dreams-第4章

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At　last；　an　old；　wizened；　shrunken　face　looked　out　above　the　rocks。　　It　saw　the　eternal　mountains　rise　with　walls　to　the　white　clouds；　but　its　work　was　done。

The　old　hunter　folded　his　tired　hands　and　lay　down　by　the　precipice　where　he　had　worked　away　his　life。　　It　was　the　sleeping　time　at　last。　　Below　him　over　the　valleys　rolled　the　thick　white　mist。　　Once　it　broke；　and　through　the　gap　the　dying　eyes　looked　down　on　the　trees　and　fields　of　their　childhood。　　From　afar　seemed　borne　to　him　the　cry　of　his　own　wild　birds；　and　he　heard　the　noise　of　people　singing　as　they　danced。　　And　he　thought　he　heard　among　them　the　voices　of　his　old　comrades；　and　he　saw　far　off　the　sunlight　shine　on　his　early　home。　　And　great　tears　gathered　in　the　hunter's　eyes。

〃Ah！　they　who　die　there　do　not　die　alone；〃　he　cried。

Then　the　mists　rolled　together　again；　and　he　turned　his　eyes　away。

〃I　have　sought；〃　he　said；　〃for　long　years　I　have　laboured；　but　I　have　not　found　her。　　I　have　not　rested；　I　have　not　repined；　and　I　have　not　seen　her；　now　my　strength　is　gone。　　Where　I　lie　down　worn　out　other　men　will　stand；　young　and　fresh。　　By　the　steps　that　I　have　cut　they　will　climb；　by　the　stairs　that　I　have　built　they　will　mount。　　They　will　never　know　the　name　of　the　man　who　made　them。　　At　the　clumsy　work　they　will　laugh；　when　the　stones　roll　they　will　curse　me。　　But　they　will　mount；　and　on　my　work；　they　will　climb；　and　by　my　stair！　　They　will　find　her；　and　through　me！　　And　no　man　liveth　to　himself　and　no　man　dieth　to　himself。〃

The　tears　rolled　from　beneath　the　shrivelled　eyelids。　　If　Truth　had　appeared　above　him　in　the　clouds　now　he　could　not　have　seen　her；　the　mist　of　death　was　in　his　eyes。

〃My　soul　hears　their　glad　step　coming；〃　he　said；　〃and　they　shall　mount！　they　shall　mount！〃　　He　raised　his　shrivelled　hand　to　his　eyes。

Then　slowly　from　the　white　sky　above；　through　the　still　air；　came　something　falling；　falling；　falling。　　Softly　it　fluttered　down；　and　dropped　on　to　the　breast　of　the　dying　man。　　He　felt　it　with　his　hands。　　It　was　a　feather。　　He　died　holding　it。



III。　　THE　GARDENS　OF　PLEASURE。

She　walked　upon　the　beds；　and　the　sweet　rich　scent　arose；　and　she　gathered　her　hands　full　of　flowers。　　Then　Duty；　with　his　white　clear　features；　came　and　looked　at　her。　　Then　she　ceased　from　gathering；　but　she　walked　away　among　the　flowers；　smiling；　and　with　her　hands　full。

Then　Duty；　with　his　still　white　face；　came　again；　and　looked　at　her；　but　she；　she　turned　her　head　away　from　him。　　At　last　she　saw　his　face；　and　she　dropped　the　fairest　of　the　flowers　she　had　held；　and　walked　silently　away。

Then　again　he　came　to　her。　　And　she　moaned；　and　bent　her　head　low；　and　turned　to　the　gate。　　But　as　she　went　out　she　looked　back　at　the　sunlight　on　the　faces　of　the　flowers；　and　wept　in　anguish。　　Then　she　went　out；　and　it　shut　behind　her　for　ever；　but　still　in　her　hand　she　held　of　the　buds　she　had　gathered；　and　the　scent　was　very　sweet　in　the　lonely　desert。

But　he　followed　her。　　Once　more　he　stood　before　her　with　his　still；　white；　death…like　face。　　And　she　knew　what　he　had　come　for：　　she　unbent　the　fingers；　and　let　the　flowers　drop　out；　the　flowers　she　had　loved　so；　and　walked　on　without　them；　with　dry；　aching　eyes。　　Then　for　the　last　time　he　came。　　And　she　showed　him　her　empty　hands；　the　hands　that　held　nothing　now。　But　still　he　looked。　　Then　at　length　she　opened　her　bosom　and　took　out　of　it　one　small　flower　she　had　hidden　there；　and　laid　it　on　the　sand。　　She　had　nothing　more　to　give　now；　and　she　wandered　away；　and　the　grey　sand　whirled　about　her。



IV。　　IN　A　FAR…OFF　WORLD。

There　is　a　world　in　one　of　the　far…off　stars；　and　things　do　not　happen　here　as　they　happen　there。

In　that　world　were　a　man　and　woman；　they　had　one　work；　and　they　walked　together　side　by　side　on　many　days；　and　were　friendsand　that　is　a　thing　that　happens　now　and　then　in　this　world　also。

