the ninth vibration-第4节

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e　and　looked　about　me；　strange　…　most　strange；　ruin　encircled　me　everywhere。　The　blue　sky　was　the　roof。　What　I　had　thought　a　palace　lost　in　the　jungle；　fit　to　receive　its　King　should　he　enter；　was　now　a　broken　hall　of　State；　the　shattered　pillars　were　festooned　with　waving　weeds；　the　many　coloured　lantana　grew　between　the　fallen　blocks　of　marble。　Even　the　sculptures　on　the　walls　were　difficult　to　decipher。　Faintly　I　could　trace　a　hand；　a　foot；　the　orb　of　a　woman's　bosom；　the　gracious　outline　of　some　young　God；　standing　above　a　crouching　worshipper。　No　more。　Yes；　and　now　I　saw　above　me　as　the　dawn　touched　it　the　form　of　the　Dweller　in　the　Windhya　Hills；　Parvati　the　Beautiful；　leaning　softly　over　something　breathing　music　at　her　feet。　Yet　I　knew　I　could　trace　the　almost　obliterated　sculpture　only　because　I　had　already　seen　it　defined　in　perfect　beauty。　A　deep　crack　ran　across　the　marble；　it　was　weathered　and　stained　by　many　rains；　and　little　ferns　grew　in　the　crevices；　but　I　could　reconstruct　every　line　from　my　own　knowledge。　And　how？　The　Parvati　of　Ranipur　differed　in　many　important　details。　She　stood；　bending　forward；　wheras　this　sweet　Lady　sat。　Her　attendants　were　small　satyr…like　spirits　of　the　wilds；　piping　and　fluting；　in　place　of　the　reclining　maiden。　The　sweeping　scrolls　of　a　great　halo　encircled　her　whole　person。　Then　how　could　I　tell　what　this　neary　obliterated　carving　had　been？　I　groped　for　the　answer　and　could　not　find　it。　I　doubted…

　　〃Were　such　things　here　as　we　do　speak　about？　　　Or　have　we　eaten　of　the　insane　root　　　That　takes　the　reason　captive？〃

Memory　rushed　over　me　like　the　sea　over　dry　sands。　A　girl　…　there　had　been　a　girl　…　we　had　stood　with　clasped　hands　to　hear　a　strange　music；　but　in　spite　of　the　spiritual　intimacy　of　those　moments　I　could　not　recall　her　face。　I　saw　it　cloudy　against　a　background　of　night　and　dream；　the　eyes　remote　as　stars；　and　so　it　eluded　me。　Only　her　presence　and　her　words　sur…　vived；　〃We　meet　in　the　Ninth　Vibration。　All　here　is　true。〃　But　the　Ninth　Vibration　itself　was　dream…land。　I　had　never　heard　the　phrase　…　I　could　not　tell　what　was　meant；　nor　whether　my　apprehension　was　true　or　false。　I　knew　only　that　the　night　had　taken　her　and　the　dawn　denied　her；　and　that；　dream　or　no　dream；　I　stood　there　with　a　pang　of　loss　that　even　now　leaves　me　wordless。

A　bird　sang　outside　in　the　acacias；　clear　and　shrill　for　day；　and　this　awakened　my　senses　and　lowered　me　to　the　plane　where　I　became　aware　of　cold　and　hunger；　and　was　chilled　with　dew。　I　passed　down　the　tumbled　steps　that　had　been　a　stately　ascent　the　night　before　and　made　my　way　into　the　jungle　by　the　trail；　small　and　lost　in　fern；　by　which　we　had　come。　Again　I　wandered；　and　it　was　high　noon　before　I　heard　mule　bells　at　a　distance；　and；　thus　guided；　struck　down　through　the　green　tangle　to　find　myself；　wearied　but　safe；　upon　the　bridle　way　that　leads　to　Fagu　and　the　far　Shipki。　Two　coolies　then　directed　me　to　The　House　in　the　Woods。

