the blue flower-第4章

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shadowy　and　dream…like；　the　boundary　of　the　little　world　that
I　knew。　　And　there；　in　a　cleft　between　the　highest　peaks　I　saw
a　wondrous　thing：　for　the　place　at　which　I　was　looking　seemed
to　come　nearer　and　nearer　to　me；　I　saw　the　trees；　the　rocks；
the　ferns；　the　white　road　winding　before　me；　the　enfolding
hills　unclosed　like　leaves；　and　in　the　heart　of　them　I　saw　a
Blue　Flower；　so　bright；　so　beautiful　that　my　eyes　filled　with
tears　as　I　looked。　　It　was　like　a　face　that　smiled　at　me　and
promised　something。　　Then　I　heard　a　call；　like　the　note　of　a
trumpet　very　far　away；　calling　me　to　come。　　And　as　I　listened
the　flower　faded　into　the　dimness　of　the　hills。〃

〃Did　you　follow　it；〃　asked　Ruamie；　〃and　did　you　go　away　from
your　home？　　How　could　you　do　that？〃

〃Yes；　Ruamie；　when　the　time　came；　as　soon　as　I　was　free；
I　set　out　on　my　journey；　and　my　home　is　at　the　end　of　the
journey；　wherever　that　may　be。〃

〃And　the　flower；〃　she　asked；　〃you　have　seen　it　again？〃

〃Once　again；　when　I　was　a　youth；　I　saw　it。　　After　a　long
voyage　upon　stormy　seas；　we　came　into　a　quiet　haven；　and　there
the　friend　who　was　dearest　to　me；　said　good…by；　for　he　was
going　back　to　his　own　country　and　his　father's　house；　but　I
was　still　journeying　onward。　　So　as　I　stood　at　the　bow　of　the
ship；　sailing　out　into　the　wide　blue　water；　far　away　among　the
sparkling　waves　I　saw　a　little　island；　with　shores　of　silver
sand　and　slopes　of　fairest　green；　and　in　the　middle　of　the
island　the　Blue　Flower　was　growing；　wondrous　tall　and
dazzling；　brighter　than　the　sapphire　of　the　sea。　　Then　the
call　of　the　distant　trumpet　came　floating　across　the　water；
and　while　it　was　sounding　a　shimmer　of　fog　swept　over　the
island　and　I　could　see　it　no　more。〃

〃Was　it　a　real　island；〃　asked　Ruamie。　　〃Did　you　ever　find
it？〃

〃Never；　for　the　ship　sailed　another　way。　　But　once　again
I　saw　the　flower；　three　days　before　I　came　to　Saloma。　　It　was
on　the　edge　of　the　desert；　close　under　the　shadow　of　the　great
mountains。　　A　vast　loneliness　was　round　about　me；　it　seemed　as
if　I　was　the　only　soul　living　upon　earth；　and　I　longed　for　the
dwellings　of　men。　　Then　as　I　woke　in　the　morning　I　looked　up
at　the　dark　ridge　of　the　mountains；　and　there　against　the
brightening　blue　of　the　sky　I　saw　the　Blue　Flower　standing　up
clear　and　brave。　　It　shone　so　deep　and　pure　that　the　sky　grew
pale　around　it。　　Then　the　echo　of　the　far…off　trumpet　drifted
down　the　hillsides；　and　the　sun　rose；　and　the　flower　was
melted　away　in　light。　　So　I　rose　and　travelled　on　till　I　came
to　Saloma。〃

〃And　now；〃　said　the　child；　〃you　are　at　home　with　us。　　Will
you　not　stay　for　a　long；　long　while？　　You　may　find　the　Blue
Flower　here。　　There　are　many　kinds　in　the　fields。　　I　find　new
ones　every　day。〃

〃I　will　stay　while　I　can；　Ruamie；〃　I　answered；
taking　her　hand　in　mine　as　we　walked　back　to　the　house　at
nightfall；　〃but　how　long　that　may　be　I　cannot　tell。　　For　with
you　I　am　at　home；　yet　the　place　where　I　must　abide　is　the
place　where　the　flower　grows；　and　when　the　call　comes　I　must
follow　it。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　she；　looking　at　me　half　in　doubt；　〃I　think　I
understand。　　But　wherever　you　go　I　hope　you　will　find　the
flower　at　last。〃

In　truth　there　were　many　things　in　the　city　that　troubled
me　and　made　me　restless；　in　spite　of　the　sweet　comfort　of
Ruamie's　friendship　and　the　tranquillity　of　the　life　in
Saloma。　　I　came　to　see　the　meaning　of　what　the　old　man　had
said　about　the　shadow　that　rested　upon　his　thoughts。　　For
there　were　some　in　the　city　who　said　that　the　hours　of
visitation　were　wasted；　and　that　it　would　be　better　to　employ
the　time　in　gathering　water　from　the　pools　that　formed　among
the　mountains　in　the　rainy　season；　or　in　sinking　wells　along
the　edge　of　the　desert。　　Others　had　newly　come　to　the　city　and
were　teaching　that　there　was　no　Source；　and　that　the　story　of
the　poor　man　who　reopened　it　was　a　fable；　and　that　the　hours　of
visitation　were　only　hours　of　dreaming。　　There　were　many　who
believed　them；　and　many　more　who　said　that　it　did　not　matter
whether　their　words　were　true　or　false；　and　that　it　was　of　small
moment　whether　men　went　to　visit　the　fountain　or　not；　provided
only　that　they　worked　in　the　gardens　and　kept　the　marble　pools
and　basins　in　repair　and　opened　new　canals　through　the　fields；
since　there　always　had　been　and　always　would　be　plenty　of　water。

