the ninth vibration-第3节

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orsook　him；　and　without　word　or　sign　he　turned　and　fled　along　the　track；　crashing　through　the　forest　blind　and　mad　with　fear。　It　would　have　been　insanity　to　follow　him；　and　in　India　the　first　rule　of　life　is　that　the　Sahib　shows　no　fear；　so　I　left　him　to　his　fate　whatever　it　might　be；　believing　at　the　same　time　that　a　little　reflection　and　dread　of　the　lonely　forest　would　bring　him　to　heel　quickly。

I　stood　there　and　the　stillness　flowed　like　water　about　me。　It　was　as　though　I　floated　upon　it　…　bathed　in　quiet。　My　thoughts　adjusted　themselves。　Possibly　it　was　not　the　Sukh　Mandir。　Olesen　had　spoken　of　ruin。　I　could　see　none。　At　least　it　was　shelter　from　the　chill　which　is　always　present　at　these　heights　when　the　sun　sets；　…　and　it　was　beautiful　as　a　house　not　made　with　hands。　There　was　a　sense　of　awe　but　no　fear　as　I　went　slowly　up　the　great　steps　and　into　the　gloom　beyond　and　so　gained　the　hall。

The　moon　went　with　me　and　from　a　carven　arch　filled　with　marble　tracery　rained　radiance　that　revealed　and　hid。　Pillars　stood　about　me；　wonderful　with　horses　ramping　forward　as　in　the　Siva　Temple　at　Vellore。　They　appeared　to　spring　from　the　pillars　into　the　gloom　urged　by　invisible　riders；　the　effect　barbarously　rich　and　strange　…　motion　arrested；　struck　dumb　in　a　violent　gesture；　and　behind　them　impenetrable　darkness。　I　could　not　see　the　end　of　this　hall　…　for　the　moon　did　not　reach　it；　but　looking　up　I　beheld　the　walls　fretted　in　great　panels　into　the　utmost　splendour　of　sculpture；　encircling　the　stories　of　the　Gods　amid　a　twining　and　under…weaving　of　leaves　and　flowers。　It　was　more　like　a　temple　than　a　dwelling。　Siva；　as　Nataraja　the　Cosmic　Dancer；　the　Rhythm　of　the　Universe；　danced　before　me；　flinging　out　his　arms　in　the　passion　of　creation。　Kama；　the　Indian　Eros；　bore　his　bow　strung　with　honey…sweet　black　bees　that　typify　the　heart's　desire。　Krishna　the　Beloved　smiled　above　the　herd…maidens　adoring　at　his　feet。　Ganesha　the　Elephant…Headed；　sat　in　massive　calm；　wreathing　his　wise　trunk　about　him。　And　many　more。　But　all　these　so　far　as　I　could　see　tended　to　one　centre　panel　larger　than　any；　representing　two　life…size　figures　of　a　dim　beauty。　At　first　I　could　scarcely　distinguish　one　from　the　other　in　the　upward…reflected　light；　and　then；　even　as　I　stood；　the　moving　moon　revealed　the　two　as　if　floating　in　vapor。　At　once　I　recognized　the　subject　…　I　had　seen　it　already　in　the　ruined　temple　of　Ranipur；　though　the　details　differed。　Parvati；　the　Divine　Daughter　of　the　Himalaya；　the　Emanation　of　the　mighty　mountains；　seated　upon　a　throne；　listening　to　a　girl　who　played　on　a　Pan　pipe　before　her。　The　goddess　sat；　her　chin　leaned　upon　her　hand；　her　shoulders　slightly　inclined　in　a　pose　of　gentle　sweetness；　looking　down　upon　the　girl　at　her　feet；　absorbed　in　the　music　of　the　hills　and　lonely　places。　A　band　of　jewels；　richly　wrought；　clasped　the　veil　on　her　brows；　and　below　the　bare　bosom　a　glorious　girdle　clothed　her　with　loops　and　strings　and　tassels　of　jewels　that　fell　to　her　knees　…　her　only　garment。

