the ninth vibration-第7章

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ead　man　before　the　Assembly。

〃The　night　is　far　spent；〃　a　voice　said；　from　I　know　not　where。　And　I　knew　it　was　said　not　only　for　the　sleeper　but　for　all；　for　though　the　flying　feet　of　Beauty　seem　for　a　moment　to　outspeed　us　she　will　one　day　wait　our　coming　and　gather　us　to　her　bosom。

As　before；　the　vision　spread　outward　like　rings　in　a　broken　reflection　in　water。　I　saw　the　girl　beside　me；　but　her　hand　grew　light　in　mine。　I　felt　it　no　longer。　I　heard　the　roaring　wind　in　the　trees；　or　was　it　a　great　voice　thundering　in　my　ears？　Sleep　took　me。　I　waked　in　my　little　room。

Strange　and　sad　…　I　saw　her　next　day　and　did　not　remember　her　whom　of　all　things　I　desired　to　know。　I　remembered　the　vision　and　knew　that　whether　in　dream　or　waking　I　had　heard　an　eternal　truth。　I　longed　with　a　great　longing　to　meet　my　beautiful　companion；　and　she　stood　at　my　side　and　I　was　blind。

Now　that　I　have　climbed　a　little　higher　on　the　Mount　of　Vision　it　seems　even　to　myself　that　this　could　not　be。　Yet　it　was；　and　it　is　true　of　not　this　only　but　of　how　much　else！

She　knew　me。　I　learnt　that　later；　but　she　made　no　sign。　Her　simplicities　had　carried　her　far　beyond　and　above　me；　to　places　where　only　the　winged　things　attain…　〃as　a　bird　among　the　bird…droves　of　God。〃

I　have　since　known　that　this　power　of　direct　simplicity　in　her　was　why　among　the　great　mountains　we　beheld　the　Divine　as　the　emanation　of　the　terrible　beauty　about　us。　We　cannot　see　it　as　it　is　…　only　in　some　shadowing　forth；　gathering　sufficient　strength　for　manifestation　from　the　spiritual　atoms　that　haunt　the　region　where　that　form　has　been　for　ages　the　accepted　vehicle　of　adoration。　But　I　was　now　to　set　forth　to　find　another　knowledge　…　to　seek　the　Beauty　that　blinds　us　to　all　other。　Next　day　the　man　who　was　directing　my　preparations　for　travel　sent　me　word　from　Simla　that　all　was　ready　and　I　could　start　two　days　later。　I　told　my　friends　the　time　of　parting　was　near。

〃But　it　was　no　surprise　to　me；〃　I　added；　〃for　I　had　heard　already　that　in　a　very　few　days　I　should　be　on　my　way。

Mrs。　Ingmar　was　more　than　kind。　She　laid　a　frail　hand　on　mine。

〃We　shall　miss　you　indeed。　If　it　is　possible　to　send　us　word　of　your　adventures　in　those　wild　solitudes　I　hope　you　will　do　it。　Of　course　aviation　will　soon　lay　bare　their　secrets　and　leave　them　no　mysteries；　so　you　don't　go　too　soon。　One　may　worship　science　and　yet　feel　it　injures　the　beauty　of　the　world。　But　what　is　beauty　compared　with　knowledge？〃

〃Do　you　never　regret　it？〃　I　asked。

〃Never；　dear　Mr。　Ormond。　I　am　a　worshipper　of　hard　facts　and　however　hideous　they　may　be　I　prefer　them　to　the　prismatic　colours　of　romance。〃

Brynhild；　smiling；　quoted；

　　〃Their　science　roamed　from　star　to　star　　　　And　than　itself　found　nothing　greater。　　　　What　wonder？　In　a　Leyden　jar　　　　They　bottled　the　Creator？〃

〃There　is　nothing　greater　than　science；〃　said　Mrs。　Ingmar　with　soft　reverence。　〃The　mind　of　man　is　the　foot…rule　of　the　universe。〃

She　meditated　for　a　moment　and　then　added　that　my　kind　interests　in　their　plans　decided　her　to　tell　me　that　she　would　be　returning　to　Europe　and　then　to　Canada　in　a　few　months　with　a　favourite　niece　as　her　companion　while　Brynhild　would　remain　in　India　with　friends　in　Mooltan　for　a　time。　I　looked　eagerly　at　her　but　she　was　lost　in　her　own　thoughts　and　it　was　evidently　not　the　time　to　say　more。

If　I　had　hoped　for　a　vision　before　I　left　the　neighbourhood　of　that　strange　House　of　Beauty　where　a　spirit　imprisoned　appeared　to　await　the　day　of　enlightenment　I　was　disappointed。　These　things　do　not　happen　as　one　expects　or　would　choose。　The　wind　bloweth　where　it　listeth　until　the　laws　which　govern　the　inner　life　are　understood；　and　then　we　would　not　choose　if　we　could　for　we　know　that　all　is　better　than　well。　In　this　world；　either　in　the　blinded　sight　of　daily　life　or　in　the　clarity　of　the　true　sight　I　have　not　since　seen　it；　but　that　has　mattered　little；　for　having　heard　an　authentic　word　within　its　walls　I　have　passed　on　my　way　elsewhere。

