the ninth vibration-第31章

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eed　this　temple　was　the　offering　of　the　Queen　herself；　who；　because　she　bore　the　name　of　the　Mother　of　the　Lord；　excelled　in　good　works　and　was　the　Moon　of　this　lower　world　in　charity　and　piety。

Though　wan　with　grief　and　anxiety；　this　Queen　was　beautiful。　Her　eyes；　like　mournful　lakes　of　darkness；　were　lovely　in　the　pale　ivory　of　her　face。　Her　lips　were　nobly　cut　and　calm；　and　by　the　favour　of　the　Guardian　Nats；　she　was　shaped　with　grace　and　health；　a　worthy　mother　of　kings。　Also　she　wore　her　jewels　like　a　mighty　princess；　a　magnificence　to　which　all　the　people　shikoed　as　she　passed；　folding　their　hands　and　touching　the　forehead　while　they　bowed　down；　kneeling。

Before　the　colossal　image　of　the　Holy　One　she　made　her　offering　and；　attended　by　her　women；　she　sat　in　meditation；　drawing　consolation　from　the　Tranquillity　above　her　and　the　silence　of　the　shrine。　This　ended；　the　Queen　rose　and　did　obeisance　to　the　Lord　and；　retiring；　paced　back　beneath　the　White　Canopy　and　entered　the　courtyard　where　the　palace　stood　…　a　palace　of　noble　teakwood；　brown　and　golden　and　carved　like　lace　into　strange　fantasies　of　spires　and　pinnacles　and　branches　where　Nats　and　Tree　Spirits　and　Beloos　and　swaying　river　maidens　mingled　and　met　amid　fruits　and　leaves　and　flowers　in　a　wild　and　joyous　confusion。　The　faces；　the　blowing　garments；　whirled　into　points　with　the　swiftness　of　the　dance；　were　touched　with　gold；　and　so　glad　was　the　building　that　it　seemed　as　if　a　very　light　wind　might　whirl　it　to　the　sky；　and　even　the　sad　Queen　stopped　to　rejoice　in　its　beauty　as　it　blossomed　in　the　sunlight。

And　even　as　she　paused；　her　little　son　Ananda　rushed　to　meet　her；　pale　and　panting；　and　flung　himself　into　her　arms　with　dry　sobs　like　those　of　an　overrun　man。　She　soothed　him　until　he　could　speak；　and　then　the　grief　made　way　in　a　rain　of　tears。

〃Mindon　has　killed　my　deer。　He　bared　his　knife；　slit　his　throat　and　cast　him　in　the　ditch　and　there　he　lies。〃

〃There　will　he　not　lie　long！〃　shouted　Mindon；　breaking　from　the　palace　to　the　group　where　all　were　silent　now。　〃For　the　worms　will　eat　him　and　the　dogs　pick　clean　his　bones；　and　he　will　show　his　horns　at　his　lords　no　more。　If　you　loved　him；　White…liver；　you　should　have　taught　him　better　manners　to　his　betters。

With　a　stifled　shriek　Ananda　caught　the　slender　knife　from　his　girdle　and　flew　at　Mindon　like　a　cat　of　the　woods。　Such　things　were　done　daily　by　young　and　old；　and　this　was　a　long　sorrow　come　to　a　head　between　the　boys。

Suddenly；　lifting　the　hangings　of　the　palace　gateway；　before　them　stood　the　mother　of　Mindon；　the　Lady　Dwaymenau；　pale　as　wool；　having　heard　the　shout　of　her　boy；　so　that　the　two　Queens　faced　each　other；　each　holding　the　shoulders　of　her　son；　and　the　ladies　watched；　mute　as　fishes；　for　it　was　years　since　these　two　had　met。

〃What　have　you　done　to　my　son？〃　breathed　Maya　the　Queen；　dry　in　the　throat　and　all　but　speechless　with　passion。　For　indeed　his　face；　for　a　child；　was　ghastly。

〃Look　at　his　knife！　What　would　he　do　to　my　son？〃　Dwaymenau　was　stiff　with　hate　and　spoke　as　to　a　slave。

〃He　has　killed　my　deer　and　mocks　me　because　I　loved　him；　He　is　the　devil　in　this　place。　Look　at　the　devils　in　his　eyes。　Look　quick　before　he　smiles；　my　mother。〃

And　indeed；　young　as　the　boy　was；　an　evil　thing　sat　in　either　eye　and　glittered　upon　them。　Dwaymenau　passed　her　hand　across　his　brow；　and　he　smiled　and　they　were　gone。

〃The　beast　ran　at　me　and　would　have　flung　me　with　his　horns；〃　he　said；　looking　up　brightly　at　his　mother。　〃He　had　the　madness　upon　him。　I　struck　once　and　he　was　dead。　My　father　would　have　done　the　same。

〃That　would　he　not！〃　said　Queen　Maya　bitterly。　〃Your　father　would　have　crept　up；　fawning　on　the　deer；　and　offered　him　the　fruits　he　loved；　stroking　him　the　while。　And　in　trust　the　beast　would　have　eaten；　and　the　poison　in　the　fruit　would　have　slain　him。　For　the　people　of　your　father　meet　neither　man　nor　beast　in　fair　fight。　With　a　kiss　they　stab！〃

Horror　kept　the　women　staring　and　silent。　No　one　had　dreamed　that　the　scandal　had　reached　the　Queen。　Never　had　she　spoken　or　looked　her　knowledge　but　endured　all　in　patience。　Now　it　sprang　out　like　a　sword　among　them；　and　they　feared　for　Maya；　whom　all　loved。

