the blue flower-第23章

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darkest　corner　of　the　room；　covering　him　with　the　folds　of　her
robe；　lest　he　should　wake　and　cry。

But　Artaban　went　quickly　and　stood　in　the　doorway　of　the
house。　　His　broad　shoulders　filled　the　portal　from　side　to
side；　and　the　peak　of　his　white　cap　all　but　touched　the
lintel。

The　soldiers　came　hurrying　down　the　street　with　bloody
hands　and　dripping　swords。　　At　the　sight　of　the　stranger　in
his　imposing　dress　they　hesitated　with　surprise。　　The　captain
of　the　band　approached　the　threshold　to　thrust　him　aside。　　But
Artaban　did　not　stir。　　His　face　was　as　calm　as　though　he　were
watching　the　stars；　and　in　his　eyes　there　burned　that　steady
radiance　before　which　even　the　half…tamed　hunting　leopard
shrinks；　and　the　bloodhound　pauses　in　his　leap。　　He　held　the
soldier　silently　for　an　instant；　and　then　said　in　a　low　voice：
　　〃I　am　all　alone　in　this　place；　and　I　am　waiting　to　give
this　jewel　to　the　prudent　captain　who　will　leave　me　in　peace。〃

He　showed　the　ruby；　glistening　in　the　hollow　of　his　hand
like　a　great　drop　of　blood。

The　captain　was　amazed　at　the　splendour　of　the　gem。　　The
pupils　of　his　eyes　expanded　with　desire；　and　the　hard　lines　of
greed　wrinkled　around　his　lips。　　He　stretched　out　his　hand　and
took　the　ruby。

〃March　on！〃　he　cried　to　his　men；　〃there　is　no　child　here。
The　house　is　empty。〃

The　clamor　and　the　clang　of　arms　passed　down　the　street
as　the　headlong　fury　of　the　chase　sweeps　by　the　secret　covert
where　the　trembling　deer　is　hidden。　　Artaban　re…entered　the
cottage。　　He　turned　his　face　to　the　east　and　prayed：

　〃God　of　truth；　forgive　my　sin！　　I　have　said　the　thing　that
is　not；　to　save　the　life　of　a　child。　　And　two　of　my　gifts　are
gone。　　I　have　spent　for　man　that　which　was　meant　for　God。
Shall　I　ever　be　worthy　to　see　the　face　of　the　King？〃

But　the　voice　of　the　woman；　weeping　for　joy　in　the　shadow
behind　him；　said　very　gently：

〃Because　thou　hast　saved　the　life　of　my　little　one；　may
the　Lord　bless　thee　and　keep　thee；　the　Lord　make　His　face　to
shine　upon　thee　and　be　gracious　unto　thee；　the　Lord　lift　up
His　countenance　upon　thee　and　give　thee　peace。〃



IV

Again　there　was　a　silence　in　the　Hall　of　Dreams；　deeper　and
more　mysterious　than　the　first　interval；　and　I　understood　that
the　years　of　Artaban　were　flowing　very　swiftly　under　the
stillness；　and　I　caught　only　a　glimpse；　here　and　there；　of　the
river　of　his　life　shining　through　the　mist　that　concealed　its
course。

I　saw　him　moving　among　the　throngs　of　men　in　populous
Egypt；　seeking　everywhere　for　traces　of　the　household　that　had
come　down　from　Bethlehem；　and　finding　them　under　the　spreading
sycamore…trees　of　Heliopolis；　and　beneath　the　walls　of　the
Roman　fortress　of　New　Babylon　beside　the　Niletraces　so　faint
and　dim　that　they　vanished　before　him　continually；　as
footprints　on　the　wet　river…sand　glisten　for　a　moment　with
moisture　and　then　disappear。

I　saw　him　again　at　the　foot　of　the　pyramids；　which　lifted
their　sharp　points　into　the　intense　saffron　glow　of　the　sunset
sky；　changeless　monuments　of　the　perishable　glory　and　the
imperishable　hope　of　man。　　He　looked　up　into　the　face　of　the
crouching　Sphinx　and　vainly　tried　to　read　the　meaning　of　the
calm　eyes　and　smiling　mouth。　　Was　it；　indeed；　the　mockery　of
all　effort　and　all　aspiration；　as　Tigranes　had　saidthe　cruel
jest　of　a　riddle　that　has　no　answer；　a　search　that　never　can
succeed？　　Or　was　there　a　touch　of　pity　and　encouragement　in
that　inscrutable　smilea　promise　that　even　the　defeated
should　attain　a　victory；　and　the　disappointed　should　discover　a
prize；　and　the　ignorant　should　be　made　wise；　and　the　blind　should
see；　and　the　wandering　should　come　into　the　haven　at　last？

I　saw　him　again　in　an　obscure　house　of　Alexandria；　taking
counsel　with　a　Hebrew　rabbi。　　The　venerable　man；　bending　over
the　rolls　of　parchment　on　which　the　prophecies　of　Israel　were
written；　read　aloud　the　pathetic　words　which　foretold　the
sufferings　of　the　promised　Messiahthe　despised　and　rejected
of　men；　the　man　of　sorrows　and　acquainted　with　grief。

