the hungry stones and other stories-第2章

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at　all　sorts　of　incurable　diseases　find　an　easy　prey。　　I　sent　for　my　cook　and　gave　orders　for　a　rich；　sumptuous　moghlai　dinner；　redolent　of　spices　and　ghi。

Next　morning　the　whole　affair　appeared　a　queer　fantasy。　　With　a　light　heart　I　put　on　a　sola　hat　like　the　sahebs；　and　drove　out　to　my　work。　　I　was　to　have　written　my　quarterly　report　that　day；　and　expected　to　return　late；　but　before　it　was　dark　I　was　strangely　drawn　to　my　houseby　what　I　could　not　sayI　felt　they　were　all　waiting；　and　that　I　should　delay　no　longer。　　Leaving　my　report　unfinished　I　rose；　put　on　my　sola　hat；　and　startling　the　dark；　shady；　desolate　path　with　the　rattle　of　my　carriage；　I　reached　the　vast　silent　palace　standing　on　the　gloomy　skirts　of　the　hills。

On　the　first　floor　the　stairs　led　to　a　very　spacious　hall；　its　roof　stretching　wide　over　ornamental　arches　resting　on　three　rows　of　massive　pillars；　and　groaning　day　and　night　under　the　weight　of　its　own　intense　solitude。　　The　day　had　just　closed；　and　the　lamps　had　not　yet　been　lighted。　　As　I　pushed　the　door　open　a　great　bustle　seemed　to　follow　within；　as　if　a　throng　of　people　had　broken　up　in　confusion；　and　rushed　out　through　the　doors　and　windows　and　corridors　and　verandas　and　rooms；　to　make　its　hurried　escape。

As　I　saw　no　one　I　stood　bewildered；　my　hair　on　end　in　a　kind　of　ecstatic　delight；　and　a　faint　scent　of　attar　and　unguents　almost　effected　by　age　lingered　in　my　nostrils。　　Standing　in　the　darkness　of　that　vast　desolate　hall　between　the　rows　of　those　ancient　pillars；　I　could　hear　the　gurgle　of　fountains　plashing　on　the　marble　floor；　a　strange　tune　on　the　guitar；　the　jingle　of　ornaments　and　the　tinkle　of　anklets；　the　clang　of　bells　tolling　the　hours；　the　distant　note　of　nahabat；　the　din　of　the　crystal　pendants　of　chandeliers　shaken　by　the　breeze；　the　song　of　bulbuls　from　the　cages　in　the　corridors；　the　cackle　of　storks　in　the　gardens；　all　creating　round　me　a　strange　unearthly　music。

Then　I　came　under　such　a　spell　that　this　intangible；　inaccessible；　unearthly　vision　appeared　to　be　the　only　reality　in　the　worldand　all　else　a　mere　dream。　　That　I；　that　is　to　say；　Srijut　So…and…so；　the　eldest　son　of　　So…and…so　of　blessed　memory；　should　be　drawing　a　monthly　salary　of　Rs。　450　by　the　discharge　of　my　duties　as　collector　of　cotton　duties；　and　driving　in　my　dog…cart　to　my　office　every　day　in　a　short　coat　and　soia　hat；　appeared　to　me　to　be　such　an　astonishingly　ludicrous　illusion　that　I　burst　into　a　horse…laugh；　as　I　stood　in　the　gloom　of　that　vast　silent　hall。

At　that　moment　my　servant　entered　with　a　lighted　kerosene　lamp　in　his　hand。　　I　do　not　know　whether　he　thought　me　mad；　but　it　came　back　to　me　at　once　that　I　was　in　very　deed　Srijut　So…and…so；　son　of　　So…and…so　of　blessed　memory；　and　that；　while　our　poets；　great　and　small；　alone　could　say　whether　inside　of　or　outside　the　earth　there　was　a　region　where　unseen　fountains　perpetually　played　and　fairy　guitars；　struck　by　invisible　fingers；　sent　forth　an　eternal　harmony；　this　at　any　rate　was　certain；　that　I　collected　duties　at　the　cotton　market　at　Banch；　and　earned　thereby　Rs。　450　per　mensem　as　my　salary。　　I　laughed　in　great　glee　at　my　curious　illusion；　as　I　sat　over　the　newspaper　at　my　camp…table；　lighted　by　the　kerosene　lamp。

After　I　had　finished　my　paper　and　eaten　my　moghlai　dinner；　I　put　out　the　lamp；　and　lay　down　on　my　bed　in　a　small　side…room。　　Through　the　open　window　a　radiant　star；　high　above　the　Avalli　hills　skirted　by　the　darkness　of　their　woods；　was　gazing　intently　from　millions　and　millions　of　miles　away　in　the　sky　at　Mr。　Collector　lying　on　a　humble　camp…　bedstead。　　I　wondered　and　felt　amused　at　the　idea；　and　do　not　knew　when　I　fell　asleep　or　how　long　I　slept；　but　I　suddenly　awoke　with　a　start；　though　I　heard　no　sound　and　saw　no　intruderonly　the　steady　bright　star　on　the　hilltop　had　set；　and　the　dim　light　of　the　new　moon　was　stealthily　entering　the　room　through　the　open　window；　as　if　ashamed　of　its　intrusion。