All　was　anxiety　there。　Ali　Khan　had　arrived　in　the　night；　having　found　his　way　under　the　guidance　of　blind　flight　and　fear。　He　had　brought　the　news　that　I　was　lost　in　the　jungle　and　amid　the　dwellings　of　demons。　It　was；　of　course；　hopeless　to　search　in　the　dark；　though　the　khansamah　and　his　man　had　gone　as　far　as　they　dared　with　lanterns　and　shouting；　and　with　the　daylight　they　tried　again　and　were　even　now　away。　It　was　useless　to　reproach　the　man　even　if　I　had　cared　to　do　so。　His　ready　plea　was　that　as　far　as　men　were　concerned　he　was　as　brave　as　any　（which　was　true　enough　as　I　had　reason　to　know　later）　but　that　when　it　came　to　devilry　the　Twelve　Imaums　themselves　would　think　twice　before　facing　it。

〃Inshalla　ta…Alla！　（If　the　sublime　God　wills！）　this　unworthy　one　will　one　day　show　the　Protector　of　the　poor；　that　he　is　a　respectable　person　and　no　coward；　but　it　is　only　the　Sahibs　who　laugh　in　the　face　of　devils。〃

He　went　off　to　prepare　me　some　food；　consumed　with　curiosity　as　to　my　adventures；　and　when　I　had　eaten　I　found　my　tiny　whitewashed　cell；　for　the　room　was　little　more；　and　slept　for　hours。

Late　in　the　afternoon　I　waked　and　looked　out。　A；　low　but　glowing　sunlight　suffused　the　wild　garden　reclaimed　from　the　strangle…hold　of　the　jungle　and　hemmed　in　with　rocks　and　forest。　A　few　simple　flowers　had　been　planted　here　and　there；　but　its　chief　beauty　was　a　mountain　stream；　brown　and　clear　as　the　eyes　of　a　dog；　that　fell　from　a　crag　above　into　a　rocky　basin；　maidenhair　ferns　growing　in　such　masses　about　it　that　it　was　henceforward　scarcely　more　than　a　woodland　voice。　Beside　it　two　great　deodars　spread　their　canopies；　and　there　a　woman　sat　in　a　low　chair；　a　girl　beside　her　reading　aloud。　She　had　thrown　her　hat　off　and　the　sunshine　turned　her　massed　dark　hair　to　bronze。　That　was　all　I　could　see。　I　went　out　and　joined　them；　taking　the　note　of　introduction　which　Olesen　had　given　me。

I　pass　over　the　unessentials　of　my　story；　their　friendly　greetings　and　sympathy　for　my　adventure。　It　set　us　at　ease　at　once　and　I　knew　my　stay　would　be　the　happier　for　their　presence　though　it　is　not　every　woman　one　would　choose　as　a　companion　in　the　great　mountain　country。　But　what　is　germane　to　my　purpose　must　be　told；　and　of　this　a　part　is　the　per…　sonality　of　Brynhild　Ingmar。　That　she　was　beautiful　I　never　doubted；　though　I　have　heard　it　disputed　and　smiled　inwardly　as　the　disputants　urged　lip　and　cheek　and　shades　of　rose　and　lily；　weighing　and　appraising。　Let　me　describe　her　as　I　saw　her　or；　rather；　as　I　can；　adding　that　even　without　all　this　she　must　still　have　been　beautiful　because　of　the　deep　significance　to　those　who　had　eyes　to　see　or　feel　some　mysterious　element　which　mingled　itself　with　her　presence　comparable　only　to　the　delight　which　the　power　and　spiritual　essence　of　Nature　inspires　in　all　but　the　dullest　minds。　I　know　I　cannot　hope　to　convey　this　in　words。　It　means　little　if　I　say　I　thought　of　all　quiet　lovely　solitary　things　when　I　looked　into　her　calm　eyes；　…　that　when　she　moved　it　was　like　clear　springs　renewed　by　flowing；　that　she　seemed　the　perfect　flowering　of　a　day　in　June；　for　these　are　phrases。　Does　Nature　know　her　wonders　when　she　shines　in　her　strength？　Does　a　woman　know　the　infinite　meanings　her　beauty　may　have　for　the　beholder？　I　cannot　tell。　Nor　can　I　tell　if　I　saw　this　girl　as　she　may　have　seemed　to　those　who　read　only　the　letter　of　the　book　and　are　blind　to　its　spirit；　or　in　the　deepest　sense　as　she　really　was　in　the　sight　of　That　which　created　her　and　of　which　she　was　a　part。　Surely　it　is　a　proof　of　the　divinity　of　love　that　in　and　for　a　moment　it　lifts　the　veil　of　so…called　reality　and　shows　each　to　the　other　mysteriously　perfect　and　inspiring　as　the　world　will　never　see　them；　but　as　they　exist　in　the　Eternal；　and　in　the　sight　of　those　who　have　learnt　that　the　material　is　but　the　dream；　and　the　vision　of　love　the　truth。

