the ninth vibration-第39章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


he　said；　using　the　words　of　the　poet　Faisi；　…

〃How　shall　I　understand　the　magic　of　Love　the　Juggler？　For　he　made　thy　beauty　enter　at　that　small　gate　the　pupil　of　my　eye；　And　now　…　and　now　my　heart　cannot　contain　it！〃

But　who　should　marvel？　For　those　who　have　seen　this　Arjemand　crowned　with　the　crown　the　Padishah　set　upon　her　sweet　low　brows；　with　the　lamps　of　great　jewels　lighting　the　dimples　of　her　cheeks　as　they　swung　beside　them；　have　most　surely　seen　perfection。　lie　who　sat　upon　the　Peacock　Throne；　where　the　outspread　tail　of　massed　gems　is　centred　by　that　great　ruby；　〃The　Eye　of　the　Peacock；　the　Tribute　of　the　World；〃　valued　it　not　so　much　as　one　Jock　of　the　dark　and　perfumed　tresses　that　rolled　to　her　feet。　Less　to　him　the　twelve　throne　columns　set　close　with　pearls　than　the　little　pearls　she　showed　in　her　sweet　laughter。　For　if　this　lady　was　all　beauty；　so　too　she　was　all　goodness；　and　from　the　Shah…in…Shah　to　the　poorest；　all　hearts　of　the　world　knelt　in　adoration；　before　the　Chosen　of　the　Palace。　She　was；　indeed；　an　extraor…　dinary　beauty；　in　that　she　had　the　soul　of　a　child；　and　she　alone　remained　unconscious　of　her　power；　and　so　she　walked；　crowned　and　clothed　with　humility。

Cold；　haughty；　and　silent　was　the　Shah…in…Shah　before　she　blessed　his　arms　…　flattered；　envied；　but　loved　by　none。　But　the　gift　this　Lady　brought　with　her　was　love；　and　this；　shining　like　the　sun　upon　ice；　melted　his　coldness；　and　he　became　indeed　the　kingly　centre　of　a　kingly　court　May　the　Peace　be　upon　her！

Now　it　was　the　dawn　of　a　sorrowful　day　when　the　pains　of　the　Lady　Arjemand　came　strong　and　terrible；　and　she　travailed　in　agony。　The　hakims　（physicians）　stroked　their　beards　and　reasoned　one　with　another；　the　wise　women　surrounded　her；　and　remedies　many　and　great　were　tried；　and　still　her　anguish　grew；　and　in　the　hall　without　sat　the　Shah…in…Shah　upon　his　divan；　in　anguish　of　spirit　yet　greater。　The　sweat　ran　on　his　brows；　the　knotted　veins　were　thick　on　his　temples；　and　his　eyes；　sunk　in　their　caves；　showed　as　those　of　a　maddened　man。　He　crouched　on　his　cushions　and　stared　at　the　purdah　that　divided　him　from　the　Lady；　and　all　day　the　people　came　and　went　about　him；　and　there　was　silence　from　the　voice　he　longed　to　hear；　for　she　would　not　moan；　lest　the　sound　should　slay　the　Emperor。　Her　women　besought　her；　fearing　that　her　strong　silence　would　break　her　heart；　but　still　she　lay；　her　hands　clenched　in　one　another；　enduring；　and　the　Emperor　endured　without。　The　Day　of　the　Smiting！

So；　as　the　time　of　the　evening　prayer　drew　nigh；　a　child　was　born；　and　the　Empress；　having　done　with　pain；　began　to　sink　slowly　into　that　profound　sleep　that　is　the　shadow　cast　by　the　Last。　May　Allah　the　Upholder　have　mercy　on　our　weakness！　And　the　women；　white　with　fear　and　watching；　looked　upon　her；　and　whispered　one　to　another；　〃It　is　the　end。〃

And　the　aged　mother　of　Abdul　Mirza；　standing　at　her　head；　said；　〃She　heeds　not　the　cry　of　the　child。　She　cannot　stay。〃　And　the　newly　wed　wife　of　Saif　Khan；　standing　at　her　feet；　said；　〃The　voice　of　the　beloved　husband　is　as　the　Call　of　the　Angel。　Let　the　Padishah　be　summoned。〃

So；　the　evening　prayer　being　over　（but　the　Emperor　had　not　prayed）；　the　wisest　of　the　hakims；　Kazim　Sharif；　went　before　him　and　spoke：…

〃Inhallah！　May　the　will　of　the　Issuer　of　Decrees　in　all　things　be　done！　Ascribe　unto　the　Creator　glory；　bowing　before　his　Throne。〃

And　he　remained　silent；　but　the　Padishah；　haggard　in　his　jewels；　with　his　face　hidden；　answered　thickly；　〃The　truth！　For　Allah　has　forgotten　his　slave。〃

And　Kazim　Sharif；　bowing　at　his　feet　and　veiling　his　face　with　his　hands；　replied：

〃The　voice　of　the　child　cannot　reach　her；　and　the　Lady　of　Delight　departs。　He　who　would　speak　with　her　must　speak　quickly。〃

Then　the　Emperor　rose　to　his　feet　unsteadily；　like　a　man　drunk　with　the　forbidden　juice；　and　when　Kazim　Sharif　would　have　supported　him；　be　flung　aside　his　hands；　and　he　stumbled；　a　man　wounded　to　death；　as　it　were；　to　the　marble　chamber　where　she　lay。

