dreams-第4节

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ad　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　me　watching。　And　I　said　to　him；　〃What　is　this　huge　creature　who　lies　here　on　the　sand？〃

And　he　said；　〃This　is　woman；　she　that　bears　men　in　her　body。〃

And　I　said；　〃Why　does　she　lie　here　motionless　with　the　sand　piled　round　her？〃

And　he　answered；　〃Listen；　I　will　tell　you！　　Ages　and　ages　long　she　has　lain　here；　and　the　wind　has　blown　over　her。　　The　oldest；　oldest；　oldest　man　living　has　never　seen　her　move：　　the　oldest；　oldest　book　records　that　she　lay　here　then；　as　she　lies　here　now；　with　the　sand　about　her。　　But　listen！　Older　than　the　oldest　book；　older　than　the　oldest　recorded　memory　of　man；　on　the　Rocks　of　Language；　on　the　hard…baked　clay　of　Ancient　Customs；　now　crumbling　to　decay；　are　found　the　marks　of　her　footsteps！　　Side　by　side　with　his　who　stands　beside　her　you　may　trace　them；　and　you　know　that　she　who　now　lies　there　once　wandered　free　over　the　rocks　with　him。〃

And　I　said；　〃Why　does　she　lie　there　now？〃

And　he　said；　〃I　take　it；　ages　ago　the　Age…of…dominion…of…muscular…force　found　her；　and　when　she　stooped　low　to　give　suck　to　her　young；　and　her　back　was　broad；　he　put　his　burden　of　subjection　on　to　it；　and　tied　it　on　with　the　broad　band　of　Inevitable　Necessity。　　Then　she　looked　at　the　earth　and　the　sky；　and　knew　there　was　no　hope　for　her；　and　she　lay　down　on　the　sand　with　the　burden　she　could　not　loosen。　　Ever　since　she　has　lain　here。　　And　the　ages　have　come；　and　the　ages　have　gone；　but　the　band　of　Inevitable　Necessity　has　not　been　cut。〃

And　I　looked　and　saw　in　her　eyes　the　terrible　patience　of　the　centuries；　the　ground　was　wet　with　her　tears；　and　her　nostrils　blew　up　the　sand。

And　I　said；　〃Has　she　ever　tried　to　move？〃

And　he　said；　〃Sometimes　a　limb　has　quivered。　　But　she　is　wise；　she　knows　she　cannot　rise　with　the　burden　on　her。〃

And　I　said；　〃Why　does　not　he　who　stands　by　her　leave　her　and　go　on？〃

And　he　said；　〃He　cannot。　　Look〃

And　I　saw　a　broad　band　passing　along　the　ground　from　one　to　the　other；　and　it　bound　them　together。

He　said；　〃While　she　lies　there　he　must　stand　and　look　across　the　desert。〃

And　I　said；　〃Does　he　know　why　he　cannot　move？〃

And　he　said；　〃No。〃

And　I　heard　a　sound　of　something　cracking；　and　I　looked；　and　I　saw　the　band　that　bound　the　burden　on　to　her　back　broken　asunder；　and　the　burden　rolled　on　to　the　ground。

And　I　said；　〃What　is　this？〃

And　he　said；　〃The　Age…of…muscular…force　is　dead。　　The　Age…of…nervous…force　has　killed　him　with　the　knife　he　holds　in　his　hand；　and　silently　and　invisibly　he　has　crept　up　to　the　woman；　and　with　that　knife　of　Mechanical　Invention　he　has　cut　the　band　that　bound　the　burden　to　her　back。　　The　Inevitable　Necessity　it　broken。　　She　might　rise　now。〃

And　I　saw　that　she　still　lay　motionless　on　the　sand；　with　her　eyes　open　and　her　neck　stretched　out。　　And　she　seemed　to　look　for　something　on　the　far…　off　border　of　the　desert　that　never　came。　　And　I　wondered　if　she　were　awake　or　asleep。　　And　as　I　looked　her　body　quivered；　and　a　light　came　into　her　eyes；　like　when　a　sunbeam　breaks　into　a　dark　room。

I　said；　〃What　is　it？〃

He　whispered　〃Hush！　the　thought　has　come　to　her；　'Might　I　not　rise？'〃

And　I　looked。　　And　she　raised　her　head　from　the　sand；　and　I　saw　the　dent　where　her　neck　had　lain　so　long。　　And　she　looked　at　the　earth；　and　she　looked　at　the　sky；　and　she　looked　at　him　who　stood　by　her：　　but　he　looked　out　across　the　desert。

And　I　saw　her　body　quiver；　and　she　pressed　her　front　knees　to　the　earth；　and　veins　stood　out；　and　I　cried；　〃She　is　going　to　rise！〃

But　only　her　sides　heaved；　and　she　lay　still　where　she　was。

But　her　head　she　held　up；　she　did　not　lay　it　down　again。　　And　he　beside　me　said；　〃She　is　very　weak。　　See；　her　legs　have　been　crushed　under　her　so　long。〃

And　I　saw　the　creature　struggle：　　and　the　drops　stood　out　on　her。

And　I　said；　〃Surely　he　who　stands　beside　her　will　help　her？〃

And　he　beside　me　answered；　〃He　cannot　help　her：　　she　must　help　herself。　　Let　her　struggle　till　she　is　strong。〃

And　I　cried；　〃At　least　he　will　not　hinder　her！　　See；　he　moves　farther　from　her；　and　tightens　the　cord　between　them；　and　he　drags　her　down。