I　will　say　then；　for　the　alphabet　of　what　I　knew　but　cannot　tell；　that　she　had　the　low　broad　brows　of　a　Greek　Nature　Goddess；　the　hair　swept　back　wing…like　from　the　temples　and　massed　with　a　noble　luxuriance。　It　lay　like　rippled　bronze；　suggesting　something　strong　and　serene　in　its　essence。　Her　eyes　were　clear　and　gray　as　water；　the　mouth　sweetly　curved　above　a　resolute　chin。　It　was　a　face　which　recalled　a　modelling　in　marble　rather　than　the　charming　pastel　and　aquarelle　of　a　young　woman's　colouring；　and　somehow　I　thought　of　it　less　as　the　beauty　of　a　woman　than　as　some　sexless　emanation　of　natural　things；　and　this　impression　was　strengthened　by　her　height　and　the　long　limbs；　slender　and　strong　as　those　of　some　youth　trained　in　the　pentathlon；　subject　to　the　severest　discipline　until　all　that　was　superfluous　was　fined　away　and　the　perfect　form　expressing　the　true　being　emerged。　The　body　was　thus　more　beautiful　than　the　face；　and　I　may　note　in　passing　that　this　is　often　the　case；　because　the　face　is　more　directly　the　index　of　the　restless　and　unhappy　soul　within　and　can　attain　true　beauty　only　when　the　soul　is　in　harmony　with　its　source。

She　was　a　little　like　her　pale　and　wearied　mother。　She　might　resemble　her　still　more　when　the　sorrow　of　this　world　that　worketh　death　should　have　had　its　will　of　her。　I　had　yet　to　learn　that　this　would　never　be　…　that　she　had　found　the　open　door　of　escape。

We　three　spent　much　time　together　in　the　days　that　followed。　I　never　tired　of　their　company　and　I　think　they　did　not　tire　of　mine；　for　my　wanderings　through　the　world　and　my　studies　in　the　ancient　Indian　literatures　and　faiths　with　the　Pandit　Devaswami　were　of　interest　to　them　both　though　in　entirely　different　ways。　Mrs。　Ingmar　was　a　woman　who　centred　all　her　interests　in　books　and　chiefly　in　the　scientific　forms　of　occult　research。　She　was　no　believer　in　anything　outside　the　range　of　what　she　called　human　experience。　The　evidences　had　convinced　her　of　nothing　but　a　force　as　yet　unclassified　in　the　scientific　categories　and　all　her　interest　lay　in　the　undeveloped　powers　of　brain　which　might　be　discovered　in　the　course　of　ignorant　and　credulous　experiment。　We　met　therefore　on　the　common　ground　of　rejection　of　the　so…called　occultism　of　the　day；　though　I　knew　even　then；　and　how　infinitely　better　now；　that　her　constructions　were　wholly　misleading。

Nearly　all　day　she　would　lie　in　he