the ninth vibration-第36节

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And　Ustad　Isa　said：…　〃0　dream；　if　this　sweetness　be　but　a　dream；　let　me　never　wake！　Let　me　see　forever　this　exquisite　work　of　Allah　the　Maker；　before　whom　all　the　craftsmen　are　as　children！　For　my　knowledge　is　as　nothing；　and　I　am　ashamed　in　its　presence。〃

And　as　he　spoke；　she　turned　those　brimming　eyes　on　him；　and　he　saw　her　slowly　absorbed　into　the　glory　of　the　moonlight；　but　as　she　faded　into　dream；　he　beheld；　slowly　rising；　where　her　feet　had　hung　in　the　blessed　air；　a　palace　of　whiteness；　warm　as　ivory；　cold　as　chastity；　domes　and　cupolas；　slender　minars；　arches　of　marble　fretted　into　sea…foam；　screen　within　screen　of　purest　marble；　to　hide　the　sleeping　beauty　of　a　great　Queen　…　silence　in　the　heart　of　it；　and　in　every　line　a　harmony　beyond　all　music。　Grace　was　about　it　…　the　grace　of　a　Queen　who　prays　and　does　not　command；　who；　seated　in　her　royalty　yet　inclines　all　hearts　to　love。　Arid　he　saw　that　its　grace　was　her　grace；　and　its　soul　her　soul；　and　that　she　gave　it　for　the　consolation　of　the　Emperor。

And　he　fell　on　his　face　and　worshipped　the　Master…Builder　of　the　Universe；　saying；…　〃Praise　cannot　express　thy　Perfection。　Thine　Essence　confounds　thought。　Surely　I　am　but　the　tool　in　the　hand　of　the　Builder。〃

And　when　he　awoke；　he　was　lying　in　his　own　secret　chamber；　but　beside　him　was　a　drawing　such　as　the　craftsmen　make　of　the　work　they　have　imagined　in　their　hearts。　And　it　was　the　Palace　of　the　Tomb。

Henceforward；　how　should　he　waver？　He　was　as　a　slave　who　obeys　his　master；　and　with　haste　he　summoned　to　Agra　his　Army　of　Beauty。

Then　were　assembled　all　the　master　craftsmen　of　India　and　of　the　outer　world。　From　Delhi；　from　Shiraz；　even　from　Baghdad　and　Syria；　they　came。　Muhammad　Hanif；　the　wise　mason；　came　from　Kandahar；　Muhammad　Sayyid　from　Mooltan。　Amanat　Khan；　and　other　great　writers　of　the　holy　Koran；　who　should　make　the　scripts　of　the　Book　upon　fine　marble。　Inlayers　from　Kanauj；　with　fingers　like　those　of　the　Spirits　that　bowed　before　Solomon　the　King；　who　should　make　beautiful　the　pure　stone　with　inlay　of　jewels；　as　did　their　forefathers　for　the　Rajah　of　Mewar；　mighty　dealers　with　agate；　cornelian；　and　lapis　lazuli。　Came　also；　from　Bokhara；　Ata　Muhammad　and　Shakri　Muhammad；　that　they　might　carve　the　lilies　of　the　field；　very　glorious；　about　that　Flower　of　the　World。　Men　of　India；　men　of　Persia；　men　of　the　outer　lands；　they　came　at　the　bidding　of　Ustad　Isa；　that　the　spirit　of　his　vision　might　be　made　manifest。

And　a　great　council　was　held　among　these　servants　of　beauty。　so　they　made　a　model　in　little　of　the　glory　that　was　to　be；　and　laid　it　at　the　feet　of　the　Shah…in…Shah；　and　he　allowed　it；　though　not　as　yet　fully　discerning　their　intent。　And　when　it　was　approved；　Ustad　Isa　called　to　him　a　man　of　Kashmir；　and　the　very　hand　of　the　Creator　was　upon　this　man；　for　he　could　make　gardens　second　only　to　the　Gardens　of　Paradise；　having　been　born　by　that　Dal　Lake　where　are　those　roses　of　the　earth；　the　Shalimar　and　the　Nishat　Bagh；　and　to　him　said　Ustad　Isa；…