Mindon　did　not　understand。　It　was　beyond　him；　but　he　saw　he　was　scorned。　Dwaymenau；　her　face　rigid　as　a　mask；　looked　pitilessly　at　the　shaking　Queen；　and　each　word　dropped　from　her　mouth；　hard　and　cold　as　the　falling　of　diamonds。　She　refused　the　insult。

〃If　it　is　thus　you　speak　of　our　lord　and　my　love；　what　wonder　he　forsakes　you？　Mother　of　a　craven　milk　runs　in　your　veins　and　his　for　blood。　Take　your　slinking　brat　away　and　weep　together！　My　son　and　I　go　forth　to　meet　the　King　as　he　comes　from　hunting；　and　to　welcome　him　kingly！〃　She　caught　her　boy　to　her　with　a　magnificent　gesture；　he　flung　his　little　arm　about　her；　and　laughing　loudly　they　went　off　together。

The　tension　relaxed　a　little　when　they　were　out　of　sight。　The　women　knew　that；　since　Dwaymenau　had　refused　to　take　the　Queen's　meaning；　she　would　certainly　not　carry　her　complaint　to　the　King。　They　guessed　at　her　reason　for　this　forbearance；　but；　be　that　as　it　might；　it　was　Certain　that　no　other　person　would　dare　to　tell　him　and　risk　the　fate　that　waits　the　messenger　of　evil。

The　eldest　lady　led　away　the　Queen；　now　almost　tottering　in　the　reaction　of　fear　and　pain。　Oh；　that　she　had　controlled　her　speech！　Not　for　her　own　sake　…　for　she　had　lost　all　and　the　beggar　can　lose　no　more　…　but　for　the　boy's　sake；　the　unloved　child　that　stood　between　the　stranger　and　her　hopes。　For　him　she　had　made　a　terrible　enemy。　Weeping；　the　boy　followed　her。

〃Take　comfort；　little　son；〃　she　said；　drawing　him　to　her　tenderly。　〃The　deer　can　suffer　no　more。　For　the　tigers；　he　does　not　fear　them。　He　runs　in　green　woods　now　where　there　is　none　to　hunt。　He　is　up　and　away。　The　Blessed　One　was　once　a　deer　as　gentle　as　yours。〃

But　still　the　child　wept；　and　the　Queen　broke　down　utterly。　〃Oh；　if　life　be　a　dream；　let　us　wake；　let　us　wake！〃　she　sobbed。　〃For　evil　things　walk　in　it　that　cannot　live　in　the　light。　Or　let　us　dream　deeper　and　forget。　Go；　little　son；　yet　stay　…　for　who　can　tell　what　waits　us　when　the　King　comes。　Let　us　meet　him　here。〃

For　she　believed　that　Dwaymenau　would　certainly　carry　the　tale　of　her　speech　to　the　King；　and；　if　so；　what　hope　but　death　together？

That　night；　after　the　feasting；　when　the　girls　were　dancing　the　dance　of　the　fairies　and　spirits；　in　gold　dresses；　winged　on　the　legs　and　shoulders；　and　high；　gold…spired　and　pinnacled　caps；　the　King　missed　the　little　Prince；　Ananda；　and　asked　why　he　was　absent。

No　one　answered；　the　women　looking　upon　each　other；　until　Dwaymenau；　sitting　beside　him；　glimmering　with　rough　pearls　and　rubies；　spoke　smoothly：　〃Lord；　worshipped　and　beloved；　the　two　boys　quarreled　this　day；　and　Ananda's　deer　attacked　our　Mindon。　He　had　a　madness　upon　him　and　thrust　with　his　horns。　But；　Mindon；　your　true　son；　flew　in　upon　him　and　in　a　great　fight　he　slit　the　beast's　throat　with　the　knife　you　gave　him。　Did　he　not　well？〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　King　briefly。　〃But　is　there　no　hurt？　Have　searched？　For　he　is　mine。〃

There　was　arrogance　in　the　last　sentence　and　her　proud　soul　rebelled；　but　smoothly　as　ever　she　spoke：　〃I　have　searched　and　there　is　not　the　littlest　scratch。　But　Ananda　is　weeping　because　the　deer　is　dead；　and　his　mother　is　angry。　What　should　I　do？〃

〃Nothing。　Ananda　is　worthless　and　worthless　let　him　be！　And　for　that　pale　shadow　that　was　once　a　woman；　let　her　be　forgotten。　And　now；　drink；　my　Queen！〃

And　Dwaymenau　drank　but　the　drink　was　bitter　to　her；　for　a　ghost　had　risen　upon　her　that　day。　She　had　never　dreamed　that　such　a　scandal　had　been　spoken；　and　it　stunned　her　very　soul　with　fear；　that　the　Queen　should　know　her　vileness　and　the　cheat　she　had　put　upon　the　King。　As　pure　maid　he　had　received　her；　and　she　knew；　none　better；　what　the　doom　would　be　if　his　trust　were　broken　and　he　knew　the　child　not　his。　She　herself　had　seen　this　thing　done　to　a　concubine　who　had　a　little　offended。　She　was　thrust　living　in　a　sack　and　this　hung　between　two　earthen　jars　pierced　with　small　holes；　and　thus　she　was　set　afloat　on　the　terrible　river。　And　not　till　the　slow　filling　a