(Salutation to the Elephant-Headed God, who is the Remover of Obstacles
and the Giver of discretion, and may he enable his worshipper the Pandit
Gurdit Singh to relate this story with well-chosen words and harmonious
periods that so it may enchain the hearts of all.)
Of all the lands that smile upon their lover the sun, surely the land of
Kashmir is the loveliest. All round that Valley of Beauty the mountains
stand like the guardians of a great Queen. No harsh winds may ruffle the
lakes, darkly blue as the eyes of the goddess Shri, where the lotuses
dream above their mirrored images in amazement at their own divinity,
for the shields of the eternal snows piercing even the heavens turn
aside all tempests and only a sweet and calm sunshine makes the air
milk-warm.
And because the beauty that surrounds them is absorbed by the princesses
of Kashmir until they become like the slender-waisted beauties of the
ancient poems and stories of India, radiant as the sun, fair as the full
moon mirrored in a lake dreaming of her own beauty, so are they eagerly
sought by all the Kings from North to South, and great dowries are given
for them with jewels piled high like grain in harvest, and elephants and
garments with beaten gold laid on them such as would dazzle the eyes of
the Queens of other countries. And nothing is too much to give for their
seductive beauties.
Now, at one time the King of Kashmir had a daughter, his only one,—more
exquisite than dawn blushing on the snows. She had stolen the hue of her
eyes from the blue of the lotus of the hidden lakes, and the delicate
shaping of her face was high craftsmanship of high Gods at the work they
love best. And down to the ankle rolled her midnight hair, braided and
jewelled, and Love’s own honey made her mouth a world’s wonder of rose
and pearl,—and the curves of her sweet body were rounded as the
snowdrifts of Mount Haramoukh and as pure. And even this was not all,
for what is a flower without scent and beauty without charm? But grace
went beside her like an attendant, and attraction that none could resist
was in her glance, and whoso escaped the lure of her eyes would
assuredly fall a victim to the seduction of her sweet laughter so that
only in the protection of the Gods was there safety, and it is known
that even the Gods cease their vigilance where a beautiful woman is
concerned and forget their divinity.
Now this Princess Amra loved above all things the gardens of her royal
father, and it was her custom, forsaking the Palace, to come for days
with her women to the gardens by the lake, dwelling in the Pavilion of
the Painted Flowers and passing the days in singing and feasting,
wandering beneath the shade of the mighty chinar trees and breathing the
perfume of flowers and the coolness of the high snows.
So on a certain day she and her ladies wandered through the roses in
beauty so exquisite that the flowers swayed to behold them and the very
waters of the cascades delayed to kiss their feet, and as they did this
there came a message from the King her father that he had betrothed her
to marry the King of Jamu, and the marriage would take place in the
marriage month according to the auspicious calculations of the
astrologers. And hearing this, the Princess stopped in terror beside the
water that falls over the ripple of cut marble, and she said to her
women:
“O sorrowful day! O fears that beset my heart! I who have never seen any
man save my auspicious father and brothers and the old grey-beard, the
Pundit Ram Lal,—what a fate is this! What do I know of men? How shall I
learn? O, my misery!”—and she sat herself beneath the shade of a great
chinar tree, and became inconsolable, weeping bitterly, and her women
wept with her.
So passed an hour, and at last her confidante, Lailela, a girl from
Bokhara, having dried her eyes began to look about her, and she saw that
with the written command of the King had come a small object folded in
rose silk and bound with threads of gold, and with the insatiable
curiosity of a woman she said to the weeping Princess:
“Great Lady, here is a something—I do not know what, but I guess it to
be a bridal gift from his Majesty.” And the Princess took it in her
hands and her ladies gathered about her as stars surround the moon, and
with her slender fingers and nails like little pearls she unthreaded the
knots of gold and the inner treasure was disclosed, and it was a frame
of gold filagreed and set with rubies and diamond sparks, and within it
the portrait of a young man, and written on the back of it: “The King of
Jamu.” The artist, whose skill resembled that of the Creator, had
depicted him seated on his throne of ivory inlaid with gold, and in his
turban blazed that great jewel known as the Sea of Splendour, but these
did not for one moment detain the eye, for he was himself the jewel of
Kings, young, noble, dark of hair and eyes, with amorous lips, proud yet
gentle, and a throat like the column that upholds the world, and limbs
shaped for height and strength and speed. And surely had he been a
water-carrier, men had said, “This is the son of a King.”
