the ninth vibration-第30章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


at　may　be　described　as　the　inner　sanctuary　of　the　Emperor's　esteem。　Both　lived　to　a　green　old　age；　wealthy　and　honored；　alike　firm　in　the　conviction　that　if　the　Incomparable　Lady　had　not　shown　herself　so　superior　to　temptation　the　Emperor　might　have　been　on　the　whole　better　pleased；　whatever　the　sufferings　of　the　philosopher。　Both　lived　to　be　the　tyrants　of　many　generations　of　beauties　at　the　Celestial　Court。　Both　were　assiduous　in　their　devotions　before　the　spirit　tablet　of　the　departed　lady；　and　in　recommending　her　example　of　reserve　and　humility　to　every　damsel　whom　it　might　concern。

It　will　probably　occur　to　the　reader　of　this　unique　but　veracious　story　that　there　is　more　in　it　than　meets　the　eye；　and　more　than　the　one　moral　alluded　to　by　the　Emperor　according　to　the　point　of　view　of　the　different　actors。

To　the　discernment　of　the　reader　it　must　accordingly　be　left。



THE　HATRED　OF　THE　QUEEN

A　Story　of　Burma

Most　wonderful　is　the　Irawadi；　the　mighty　river　of　Burma。　In　all　the　world　elsewhere　is　no　such　river；　bearing　the　melted　snows　from　its　mysterious　sources　in　the　high　places　of　the　mountains。　The　dawn　rises　upon　its　league。　wide　flood；　the　moon　walks　upon　it　with　silver　feet。　It　is　the　pulsing　heart　of　the　land；　living　still　though　so　many　rules　and　rulers　have　risen　and　fallen　beside　it；　their　pomps　and　glories　drifting　like　flotsam　dawn　the　river　to　the　eternal　ocean　that　is　the　end　of　all　…　and　the　beginning。　Dead　civilizations　strew　its　banks；　dreaming　in　the　torrid　sunshine　of　glories　that　were　…　of　blood…stained　gold；　jewels　wept　from　woeful　crowns；　nightmare　dreams　of　murder　and　terror；　dreaming　also　of　heavenly　beauty；　for　the　Lord　Buddha　looks　down　in　moonlight　peace　upon　the　land　that　leaped　to　kiss　His　footprints；　that　has　laid　its　heart　in　the　hand　of　the　Blessed　One；　and　shares　therefore　in　His　bliss　and　content。　The　Land　of　the　Lord　Buddha；　where　the　myriad　pagodas　lift　their　golden　flames　of　worship　everywhere；　and　no　idlest　wind　can　pass　but　it　ruffles　the　bells　below　the　htees　until　they　send　forth　their　silver　ripple　of　music　to　swell　the　hymn　of　praise！

There　is　a　little　bay　on　the　bank　of　the　flooding　river　…　a　silent；　deserted　place　of　sand…　dunes　and　small　bills。　When　a　ship　is　in　sight；　some　poor　folk　come　and　spread　out　the　red　lacquer　that　helps　their　scanty　subsistence；　and　the　people　from　the　passing　ship　land　and　barter　and　in　a　few　minutes　are　gone　on　their　busy　way　and　silence　settles　down　once　more。　They　neither　know　nor　care　that；　near　by；　a　mighty　city　spread　its　splendour　for　miles　along　the　river　bank；　that　the　king　known　as　Lord　of　the　Golden　Palace；　The　Golden　Foot；　Lord　of　the　White　Elephant；　held　his　state　there　with　balls　of　magnificence；　obsequious　women；　fawning　courtiers　and　all　the　riot　and　colour　of　an　Eastern　tyranny。　How　should　they　care？　Now　there　are　ruins　…　ruins；　and　the　cobras　slip　in　and　out　through　the　deserted　holy　places。　They　breed　their　writhing　young　in　the　sleeping…chambers　of　queens；　the　tigers　mew　in　the　moonlight；　and　the　giant　spider；　more　terrible　than　the　cobra；　strikes　with　its　black　poison…　claw　and；　paralyzing　the　life　of　the　victim；　sucks　its　brain　with　slow；　lascivious　pleasure。

Are　these　foul　creatures　more　dreadful　than　some　of　the　men；　the　women；　who　dwelt　in　these　palaces　…　the　more　evil　because　of　the　human　brain　that　plotted　and　foresaw？　That　is　known　only　to　the　mysterious　Law　that　in　silence　watches　and　decrees。

But　this　is　a　story　of　the　dead　days　of　Pagan；　by　the　Irawadi；　and　it　will　be　shown　that；　as　the　Lotus　of　the　Lord　Buddha　grows　up　a　white　splendour　from　the　black　mud　of　the　depths；　so　also　may　the　soul　of　a　woman。

