the ninth vibration-第8章

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He　sat　upon　a　cloth　of　gold　and　about　him　was　the　game　he　had　killed　in　hunting；　in　great　masses　of　ruffled　fur　and　plumage；　and　he　turned　the　beauty　of　his　face　carelessly　upon　her；　and　as　the　Princess　looked　upon　him；　her　heart　yearned　to　him；　and　he　said　in　his　voice　that　was　like　the　male　string　of　the　sitar：

〃Little　slave；　what　is　your　desire？〃

Then　she　saw　that　the　long　journey　had　scarred　her　feet　and　dimmed　her　hair　with　dust；　and　that　the　King's　eyes；　worn　with　days　and　nights　of　pleasure　did　not　pierce　her　disguise。　Now　in　her　land　it　is　a　custom　that　the　blood　royal　must　not　proclaim　itself；　so　she　folded　her　hands　and　said　gently：

〃A　place　in　the　household　of　the　King。〃　And　he；　hearing　that　the　Waiting　slave　of　his　chief　favorite　Jayashri　was　dead；　gave　her　that　place。　So　the　Princess　attended　on　those　ladies；　courteous　and　obedient　to　all　authority　as　beseemed　her　royalty；　and　she　braided　her　bright　hair　so　that　it　hid　the　little　crowns　which　the　Princesses　of　her　House　must　wear　always　in　token　of　their　rank；　and　every　day　her　patience　strengthened。

Sometimes　the　King；　carelessly　desiring　her　laughing　face　and　sad　eyes；　would　send　for　her　to　wile　away　an　hour；　and　he　would　say；　〃Dance；　little　slave；　and　tell　me　stories　of　the　far　countries。　You　quite　unlike　my　Women；　doubtless　because　you　are　a　slave。〃

And　she　thought　…　〃No；　but　because　I　am　a　Princess；〃　…　but　this　she　did　not　say。　She　laughed　and　told　him　the　most　marvellous　stories　in　the　world　until　he　laid　his　head　upon　her　warm　bosom；　dreaming　awake。

There　were　stories　of　the　great　Himalayan　solitudes　where　in　the　winter　nights　the　white　tiger　stares　at　the　witches'　dance　of　the　Northern　Lights　dazzled　by　the　hurtling　of　their　myriad　spears。　And　she　told　how　the　King…eagle；　hanging　motionless　over　the　peaks　of　Gaurisankar；　watches　with　golden　eyes　for　his　prey；　and　falling　like　a　plummet　strikes　its　life　out　with　his　clawed　heel　and；　screaming　with　triumph；　bears　it　to　his　fierce　mate　in　her　cranny　of　the　rocks。

〃A　gallant　story！〃　the　King　would　say。　〃More！〃　Then　she　told　of　the　tropical　heats　and　the　stealthy　deadly　creatures　of　forest　and　jungle；　and　the　blue　lotus　of　Buddha　swaying　on　the　still　lagoon；…　And　she　spoke　of　loves　of　men　and　women；　their　passion　and　pain　and　joy。　And　when　she　told　of　their　fidelity　and　valour　and　honour　that　death　cannot　quench；　her　voice　was　like　the　song　of　a　minstrel；　for　she　had　read　all　the　stories　of　the　ages　and　the　heart　of　a　Princess　told　her　the　rest。　And　the　King　listened　unwearying　though　he　believed　this　was　but　a　slave。

（The　face　of　the　man　at　the　feet　of　the　Dweller　in　the　Heights　twitched　in　a　white　agony。　Pearls　of　sweat　were　distilled　upon　his　brows；　but　he　moved　neither　hand　nor　foot；　enduring　as　in　a　flame　of　fire。　And　the　voice　continued。）

So　one　day；　in　the　misty　green　of　the　Spring；　while　she　rested　at　his　feet　in　the　garden　Pavilion；　he　said　to　her：

〃Little　slave；　why　do　you　love　me？〃

And　she　answered　proudly：

〃Because　you　have　the　heart　of　a　King。〃

He　replied　slowly；

〃Of　the　women　who　have　loved　me　none　gave　this　reason；　though　they　gave　many。〃

She　laid　her　cheek　on　his　hand。

〃That　is　the　true　reason。〃

But　he　drew　it　away　and　was　vaguely　troubled；　for　her　words；　he　knew　not　why；　reminded　him　of　the　Far　Away　Princess　and　of　things　he　had　long　forgotten；　and　he　said；　〃What　does　a　slave　know　of　the　hearts　of　Kings？〃　And　that　night　he　slept　or　waked　alone。

Winter　was　at　hand　with　its　blue　and　cloudless　days；　and　she　was　commanded　to　meet　the　King　where　the　lake　lay　still　and　shining　like　an　ecstasy　of　bliss；　and　she　waited　with　her　chin　dropped　into　the　cup　of　her　hands；　looking　over　the　water　with　eyes　that　did　not　see；　for　her　whole　soul　said；　〃How　long　0　my　Sovereign　Lord；　how　long　before　you　know　the　truth　and　we　enter　together　into　our　Kingdom？〃

As　she　sat　she　heard　the　King's　step；　and　the　colour　stole　up　into　her　face　in　a　flush　like　the　earliest　sunrise。　〃He　is　coming；〃　she　said；　and　again；　〃He　loves　me。〃