And as the Princess Amra looked she sighed and changed colour, and the
last tear fell from her long lashes upon the portrait, and she dried it
with her gold-bordered veil, and looked and sighed again, and lost in
thought she fell into a deep silence.
And Lailela said with sympathy:
“Surely a terrible doom, O Princess! Now had the King been an old man,
kind and paternal, it would but have been passing from the arms of one
father to another. But a young man— O, there is much to fear, and who
shall sound the deeps of their hearts?”
And the Princess slowly shook her head, not knowing what she did, still
gazing at the portrait, and Lailela continued:
“Little do we all know men. But I have been told it is safer to
adventure in a jungle of tigers than to take a husband knowing nothing
of their wiles and tyrannies, and it is now my counsel that we should
all declare before the Princess any small knowledge that has reached us,
that she may not go forth utterly unarmed.”
And all the ladies looked doubtfully at one another, and the Princess
smiled faintly as a moon in clouds, and said:
“Sisters, it is my command that you do as Lailela has said, for her
counsel is good, and she herself shall begin, for I perceive there is
knowledge behind her lips. Let all now prepare to listen, for we speak
of love.”
And she laid the portrait on her knees, and Lailela with laughter in her
long eyes but a great gravity of speech, told this story:
“Now, Princess, this is one of the parables that the Sheikh Ibrahim
related to his daughter, the Lady Budoor, that she might be admonished.
For the damsel was the temptation of the Age, with heavy hips, and brows
like the new moon, and a mouth like the seal of Suleiman, so that the
reason of whoso saw her was captivated by her elegance. But she spoke
little, or of trivial matters, and smiled not at all, relying on her
beauty, which, indeed, was the perfection of the Creator’s handiwork.
May his name be exalted! And her father accosted her, saying:
“‘Know, O daughter, that Shah Salim had five thousand wives and
concubines of perfect loveliness, with languishing looks, high-bosomed,
and of equal age, a delight to beholders such as astonished the mind.
But the King was wearied because of the dullness of their society and it
so befell that he yawned repeatedly and his jaw became fixed with the
violence of his yawns, nor could the art of the _hakims_ unloose it. And
the Queens and the concubines slapped their faces for grief, and the
Emirs trembled because of the case of the King.
“‘Now it chanced that the King of Seljuk sent unto Shah Salim a slave
girl from Tabriz, and the merchant who conducted her bore this message,
written on ivory, bound with floss silk, and perfumed with ambergris:
“Know, O King of the Age, that the perfume is not to be judged by the
jar, nor the jewel by its weight, for the perfume is the soul of the
rose, and the secret of the jewel is its fire. Receive, therefore this
gift according to the measure of thy wisdom.”
“‘But the Shah-in-Shah, speaking with difficulty, for his jaw was held
as in a vise, commanded, saying; “Enclose her with the Queens and the
concubines, for they have brought me to this, and the sum of my wisdom
and experience is that they are all alike, and whoso knows one, knows
all. Yet, first let me behold her, since she is the gift of a King.”
“‘And they unveiled the damsel, and behold! she was slender as a willow
branch, low-bosomed, green-eyed, and her hair was like beaten bronze,
nor could she for beauty compare with the wives of the King, so that the
beholders marvelled at the gift of the King of Seljuk.
“‘And she looked upon the King, and, seeing his case, she closed her
eyes until they shone like slits of emerald and laughed aloud until the
Hall of Requests echoed with her laughter, and her voice was like the
flute and such as would bewilder the reason of the sages and cause the
ascetic to stumble in his righteousness, and she could narrate stories
like those of the Sultana Shahrazad (upon whom be the Peace!), and her
effrontery was as the effrontery of the donkey-boys of Damascus. For
there is none greater. Nor did she fear the Shah-in-Shah before whom all
abased themselves.
