the life and adventures of santa clause-第19章

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　grave　matter；　this　parting　with　the　Mantle　of　Immortality。

The　Queen　of　the　Water　Sprites　spoke　in　her　low；　clear　voice；　and　the　words　sounded　like　raindrops　splashing　upon　a　window…pane。

〃In　all　the　world　there　is　but　one　Mantle　of　Immortality；〃　she　said。

The　King　of　the　Sound　Fays　added：

〃It　has　existed　since　the　Beginning；　and　no　mortal　has　ever　dared　to　claim　it。〃

And　the　Master　Mariner　of　the　World　arose　and　stretched　his　limbs；　saying：

〃Only　by　the　vote　of　every　immortal　can　it　be　bestowed　upon　a　mortal。〃

〃I　know　all　this；〃　answered　Ak；　quietly。　　〃But　the　Mantle　exists；　and　if　it　was　created；　as　you　say；　in　the　Beginning；　it　was　because　the　Supreme　Master　knew　that　some　day　it　would　be　required。　　Until　now　no　mortal　has　deserved　it；　but　who　among　you　dares　deny　that　the　good　Claus　deserves　it？　　Will　you　not　all　vote　to　bestow　it　upon　him？〃

They　were　silent；　still　looking　upon　one　another　questioningly。

〃Of　what　use　is　the　Mantle　of　Immortality　unless　it　is　worn？〃　demanded　Ak。　　〃What　will　it　profit　any　one　of　us　to　allow　it　to　remain　in　its　lonely　shrine　for　all　time　to　come？〃

〃Enough！〃　cried　the　Gnome　King；　abruptly。　　〃We　will　vote　on　the　matter；　yes　or　no。　　For　my　part；　I　say　yes！〃

〃And　I！〃　said　the　Fairy　Queen；　promptly；　and　Ak　rewarded　her　with　a　smile。

〃My　people　in　Burzee　tell　me　they　have　learned　to　love　him；　therefore　I　vote　to　give　Claus　the　Mantle；〃　said　the　King　of　the　Ryls。

〃He　is　already　a　comrade　of　the　Knooks；〃　announced　the　ancient　King　of　that　band。　　〃Let　him　have　immortality！〃

〃Let　him　have　itlet　him　have　it！〃　sighed　the　King　of　the　Wind　Demons。

〃Why　not？〃　asked　the　King　of　the　Sleep　Fays。　　〃He　never　disturbs　the　slumbers　my　people　allow　humanity。　　Let　the　good　Claus　be　immortal！〃

〃I　do　not　object；〃　said　the　King　of　the　Sound　Imps。

〃Nor　I；〃　murmured　the　Queen　of　the　Water　Sprites。

〃If　Claus　does　not　receive　the　Mantle　it　is　clear　none　other　can　ever　claim　it；〃　remarked　the　King　of　the　Light　Elves；　〃so　let　us　have　done　with　the　thing　for　all　time。〃

〃The　Wood…Nymphs　were　first　to　adopt　him；〃　said　Queen　Zurline。　　〃Of　course　I　shall　vote　to　make　him　immortal。〃

Ak　now　turned　to　the　Master　Husbandman　of　the　World；　who　held　up　his　right　arm　and　said　〃Yes！〃

And　the　Master　Mariner　of　the　World　did　likewise；　after　which　Ak；　with　sparkling　eyes　and　smiling　face；　cried　out：

〃I　thank　you；　fellow　immortals！　　For　all　have　voted　'yes；'　and　so　to　our　dear　Claus　shall　fall　the　one　Mantle　of　Immortality　that　it　is　in　our　power　to　bestow！〃

〃Let　us　fetch　it　at　once；〃　said　the　Fay　King；　〃I'm　in　a　hurry。〃

They　bowed　assent；　and　instantly　the　Forest　glade　was　deserted。　　But　in　a　place　midway　between　the　earth　and　the　sky　was　suspended　a　gleaming　crypt　of　gold　and　platinum；　aglow　with　soft　lights　shed　from　the　facets　of　countless　gems。　　Within　a　high　dome　hung　the　precious　Mantle　of　Immortality；　and　each　immortal　placed　a　hand　on　the　hem　of　the　splendid　Robe　and　said；　as　with　one　voice：

〃We　bestow　this　Mantle　upon　Claus；　who　is　called　the　Patron　Saint　of　Children！〃

At　this　the　Mantle　came　away　from　its　lofty　crypt；　and　they　carried　it　to　the　house　in　the　Laughing　Valley。

The　Spirit　of　Death　was　crouching　very　near　to　the　bedside　of　Claus；　and　as　the　immortals　approached　she　sprang　up　and　motioned　them　back　with　an　angry　gesture。　　But　when　her　eyes　fell　upon　the　Mantle　they　bore　she　shrank　away　with　a　low　moan　of　disappointment　and　quitted　that　house　forever。

Softly　and　silently　the　immortal　Band　dropped　upon　Claus　the　precious　Mantle；　and　it　closed　about　him　and　sank　into　the　outlines　of　his　body　and　disappeared　from　view。　　It　became　a　part　of　his　being；　and　neither　mortal　nor　immortal　might　ever　take　it　from　him。

Then　the　Kings　and　Queens　who　had　wrought　this　great　deed　dispersed　to　their　various　homes；　and　all　were　well　contented　that　they　had　added　another　immortal　to　their　Band。