So　he　came　beside　the　water；　walking　slowly。　But　the　King　was　not　alone。　His　arm　embraced　the　latest…come　beauty　from　Samarkhand；　and；　with　his　head　bent；　he　whispered　in　her　willing　ear。

Then　clasping　her　hands；　the　Princess　drew　a　long　sobbing　breath；　and　he　turned　and　his　eyes　grew　hard　as　blue　steel。

〃Go；　slave；〃　he　cried。　〃What　place　have　you　in　Kings'　gardens？　Go。　Let　me　see　you　no　more。〃

（The　man　lying　at　the　feet　of　the　Dweller　in　the　Heights；　raised　a　heavy　arm　and　flung　it　above　his　head；　despairing；　and　it　fell　again　on　the　cross　of　his　torment。　And　the　voice　went　on。）

And　as　he　said　this；　her　heart　broke；　and　she　went　and　her　feet　were　weary。　So　she　took　the　wise　book　she　loved　and　unrolled　it　until　she　came　to　a　certain　passage；　and　this　she　read　twice；　〃If　the　heart　of　a　slave　be　broken　it　may　be　mended　with　jewels　and　soft　words；　but　the　heart　of　a　Princess　can　be　healed　only　by　the　King　who　broke　it；　or　in　Yamapura；　the　City　under　the　Sunset　where　they　make　all　things　new。　Now；　Yama；　the　Lord　of　this　City；　is　the　Lord　of　Death。〃　And　having　thus　read　the　Princess　rolled　the　book　and　put　it　from　her。

And　next　day；　the　King　said　to　his　women；　〃Send　for　her；〃　for　his　heart　smote　him　and　he　desired　to　atone　royally　for　the　shame　of　his　speech。　And　they　sought　and　came　back　saying；

〃Maharaj；　she　is　gone。　We　cannot　find　her。〃

Fear　grew　in　the　heart　of　the　King　…　a　nameless　dread；　and　he　said；　〃Search。〃　And　again　they　sought　and　returned　and　the　King　was　striding　up　and　down　the　great　hall　and　none　dared　cross　his　path。　But；　trembling；　they　told　him；　and　he　replied；　〃Search　again。　I　will　not　lose　her；　and；　slave　though　be；　she　shall　be　my　Queen。〃

So　they　ran；　dispersing　to　the　Four　Quarters；　and　King　strode　up　and　down　the　hall；　and　Loneliness　kept　step　with　him　and　clasped　his　hand　and　looked　his　eyes。

Then　the　youngest　of　the　women　entered　with　a　tale　to　tell。　Majesty；　we　have　found　her。　She　lies　beside　the　lake。　When　the　birds　fled　this　morning　she　fled　with　them；　but　upon　a　longer　journey。　Even　to　Yamapura；　the　City　under　the　Sunset。〃

And　the　King　said；　〃Let　none　follow。〃　And　he　strode　forth　swiftly；　white　with　thoughts　he　dared　not　think。

The　Princess　lay　among　the　gold　of　the　fallen　leaves。　All　was　gold；　for　her　bright　hair　was　out…spread　in　shining　waves　and　in　it　shone　the　glory　of　the　hidden　crown。　On　her　face　was　no　smile　…　only　at　last　was　revealed　the　patience　she　had　covered　with　laughter　so　long　that　even　the　voice　of　the　King　could　not　now　break　it　into　joy。　The　hands　that　had　clung；　the　swift　feet　that　had　run　beside　his；　the　tender　body；　mighty　to　serve　and　to　love；　lay　within　touch　but　farther　away　than　the　uttermost　star　was　the　Far　Away　Princess；　known　and　loved　too　late。

And　he　said；　〃My　Princess　…　0　my　Princess！〃　and　laid　his　head　on　her　cold　bosom。

〃Too　late！〃　a　harsh　Voice　croaked　beside　him；　and　it　was　the　voice　of　the　Jester　who　mocks　at　all　things。　〃Too　late！　0　madness；　to　despise　the　blood　royal　because　it　humbled　itself　to　service　and　so　was　doubly　royal。　The　Far　Away　Princess　came　laden　with　great　gifts；　and　to　her　the　King's　gift　was　the　wage　of　a　slave　and　a　broken　heart。　Cast　your　crown　and　sceptre　in　the　dust；　0　King　…　0　King　of　Fools。〃

（The　man　at　the　feet　of　the　Dweller　in　the　Heights　moved。　Some　dim　word　shaped　upon　his　locked　lips。　She　listened　in　a　divine　calm。　It　seemed　that　the　very　Gods　drew　nearer。　Again　the　man　essayed　speech；　the　body　dead；　life　only　in　the　words　that　none　could　hear。　The　voice　went　on。）

But　the　Princess　flying　wearily　because　of　the　sore　wound　in　her　heart；　came　at　last　to　the　City　under　the　Sunset；　where　the　Lord　of　Death　rules　in　the　House　of　Quiet；　and　was　there　received　with　royal　honours　for　in　that　land　are　no　disguises。　And　she　knelt　before　the　Secret　One　and　in　a　voice　broken　with　agony　entreated　him　to　heal　her。　And　with　veiled　and　pitying　eyes　he　looked　upon　her；　for　many　and　grievous　as　are　the　wounds　he　has　healed　this　was　more　grievous　still。　And　he　said；

〃Princess；　I　cannot；　But　this　I　can　do　…　I　can　give　a　new　heart　in　a　new　birth　…　happy　and　careless　as　the　heart　of　a　child。　Take　this　escape　from　the　anguish　you