“‘So she seated herself before the Wonder of the Age, and, casting down
her eyes, the damsel related to him the true story of the Adventure of
the Lady Amine and the Sage El Kooz. And the heart of the Shah was
dilated and he laughed until there was no strength left in him, and the
_hakims_ thumped his back, fearing that life itself would depart from
him in the violence of his laughter. And his jaw instantly relaxed. So
being recovered, he commanded saying: “Bring hither the artificers of
gold and let them make a chain that shall bind the waist of this slave
to my wrist, for where I go she shall go, that my soul may be comforted
by her narratives and the sweetness of her laughter. For this truly is a
gift worthy of a king. But place guards at the doors of the others.”
“‘And after consideration and counsel with his Wazir he bestowed upon
the Queens great gifts and returned them to their parents. And there was
a great calm. And he became distracted with love for this slave and they
continued in prosperity and affection until visited by the Terminator of
Delights and Separator of Companions.
“‘Extolled be He whom the vicissitudes of time change not and who is
alone distinguished by the attributes of Perfection!
“‘Now this is a parable, my daughter, of the secrets of the hearts of
men, and I will relate others that thou mayest be admonished.’
“And the Lady Budoor answered modestly: ‘Speak on, my father, I
listen.’”
And when Lailela had finished this story she resumed her seat, and the
ladies reflected deeply, and the Princess said:
“This must undoubtedly be true. As a man no longer observes an object
which he sees daily, so must it be with a man and the beauty of his
wife. Clearly it is not enough to be beautiful even as a Dancer of
Heaven. It is also needful to be a provoker of laughter. Would that I
knew the stories of this slave . . . Sisters, have they been heard by
any of you? What is beauty, when the beautiful are forsaken or die? But
tell me.”
And now Vasuki, a lady of the Rajputs, stepped forward in all the
insolence of beauty, swaying her hips, and rearing her head like a Queen
as she came, and she began thus:
“Princess, of my heart, let none tempt you to undervalue the gift of
loveliness by which even the greatest of the Gods are subjected as my
story will declare. And let it be remembered that if even a man weary of
his wife’s beauty—there are yet other men in the world, and what though
our faith forbid marriage there are other faiths. And, if this be
impossible, a woman can always be captured if so she will! And I would
have you recall the story of the Rani of Mundore who being left a widow
was captured by a great King and ruled him and his Kingdom. But hear my
story of why Brahma, a high God of my people, has four faces in his
temple.
“In the ancient days in India two evil and terrible brothers rose to
kingly power. They were inseparable as the Twin Stars, the Aswins, and
together they did evil mightily and in their union was their strength.
Finally they formed plans to storm the lower heavens and expel the Gods
and there was every reason to believe they would carry out this
determination. So the Gods held a great Panchayet (council) and some
said one thing, some another, and at last Brahma the Creator spoke as
follows:
“‘Great Gods and Heavenly Ladies, in the union of these wretches is
their power, because where two perfectly agree their wisdom is
unconquerable. It is only because this has never been the case on earth
that we are able to keep any sort of order. Now of all influences the
most powerful is love. True it is their palaces are full to over-flowing
with handsome women but we are still the Gods, the makers of men. Let us
take for our model the Goddess of Beauty herself, and send some
exquisite one on earth to distract and divide the evil kings.’
“So the flowers of heaven were brought, and the Goddess of Beauty stood
unveiled and divine before them, and from the ivory of the lotus blossom
they made a sweet body, and from the dark blue lotus they made two
dreaming eyes, and they took the storm cloud for the glooms of her heavy
lashes, and the midnight deeps for the lengths of her silken hair, and
for her smile they took the sunshine and for her blush the dawn, and for
her coquetry the playfulness of the kitten, and for her seductions the
wiles of the serpent, and for her fidelity—but all their materials were
exhausted before the necessity for this was remembered. And Lakshimi
gave her instead what is invisible but omnipotent, her own charm which
none has ever seen but all the Universe has felt. And when all was done
great Brahma breathed life into the fair image and she arose and looked
down upon her own beauty with astonishment and in a voice of crystal
music she said:
“‘I am Tillotama.’