And　Claus　slept　on；　the　red　blood　of　everlasting　life　coursing　swiftly　through　his　veins；　and　on　his　brow　was　a　tiny　drop　of　water　that　had　fallen　from　the　ever…melting　gown　of　the　Queen　of　the　Water　Sprites；　and　over　his　lips　hovered　a　tender　kiss　that　had　been　left　by　the　sweet　Nymph　Necile。　　For　she　had　stolen　in　when　the　others　were　gone　to　gaze　with　rapture　upon　the　immortal　form　of　her　foster　son。



2。　　When　the　World　Grew　Old


The　next　morning；　when　Santa　Claus　opened　his　eyes　and　gazed　around　the　familiar　room；　which　he　had　feared　he　might　never　see　again；　he　was　astonished　to　find　his　old　strength　renewed　and　to　feel　the　red　blood　of　perfect　health　coursing　through　his　veins。　　He　sprang　from　his　bed　and　stood　where　the　bright　sunshine　came　in　through　his　window　and　flooded　him　with　its　merry；　dancing　rays。　　He　did　not　then　understand　what　had　happened　to　restore　to　him　the　vigor　of　youth；　but　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　his　beard　remained　the　color　of　snow　and　that　wrinkles　still　lingered　in　the　corners　of　his　bright　eyes；　old　Santa　Claus　felt　as　brisk　and　merry　as　a　boy　of　sixteen；　and　was　soon　whistling　contentedly　as　he　busied　himself　fashioning　new　toys。

Then　Ak　came　to　him　and　told　of　the　Mantle　of　Immortality　and　how　Claus　had　won　it　through　his　love　for　little　children。

It　made　old　Santa　look　grave　for　a　moment　to　think　he　had　been　so　favored；　but　it　also　made　him　glad　to　realize　that　now　he　need　never　fear　being　parted　from　his　dear　ones。　　At　once　he　began　preparations　for　making　a　remarkable　assortment　of　pretty　and　amusing　playthings；　and　in　larger　quantities　than　ever　before；　for　now　that　he　might　always　devote　himself　to　this　work　he　decided　that　no　child　in　the　world；　poor　or　rich；　should　hereafter　go　without　a　Christmas　gift　if　he　could　manage　to　supply　it。

The　world　was　new　in　the　days　when　dear　old　Santa　Claus　first　began　toy…making　and　won；　by　his　loving　deeds；　the　Mantle　of　Immortality。　And　the　task　of　supplying　cheering　words；　sympathy　and　pretty　playthings　to　all　the　young　of　his　race　did　not　seem　a　difficult　undertaking　at　all。　　But　every　year　more　and　more　children　were　born　into　the　world；　and　these；　when　they　grew　up；　began　spreading　slowly　over　all　the　face　of　the　earth；　seeking　new　homes；　so　that　Santa　Claus　found　each　year　that　his　journeys　must　extend　farther　and　farther　from　the　Laughing　Valley；　and　that　the　packs　of　toys　must　be　made　larger　and　ever　larger。

So　at　length　he　took　counsel　with　his　fellow　immortals　how　his　work　might　keep　pace　with　the　increasing　number　of　children　that　none　might　be　neglected。　　And　the　immortals　were　so　greatly　interested　in　his　labors　that　they　gladly　rendered　him　their　assistance。　　Ak　gave　him　his　man　Kilter；　〃the　silent　and　swift。〃　　And　the　Knook　Prince　gave　him　Peter；　who　was　more　crooked　and　less　surly　than　any　of　his　brothers。　And　the　Ryl　Prince　gave　him　Nuter；　the　sweetest　tempered　Ryl　ever　known。　　And　the　Fairy　Queen　gave　him　Wisk；　that　tiny；　mischievous　but　lovable　Fairy　who　knows　today　almost　as　many　children　as　does　Santa　Claus　himself。

With　these　people　to　help　make　the　toys　and　to　keep　his　house　in　order　and　to　look　after　the　sledge　and　the　harness；　Santa　Claus　found　it　much　easier　to　prepare　his　yearly　load　of　gifts；　and　his　days　began　to　follow　one　another　smoothly　and　pleasantly。

Yet　after　a　few　generations　his　worries　were　renewed；　for　it　was　remarkable　how　the　number　of　people　continued　to　grow；　and　how　many　more　children　there　were　every　year　to　be　served。　　When　the　people　filled　all　the　cities　and　lands　of　one　country　they　wandered　into　another　part　of　the　world；　and　the　men　cut　down　the　trees　in　many　of　the　great　forests　that　had　been　ruled　by　Ak；　and　with　the　wood　they　built　new　cities；　and　where　the　forests　had　been　were　fields　of　grain　and　herds　of　browsing　cattle。

You　might　think　the　Master　Woodsman　would　rebel　at　the　loss　of　his　forests；　but　not　so。　　The　wisdom　of　Ak　was　mighty　and　farseeing。

〃The　world　was　made　for　men；〃　said　he　to　Santa　Claus；　〃and　I　have　but　guarded　the　forests　until　men　needed　them　for　their　use。　　I　am　glad　my　strong　trees　can　furnish　shelter　for　men's　weak　bodies；　and　warm　them　through　the　cold　winters。　　But　I　hope　they　will　not　cut　down　all　the　trees；　for　mankind　needs　the　shelter　of　the　woods　in　summer　as　much　as　the　war