the ninth vibration-第36章

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〃This　I　cannot　do。　Better　die　together。　Let　us　take　counsel　with　the　ancient　Brahman；　thy　guru　＇teacher＇；　for　he　is　very　wise。〃

She　clapped　her　hands；　and　the　maidens　returned；　and；　bowing；　brought　the　venerable　Prabhu　Narayan　into　the　Presence；　and　again　those　roses　retired。

Respectful　salutation　was　then　offered　by　the　King　and　the　Queen　to　that　saint；　hoary　with　wisdom　…　he　who　had　seen　her　grow　into　the　loveliness　of　the　sea…born　Shri；　yet　had　never　seen　that　loveliness；　for　he　had　never　raised　his　eyes　above　the　chooris　about　her　ankles。　To　him　the　King　related　his　anxieties；　and　he　sat　rapt　in　musing；　and　the　two　waited　in　dutiful　silence　until　long　minutes　had　fallen　away；　and　at　the　last　he　lifted　his　head；　weighted　with　wisdom；　and　spoke。

〃0　King；　Descendant　of　Rama！　this　outrage　cannot　be。　Yet；　knowing　the　strength　and　desire　of　this　obscene　one　and　the　weakness　of　our　power；　it　is　plain　that　only　with　cunning　can　cunning　be　met。　Hear；　therefore；　the　history　of　the　Fox　and　the　Drum。

〃A　certain　Fox　searched　for　food　in　the　jungle；　and　so　doing　beheld　a　tree　on　which　hung　a　drum；　and　when　the　boughs　knocked　upon　the　parchment；　it　sounded　aloud。　Considering；　he　believed　that　so　round　a　form　and　so　great　a　voice　must　portend　much　good　feeding。　Neglecting　on　this　account　a　fowl　that　fed　near　by；　he　ascended　to　the　drum。　The　drum　being　rent　was　but　air　and　parchment；　and　meanwhile　the　fowl　fled　away。　And　from　the　eye　of　folly　he　shed　the　tear　of　disappointment；　having　bartered　the　substance　for　the　shadow。　So　must　we　act　with　this　budmash　＇scoundrel＇。　First；　receiving　his　oath　that　he　will　depart　without　violence；　hid　him　hither　to　a　great　feast；　and　say　that　he　shall　behold　the　face　of　the　Queen　in　a　mirror。　Provide　that　some　fair　woman　of　the　city　show　her　face；　and　then　let　him　depart　in　peace；　showing　him　friendship。　He　shall　not　know　he　hath　not　seen　the　beauty　he　would　befoul。〃

After　consultation；　no　better　way　could　be　found；　but　the　heart　of　the　great　Lady　was　heavy　with　foreboding。

（A　hi！　that　Beauty　should　wander　a　pilgrim　in　the　ways　of　sorrow！）

To　Allah…u…Din　therefore　did　the　King　dispatch　this　letter　by　swift　riders　on　mares　of　Mewar。

After　salutations　…　〃Now　whereas　thou　hast　said　thou　wouldest　look　upon　the　beauty　of　the　Treasure　of　Chitor；　know　it　is　not　the　custom　of　the　Rajputs　that　any　eye　should　light　upon　their　treasure。　Yet　assuredly；　when　requests　arise　between　friends；　there　cannot　fail　to　follow　distress　of　mind　and　division　of　soul　if　these　are　ungranted。　So；　under　promises　that　follow；　I　bid　thee　to　a　feast　at　my　poor　house　of　Chitor；　and　thou　shalt　see　that　beauty　reflected　in　a　mirror；　and　so　seeing；　depart　in　peace　from　the　house　of　a　friend。〃

This　being　writ　by　the　Twice…Born；　the　Brahman；　did　the　Rana　sign　with　bitter　rage　in　his　heart。　And　the　days　passed。


III

On　a　certain　day　found　fortunate　by　the　astrologers　…　a　day　of　early　winter；　when　the　dawns　were　pure　gold　and　the　nights　radiant　with　a　cool　moon　…　did　a　mighty　troop　of　Moslems　set　their　camp　on　the　plain　of　Chitor。　It　was　as　if　a　city　had　blossomed　in　an　hour。　Those　who　looked　from　the　walls　muttered　prayers　to　the　Lord　of　the　Trident；　for　these　men　seemed　like　the　swarms　of　the　locust　…　people；　warriors　all；　fierce　fighting…men。　And　in　the　ways　of　Chitor；　and　up　the　steep　and　winding　causeway　from　the　plains；　were　warriors　also；　the　chosen　of　the　Rajputs；　thick　as　blades　of　corn　hedging　the　path。

（Ahi！　that　the　blossom　of　beauty　should　have　swords　for　thorns！）

Then；　leaving　his　camp；　attended　by　many　Chiefs；　…　may　the　mothers　and　sires　that　begot　them　be　accursed！　…　came　Allah…u…Din；　riding　toward　the　Lower　Gate；　and　so　upward　along　the　causeway；　between　the　two　rows　of　men　who　neither　looked　nor　spoke；　standing　like　the　carvings　of　war　in　the　Caves　of　Ajunta。　And　the　moon　was　rising　through　the　sunset　as　he　came　beneath　the　last　and　seventh　gate。　Through　the　towers　and　palaces　he　rode　with　his　following；　but　no　woman；　veiled　or　unveiled；　…　no；　not　even　an　outcast　of　the　city；　…　was　there　to　see　him　come；　only　the　men；　armed　and　silent。　So　he　turned　to　Munim　Khan　that　rode　at　his　bridle；　saying；…