In　the　days　of　the　Lord　of　the　White　Elephant；　the　King　Pagan　Men；　was　a　boy　named　Mindon；　son　of　second　Queen　and　the　King。　So；　at　least；　it　was　said　in　the　Golden　Palace；　but　those　who　knew　the　secrets　of　such　matters　whispered　that；　when　the　King　had　taken　her　by　the　hand　she　came　to　him　no　maid；　and　that　the　boy　was　the　son　of　an　Indian　trader。　Furthermore　it　was　said　that　she　herself　was　woman　of　the　Rajputs；　knowledgeable　in　spells；　incantations　and　elemental　spirits　such　as　the　Beloos　that　terribly　haunt　waste　places；　and　all　Powers　that　move　in　the　dark；　and　that　thus　she　had　won　the　King。　Certainly　she　had　been　captured　by　the　King's　war…boats　off　the　coast　from　a　trading…ship　bound　for　Ceylon；　and　it　was　her　story　that；　because　of　her　beauty；　she　was　sent　thither　to　serve　as　concubine　to　the　King；　Tissa　of　Ceylon。　Being　captured；　she　was　brought　to　the　Lord　of　the　Golden　Palace。　The　tongue　she　spoke　was　strange　to　all　the　fighting　men；　but　it　was　wondrous　to　see　how　swiftly　she　learnt　theirs　and　spoke　it　with　a　sweet　ripple　such　as　is　in　the　throat　of　a　bird。

She　was　beautiful　exceedingly；　with　a　colour　of　pale　gold　upon　her　and　lengths　of　silk…spun　hair；　and　eyes　like　those　of　a　jungle…deer；　and　water　might　run　beneath　the　arch　of　her　foot　without　wetting　it；　and　her　breasts　were　like　the　cloudy　pillows　where　the　sun　couches　at　setting。　Now；　at　Pagan；　the　name　they　called　her　was　Dwaymenau；　but　her　true　name；　known　only　to　herself；　was　Sundari；　and　she　knew　not　the　Law　of　the　Blessed　Buddha　but　was　a　heathen　accursed。　In　the　strong　hollow　of　her　hand　she　held　the　heart　of　the　King；　so　that　on　the　birth　of　her　son　she　had　risen　from　a　mere　concubine　to　be　the　second　Queen　and　a　power　to　whom　all　bowed。　The　First　Queen；　Maya；　languished　in　her　palace；　her　pale　beauty　wasting　daily；　deserted　and　lonely；　for　she　had　been　the　light　of　the　King's　eyes　until　the　coming　of　the　Indian　woman；　and　she　loved　her　lord　with　a　great　love　and　was　a　noble　woman　brought　up　in　honour　and　all　things　becoming　a　queen。　But　sigh　as　she　would；　the　King　came　never。　All　night　he　lay　in　the　arms　of　Dwaymenau；　all　day　he　sat　beside　her；　whether　at　the　great　water　pageants　or　at　the　festival　when　the　dancing…girls　swayed　and　postured　before　him　in　her　gilded　chambers。　Even　when　be　went　forth　to　hunt　the　tiger；　she　went　with　him　as　far　as　a　woman　may　go；　and　then　stood　back　only　because　he　would　not　risk　his　jewel；　her　life。　So　all　that　was　evil　in　the　man　she　fostered　and　all　that　was　good　she　cherished　not　at　all；　fearing　lest　he　should　return　to　the　Queen。　At　her　will　he　had　consulted　the　Hlwot　Daw；　the　Council　of　the　Woon…gyees　or　Ministers；　concerning　a　divorce　of　the　Queen；　but　this　they　told　him　could　not　be　since　she　had　kept　all　the　laws　of　Manu；　being　faithful；　noble　and　beautiful　and　having　borne　him　a　son。

For；　before　the　Indian　woman　had　come　to　the　King；　the　Queen　had　borne　a　son；　Ananda；　and　he　was　pale　and　slender　and　the　King　despised　him　because　of　the　wiles　of　Dwaymenau；　saying　he　was　fit　only　to　sit　among　the　women；　having　the　soul　of　a　slave；　and　he　laughed　bitterly　as　the　pale　child　crouched　in　the　corner　to　see　him　pass。　If　his　eyes　had　been　clear；　he　would　have　known　that　here　was　no　slave；　but　a　heart　as　much　greater　than　his　own　as　the　spirit　is　stronger　than　the　body。　But　this　he　did　not　know　and　he　strode　past　with　Dwaymenau's　boy　on　his　shoulder；　laughing　with　cruel　glee。

And　this　boy；　Mindon；　was　beautiful　and　strong　as　his　mother；　pale　olive　of　face；　with　the　dark　and　crafty　eyes　of　the　cunning　Indian　traders；　with　black　hair　and　a　body　straight；　strong　and　long　in　the　leg　for　his　years　…　apt　at　the　beginnings　of　bow；　sword　and　spear　…　full　of　promise；　if　the　promise　was　only　words　and　looks。

And　so　matters　rested　in　the　palace　until　Ananda　had　ten　years　and　Mindon　nine。

It　was　the　warm　and　sunny　winter　and　the　days　were　pleasant；　and　on　a　certain　day　the　Queen；　Maya；　went　with　her　ladies　to　worship　the　Blessed　One　at　the　Thapinyu　Temple；　looking　down　upon　the　swiftly　flowing　river。　The　temple　was　exceedingly　rich　and　magnificent；　so　gilded　with　pure　gold…leaf　that　it　appeared　of　solid　gold。　And　about　the　upper　part　were　golden　bells　beneath　the　jewelled　htee；　which　wafted　very　sweetly　in　the　wind　and　gave　forth　a　crystal…clear　music。　The　ladies　bore　in　their　hands　more　gold…leaf；　that　they　might　acquire　merit　by　offering　this　for　the　service　of　the　Master　of　the　Law；　and　indeed　this　temple　was　the　offering　of　the　Queen　herself；　who；　because　she　bore　the　name　of　the　Mother