But　there　was　something　in　that　star…world　that　there　is　not　here。　　There　was　a　thick　wood：　　where　the　trees　grew　closest；　and　the　stems　were　interlocked；　and　the　summer　sun　never　shone；　there　stood　a　shrine。　　In　the　day　all　was　quiet；　but　at　night；　when　the　stars　shone　or　the　moon　glinted　on　the　tree…tops；　and　all　was　quiet　below；　if　one　crept　here　quite　alone　and　knelt　on　the　steps　of　the　stone　altar；　and　uncovering　one's　breast；　so　wounded　it　that　the　blood　fell　down　on　the　altar　steps；　then　whatever　he　who　knelt　there　wished　for　was　granted　him。　　And　all　this　happens；　as　I　said；　because　it　is　a　far…off　world；　and　things　often　happen　there　as　they　do　not　happen　here。

Now；　the　man　and　woman　walked　together；　and　the　woman　wished　well　to　the　man。　　One　night　when　the　moon　was　shining　so　that　the　leaves　of　all　the　trees　glinted；　and　the　waves　of　the　sea　were　silvery；　the　woman　walked　alone　to　the　forest。　　It　was　dark　there；　the　moonlight　fell　only　in　little　flecks　on　the　dead　leaves　under　her　feet；　and　the　branches　were　knotted　tight　overhead。　　Farther　in　it　got　darker；　not　even　a　fleck　of　moonlight　shone。　　Then　she　came　to　the　shrine；　she　knelt　down　before　it　and　prayed；　there　came　no　answer。　　Then　she　uncovered　her　breast；　with　a　sharp　two…　edged　stone　that　lay　there　she　wounded　it。　　The　drops　dripped　slowly　down　on　to　the　stone；　and　a　voice　cried；　〃What　do　you　seek？〃

She　answered；　〃There　is　a　man；　I　hold　him　nearer　than　anything。　　I　would　give　him　the　best　of　all　blessings。〃

The　voice　said；　〃What　is　it？〃

The　girl　said；　〃I　know　not；　but　that　which　is　most　good　for　him　I　wish　him　to　have。〃

The　voice　said；　〃Your　prayer　is　answered；　he　shall　have　it。〃

Then　she　stood　up。　　She　covered　her　breast　and　held　the　garment　tight　upon　it　with　her　hand；　and　ran　out　of　the　forest；　and　the　dead　leaves　fluttered　under　her　feet。　　Out　in　the　moonlight　the　soft　air　was　blowing；　and　the　sand　glittered　on　the　beach。　　She　ran　along　the　smooth　shore；　then　suddenly　she　stood　still。　　Out　across　the　water　there　was　something　moving。　　She　shaded　her　eyes　and　looked。　　It　was　a　boat；　it　was　sliding　swiftly　over　the　moonlit　water　out　to　sea。　　One　stood　upright　in　it；　the　face　the　moonlight　did　not　show；　but　the　figure　she　knew。　　It　was　passing　swiftly；　it　seemed　as　if　no　one　propelled　it；　the　moonlight's　shimmer　did　not　let　her　see　clearly；　and　the　boat　was　far　from　shore；　but　it　seemed　almost　as　if　there　was　another　figure　sitting　in　the　stern。　　Faster　and　faster　it　glided　over　the　water　away；　away。　　She　ran　along　the　shore；　she　came　no　nearer　it。　　The　garment　she　had　held　closed　fluttered　open；　she　stretched　out　her　arms；　and　the　moonlight　shone　on　her　long　loose　hair。

Then　a　voice　beside　her　whispered；　〃What　is　it？〃

She　cried；　〃With　my　blood　I　bought　the　best　of　all　gifts　for　him。　　I　have　come　to　bring　it　him！　　He　is　going　from　me！〃

The　voice　whispered　softly；　〃Your　prayer　was　answered。　　It　has　been　given　him。〃

She　cried；　〃What　is　it？〃

The　voice　answered；　〃It　is　that　he　might　leave　you。〃

The　girl　stood　still。

Far　out　at　sea　the　boat　was　lost　to　sight　beyond　the　moonlight　sheen。

The　voice　spoke　softly；　〃Art　thou　contented？〃

She　said；　〃I　am　contented。〃

At　her　feet　the　waves　broke　in　long　ripples　softly　on　the　shore。



V。　　THREE　DREAMS　IN　A　DESERT。

Under　a　Mimosa…Tree。

As　I　travelled　across　an　African　plain　the　sun　shone　down　hotly。　　Then　I　drew　my　horse　up　under　a　mimosa…tree；　and　I　took　the　saddle　from　him　and　left　him　to　feed　among　the　parched　bushes。　　And　all　to　right　and　to　left　stretched　the　brown　earth。　　And　I　sat　down　under　the　tree；　because　the　heat　beat　fiercely；　and　all　along　the　horizon　the　air　throbbed。　　And　after　a　while　a　heavy　drowsiness　came　over　me；　and　I　laid　my　head　down　against　my　saddle；　and　I　fell　asleep　there。　　And；　in　my　sleep；　I　had　a　curious　dream。

I　thought　I　stood　on　the　border　of　a　great　desert；　and　the　sand　blew　about　everywhere。　　And　I　thought　I　saw　two　great　figures　like　beasts　of　burden　of　the　desert；　and　one　lay　upon　the　sand　with　its　neck　stretched　out；　and　one　stood　by　it。　　And　I　looked　curiously　at　the　one　that　lay　upon　the　ground；　for　it　had　a　great　burden　on　its　back；　and　the　sand　was　thick　about　it；　so　that　it　seemed　to　have　piled　over　it　for　centuries。

And　I　looked　very　curiously　at　it。　　And　there　stood　one　beside