〃And　remember；　my　son；〃　said　he；　fixing　his　eyes　upon　the
face　of　Artaban；　〃the　King　whom　thou　seekest　is　not　to　be
found　in　a　palace；　nor　among　the　rich　and　powerful。　　If　the
light　of　the　world　and　the　glory　of　Israel　had　been　appointed
to　come　with　the　greatness　of　earthly　splendour；　it　must　have
appeared　long　ago。　　For　no　son　of　Abraham　will　ever　again
rival　the　power　which　Joseph　had　in　the　palaces　of　Egypt；　or
the　magnificence　of　Solomon　throned　between　the　lions　in
Jerusalem。　　But　the　light　for　which　the　world　is　waiting　is　a　new
light；　the　glory　that　shall　rise　out　of　patient　and　triumphant
suffering。　　And　the　kingdom　which　is　to　be　established　forever　is
a　new　kingdom；　the　royalty　of　unconquerable　love。

〃I　do　not　know　how　this　shall　come　to　pass；　nor　how　the
turbulent　kings　and　peoples　of　earth　shall　be　brought　to
acknowledge　the　Messiah　and　pay　homage　to　him。　　But　this　I
know。　　Those　who　seek　him　will　do　well　to　look　among　the　poor
and　the　lowly；　the　sorrowful　and　the　oppressed。〃

So　I　saw　the　Other　Wise　Man　again　and　again；　travelling
from　place　to　place；　and　searching　among　the　people　of　the
dispersion；　with　whom　the　little　family　from　Bethlehem　might；
perhaps；　have　found　a　refuge。　　He　passed　through　countries
where　famine　lay　heavy　upon　the　land；　and　the　poor　were　crying
for　bread。　　He　made　his　dwelling　in　plague…stricken　cities
where　the　sick　were　languishing　in　the　bitter　companionship　of
helpless　misery。　　He　visited　the　oppressed　and　the　afflicted
in　the　gloom　of　subterranean　prisons；　and　the　crowded
wretchedness　of　slave…markets；　and　the　weary　toil　of
galley…ships。　　In　all　this　populous　and　intricate　world　of
anguish；　though　he　found　none　to　worship；　he　found　many　to　help。
He　fed　the　hungry；　and　clothed　the　naked；　and　healed　the　sick；
and　comforted　the　captive；　and　his　years　passed　more　swiftly　than
the　weaver's　shuttle　that　flashes　back　and　forth　through　the　loom
while　the　web　grows　and　the　pattern　is　completed。

It　seemed　almost　as　if　he　had　forgotten　his　quest。　　But
once　I　saw　him　for　a　moment　as　he　stood　alone　at　sunrise；
waiting　at　the　gate　of　a　Roman　prison。　　He　had　taken　from　a
secret　resting…place　in　his　bosom　the　pearl；　the　last　of　his
jewels。　　As　he　looked　at　it；　a　mellower　lustre；　a　soft　and
iridescent　light；　full　of　shifting　gleams　of　azure　and　rose；
trembled　upon　its　surface。　　It　seemed　to　have　absorbed　some
reflection　of　the　lost　sapphire　and　ruby。　　So　the　secret
purpose　of　a　noble　life　draws　into　itself　the　memories　of　past
joy　and　past　sorrow。　　All　that　has　helped　it；　all　that　has
hindered　it；　is　transfused　by　a　subtle　magic　into　its　very
essence。　　It　becomes　more　luminous　and　precious　the　longer　it
is　carried　close　to　the　warmth　of　the　beating　heart。

Then；　at　last；　while　I　was　thinking　of　this　pearl；　and　of
its　meaning；　I　heard　the　end　of　the　story　of　the　Other　Wise
Man。



V

Three…and…thirty　years　of　the　life　of　Artaban　had　passed　away；
and　he　was　still　a　pilgrim　and　a　seeker　after　light。　　His
hair；　once　darker　than　the　cliffs　of　Zagros；　was　now　white　as
the　wintry　snow　that　covered　them。　　His　eyes；　that　once
flashed　like　flames　of　fire；　were　dull　as　embers　smouldering
among　the　ashes。

Worn　and　weary　and　ready　to　die；　but　still　looking　for　the
King；　he　had　come　for　the　last　time　to　Jerusalem。　　He　had
often　visited　the　holy　city　before；　and　had　searched　all　its
lanes　and　crowded　bevels　and　black　prisons　without　finding　any
trace　of　the　family　of　Nazarenes　who　had　fled　from　Bethlehem
long　ago。　　But　now　it　seemed　as　if　he　must　make　one　more
effort；　and　something　whispered　in　his　heart　that；　at　last；　he
might　succeed。

It　was　the　season　of　the　Passover。　　The　city　was　thronged
with　strangers。　　The　children　of　Israel；　scattered　in　far　lands；
had　returned　to　the　Temple　for　the　great　feast；　and　there　had
been　a　confusion　of　tongues　in　the　narrow　streets　for　many　days。

But　on　this　day　a　singular　agitation　was　visible　in　the
multitude。　　The　sky　was　veiled　with　a　portentous　gloom。
Currents　of　excitement　seemed　to　flash　through　the　crowd。　　A
secret　tide　was　sweeping　them　all　one　way。　　The　clatter　of
sandals　and　the　s