〃Let　not　the　eye　of　watchfulness　close　this　night　on　the　pillow　of　forgetfulness！〃

And　thus　he　entered　the　palace。

Very　great　was　the　feast　in　Chitor；　and　the　wines　that　those　accursed　should　not　drink　（since　the　Outcast　whom　they　call　their　Prophet　forbade　them）　ran　like　water；　and　at　the　right　hand　of　Allah…u…Din　was　set　the　great　crystal　Cup　inlaid　with　gold　by　a　craft　that　is　now　perished；　and　he　filled　and　refilled　it　…　may　his　own　Prophet　curse　the　swine！

But　because　the　sons　of　Kings　eat　not　with　the　outcasts；　the　Rana　entered　after；　clothed　in　chain　armor　of　blue　steel；　and　having　greeted　him；　bid　him　to　the　sight　of　that　Treasure。　And　Allah…u…Din；　his　eyes　swimming　with　wine；　and　yet　not　drunken；　followed；　and　the　two　went　alone。

Purdahs　＇curtains＇　of　great　splendour　were　hung　in　the　great　Hall　that　is　called　the　Raja's　Hall；　exceeding　rich　with　gold；　and　in　front　of　the　opening　was　a　kneeling…cushion；　and　an　a　gold　stool　before　it　a　polished　mirror。

（Ahi！　for　gold　and　beauty；　the　scourges　of　the　world！）

And　the　Rana　was　pale　to　the　lips。

Now　as　the　Princes　stood　by　the　purdah；　a　veiled　woman；　shrouded　in　white　so　that　no　shape　could　he　seen　in　her；　came　forth　from　within；　and　kneeling　upon　the　cushion；　she　unveiled　her　face　bending　until　the　mirror；　like　a　pool　of　water；　held　it；　and　that　only。　And　the　King　motioned　his　guest　to　look；　and　he　looked　over　her　veiled　shoulder　and　saw。　Very　great　was　the　bowed　beauty　that　the　mirror　held；　but　Allah…u…Din　turned　to　the　Rana。

〃By　the　Bread　and　the　Salt；　by　the　Guest…Right；　by　the　Honour　of　thy　House；　I　ask　…　is　this　the　Treasure　of　Chitor？〃

And　since　the　Sun…Descended　cannot　lie；　no；　not　though　they　perish；　the　Rana　answered；　flushing　darkly；　…　〃This　is　not　the　Treasure。　Wilt　thou　spare？〃

But　he　would　not；　and　the　woman　slipped　like　a　shadow　behind　the　purdah　and　no　word　said。

Then　was　heard　the　tinkling　of　chooris；　and　the　little　noise　fell　upon　the　silence　like　a　fear；　and；　parting　the　curtains；　came　a　woman　veiled　like　the　other。　She　did　not　kneel；　but　took　the　mirror　in　her　hand；　and　Allah…u…Din　drew　up　behind　her　back。　From　her　face　she　raised　the　veil　of　gold　Dakka　webs；　and　gazed　into　the　mirror；　holding　it　high；　and　that　Accursed　stumbled　back；　blinded　with　beauty；　saying　this　only；…　〃I　have　seen　the　Treasure　of　Chitor。〃

So　the　purdah　fell　about　her。

The　next　day；　after　the　Imaum　of　the　Accursed　had　called　them　to　prayer；　they　departed；　and　Allah…u…Din；　paying　thanks　to　the　Rana　for　honours　given　and　taken；　and　swearing　friendship；　besought　him　to　ride　to　his　camp；　to　see　the　marvels　of　gold　and　steel　armor　brought　down　from　the　passes；　swearing　also　safe…conduct。　And　because　the　Rajputs　trust　the　word　even　of　a　foe；　he　went。

（A　hi！　that　honour　should　strike　hands　with　traitors！）


IV

The　hours　went　by；　heavy…footed　like　mourners。　Padmini　the　Rani　knelt　by　the　window　in　her　tower　that　overlooks　the　plains。　Motionless　she　knelt　there；　as　the　Goddess　Uma　lost　in　her　penances；　and　she　saw　her　Lord　ride　forth；　and　the　sparkle　of　steel　where　the　sun　shone　on　them；　and　the　Standard　of　the　Cold　Disk　on　its　black　ground。　So　the　camp　of　the　Moslem　swallowed　them　up；　and　they　returned　no　more。　Still　she　knelt　and　none　dared　speak　with　her；　and　as　the　first　shade　of　evening　fell　across　the　hills　of　Rajasthan；　she　saw　a　horseman　spurting　over　the　flat；　and　he　rode　like　the　wind；　and；　seeing；　she　implored　the　Gods。

Then　entered　the　Twice…Born；　that　saint　of　clear　eyes；　and　he　bore　a　scroll；　and　she　rose　and　seated　herself；　and　he　stood　by　her；　as　her　ladies　cowered　like　frightened　doves　before　the　woe　in　his　face　as　he　read。

〃To　the　Rose　of　Beauty；　The　Pearl　among　Women；　the　Chosen　of　the　Palace。　Who；　having　seen　thy　loveliness；　can　look　on　another？　Who；　having　tasted　the　wine　of　the　Houris；　but　thirsts　forever？　Behold；　I　have　thy　King　as　hostage。　Come　thou　and　deliver　him。　I　have　sworn　that　he　shall　return　in　thy　place。〃

And　from　a　smaller　scroll；　the　Brahman　read　this：…

〃I　am　fallen　in　the