the ninth vibration-第27节

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　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　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　devi