〃Behold；　Rain　Lal　Kashmiri；　consider　this　design！　Thus　and　thus　shall　a　white　palace；　exquisite　in　perfection；　arise　on　the　banks　of　Jumna。　Here；　in　little；　in　this　model　of　sandalwood；　see　what　shall　be。　Consider　these　domes；　rounded　as　the　Bosom　of　Beauty；　recalling　the　mystic　fruit　of　the　lotus　flower。　Consider　these　four　minars　that　stand　about　them　like　Spirits　about　the　Throne。　And　remembering　that　all　this　shall　stand　upon　a　great　dais　of　purest　marble；　and　that　the　river　shall　be　its　mirror；　repeating　to　everlasting　its　loveliness；　make　me　a　garden　that　shall　be　the　throne　room　to　this　Queen。〃

And　Ram　Lal　Kashmiri　salaamed　and　said；　〃Obedience！〃　and　went　forth　and　pondered　night　and　day；　journeying　even　over　the　snows　of　the　Pir　Panjal　to　Kashmir；　that　he　might　bathe　his　eyes　in　beauty　where　she　walks；　naked　and　divine；　upon　the　earth。　and　he　it　was　who　imagined　the　black　marble　and　white　that　made　the　way　of　approach。

So　grew　the　palace　that　should　murmur；　like　a　seashell；　in　the　ear　of　the　world　the　secret　of　love。

Veiled　had　that　loveliness　been　in　the　shadow　of　the　palace；　but　now　the　sun　should　rise　upon　it　and　turn　its　ivory　to　gold；　should　set　upon　it　and　flush　its　snow　with　rose。　The　moon　should　lie　upon　it　like　the　pearls　upon　her　bosom；　the　visible　grace　of　her　presence　breathe　about　it；　the　music　of　her　voice　hover　in　the　birds　and　trees　of　the　garden。　Times　there　were　when　Ustad　Isa　despaired　lest　even　these　mighty　servants　of　beauty　should　miss　perfection。　Yet　it　grew　and　grew；　rising　like　the　growth　of　a　flower。

So　on　a　certain　day　it　stood　completed；　and　beneath　the　small　tomb　in　the　sanctuary；　veiled　with　screens　of　wrought　marble　so　fine　that　they　might　lift　in　the　breeze；　…　the　veils　of　a　Queen；　…　slept　the　Lady　Arjemand；　and　above　her　a　narrow　coffer　of　white　marble；　enriched　in　a　great　script　with　the　Ninety…Nine　Wondrous　Names　of　God。　And　the　Shah…in…Shah；　now　grey　and　worn；　entered　and；　standing　by　her；　cried　in　a　loud　voice；　…　〃I　ascribe　to　the　Unity；　the　only　Creator；　the　perfection　of　his　handiwork　made　visible　here　by　the　hand　of　mortal　man。　For　the　beauty　that　was　secret　in　my　Palace　is　here　revealed；　and　the　Crowned　Lady　shall　sit　forever　upon　the　banks　of　the　Jumna　River。　It　was　love　that　commanded　this　Tomb。〃

And　the　golden　echo　carried　his　voice　up　into　the　high　dome；　and　it　died　away　in　whispers　of　music。

But　Ustad　Isa　standing　far　off　in　the　throng　（for　what　are　craftsmen　in　the　presence　of　the　mighty？）；　said　softly　in　his　beard；　〃It　was　Love　also　that　built；　and　therefore　it　shall　endure。〃

Now　it　is　told　that；　on　a　certain　night　in　summer；　when　the　moon　is　full；　a　man　who　lingers　by　the　straight　water；　where　the　cypresses　stand　over　their　own　image；　may　see　a　strange　marvel　…　may　see　the　Palace　of　the　Taj　dissolve　like　a　pearl；　and　so　rise　in　a　mist　into　the　moonlight；　and　in　its　place；　on　her　dais　of　white　marble；　he　shall　see　the　Lady　Arjemand；　Mumtaz…i…Mahal；　the　Chosen　of　the　Palace；　stand　there　in　the　white　perfection　of　beauty；　smiling　as　one　who　hath　attained　unto　the　Peace。　For　she　is　its　soul。

