the ninth vibration-第14章

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　see　the　wonderful　Tahkt…i…Bahi　Monastery　on　the　way。　You　should　do　that　run　before　you　go。　The　fort　is　the　last　but　one　on　the　way　to　Chitral；　and　beyond　that　the　road　is　so　beset　that　only　soldiers　may　go　farther；　and　indeed　the　regiments　escort　each　other　up　and　down。　But　it　is　an　early　start；　for　we　must　be　back　in　Peshawar　at　six　for　fear　of　raiding　natives。〃

〃I　know；　they　hauled　me　up　in　the　dusk　the　other　day；　and　told　me　I　should　be　swept　off　to　the　hills　if　I　fooled　about　after　dusk。　But　I　say　…　is　it　safe　for　you　to　go？　You　ought　to　have　a　man。　Could　I　go　too？〃

I　thought　she　did　not　look　enthusiastic　at　the　proposal。

〃Ask。　You　know　I　settle　nothing。　I　go　where　I　am　sent。〃　She　said　it　with　the　happiest　smile。　I　knew　they　could　send　her　nowhere　that　she　would　not　find　joy。　I　thought　her　mere　presence　must　send　the　vibrations　of　happiness　through　the　household。　Yet　again　…　why？　For　where　there　is　no　receiver　the　current　speaks　in　vain；　and　for　an　instant　I　seemed　to　see　the　air　full　of　messages　…　of　speech　striving　to　utter　its　passionate　truths　to　deaf　ears　stopped　for　ever　against　the　breaking　waves　of　sound。　But　Vanna　heard。

She　left　the　room；　and　when　the　bridge　was　over；　I　made　my　request。　Lady　Meryon　shrugged　her　shoulders　and　declared　it　would　be　a　terribly　dull　run　…　the　scenery　nothing；　〃and　only〃　（she　whispered）　〃Aunt　Selina　and　poor　Miss　Loring？〃

Of　course　I　saw　at　once　that　she　did　not　like　it；　but　Sir　John　was　all　for　my　going；　and　that　saved　the　situation。

I　certainly　could　have　dispensed　with　Aunt　Selina　when　the　automobile　drew　up　in　the　golden　river　of　the　sunrise　at　the　hotel。　There　were　only　the　driver；　a　personal　servant；　and　the　two　ladies；　Mrs。　Delany；　comely；　pleasant；　talkative；　and　Vanna…

Her　face　in　its　dark　motoring　veil；　fine　and　delicate　as　a　young　moon　in　a　cloud　drift　…　the　sensitive　sweet　mouth　that　had　quivered　a　little　when　she　spoke　of　Fitzgerald　…　the　pure　glance　that　radiated　such　kindness　to　all　the　world。　She　sat　there　with　the　Key　of　Dreams　pressed　against　her　slight　bosom　…　her　eyes　dreaming　above　it。　Already　the　strange　airs　of　her　unknown　world　were　breathing　about　me；　and　as　yet　I　knew　not　the　things　that　belonged　unto　my　peace。

We　glided　along　the　straight　military　road　from　Peshawar　to　Nowshera；　the　gold…bright　sun　dazzling　in　its　whiteness　…　a　strange　drive　through　the　flat；　burned　country；　with　the　ominous　Kabul　River　flowing　through　it。　Military　preparations　everywhere；　and　the　hills　looking　watchfully　down　…　alive；　as　it　were；　with　keen；　hostile　eyes。　War　was　at　present　about　us　as　behind　the　lines　in　France；　and　when　we　crossed　the　Kabul　River　on　a　bridge　of　boats；　and　I　saw　its　haunted　waters；　I　began　to　feel　the　atmosphere　of　the　place　closing　down　upon　me。　It　had　a　sinister　beauty；　it　breathed　suspense；　and　I　wished；　as　I　was　sure　Vanna　did；　for　silence　that　was　not　at　our　command。

For　Mrs。　Delany　felt　nothing　of　it。　A　bright　shallow　ripple　of　talk　was　her　contribution　to　the　joys　of　the　day；　though　it　was；　fortunately；　enough　for　her　happiness　if　we　listened　and　agreed。　I　knew　Vanna　listened　only　in　show。　Her　intent　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　Tahkt…i…Bahi　hills　after　we　had　swept　out　of　Nowshera；　and　when　the　car　drew　up　at　the　rough　track；　she　had　a　strange　look　of　suspense　and　pallor。　I　remember　I　wondered　at　the　time　if　she　were　nervous　in　the　wild　open　country。

〃Now　pray　don't　be　shocked；〃　said　Mrs。　Delany　comfortably；　〃but　you　two　young　people　may　go　up　to　the　monastery；　and　I　shall　stay　here。　I　am　dreadfully　ashamed　of　myself；　but　the　sight　of　that　hill　is　enough　for　me。　Don't　hurry。　I　may　have　a　little　doze；　and　be　all　the　better　company　when　you　get　back。　No；　don't　try　to　persuade　me；　Mr。　Clifden。　It　isn't　the　part　of　a　friend。〃

I　cannot　say　I　was　sorry；　though　I　had　a　moment　of　panic　when　Vanna　offered　to　stay　with　her　…　very　much；　too；　as　if　she　really　meant　it。　So　we　set　out　perforce；　Vanna　leading　steadily；　as　if　she　knew　the　way。　She　never　looked　up；　and　her　wish　for　silence　was　so　evident；　that　I　followed；　lending　my　hand　mutely　when　the　difficulties　obliged　it；　she　accepting　absently；　and　as　if　her　thoughts　were　far　away。