The　girl　was　a　lovely　image　of　young　womanhood；　the　proud　swell　of　the　breast　tapering　to　the　slim　waist　and　long　limbs　easily　folded　as　she　half　reclined　at　the　divine　feet；　her　lips　pressed　to　the　pipe。　Its　silent　music　mysteriously　banished　fear。　The　sleep　must　be　sweet　indeed　that　would　come　under　the　guardianship　of　these　two　fair　creatures　…　their　gracious　influence　was　dewy　in　the　air。　I　resolved　that　I　would　spend　the　night　beside　them。　Now　with　the　march　of　the　moon　dim　vistas　of　the　walls　beyond　sprang　into　being。　Strange　mythologies　…　the　incarnations　of　Vishnu　the　Preserver；　the　Pastoral　of　Krishna　the　Beautiful。　I　promised　myself　that　next　day　I　would　sketch　some　of　the　loveliness　about　me。　But　the　moon　was　passing　on　her　way　…　I　folded　the　coat　I　carried　into　a　pillow　and　lay　down　at　the　feet　of　the　goddess　and　her　nymph。　Then　a　moonlit　quiet　I　slept　in　a　dream　of　peace。

Sleep　annihilates　time。　Was　it　long　or　short　when　I　woke　like　a　man　floating　up　to　the　surface　from　tranquil　deeps？　That　I　cannot　tell；　but　once　more　I　possessed　myself　and　every　sense　was　on　guard。

My　hearing　first。　Bare　feet　were　coming；　falling　softly　as　leaves；　but　unmistakable。　There　was　a　dim　whispering　but　I　could　hear　no　word。　I　rose　on　my　elbow　and　looked　down　the　long　hall。　Nothing。　The　moonlight　lay　in　pools　of　light　and　seas　of　shadow　on　the　floor；　and　the　feet　drew　nearer。　Was　I　afraid？　I　cannot　tell；　but　a　deep　expectation　possessed　me　as　the　sound　grew　like　the　rustle　of　grasses　parted　in　a　fluttering　breeze；　and　now　a　girl　came　swiftly　up　the　steps；　irradiate　in　the　moonlight；　and　passing　up　the　hall　stood　beside　me。　I　could　see　her　robe；　her　feet　bare　from　the　jungle；　but　her　face　wavered　and　changed　and　re…　united　like　the　face　of　a　dream　woman。　I　could　not　fix　it　for　one　moment；　yet　knew　this　was　the　messenger　for　whom　I　had　waited　all　my　life　…　for　whom　one　strange　experience；　not　to　be　told　at　present；　had　prepared　me　in　early　manhood。　Words　came；　and　I　said：

〃Is　this　a　dream？〃

〃No。　We　meet　in　the　Ninth　Vibration。　All　here　is　true。〃

〃Is　a　dream　never　true？〃

〃Sometimes　it　is　the　echo　of　the　Ninth　Vibration　and　therefore　a　harmonic　of　truth。　You　are　awake　now。　It　is　the　day…time　that　is　the　sleep　of　the　soul。　You　are　in　the　Lower　Perception；　wherein　the　truth　behind　the　veil　of　what　men　call　Reality　is　perceived。〃

〃Can　I　ascend？〃

〃I　cannot　tell。　That　is　for　you；　not　me。

〃What　do　I　perceive　tonight？〃

〃The　Present　as　it　is　in　the　Eternal。　Say　no　more。　Come　with　me。〃

She　stretched　her　hand　and　took　mine　with　the　assurance　of　a　goddess；　and　we　went　up　the　hall　where　the　night　had　been　deepest　between　the　great　pillars。