In　that　white　chamber　it　was　dusk；　and　they　had　lit　the　little　cressets　so　that　a　very　faint　light　fell　upon　her　face。　A　slender　fountain　a　little　cooled　the　hot；　still　air　with　its　thin　music　and　its　sprinkled　diamonds；　and　outside；　the　summer　lightnings　were　playing　wide　and　blue　on　the　river；　but　so　still　was　it　that　the　dragging　footsteps　of　the　Emperor　raised　the　hair　on　the　flesh　of　those　who　heard；　So　the　women　who　should；　veiled　themselves；　and　the　others　remained　like　pillars　of　stone。

Now；　when　those　steps　were　heard；　a　faint　colour　rose　in　the　cheek　of　the　Lady　Arjemand；　but　she　did　not　raise　the　heavy　lashes；　or　move　her　hand。　And　he　came　up　beside　her；　and　the　Shadow　of　God；　who　should　kneel　to　none；　knelt；　and　his　head　fell　forward　upon　her　breast；　and　in　the　hush　the　women　glided　out　like　ghosts；　leaving　the　husband　with　the　wife　excepting　only　that　her　foster…nurse　stood　far　off；　with　eyes　averted。

So　the　minutes　drifted　by；　falling　audibly　one　by　one　into　eternity；　and　at　the　long　last　she　slowly　opened　her　eyes　and；　as　from　the　depths　of　a　dream；　beheld　the　Emperor；　and　in　a　voice　faint　as　the　fall　of　a　rose…leaf　she　said　the　one　word；　〃Beloved！〃

And　he　from　between　his　clenched　teeth；　answered；　〃Speak；　wife。〃

So　she；　who　in　all　things　had　loved　and　served　him；　…　she；　Light　of　all　hearts；　dispeller　of　all　gloom；　…　gathered　her　dying　breath　for　consolation；　and　raised　one　hand　slowly；　and　it　fell　across　his；　and　so　remained。

Now；　her　beauty　had　been　broken　in　the　anguish　like　a　rose　in　storm；　but　it　returned　to　her；　doubtless　that　the　Padishah　might　take　comfort　in　its　memory；　and　she　looked　like　a　houri　of　Paradise　who；　kneeling　beside　the　Zemzem　Well；　beholds　the　Waters　of　Peace。　Not　Fatmeh　herself；　the　daughter　of　the　Prophet　of　God；　shone　more　sweetly。　She　repeated　the　word；　〃Beloved〃；　and　after　a　pause　she　whispered　on　with　lips　that　scarcely　stirred；　〃King　of　the　Age；　this　is　the　end。〃

But　still　he　was　like　a　dead　man；　nor　lifted　his　face。

〃Surely　all　things　pass。　And　though　I　go；　in　your　heart　I　abide；　and　nothing　can　sever　us。　Take　comfort。〃

But　there　was　no　answer。

〃Nothing　but　Love's　own　hand　can　slay　Love。　Therefore；　remember　me；　and　I　shall　live。〃

And　he　answered　from　the　darkness　of　her　bosom；　〃The　whole　world　shall　remember。　But　when　shall　I　be　united　to　thee？　0　Allah；　how　long　wilt　thou　leave　me　to　waste　in　this　separation？〃

And　she：　〃Beloved；　what　is　time？　We　sleep　and　the　night　is　gone。　Now　put　your　arms　about　me；　for　I　sink　into　rest。　What　words　are　needed　between　us？　Love　is　enough。〃

So；　making　not　the　Profession　of　Faith；　…　and　what　need；　since　all　her　life　was　worship；　…　the　Lady　Arjemand　turned　into　his　arms　like　a　child。　And　the　night　deepened。

Morning；　with　its　arrows　of　golden　light　that　struck　the　river　to　splendour！　Morning；　with　its　pure　breath；　its　sunshine　of　joy；　and　the　koels　fluting　in　the　Palace　gardens！　Morning；　divine　and　new　from　the　hand　of　the　Maker！　And　in　the　innermost　chamber　of　marble　a　white　silence；　and　the　Lady；　the　Mirror　of　Goodness；　lying　in　the　Compassion　of　Allah；　and　a　broken　man　stretched　on　the　ground　beside　her。　For　all　flesh；　from　the　camel…driver　to　the　Shah…in…　Shah；　is　as　one　in　the　Day　of　the　Smiting。


II

For　weeks　the　Emperor　lay　before　the　door　of　death；　and　had　it　opened　to　him；　he　had　been　blessed。　So　the　months　went　by；　and　very　slowly　the　strength　returned　to　him；　but　his　eyes　were　withered　and　the　bones　stood　out　in　his　cheeks。　But　he　resumed　his　throne；　and　sat　upon　it　kingly；　black…bearded；　eagle…eyed；　terribly　apart　in　his　grief　and　his　royalty；　and　so　seated　among　his　Usbegs；　he　declared　his　will。

〃For　this　Lady　（upon　whom　be　peace）；　departed　to　the　mercy　of　the　Giver　and　Taker；　shall　a　tomb…palace　be　made；　the　Like　of　which　is　not　found　in　the　four　corners　of　the　world。　Send　forth　therefore　for　craftsmen　like　the　builders　of　the　Temple　of　Solomon　the　Wise；　for　I　will　build。〃

So；　taking　counsel；　they　sent　in　haste　into　Agra　for　Ustad　Isa；　the　Master…Builder；　a　man　of　Shiraz；　and　he；　being　presented　before　the　Padishah；　received　his　instructions　in　these　words：…

〃I　will　that　all　the　world　shall　remember　the　Flower　of