“And all the Gods stood confounded at their own handiwork but the
Goddesses turned angrily away.
“So they commanded her to go to earth and instructed her, each mighty
heart beating with agony that she should go. And she passed before the
Throne of Brahma making a _pradakshina_, a reverential threefold
circuit, about him keeping him always to the right. And he gazed
passionately upon her and she made a turn to the left, and for pride he
would not turn his head, but from the energy of his soul’s longing
another face sprang out on the left side of his head and the eyes still
followed her, and as she made her circuit this again happened at the
back and still he regarded her, and at the right side also, so that
wherever that loveliness went his eyes fed upon her with more passion
than the moon-bird who steadfastly regards the moon all night. And,
Princess, this is the undoubted reason why the image of Brahma has ever
since had four faces. So she went to earth with ruin for her dower, and
the two evil kings desired her and slew one another for her possession.
And Saraswati, the wife of Brahma, immediately demanded that their work
should be undone and the fair creature resolved again into the elements
of nature lest the peace of heaven should be broken. So it was done, but
Brahma retains forever his four faces.
“Therefore, Princess, if beauty thus subjugates the greatest of the
Gods, what will be the effect of such beauty as your own upon the heart
of the King of Jamu?”
And Amra clasping her hands, replied:
“But this is a terrible story! For if the greatest of the Gods, who has
a glorious Goddess for his wife, be not faithful, what hope is in men? I
grow so terrified that death itself seems preferable to marriage. Is
there no comfort in any of you?”
And now, treading delicately on little bound feet, came Ying-ning, the
fair Chinese maiden from Liang, who had been presented to the Princess
because of her skill in embroidery and cosmetics. And she saluted
humbly, and requested permission to speak:
“Princess, a great lady has last spoken and who am I? Yet because I
tremble to hear her speak of any other than a husband in the love of a
woman, hear me, for of all dangers the greatest is the jealousy of a
husband. And this is a true story of my country.
“There was a very great artificer long, long years ago and he made an
image exactly resembling a man. It was composed of wood and glue and
leather, and sinews of catgut, and so great was his skill that he made
even a heart that beat and set it in the breast, and the features were
exquisitely painted and it resembled a great Chinese lord, noble and
handsome and able to sing, move, and talk. Finally he showed it to the
King of Liang who was struck dumb at such handiwork, for it was like the
power of the Immortals. And he said; ‘My Household must certainly view
this marvel, and there can be no objection to this course of conduct
since I have satisfied myself it is but a thing of springs and leather.’
“So, on the following day, the artificer brought his image to the Pepper
Chambers, being himself an aged man and in circumstances which permitted
his entry. Being introduced to the presence of the King, the Queen and
the ladies who rejoiced in the King’s favour, these ladies all stared
with the utmost bewilderment at the handsome young man thus represented.
The artificer touched its chin and it burst into a love-song most
delicately sung in a mellow and manly voice. It recited a passage from
the poets in praise of wine. It kow-towed before the King. But
unluckily, encouraged by success, the artificer touched its heart, and
with the utmost audacity it gazed upon the ladies and winking one eye,
seized the hand of the loveliest, and placed a sacrilegious arm about
her person, she smiling. A frenzy of passion swept over the King on
seeing this. He shouted for the death of the artificer, and though the
aged man in a terror instantly rent the image apart into a heap of wood
and leather, he could not be appeased and the unfortunate was led out
and beheaded. Furthermore, he ordered the lady who had been thus
polluted to be instantly strangled because she had not shrieked on the
instant as (he asserted) any virtuous woman, a stranger to such a
contact, must have done. And in spite of her piteous entreaties she was
slaughtered. Was this reasonable, O my Princess? But be it known to you
that in love and in possession also there is no reason, and that this is
the manner in which all men would act. And moreover it is their right,
and it is entirely just that even the looks or dreams of a woman should
be faithful to her husband and to him only.”