Suddenly　she　quickened　her　pace。　We　had　climbed　about　nine　hundred　feet；　and　now　the　narrow　track　twisted　through　the　rocks　…　a　track　that　looked　as　age…worn　as　no　doubt　it　was。　We　threaded　it；　and　struggled　over　the　ridge；　and　looked　down　victorious　on　the　other　side。

There　she　stopped。　A　very　wonderful　sight；　of　which　I　had　never　seen　the　like；　lay　below　us。　Rock　and　waste　and　towering　crags；　and　the　mighty　ruin　of　the　monastery　set　in　the　fangs　of　the　mountain　like　a　robber　baron's　castle；　looking　far　away　to　the　blue　mountains　of　the　Debatable　Land　…　the　land　of　mystery　and　danger。　It　stood　there　…　the　great　ruin　of　a　vast　habitation　of　men。　Building　after　building；　mysterious　and　broken；　corridors；　halls；　refectories；　cells；　the　dwelling　of　a　faith　so　alien　that　I　could　not　reconstruct　the　life　that　gave　it　being。　And　all　sinking　gently　into　ruin　that　in　a　century　more　would　confound　it　with　the　roots　of　the　mountains。

Grey　and　wonderful；　it　clung　to　the　heights　and　looked　with　eyeless　windows　at　the　past。　Somehow　I　found　it　infinitely　pathetic；　the　very　faith　it　expressed　is　dead　in　India；　and　none　left　so　poor　to　do　it　reverence。

But　Vanna　knew　her　way。　Unerringly　she　led　me　from　point　to　point；　and　she　was　visibly　at　home　in　the　intricacies。　Such　knowledge　in　a　young　woman　bewildered　me。　Could　she　have　studied　the　plans　in　the　Museum？　How　else　should　she　know　where　the　abbot　lived；　or　where　the　refractory　brothers　were　punished？

Once　I　missed　her；　while　I　stooped　to　examine　some　scroll…work；　and　following；　found　her　before　one　of　the　few　images　of　the　Buddha　that　the　rapacious　Museum　had　spared　…　a　singularly　beautiful　bas…relief；　the　hand　raised　to　enforce　the　truth　the　calm　lips　were　speaking；　the　drapery　falling　in　stately　folds　to　the　bare　feet。　As　I　came　up；　she　had　an　air　as　if　she　had　just　ceased　from　movement；　and　I　had　a　distinct　feeling　that　she　had　knelt　before　it　…　I　saw　the　look　of　worship！　The　thing　troubled　me　like　a　dream；　haunting；　impossible；　but　real。

〃How　beautiful！〃　I　said　in　spite　of　myself；　as　she　pointed　to　the　image。　〃In　this　utter　solitude　it　seems　the　very　spirit　of　the　place。〃

〃He　was。　He　is；〃　said　Vanna。

〃Explain　to　me。　I　don't　understand。　I　know　so　little　of　him。　What　is　the　subject？〃

She　hesitated；　then　chose　her　words　as　if　for　a　beginner；…　〃It　is　the　Blessed　One　preaching　to　the　Tree…Spirits。　See　how　eagerly　they　lean　from　the　boughs　to　listen。　This　other　relief　represents　him　in　the　state　of　mystic　vision。　Here　he　is　drowned　in　peace。　See　how　it　overflows　from　the　closed　eyes；　the　closed　lips。　The　air　is　filled　with　his　quiet。〃

〃What　is　he　dreaming？〃

〃Not　dreaming　…　seeing。　Peace。　He　sits　at　the　point　where　time　and　infinity　meet。　To　attain　that　vision　was　the　aim　of　the　monks　who　lived　here。〃

〃Did　they　attain？〃　I　found　myself　speaking　as　if　she　could　certainly　answer。

〃A　few。　There　was　one；　Vasettha；　the　Brahman；　a　young　man　who　had　renounced　all　his　possessions　and　riches；　and　seated　here　before　this　image　of　the　Blessed　One；　he　fell　often　into　the　mystic　state。　He　had　a　strange　vision　at　one　time　of　the　future　of　India；　which　will　surely　be　fulfilled。　He　did　not　forget　it　in　his　rebirths。　He　remembers…〃

She　broke　off　suddenly　and　said　with　forced　indifference；　…　〃He　would　sit　here　often　looking　out　over　the　mountains；　the　monks　sat　at　his　feet　to　hear。　He　became　abbot　while　still　young。　But　his　story　is　a　sad　one。〃

〃I　entreat　you　to　tell　me。〃

She　looked　away　over　the　mountains。　〃While　he　was　abbot　here；…　still　a　young　man；…　a　famous　Chinese　Pilgrim　came　down　through　Kashmir　to　visit　the　Holy　Places　in　India。　The　abbot　went　forward　with　him　to　Peshawar；　that　he　might　make　him　welcome。　And　there　came　a　dancer　to　Peshawar；　named　Lilavanti；　most　beautiful！　I　dare　not　tell　you　her　beauty。　I　tremble　now　to　think…〃

Again　she　paused；　and　again　the　faint　creeping　sense　of　mystery　invaded　me。

She　resumed；…

〃The　abbot　saw　her　and　he　loved　her。　He　was　young　still；　you　remember。　She　was　a　woman　of　the　Hindu　faith　and　hated　Bu