the ninth vibration-第28节

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〃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　and　sinking　of　the　jars　was　the　agony　over　and　the　cries　for　mercy　stilled。　No；　the　Queen's　speech　was　safe　with　her；　but　was　it　safe　with　the　Queen？　For　her　silence；　Dwaymenau　must　take　measures。

Then　she　put　it　all　aside　and　laughed　and　jested　with　the　King　and　did　indeed　for　a　time　forget；　for　she　loved　him　for　his　black…browed　beauty　and　his　courage　and　royalty　and　the　childlike　trust　and　the　man's　passion　that　mingled　in　him　for　her。　Daily　and　nightly　such　prayers　as　she　made　to　strange　gods　were　that　she　might　bear　a　son；　true　son　of　his。

Next　day；　in　the　noonday　stillness　when　all　slept；　she　led　her　young　son　by　the　hand　to　her　secret　chamber；　and；　holding　him　upon　her　knees　in　that　rich　and　golden　place；　she　lifted　his　face　to　hers　and　stared　into　his　eyes。　And　so　unwavering　was　her　gaze；　so　mighty　the　hard；　unblinking　stare　that　his　own　was　held　against　it；　and　he　stared　back　as　the　earth　stares　breathless　at　the　moon。　Gradually　the　terror　faded　out　of　his　eyes；　they　glazed　as　if　in　a　trance；　his　head　fell　stupidly　against　her　bosom；　his　spirit　stood　on　the　borderland　of　being　and　waited。

Seeing　this；　she　took　his　palm　and；　molding　it　like　wax；　into　the　cup　of　it　she　dropped　clear　fluid　from　a　small　vessel　of　pottery　with　the　fylfot　upon　its　side　and　the　disks　of　the　god　Shiva。　And　strange　it　was　to　see　that　lore　of　India　in　the　palace　where　the　Blessed　Law　reigned　in　peace。　Then；　fixing　her　eyes　with　power　upon　Mindon；　she　bade　him；　a　pure　child；　see　for　her　in　its　clearness。

〃Only　virgin…pure　can　see！〃　she　muttered；　staring　into　his　eyes。　〃See！　See！〃

The　eyes　of　Mindon　were　closing。　He　half　opened　them　and　looked　dully　at　his　palm。　His　face　was　pinched　and　yellow。

〃A　woman　…　a　child；　on　a　long　couch。　Dead！　I　see！〃

〃See　her　face。　Is　her　head　crowned　with　the　Queen's　jewels？　See！〃

〃Jewels。　I　cannot　see　her　face。　It　is　hidden。〃

〃Why　is　it　hidden？〃

〃A　robe　across　her　face。　Oh；　let　me　go！〃

〃And　the　child？　See！〃

〃Let　me　go。　Stop　…　my　head　…　my　head！　I　cannot　see。　The　child　is　hidden。　Her　arm　holds　it。　A　woman　stoops　above　them。〃

〃A　woman？　Who？　Is　it　like　me？　Speak！　See！〃

〃A　woman。　It　is　like　you；　mother　…　it　is　like　you。　I　fear　very　greatly。　A　knife　…　a　knife！　Blood！　I　cannot　see　…　I　cannot　speak！　I　…　I　sleep。〃

His　face　was　ghastly　white　now；　his　body　cold　and　collapsed。　Terrified；　she　caught　him　to　her　breast　and　relaxed　the　power　of　her　will　upon　him。　For　that　moment；　she　was　only　the　passionate　mother　and　quaked　to　think　she　might　have　hurt　him。　An　hour　passed　and　he　slept　heavily　in　her　arms；　and　in　agony　she　watched　to　see　the　colour　steal　back　into　the　olive　cheek　and　white　lips。　In　the　second　hour　he　waked　and　stretched　himself　indolently；　yawning　like　a　cat。　Her　tears　dropped　like　rain　upon　him　as　she　clasped　him　violently　to　her。

He　writhed　himself　free；　petulant　and　spoilt。　〃Let　me　be。　I　hate　kisses　and　women's　tricks。　I　want　to　go　forth　and　play。　I　have　had　a　devil's　dream。

〃What　did　you　see　in　your　dream；　prince　of　my　heart？〃　She　caught　frantically　at　the　last　chance。

〃A　deer　…　a　tiger。　I　have　forgotten。　Let　me　go。〃　He　ran　off　and　she　sat　alone　with　her　doubts　and　fears。　Yet　triumph　coloured　them　too。　She　saw　a　dead　woman；　a　dead　child；　and　herself　bending　above　them。　She　hid　the　vessel　in　her　bosom　and　went　out　among　her　women。

Weeks　passed；　and　never　a　word　that　she　dreaded　from　Maya　the　Queen。　The　women　of　Dwaymenau；　questioning　the　Queen's　women；　heard　that　she　seemed　to　have　heavy　sorrow　upon　her。　Her　eyes　were　like　dying　lamps　and　she　faded　as　they。　The　King　never　entered　her　palace。　Drowned　in　Dwaymenau's　wiles　and　beauty；　her　slave；　her　thrall；　he　forgot　all　else　but　his　fighting；　his　hunting　and　his　long　war…boats；　and　whether　the　Queen　lived　or　died；　he　cared　nothing。　Better　indeed　she　should　die　and　her　place　be　emptied　for　the　beloved；　without　offence　to　her　powerful　kindred。

And　now　he　was　to　sail　upon　a　raid　against　the　Shan　Tsaubwa；　who　had　denied　him　t