I　saw　nobody；　but　felt　as　if　some　one　was　gently　pushing　me。　　As　I　awoke　she　said　not　a　word；　but　beckoned　me　with　her　five　fingers　bedecked　with　rings　to　follow　her　cautiously。　　I　got　up　noiselessly；　and；　though　not　a　soul　save　myself　was　there　in　the　countless　apartments　of　that　deserted　palace　with　its　slumbering　sounds　and　waiting　echoes；　I　feared　at　every　step　lest　any　one　should　wake　up。　　Most　of　the　rooms　of　the　palace　were　always　kept　closed；　and　I　had　never　entered　them。

I　followed　breathless　and　with　silent　steps　my　invisible　guideI　cannot　now　say　where。　　What　endless　dark　and　narrow　passages；　what　long　corridors；　what　silent　and　solemn　audience…chambers　and　close　secret　cells　I　crossed！

Though　I　could　not　see　my　fair　guide；　her　form　was　not　invisible　to　my　mind's　eye；　an　Arab　girl；　her　arms；　hard　and　smooth　as　marble；　visible　through　her　loose　sleeves；　a　thin　veil　falling　on　her　face　from　the　fringe　of　her　cap；　and　a　curved　dagger　at　her　waist！　　Methought　that　one　of　the　thousand　and　one　Arabian　Nights　had　been　wafted　to　me　from　the　world　of　romance；　and　that　at　the　dead　of　night　I　was　wending　my　way　through　the　dark　narrow　alleys　of　slumbering　Bagdad　to　a　　trysting…place　fraught　with　peril。

At　last　my　fair　guide　stopped　abruptly　before　a　deep　blue　screen；　and　seemed　to　point　to　something　below。　　There　was　nothing　there；　but　a　sudden　dread　froze　the　blood　in　my　heart…methought　I　saw　there　on　the　floor　at　the　foot　of　the　screen　a　terrible　negro　eunuch　dressed　in　rich　brocade；　sitting　and　dozing　with　outstretched　legs；　with　a　naked　sword　on　his　lap。　　My　fair　guide　lightly　tripped　over　his　legs　and　held　up　a　fringe　of　the　screen。　　I　could　catch　a　glimpse　of　a　part　of　the　room　spread　with　a　Persian　carpetsome　one　was　sitting　inside　on　a　bedI　could　not　see　her；　but　only　caught　a　glimpse　of　two　exquisite　feet　in　gold…embroidered　slippers；　hanging　out　from　loose　saffron…coloured　paijamas　and　placed　idly　on　the　orange…coloured　velvet　carpet。　　On　one　side　there　was　a　bluish　crystal　tray　on　which　a　few　apples；　pears；　oranges；　and　bunches　of　grapes　in　plenty；　two　small　cups　and　a　gold…　tinted　decanter　were　evidently　waiting　the　guest。　　A　fragrant　intoxicating　vapour；　issuing　from　a　strange　sort　of　incense　that　burned　within；　almost　overpowered　my　senses。

As　with　trembling　heart　I　made　an　attempt　to　step　across　the　outstretched　legs　of　the　eunuch；　he　woke　up　suddenly　with　a　start；　and　the　sword　fell　from　his　lap　with　a　sharp　clang　on　the　marble　floor。　　A　terrific　scream　made　me　jump；　and　I　saw　I　was　sitting　on　that　camp…　bedstead　of　mine　sweating　heavily；　and　the　crescent　moon　looked　pale　in　the　morning　light　like　a　weary　sleepless　patient　at　dawn；　and　our　crazy　Meher　Ali　was　crying　out；　as　is　his　daily　custom；　〃Stand　back！　　Stand　back！！〃　while　he　went　along　the　lonely　road。

Such　was　the　abrupt　close　of　one　of　my　Arabian　Nights；　but　there　were　yet　a　thousand　nights　left。

Then　followed　a　great　discord　between　my　days　and　nights。　　During　the　day　I　would　go　to　my　work　worn　and　tired；　cursing　the　bewitching　night　and　her　empty　dreams；　but　as　night　came　my　daily　life　with　its　bonds　and　shackles　of　work　would　appear　a　petty；　false；　ludicrous　vanity。

After　nightfall　I　was　caught　and　overwhelmed　in　the　snare　of　a　strange　intoxication；　I　would　then　be　transformed　into　some　unknown　personage　of　a　bygone　age；　playing　my　part　in　unwritten　history；　and　my　short　English　coat　and　tight　breeches　did　not　suit　me　in　the　least。　　With　a　red　velvet　cap　on　my　head；　loose　paijamas；　an　embroidered　vest；　a　long　flowing　silk　gown；　and　coloured　handkerchiefs　scented　with　attar；　I　would　complete　my　elaborate　toilet；　sit　on　a　high…cushioned　chair；　and　replace　my　cigarette　with　a　many…coiled　narghileh　filled　with　rose…water；　as　if　in　eager　expectation　of　a　strange　meeting　with　the　beloved　one。

I　have　no　power　to　describe　the　marvellous　incidents　that　unfolded　themselves；　as　the　gloom　of　the　night　deepened。　　I　felt　as　if　in　the　curious　apartments　of　that　vast　edifice　the　fragments　of　a　beautiful　story；　which　I　could　follow　for　some　distance；　but　of　which　I　could　never　see　the　end；　flew　about　in　a　sudden　gust　of　the　vernal　breeze。　And　all　the　same　I　would　wander　from　room　to　room　in　pursuit　of　them　the　whole　night　long。

Amid　the　eddy　of　these