the hungry stones and other stories-第11节

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eeting；　and　formed　themselves　into　a　Committee；　to　find　some　obsolete　dealing　with　the　question；　the　Three　Companions　themselves　were　eating　all　they　could　find；　and　drinking　out　of　every　vessel；　and　breaking　all　regulations。

Even　the　Twos　and　Threes　were　shocked　at　this　outrageous　behaviour。　　The　Threes　said；　〃Brother　Twos；　these　people　are　openly　shameless！〃　　And　the　Twos　said：　〃Brother　Threes；　they　are　evidently　of　lower　caste　than　ourselves！　〃After　their　meal　was　over；　the　Three　Companions　went　for　a　stroll　in　the　city。

When　they　saw　the　ponderous　people　moving　in　their　dismal　processions　with　prim　and　solemn　faces；　then　the　Prince　turned　to　the　Son　of　the　Merchant　and　the　Son　of　the　Kotwal；　and　threw　back　his　head；　and　gave　one　stupendous　laugh。

Down　Royal　Street　and　across　Ace　Square　and　along　the　Knave　Embankment　ran　the　quiver　of　this　strange；　　unheard…of　　laughter；　　the　　laughter　that；　amazed　at　itself；　expired　in　the　vast　vacuum　of　silence。

The　Son　of　the　Kotwal　and　the　Son　of　the　Merchant　were　chilled　through　to　the　bone　by　the　ghost…like　stillness　　around　　them。　　They　turned　　to　the　Prince；　and　said：　〃Comrade；　let　us　away。　　Let　us　not　stop　for　a　moment　in　this　awful　land　of　ghosts。〃

But　the　Prince　said：　〃Comrades；　these　people　resemble　men；　so　I　am　going　to　find　out；　by　shaking　them　upside　down　and　outside　in；　whether　they　have　a　single　drop　of　warm　living　blood　left　in　their　veins。

IV

The　days　passed　one　by　one；　and　the　placid　existence　of　the　Island　went　on　almost　without　a　ripple。　　The　Three　Companions　obeyed　no　rules　nor　regulations。　　They　never　did　anything　correctly　either　in　sitting　or　standing　or　turning　themselves　round　or　lying　on　their　back。　　On　the　contrary；　wherever　they　saw　these　things　going　on　precisely　and　exactly　according　to　the　Rules；　they　gave　way　to　inordinate　laughter。　　They　remained　unimpressed　altogether　by　the　eternal　gravity　of　those　eternal　regulations。

One　day　the　great　Court　Cards　came　to　the　Son　of　the　Kotwal　and　the　Son　of　the　Merchant　and　the　Prince。

〃Why；〃　　they　　asked　　slowly；　〃are　　you　　not　moving　according　to　the　Rules？〃

The　Three　Companions　answered：　〃Because　that　is　our　Ichcha　（wish）。〃

The　great　Court　Cards　with　hollow；　cavernous　voices；　as　if　slowly　awakening　from　an　age…long　dream；　said　together：　〃Ich…cha！　　And　pray　who　is　Ich…cha？〃

They　could　not　understand　who　Ichcha　was　then；　but　the　whole　island　was　to　understand　it　by…and…by。　　The　first　glimmer　of　light　passed　the　threshold　of　their　minds　when　they　found　out；　through　watching　the　actions　of　the　Prince；　that　they　might　move　in　a　straight　line　in　an　opposite　direction　from　the　one　in　which　they　had　always　gone　before。　Then　they　made　another　startling　discovery；　that　there　was　another　side　to　the　Cards　which　they　had　never　yet　noticed　with　attention。　　This　was　the　beginning　of　the　change。

Now　that　the　change　had　begun；　the　Three　Companions　were　able　to　initiate　them　more　and　more　deeply　into　the　mysteries　of　Ichcha。　　The　Cards　gradually　became　aware　that　life　was　not　bound　by　regulations。　They　began　to　feel　a　secret　satisfaction　in　the　kingly　power　of　choosing　for　themselves。