Now　it　is　very　clear　to　me　that　in　every　land　men；　when　the　doors　of　perception　are　opened；　will　see　what　we　call　the　Supernatural　clothed　in　the　image　in　which　that　country　has　accepted　it。　Blake；　the　mighty　mystic；　will　see　the　Angels　of　the　Revelation；　driving　their　terrible　way　above　Lambeth　…　it　is　not　common　nor　unclean。　The　fisherman；　plying　his　coracle　on　the　Thames　will　behold　the　consecration　of　the　great　new　Abbey　of　Westminster　celebrated　with　mass　and　chant　and　awful　lights　in　the　dead　mid…noon　of　night　by　that　Apostle　who　is　the　Rock　of　the　Church。　Before　him　who　wanders　in　Thessaly　Pan　will　brush　the　dewy　lawns　and　slim…girt　Artemis　pursue　the　flying　hart。　In　the　pale　gold　of　Egyptian　sands　the　heavy　brows　of　Osiris　crowned　with　the　pshent　will　brood　above　the　seer　and　the　veil　of　Isis　tremble　to　the　lifting。　For　all　this　is　the　rhythm　to　which　the　souls　of　men　are　attuned　and　in　that　vibration　they　will　see；　and　no　other；　since　in　this　the　very　mountains　and　trees　of　the　land　are　rooted。　So　here；　where　our　remote　ancestors　worshipped　the　Gods　of　Nature；　we　must　needs　stand　before　the　Mystic　Mother　of　India；　the　divine　daughter　of　the　Himalaya。

How　shall　I　describe　the　world　we　entered？　The　carvings　upon　the　walls　had　taken　life　…　they　had　descended。　It　was　a　gathering　of　the　dreams　men　have　dreamed　here　of　the　Gods；　yet　most　real　and　actual。　They　watched　in　a　serenity　that　set　them　apart　in　an　atmosphere　of　their　own　…　forms　of　indistinct　majesty　and　august　beauty；　absolute；　simple；　and　everlasting。　I　saw　them　as　one　sees　reflections　in　rippled　water　…　no　more。　But　all　faces　turned　to　the　place　where　now　a　green　and　flowering　leafage　enshrined　and　partly　hid　the　living　Nature　Goddess；　as　she　listened　to　a　voice　that　was　not　dumb　to　me。　I　saw　her　face　only　in　glimpses　of　an　indescribable　sweetness；　but　an　influence　came　from　her　presence　like　the　scent　of　rainy　pine　forests；　the　coolness　that　breathes　from　great　rivers；　the　passion　of　Spring　when　she　breaks　on　the　world　with　a　wave　of　flowers。　Healing　and　life　flowed　from　it。　Understanding　also。　It　seemed　I　could　interpret　the　very　silence　of　the　trees　outside　into　the　expression　of　their　inner　life；　the　running　of　the　green　life…blood　in　their　veins；　the　delicate　trembling　of　their　finger…tips。

My　companion　and　I　were　not　heeded。　We　stood　hand　in　hand　like　children　who　have　innocently　strayed　into　a　palace；　gazing　in　wonderment。　The　august　life　went　its　way　upon　its　own　occasions；　and；　if　we　would；　we　might　watch。　Then　the　voice；　clear　and　cold；　proceeding；　as　it　were；　with　some　story　begun　before　we　had　strayed　into　the　Presence；　the　whole　assembly　listening　in　silence。

〃…　and　as　it　has　been　so　it　will　be；　for　the　Law　will　have　the　blind　soul　carried　into　a　body　which　is　a　record　of　the　sins　it　has　committed；　and　will　not　suffer　that　soul　to　escape　from　rebirth　into　bodies　until　it　has　seen　the　truth　…〃

And　even　as　this　was　said　and　I　listened；　knowing　myself　on　the　verge　of　some　great　knowledge；　I　felt　sleep　beginning　to　weigh　upon　my　eyelids。　The　sound　blurred；　flowed　unsyllabled　as　a　stream；　the　girl's　hand　grew　light　in　mine；　she　was　fading；　becoming　unreal；　I　saw　her　eyes　like　faint　stars　in　a　mist。　They　were　gone。　Arms　seemed　to　receive　me　…　to　lay　me　to　sleep　and　I　sank　below　consciousness；　and　the　night　took　me。

When　I　awoke　the　radiant　arrows　of　the　morning　were　shooting　into　the　long　hall　where　I　lay；　but　as　I　rose　and　looked　about　me；　strange　…　most　strange；　ruin　encircled　me　everywhere。　The　blue　sky　was　the　ro