And Ying-ning retreated to the circle, and the Princess wrung her hands
and cried:
“What then is to become of women if they are thus surrendered to the
mercy of the merciless! I will entreat at my father’s feet that I may
live and die a maid. And I will——”
But she could not continue for the beating of her heart, and now the
little lovely gesang, Pak, from Phyong-yang in the Land of the Morning
Calm, whence come all the fairest singing girls, moved trembling forward
and spoke in a voice of silver, but so low that the Princess called upon
her to stand at her feet that she might hear. Enclosed in a great lotus
blossom she had been presented to the Princess that she might cheer her
with strange dances from the Korean land, and she had clapped her hands
for joy when the ivory petals fell apart disclosing the small dancer
crouched within. But the women of the Morning Calm have few words and
all now leaned forward to hear what this silent one might say.
“Great Lady, near my home by the Green Duck River lived long ago a
Yang-ban (noble) who had a beautiful daughter named Ha. She had a
slender throat on which was set a face most delicately painted and of
exquisite charm, the lips resembling ripe cherries and the eyes of
liquid brilliance. Many marriage enquiries were made, but her father
finally made the choice of a young Yang-ban of good position named Won
Kiun, and on a day of favourable omens she was borne to his house and
became his wife. For five years they lived together in harmony nor did
he spend his time without the screened apartments, for she could even
play chess and he could converse with her. But alas! she bore no child
and daily did her anguish increase, for she could hear his sighs because
he had no son to perform the rites for him when his time should come.
Still hoping, she delayed, but this could not last, and on a certain day
she approached him saying:
“‘Lord of my Life, may your worthless wife speak?’
“He gave permission.
“‘Five years,’ said Ha, ‘have gone by and I have not fulfilled my duty.
It is certainly the evil destiny of your worthless wife which has caused
this. Therefore I say thus:—I will sell my pins of jade and buy a
concubine for you. Accede to my humble request.’
“Won Kiun could scarcely hide his astonishment, for though this was but
fulfilling a duty, still it is not common for a wife to make this offer.
But he agreed instantly for he earnestly desired a son, and after so
many years naturally desired also a change of companionship. Ha
therefore made search and found a girl named A-pao of as much beauty as
the price she could pay would fetch.
“It was then that Ha’s sorrows began. She was neglected by Won Kiun,
tormented by A-pao, but enduring in silence as a wife should, she went
about her work with a smile. But A-pao also failed in her duty for there
was no child, and presently Won Kiun whose health had always been frail,
departed to the ancestral spirits, A-pao shamelessly took her place in
the house of a rich man, and Ha was left a desolate widow, and the more
so because her parents and her husband’s justly despised her as a barren
wife.
“But, Princess, mark what followed!
“She had placed her husband’s spirit tablet, which contained his third
soul, beside her bed, and before this made her offerings of bread and
wine and prayers for pardon, and one night when she had wept herself to
sleep a strange thing happened. The tablet moved,—a human figure slowly
emerged from it and stood on the floor, and Ha, with eyes distended with
terror, saw her husband. In the well-remembered voice he said:
“‘I have permission from the Junior Board of the Gods of Hades to visit
you as a reward for my filial merit on earth, and this in spite of your
conduct in that very mistaken business of A-pao. Had _I_ been consulted
she was by no means the person I should have chosen. Yet I am come to
visit you and shall do so nightly for a month.’
“The faithful Ha laid her head on his feet and sobbed for joy. What a
reward! How small now did all her many sacrifices appear!
“For a month the spirit tablet nightly became her husband, and on the
last day of the month he bid her an eternal farewell, and the tablet
fell to the ground and broke into two pieces. With tender care she
mended it, and set herself to await the birth of her son.