Next　day　a　letter　from　Olesen　reached　me。

〃Dear　Ormond；　I　hope　you　have　had　a　good　time　at　the　House　in　the　Woods。　I　saw　Rup　Singh　a　few　days　ago　and　he　wrote　the　odd　message　I　enclose。　You　know　what　these　natives　are；　even　the　most　sensible　of　them；　and　you　will　humour　the　old　fellow　for　he　ages　very　fast　and　I　think　is　breaking　up。　But　this　was　not　what　I　wanted　to　say。　I　had　a　letter　from　a　man　I　had　not　seen　for　years　…　a　fellow　called　Stephen　Clifden；　who　lives　in　Kashmir。　As　a　matter　of　fact　I　had　forgotten　his　existence　but　evidently　he　has　not　repaid　the　compliment　for　he　writes　as　follows　…　No；　I　had　better　send　you　the　note　and　you　can　do　as　you　please。　I　am　rushed　off　my　legs　with　work　and　the　heat　is　hell　with　the　lid　off。　And…〃

But　the　rest　was　of　no　interest　except　to　a　friend　of　years'　standing。　I　read　Rup　Singh's　message　first。　It　was　written　in　his　own　tongue。

〃To　the　Honoured　One　who　has　attained　to　the　favour　of　the　Favourable。

〃You　have　with　open　eyes　seen　what　this　humble　one　has　dreamed　but　has　not　known。　If　the　thing　be　possible；　write　me　this　word　that　I　may　depart　in　peace。　'With　that　one　who　in　a　former　birth　you　loved　all　is　well。　Fear　nothing　for　him。　The　way　is　long　but　at　the　end　the　lamps　of　love　are　lit　and　the　Unstruck　music　is　sounded。　He　lies　at　the　feet　of　Mercy　and　there　awaits　his　hour。'　And　if　it　be　not　possible　to　write　these　words；　write　nothing；　0　Honoured；　for　though　it　be　in　the　hells　my　soul　shall　find　my　King；　and　again　I　shall　serve　him　as　once　I　served。〃

I　understood；　and　wrote　those　words　as　he　had　written　them。　Strange　mystery　of　life　…　that　I　who　had　not　known　should　see；　and　that　this　man　whose　fidelity　had　not　deserted　his　broken　King　in　his　utter　downfall　should　have　sought　with　passion　for　one　sight　of　the　beloved　face　across　the　waters　of　death　and　sought　in　vain。　I　thought　of　those　Buddhist　words　of　Seneca　…　〃The　soul　may　be　and　is　in　the　mass　of　men　drugged　and　silenced　by　the　seductions　of　sense　and　the　deceptions　of　the　world。　But　if；　in　some　moment　of　detachment　and　elation；　when　its　captors　and　jailors　relax　their　guard；　it　can　escape　their　clutches；　it　will　seek　at　once　the　region　of　its　birth　and　its　true　home。〃

Well　…　the　shell　must　break　before　the　bird　can　fly；　and　the　time　drew　near　for　the　faithful　servant　to　seek　his　lord。　My　message　reached　him　in　time　and　gladdened　him。

I　turned　then　to　Clifden's　letter。

〃Dear　Olesen；　you　will　have　forgotten　me；　and　feeling　sure　of　this　I　should　scarcely　have　intruded　a　letter　into　your　busy　life　were　it　not　that　I　remember　your　good…nature　as　a　thing　unforgettable　though　so　many　years　have　gone　by。　I　hear　of　you　sometimes　when　Sleigh　comes　up　the　Sind　valley；　for　I　often　camp　at　Sonamarg　and　above　the　Zoji　La　and　farther。　I　want　you　to　give　a　message　to　a　man　you　know　who　should　be　expecting　to　hear　from　me。　Tell　him　I　shall　be　at　the　Tashigong　Monastery　when　he　reaches　Gyumur　beyond　the　Shipki。　Tell　him　I　have　the　information　he　wants　and　I　will　willingly　go　on　with　him　to　Yarkhand　and　his　destination。　He　need　not　arrange　for　men　beyond　Gyumur。　All　is　fixed。　So　sorry　to　bother　you；　old　man；　but　I　don't　know　Ormond's　address；　except　that　he　was　with　you　and　has　gone　up　Simla　way。　And　of　course　he　will　be　keen　to　hear　the　thing　is　settled。〃