But　with　this　first　impact　of　Ichcha　the　whole　pack　of　cards　began　to　totter　slowly；　and　then　tumble　down　to　the　ground。　　The　scene　was　like　that　of　some　huge　python　awaking　from　a　long　sleep；　as　it　slowly　unfolds　its　numberless　coils　with　a　quiver　that　runs　through　its　whole　frame。

V

Hitherto　the　Queens　of　Spades　and　Clubs　and　Diamonds　and　Hearts　had　remained　behind　curtains　with　eyes　that　gazed　vacantly　into　space；　or　else　remained　fixed　upon　the　ground。

And　now；　all　of　a　sudden；　on　an　afternoon　in　spring　the　Queen　of　Hearts　from　the　balcony　raised　her　dark　eyebrows　for　a　moment；　and　cast　a　single　glance　upon　the　Prince　from　the　corner　of　her　eye。

〃Great　God；〃　cried　the　Prince；　〃I　thought　they　were　all　painted　images。　But　I　am　wrong。　　They　are　women　after　all。〃

Then　the　young　Prince　called　to　his　side　his　two　Companions；　and　said　in　a　meditative　voice；　〃My　comrades　！　　There　is　a　charm　about　these　ladies　that　I　never　noticed　before。　　When　I　saw　that　glance　of　the　Queen's　dark；　luminous　eyes；　brightening　with　new　emotion；　it　seemed　to　me　like　the　first　faint　streak　of　dawn　in　a　newly　created　world。〃

The　two　Companions　smiled　a　knowing　smile；　and　said：　〃Is　that　really　so；　Prince？〃

And　the　poor　Queen　of　Hearts　from　that　day　went　from　bad　to　worse。　　She　began　to　forget　all　rules　in　a　truly　scandalous　manner。　　If；　for　instance；　her　place　in　the　row　was　beside　the　Knave；　she　suddenly　found　herself　quite　accidentally　standing　beside　the　Prince　instead。　　At　this；　the　Knave；　with　motionless　face　and　solemn　voice；　would　say：　〃Queen；　you　have　made　a　mistake。〃

And　the　poor　Queen　of　Hearts'　red　cheeks　would　get　redder　than　ever。　But　the　Prince　would　come　gallantly　to　her　rescue　and　say：　〃No！　　There　is　no　mistake。　　From　to…day　I　am　going　to　be　Knave！〃

Now　it　came　to　pass　that；　while　every　one　was　trying　to　correct　the　improprieties　of　the　guilty　Queen　of　Hearts；　they　began　to　make　mistakes　themselves。　　The　Aces　　found　themselves　elbowed　out　by　the　Kings。　　The　Kings　got　muddled　up　with　the　Knaves。　　The　Nines　and　Tens　assumed　airs　as　though　they　belonged　to　the　Great　Court　Cards。　　The　Twos　and　Threes　were　found　secretly　taking　the　places　specially　resented　for　the　Fours　and　Fives。　　Confusion　had　never　been　so　confounded　before。

Many　spring　seasons　had　come　and　gone　in　that　Island　of　Cards。　　The　Kokil；　the　bird　of　Spring；　had　sung　its　song　year　after　year。　　But　it　had　never　stirred　the　blood　as　it　stirred　it　now。　　In　days　gone　by　the　sea　had　sung　its　tireless　melody。　　But；　then；　it　had　　proclaimed　　only　the　　inflexible　　monotony　of　the　Rule。　　And　suddenly　its　waves　were　telling；　through　all　their　flashing　light　and　luminous　shade　and　myriad　voices；　the　deepest　yearnings　of　the　heart　of　love！

VI

Where　are　vanished　now　their　prim；　round；　regular；　complacent　features？　Here　is　a　face　full　of　love…sick　longing。　　Here　is　a　heart　heating　wild　with　regrets。　　Here　is　a　mind　racked　sore　with　doubts。　　Music　and　sighing；　and　smiles　and　tears；　are　filling　the　air。　　Life　is　throbbing；　hearts　are　breaking；　passions　are　kindling。

