the ninth vibration-第23章

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〃Will　you　tell　it　to　me？〃

〃A　part。　In　this　same　book　you　will　find　much　more；　hut　not　all。　All　cannot　be　told。　You　must　imagine　much。　But　I　think　your　imagination　will　be　true。〃

〃Why　do　you　think　so？〃

〃Because　in　these　few　days　you　have　learnt　so　much。　You　have　seen　the　Ninefold　Flower；　and　the　rain　spirits。　You　will　soon　hear　the　Flute　of　Krishna　which　none　can　hear　who　cannot　dream　true。〃

That　night　I　heard　it。　I　waked；　suddenly；　to　music；　and　standing　in　the　door　of　my　tent；　in　the　dead　silence　of　the　night；　lit　only　by　a　few　low　stars；　I　heard　the　poignant　notes　of　a　flute。　If　it　had　called　my　name　it　could　not　have　summoned　me　more　clearly；　and　I　followed　without　a　thought　of　delay；　forgetting　even　Vanna　in　the　strange　urgency　that　filled　me。　The　music　was　elusive；　seeming　to　come　first　from　one　side；　then　from　the　other；　but　finally　I　tracked　it　as　a　bee　does　a　flower　by　the　scent；　to　the　gate　of　the　royal　garden　…　the　pleasure　place　of　the　dead　Emperors。

The　gate　stood　ajar　…　strange！　for　I　had　seen　the　custodian　close　it　that　evening。　Now　it　stood　wide　and　I　went　in；　walking　noiselessly　over　the　dewy　grass。　I　knew　and　could　not　tell　how；　that　I　must　be　noiseless。　Passing　as　if　I　were　guided；　down　the　course　of　the　strong　young　river；　I　came　to　the　pavilion　that　spanned　it　…　the　place　where　we　had　stood　that　afternoon　…　and　there　to　my　profound　amazement；　I　saw　Vanna；　leaning　against　a　slight　wooden　pillar。　As　if　she　had　expected　me；　she　laid　one　finger　on　her　lip；　and　stretching　out　her　hand；　took　mine　and　drew　me　beside　her　as　a　mother　might　a　child。　And　instantly　I　saw！

On　the　further　bank　a　young　man　in　a　strange　diadem　or　miter　of　jewels；　bare…breasted　and　beautiful；　stood　among　the　flowering　oleanders；　one　foot　lightly　crossed　over　the　other　as　he　stood。　He　was　like　an　image　of　pale　radiant　gold；　and　I　could　have　sworn　that　the　light　came　from　within　rather　than　fell　upon　him；　for　the　night　was　very　dark。　He　held　the　flute　to　his　lips；　and　as　I　looked；　I　became　aware　that　the　noise　of　the　rushing　water　was　tapering　off　into　a　murmur　scarcely　louder　than　that　of　a　summer　bee　in　the　heart　of　a　rose。　Therefore　the　music　rose　like　a　fountain　of　crystal　drops；　cold；　clear；　and　of　an　entrancing　sweetness；　and　the　face　above　it　was　such　that　I　had　no　power　to　turn　my　eyes　away。　How　shall　I　say　what　it　was？　All　I　had　ever　desired；　dreamed；　hoped；　prayed；　looked　at　me　from　the　remote　beauty　of　the　eyes　and　with　the　most　persuasive　gentleness　entreated　me；　rather　than　commanded　to　follow　fearlessly　and　win。　But　these　are　words；　and　words　shaped　in　the　rough　mould　of　thought　cannot　convey　the　deep　desire　that　would　have　hurled　me　to　his　feet　if　Vanna　had　not　held　me　with　a　firm　restraining　hand。　Looking　up　in　adoring　love　to　the　dark　face　was　a　ring　of　woodland　creatures。　I　thought　I　could　distinguish　the　white　clouded　robe　of　a　snow…　leopard；　the　soft　clumsiness　of　a　young　bear；　and　many　more；　but　these　shifted　and　blurred　like　dream　creatures　…　I　could　not　be　sure　of　them　nor　define　their　numbers。　The　eyes　of　the　Player　looked　down　upon　their　passionate　delight　with　careless　kindness。

Dim　images　passed　through　my　mind。　Orpheus　…　No；　this　was　no　Greek。　Pan…yet　again；　No。　Where　were　the　pipes；　the　goat　hoofs？　The　young　Dionysos　…　No；　there　were　strange　jewels　instead　of　his　vines。　And　then　Vanna's　voice　said　as　if　from　a　great　distance；

〃Krishna　…　the　Beloved。〃　And　I　said　aloud；　〃I　see！〃　And　even　as　I　said　it　the　whole　picture　blurred　together　like　a　dream；　and　I　was　alone　in　the　pavilion　and　the　water　was　foaming　past　me。　Had　I　walked　in　my　sleep；　I　thought；　as　I　made　my　way　hack？　As　I　gained　the　garden　gate；　before　me；　like　a　snowflake；　I　saw　the　Ninefold　Flower。

When　I　told　her　next　day；　speaking　of　it　as　a　dream；　she　said　simply；　〃They　have　opened　the　door　to　you。　You　will　not　need　me　soon。

〃I　shall　always　need　you。　You　have　taught　me　everything。　I　could　see　nothing　last　night　until　you　took　my　hand。〃