Amazing。　I　remembered　the　message　I　had　heard　and　this　man's　words　rang　true　and　kindly；　but　what　could　it　mean？　I　really　did　not　question　farther　than　this　for　now　I　could　not　doubt　that　I　was　guided。　Stronger　hands　than　mine　had　me　in　charge；　and　it　only　remained　for　me　to　set　forth　in　confidence　and　joy　to　an　end　that　as　yet　I　could　not　discern。　I　turned　my　face　gladly　to　the　wonder　of　the　mountains。

Gladly　…　but　with　a　reservation。　I　was　leaving　a　friend　and　one　whom　I　dimly　felt　might　one　day　be　more　than　a　friend　…　Brynhild　Ingmar。　That　problem　must　be　met　before　I　could　take　my　way。　I　thought　much　of　what　might　be　said　at　parting。　True；　she　had　the　deepest　attraction　for　me；　but　true　also　that　I　now　beheld　a　quest　stretching　out　into　the　unknown　which　I　must　accept　in　the　spirit　of　the　knight　errant。　Dare　I　then　bind　my　heart　to　any　allegiance　which　would　pledge　me　to　a　future　inconsistent　with　what　lay　before　me？　How　could　I　tell　what　she　might　think　of　the　things　which　to　me　were　now　real　and　external　…　the　revelation　of　the　only　reality　that　underlies　all　the　seeming。　Life　can　never　be　the　same　for　the　man　who　has　penetrated　to　this；　and　though　it　may　seem　a　hard　saying　there　can　be　but　a　maimed　understanding　between　him　and　those　who　still　walk　amid　the　phantoms　of　death　and　decay。

Her　sympathy　with　nature　was　deep　and　wonderful　but　might　it　not　be　that　though　the　earth　was　eloquent　to　her　the　skies　were　silent？　I　was　but　a　beginner　myself　…　I　knew　little　indeed。　Dare　I　risk　that　little　in　a　sweet　companionship　which　would　sink　me　into　the　contentment　of　the　life　lived　by　the　happily　deluded　between　the　cradle　and　the　grave　and　perhaps　close　to　me　for　ever　that　still　sphere　where　my　highest　hope　abides？　I　had　much　to　ponder；　for　how　could　I　lose　her　out　of　my　life　…　though　I　knew　not　at　all　whether　she　who　had　so　much　to　make　her　happiness　would　give　me　a　single　thought　when　I　was　gone。

If　all　this　seem　the　very　uttermost　of　selfish　vanity；　forgive　a　man　who　grasped　in　his　hand　a　treasure　so　new；　so　wonderful　that　he　walked　in　fear　and　doubt　lest　it　should　slip　away　and　leave　him　in　a　world　darkened　for　ever　by　the　torment　of　the　knowledge　that　it　might　have　been　his　and　he　had　bartered　it　for　the　mess　of　pottage　that　has　bought　so　many　birthrights　since　Jacob　bargained　with　his　weary　brother　in　the　tents　of　Lahai…roi。　I　thought　I　would　come　back　later　with　my　prize　gained　and　throwing　it　at　her　feet　ask　her　wisdom　in　return；　for　whatever　I　might　not　know　I　knew　well　she　was　wiser　than　I　except　in　that　one　shining　of　the　light　from　Eleusis。　I　walked　alone　in　the　woods　thinking　of　these　things　and　no　answer　satisfied　me。

I　did　not　see　her　alone　until　the　day　I　left；　for　I　was　compelled　by　the　arrangements　I　was　making　to　go　down　to　Simla　for　a　night。　And　now　the　last　morning　had　come　with　golden　sun　…　shot　mists　rolling　upward　to　disclose　the　far　white　billows　of　the　sea　of　eternity；　the　mountains　awaking　to　their　enormous　joys。　The　trees　were　dripping　glory　to　the　steaming　earth；　it　flowed　like　rivers　into　their　most　secret　recesses；　moss　and　flower；　fern　and　leaf　floated　upon　the　waves　of　light　revealing　their　inmost　soul　in　triumphant　gladness。　Far　off　across　the　valleys　a　cuckoo　was　calling　…　the　very　voice　of　spring；　and　in　the　green　world　above　my　head　a　bird　sang；　a　feathered　joy；　so　clear；　so　passionate　that　I　thought　the　great　summer　morning　listened　in　silence　to　his　rapture　ringing　through　the　woods。　I　waited　until　the　Jubilate　was　ended　and　then　went　in　to　bid　good…bye　to　my　friends。

Mrs。　Ingmar　bid　me　the　kindest　farewell　and　I　left　her　serene　in　the　negation　of　all　beauty；　all　hope　save　that　of　a　world　run　on　the　lines　of　a　model　municipality；　disease　a　memory；　sewerage；　light　and　air　systems　perfected；　the　charted　brain　sending　its　costless　messages　to　the　outer　parts　of　the　habitable　globe；　and　at　least　a　hundred　years　of　life　with　a　decent　cremation　at　the　end　of　it　assured　to