Every　one　is　now　thinking　of　his　own　appearance；　and　comparing　himself　with　others。　　The　Ace　of　Clubs　is　musing　to　himself；　that　the　King　of　Spades　may　be　just　passably　good…looking。　〃But；〃　says　he；　〃when　I　walk　down　the　street　you　have　only　to　see　how　people's　eyes　turn　towards　me。〃　The　King　of　Spades　is　saying；　〃Why　on　earth　is　that　Ace　of　Clubs　always　straining　his　neck　and　strutting　about　like　a　peacock？　　He　imagines　all　the　Queens　are　dying　of　love　for　him；　while　the　real　fact　is　〃Here　he　pauses；　and　examines　his　face　in　the　glass。

But　the　Queens　were　the　worst　of　all。　　They　began　to　spend　all　their　time　in　dressing　themselves　up　to　the　Nines。　　And　the　Nines　would　become　their　hopeless　and　abject　slaves。　　But　their　cutting　remarks　about　one　another　were　more　shocking　still。

So　the　young　men　would　sit　listless　on　the　leaves　under　the　trees；　lolling　with　outstretched　limbs　in　the　forest　shade。　　And　the　young　maidens；　dressed　in　pale…blue　robes；　would　come　walking　accidentally　to　the　same　shade　of　the　same　forest　by　the　same　trees；　and　turn　their　eyes　as　though　they　saw　no　one　there；　and　look　as　though　they　came　out　to　see　nothing　at　all。　　And　then　one　young　man　more　forward　than　the　rest　in　a　fit　of　madness　would　dare　to　go　near　to　a　maiden　in　blue。　　But；　as　he　drew　near；　speech　would　forsake　him。　　He　would　stand　there　tongue…tied　and　foolish；　and　the　favourable　moment　would　pass。

The　Kokil　birds　were　singing　in　the　boughs　overhead。　　The　mischievous　South　wind　was　blowing；　it　disarrayed　the　hair；　it　whispered　in　the　ear；　and　stirred　the　music　in　the　blood。　　The　leaves　of　the　trees　were　murmuring　with　rustling　delight。　　And　the　ceaseless　sound　of　the　ocean　made　all　the　mute　longings　of　the　heart　of　man　and　maid　surge　backwards　and　forwards　on　the　full　springtide　of　love。

The　Three　Companions　had　brought　into　the　dried…up　channels　of　the　Kingdom　of　Cards　the　full　flood…tide　of　a　new　life。

VII

And；　though　the　tide　was　full；　there　…was　a　pause　as　though　the　rising　waters　would　not　break　into　foam　but　remain　suspended　for　ever。　　There　were　no　outspoken　words；　only　a　cautious　going　forward　one　step　and　receding　two。　　All　seemed　busy　heaping　up　their　unfulfilled　desires　like　castles　in　the　air；　or　fortresses　of　sand。　　They　were　pale　and　speechless；　　their　eyes　were　burning；　their　lips　trembling　with　unspoken　secrets。

The　Prince　saw　what　was　wrong。　　He　summoned　every　one　on　the　Island　and　said：　〃Bring　hither　the　flutes　and　the　cymbals；　the　pipes　and　drums。　Let　all　be　played　together；　and　raise　loud　shouts　of　rejoicing。　　For　the　Queen　of　Hearts　this　very　night　is　going　to　choose　her　Mate　！〃

So　the　Tens　and　Nines　began　to　blow　on　their　flutes　and　pipes；　the　Eights　and　Sevens　played　on　their　sackbuts　and　viols；　and　even　the　Twos　and　Threes　began　to　beat　madly　on　their　drums。

When　this　tumultous　gust　of　music　came；　it　swept　away　at　one　blast　all　those　sighings　and　mopings。　　And　then　what　a　torrent　of　laughter　and　words　poured　forth！　　There　were　daring　proposals　and　lockin