…　united　like　the　face　of　a　dream　woman。　I　could　not　fix　it　for　one　moment；　yet　knew　this　was　the　messenger　for　whom　I　had　waited　all　my　life　…　for　whom　one　strange　experience；　not　to　be　told　at　present；　had　prepared　me　in　early　manhood。　Words　came；　and　I　said：

〃Is　this　a　dream？〃

〃No。　We　meet　in　the　Ninth　Vibration。　All　here　is　true。〃

〃Is　a　dream　never　true？〃

〃Sometimes　it　is　the　echo　of　the　Ninth　Vibration　and　therefore　a　harmonic　of　truth。　You　are　awake　now。　It　is　the　day…time　that　is　the　sleep　of　the　soul。　You　are　in　the　Lower　Perception；　wherein　the　truth　behind　the　veil　of　what　men　call　Reality　is　perceived。〃

〃Can　I　ascend？〃

〃I　cannot　tell。　That　is　for　you；　not　me。

〃What　do　I　perceive　tonight？〃

〃The　Present　as　it　is　in　the　Eternal。　Say　no　more。　Come　with　me。〃

She　stretched　her　hand　and　took　mine　with　the　assurance　of　a　goddess；　and　we　went　up　the　hall　where　the　night　had　been　deepest　between　the　great　pillars。

Now　it　is　very　clear　to　me　that　in　every　land　men；　when　the　doors　of　perception　are　opened；　will　see　what　we　call　the　Supernatural　clothed　in　the　image　in　which　that　country　has　accepted　it。　Blake；　the　mighty　mystic；　will　see　the　Angels　of　the　Revelation；　driving　their　terrible　way　above　Lambeth　…　it　is　not　common　nor　unclean。　The　fisherman；　plying　his　coracle　on　the　Thames　will　behold　the　consecration　of　the　great　new　Abbey　of　Westminster　celebrated　with　mass　and　chant　and　awful　lights　in　t