〃I　was　not　there；〃　she　said　smiling。　〃It　was　only　the　thought　of　me；　and　you　can　have　that　when　I　am　very　far　away。　I　was　sleeping　in　my　tent。　What　you　called　in　me　then　you　can　always　call；　even　if　I　am　…　dead。〃

〃That　is　a　word　which　is　beginning　to　have　no　meaning　for　me。　You　have　said　things　to　me　…　no；　thought　them；　that　have　made　me　doubt　if　there　is　room　in　the　universe　for　the　thing　we　have　called　death。〃

She　smiled　her　sweet　wise　smile。

〃Where　we　are　death　is　not。　Where　death　is　we　are　not。　But　you　will　understand　better　soon。〃

Our　march　curving　took　us　by　the　Mogul　gardens　of　Achibal；　and　the　glorious　ruins　of　the　great　Temple　at　Martund；　and　so　down　to　Bawan　with　its　crystal　waters　and　that　loveliest　camping　ground　beside　them。　A　mighty　grove　of　chenar　trees；　so　huge　that　I　felt　as　if　we　were　in　a　great　sea　cave　where　the　air　is　dyed　with　the　deep　shadowy　green　of　the　inmost　ocean；　and　the　murmuring　of　the　myriad　leaves　was　like　a　sea　at　rest。　I　looked　up　into　the　noble　height　and　my　memory　of　Westminster　dwindled；　for　this　led　on　and　up　to　the　infinite　blue；　and　at　night　the　stars　hung　like　fruit　upon　the　branches。　The　water　ran　with　a　great　joyous　rush　of　release　from　the　mountain　behind；　but　was　first　received　in　a　broad　basin　full　of　sacred　fish　and　reflecting　a　little　temple　of　Maheshwara　and　one　of　Surya　the　Sun。　Here　in　this　basin　the　water　lay　pure　and　still　as　an　ecstasy；　and　beside　it　was　musing　the　young　Brahman　priest　who　served　the　temple。　Since　I　had　joined　Vanna　I　had　begun　with　her　help　to　study　a　little　Hindustani；　and　with　an　aptitude　for　language　could　understand　here　and　there。　I　caught　a　word　or　two　as　she　spoke　with　him　that　startled　me；　when　the　high…bred　ascetic　face　turned　serenely　upon　her；　and　he　addressed　her　as　〃My　sister；〃　adding　a　sentence　beyond　my　learning；　but　which　she　willingly　translated　later。　…　〃May　He　who　sits　above　the　Mysteries；　have　mercy　upon　thy　rebirth。〃

She　said　afterwards；

〃How　beautiful　some　of　these　men　are。　It　seems　a　different　type　of　beauty　from　ours；　nearer　to　nature　and　the　old　gods。　Look　at　that　priest　…　the　tall　figure；　the　clear　olive　skin；　the　dark　level　brows；　the　long　lashes　that　make　a　soft　gloom　about　the　eyes　…　eyes　that　have　the　fathomless　depth　of　a　deer's；　the　proud　arch　of　the　lip。　I　think　there　is　no　country　where　aristocracy　is　more　clearly　marked　than　in　India。　The　Brahmans　are　aristocrats　of　the　world。　You　see　it　is　a　religious　aristocracy　as　well。　It　has　everything　that　can　foster　pride　and　exclusiveness。　They　spring　from　the　Mouth　of　Deity。　They　are　His　word　incarnate。　Not　many　kings　are　of　the　Brahman　caste；　and　the　Brahmans　look　down　upon　them　from　Sovereign　heights。　I　have　known　men　who　would　not　eat　with　their　own　rulers　who　would　have　drunk　the　water　that　washed　the　Brahmans'　feet。〃

She　took　me　that　day；　the　Brahman　with　us；　to　see　a　cave　in　the　mountain。　We　climbed　up　the　face　of　the　cliff　to　where　a　little　tree　grew　on　a　ledge；　and　the　black　mouth　yawned。　We　went　in　and　often　it　was　so　low　we　had　to　stoop；　leaving　the　sunlight　behind　until　it　was　like　a　dim　eye　glimmering　in　the　velvet　blackness。　The　air　was　dank　and　cold　and　presently　obscene　with　the　smell　of　bats；　and　alive　with　their　wings；　as　they　came　sweeping　about　us；　gibbering　and　squeaking。　I　thought　of　the　rush　of　the　ghosts；　blown　like　dead　leaves　in　the　Odyssey。　And　then　a　small　rock　chamber　branched　off；　and　in　this；　lit　by　a　bit　of　burning　wood；　we　saw　the　bones　of　a　holy　man　who　lived　and　died　there　four　hundred　years　ago。　Think　of　it！　He　lived　there　always；　with　the　slow　dropping　of　water　from　the　dead　weight　of　the　mountain　above　his　head；　drop　by　drop　tolling　the　minutes　away：　the　little　groping　feet　through　the　cave　that　would　bring　him　food　and　drink；　hurrying　into　the　warmth　and　sunlight　again；　and　his　only　companion　the　sacred　Lingam　which　means　the　Creative　Energy　that　sets　the　worlds　dancing　for　joy　round　the　sun　…　that；　and　the　black　solitude　to　sit　down　beside　him。　Surely　his　bones　can　hardly　be　dryer　and　colder　now　than　they　were　then！　There　must　be　strange　ecstasies　in　such　a　life　…　wild　visions　in　the　dark；　or　it　could　never　be　endured。

And　so；　in　marches　of　about　ten　miles　a　day；　we　came　to　Pahlgam　on　th