As　I　listened　to　these　sayings　it　seemed　to　me　doubtful
what　the　end　of　the　city　would　be。　　And　while　this　doubt　was
yet　heavy　upon　me；　I　heard　at　midnight　the　faint　calling　of
the　trumpet；　sounding　along　the　crest　of　the　mountains：　and　as
I　went　out　to　look　where　it　came　from；　I　saw；　through　the
glimmering　veil　of　the　milky　way；　the　shape　of　a　blossom　of
celestial　blue；　whose　petals　seemed　to　fall　and　fade　as　I
looked。　　So　I　bade　farewell　to　the　old　man　in　whose　house　I
had　learned　to　love　the　hour　of　visitation　and　the　Source　and
the　name　of　him　who　opened　it；　and　I　kissed　the　hands　and　the
brow　of　the　little　Ruamie　who　had　entered　my　heart；　and　went
forth　sadly　from　the　land　of　Koorma　into　other　lands；　to　look　for
the　Blue　Flower。



II

In　the　Book　of　the　Voyage　without　a　Harbour　is　written　the
record　of　the　ten　years　which　passed　before　I　came　back　again
to　the　city　of　Saloma。

It　was　not　easy　to　find；　for　I　came　down　through　the
mountains；　and　as　I　looked　from　a　distant　shoulder　of　the
hills　for　the　little　bay　full　of　greenery；　it　was　not　to　be
seen。　　There　was　only　a　white　town　shining　far　off　against　the
brown　cliffs；　like　a　flake　of　mica　in　a　cleft　of　the　rocks。
Then　I　slept　that　night；　full　of　care；　on　the　hillside；　and
rising　before　dawn；　came　down　in　the　early　morning　toward　the
city。

The　fields　were　lying　parched　and　yellow　under　the
sunrise；　and　great　cracks　gaped　in　the　earth　as　if　it　were
thirsty。　　The　trenches　and　channels　were　still　there；　but
there　was　little　water　in　them；　and　through　the　ragged　fringes　of
the　rusty　vineyards　I　heard；　instead　of　the　cheerful　songs　of　the
vintagers；　the　creaking　of　dry　windlasses　and　the　hoarse　throb　of
the　pumps　in　sunken　wells。　　The　girdle　of　gardens　had　shrunk　like
a　wreath　of　withered　flowers；　and　all　the　bright　embroidery；　of
earth　was　faded　to　a　sullen　gray。

At　the　foot　of　an　ancient；　leafless　olive…tree　I　saw　a
group　of　people　kneeling　around　a　newly　opened　well。　　I　asked
a　man　who　was　digging　beside　the　dusty　path　what　this　might
mean。　　He　straightened　himself　for　a　moment；　wiping　the　sweat
from　his　brow；　and　answered；　sullenly；　〃They　are　worshipping
the　windlass：　how　else　should　they　bring　water　into　their
fields？〃　　Then　he　fell　furiously　to　digging　again；　and　I
passed　on　into　the　city。

There　was　no　sound　of　murmuring　streams　in　the　streets；
and　down　the　main　bed　of　the　river　I　saw　only　a　few　shallow
puddles；　joined　together　by　a　slowly　trickling　thread。　　Even
these　were　fenced　and　guarded　so　that　no　one　might　come　near
to　them；　and　there　were　men　going　among　to　the　houses　with
water…skins　on　their　shoulders；　crying　〃Water！　Water　to　sell！〃

The　marble　pools　in　the　open　square　were　empty；　and　at　one
of　them　there　was　a　crowd　looking　at　a　man　who　was　being
beaten　with　rods。　　A　bystander　told　me　that　the　officers　of
the　city　had　ordered　him　to　be　punished　because　he　had　said
that　the　pools　and　the　basins　and　the　channels　were　not　all　of
pure　marble；　without　a　flaw。　　〃For　this；〃　said　he；　〃is　the
evil　doctrine　that　has　come　in　to　take　away　the　glory　of　our
city；　and　because　of　this　the　water　has　failed。〃

〃It　is　a　sad　change；〃　I　answered；　〃and　doubtless　they　who
have　caused　it　should　suffer　more　than　others。　　But　can　you
tell　me　at　what　hour　and　in　what　manner　the　people　now　observe
the　visitation　of　the　Source？〃

He　looked　curiously　at　me　and　replied：　　〃I　do　not
understand　you。　　There　is　no　visitation　save　the　inspection　of
the　cisterns　and　the　wells　which　the　syndics　of　the　city　；
whom　we　call　the　Princes　of　Water；　carry　on　daily　at　every
hour。　　What　source　is　this　of　which　you　speak？〃

So　I　went　on　through　the　street；　where　all　the　passers…by
seemed　in　haste　and　wore　weary　countenances；　until　I　came　to
the　house　where　I　had　lodged。　　There　was　a　little　basin　here
against　the　w