And　kneeling　before　the　dais；　he　shall　see　Ustad　Isa；　who　made　this　body　of　her　beauty；　and　his　face　is　hidden　in　his　hands。




〃HOW　GREAT　IS　THE　GLORY　OF　KWANNON！〃

A　JAPANESE　STORY


（0　Lovely　One…O　thou　Flower！　With　Thy　beautiful　face；　with　Thy　beautiful　eyes；　pour　light　upon　the　world！　Adoration　to　Kwannon。）

In　Japan　in　the　days　of　the　remote　Ancestors；　near　the　little　village　of　Shiobara；　the　river　ran　through　rocks　of　a　very　strange　blue　colour；　and　the　bed　of　the　river　was　also　composed　of　these　rocks；　so　that　the　clear　water　ran　blue　as　turquoise　gems　to　the　sea。

The　great　forests　murmured　beside　it；　and　through　their　swaying　boughs　was　breathed　the　song　of　Eternity。　Those　who　listen　may　hear　if　their　ears　are　open。　To　others　it　is　but　the　idle　sighing　of　the　wind。

Now　because　of　all　this　beauty　there　stood　in　these　forests　a　roughly　built　palace　of　unbarked　wood；　and　here　the　great　Emperor　would　come　from　City…Royal　to　seek　rest　for　his　doubtful　thoughts　and　the　cares　of　state；　turning　aside　often　to　see　the　moonlight　in　Shiobara。　He　sought　also　the　free　air　and　the　sound　of　falling　water；　yet　dearer　to　him　than　the　plucked　strings　of　sho　and　biwa。　For　he　said；

〃Where　and　how　shall　We　find　peace　even　for　a　moment；　and　afford　Our　heart　refreshment　even　for　a　single　second？〃

And　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　found　such　moments　at　Shiobara。

Only　one　of　his　great　nobles　would　His　Majesty　bring　with　him　…　the　Dainagon；　and　him　be　chose　because　he　was　a　worthy　and　honorable　person　and　very　simple　of　heart。

There　was　yet　another　reason　why　the　Son　of　Heaven　inclined　to　the　little　Shiobara。　It　had　reached　the　Emperor　that　a　Recluse　of　the　utmost　sanctity　dwelt　in　that　forest。　His　name　was　Semimaru。　He　had　made　himself　a　small　hut　in　the　deep　woods；　much　as　a　decrepit　silkworm　might　spin　his　last　Cocoon　and　there　had　the　Peace　found　him。

It　had　also　reached　His　Majesty　that；　although　blind；　be　was　exceedingly　skilled　in　the　art　of　playing　the　biwa；　both　in　the　Flowing　Fount　manner　and　the　Woodpecker　manner；　and　that；　especially　on　nights　when　the　moon　was　full；　this　aged　man　made　such　music　as　transported　the　soul。　This　music　His　Majesty　desired　very　greatly　to　hear。

Never　had　Semimaru　left　his　hut　save　to　gather　wood　or　seek　food　until　the　Divine　Emperor　commanded　his　attendance　that　he　might　soothe　his　august　heart　with　music。

Now　on　this　night　of　nights　the　moon　was　full　and　the　snow　heavy　on　the　pines；　and　the　earth　was　white　also；　and　when　the　moon　shone　through　the　boughs　it　made　a　cold　light　like　dawn；　and　the　shadows　of　the　trees　were　black　upon　it。

The　attendants　of　His　Majesty　long　since　slept　for　sheer　weariness；　for　the　night　was　far　spent；　but　the　Emperor　and　the　Dainagon　still　sat　with　their　eyes　fixed　on　the　venerable　Semimaru。　For　many　hours　he　had　played；　drawing　strange　music　from　his　biwa。　Sometimes　it　had　been　like　rain　blowing　over　the　plains　of　Adzuma；　sometimes　like　the　winds　roaring　down　the　passes　of　the　Yoshino　Mountains；　and　yet　again　like　the　voice　of　far　cities。　For　many　hours　they　listened　without　weariness；　and　thought　that　all