“In due time he was born and her cup of joy would have run over but that
the most shocking rumours were spread by A-pao and her mother-in-law,
and it was believed that she had grossly dishonoured the fragrant memory
of her husband. Vainly she explained the facts. The only result was that
the magistrate, fearing lest he might possibly destroy a child of
miracle, would not himself put it to death, but commanded it should be
flung to the swine. Marvellous to tell, the swine, instead of devouring
it, kept the child alive by breathing warmth upon it, and it was then
that, starving for food, and broken-hearted, Ha demanded a test before
the assembled people. It is well known that the children of the spirits
cast no shadow, and the child, before an immense crowd, with his
miserable mother watching from behind a curtain, was brought into the
full sunshine and held up. To the amazement and fear of all, no shadow
was cast on the earth. To set the matter forever at rest the spirit
tablet was then brought out and a little blood drawn from the tender arm
of the child. This was spread on the tablet inhabited by the father’s
spirit and it instantly sank in and disappeared, though when spread on
another, it rolled off, leaving no mark. Amid loud shouts the child was
pronounced the true heir of the family. Ha was immediately pardoned by
the parents of Won Kiun and taken into their favour, being permitted to
serve them to the end of their days, which she did with perfect
devotion.
“My Princess will see from this true story the great reward that
humility and patience bring to a good wife. It is not every husband who
returns from the Land of the Dead to bring joy to one in such a lowly
position. And though it is easy to be seen that it was his own
transcendent merits which occasioned this joyful result, without the
patience of Ha the nobility of her husband and his parents could
scarcely have been rewarded. Therefore the duty of a woman is submission
and where this exists all her follies and faults may be covered as a
rich brocade covers a poor divan.”
The ladies were silent and the Princess again shook her head with tears
in her eyes.
“This is a difficult case,” she said, “and in truth each seems more
alarming than the last. It appears that marriage is a sea of perils
great and terrible, and to escape shipwreck all but impossible. Possibly
if Ha had not bought the concubine—but have none of my ladies a story
of man’s fidelity? Is such a thing unknown?”
And even as she spoke a woman with a face like the dusk of the evening
and eyes as its stars in clouds, broke in upon her words unmannerly but
with such power that all turned to listen, forgetting even the Presence.
“My Princess, my beloved, hear now this last story, for these women have
spoken of little things, but I will speak of great.
“It is known to you that when the King Rama ruled in Kosala and was
thence driven for awhile into the wild woods, there went with him of her
own choice and in utter devotion, his wife, young and lovely and noble,
the Queen Sita. And when he entreated her to leave him because of the
horror of the great woods and the wild beasts, and the evil spirits and
hunger and poverty, she replied only: ‘How should I stay in the glorious
city when my husband is gone? I count all evils as blessings when I am
with him. Without him life is death. And if my prayer is refused I will
enter the fire and await him in the Paradise to be.’
“So she followed Rama, clothed in poverty and in the wood she served
him, unfaltering in piety and all wifely duty. And as the result of this
nobility her beauty so grew that the very Gods, passing on their high
errands would pause for joy to see her perfections.
“But on a certain day when the King was absent, the evil King of Lanka
stole this Pearl, hoping to set it in his crown.
“Princess, it is not needful to tell the sorrows of Sita, the
temptations she resisted nor the cruelties that could not break her pure
will. Flawless in strength and brightness as the very spirit of the
diamond was her faith. And when Rama at last, by the aid of the Gods,
conquered the evil-doer, she sat beneath a tree, in poor array,
trembling for joy to think that her head should lie once more upon her
husband’s breast and her ear be gladdened with his praise for the fight
she had fought alone in sorrow.
“So she stood before him and he sat upon his victorious throne and thus
he spoke:
“‘Lady, my work is done. I have avenged my honour and the insult put
upon me and my foe is broken. But mistake me not. It was for no love to
you that I fought, but to uphold the dignity of my race. Your presence
now hurts me as light hurts a diseased eye. Another man has seen your
face unveiled. His hand has touched you. You have dwelt in his palace.
You are no wife of mine. Go where you will. Do what you will. We are
parted.’”
[And the Princess and all the ladies stared with great eyes to hear what
the woman told.]
“And this before a great assembly. So, at first the Queen wept silently,
because this shaft pierced her very heart. Then, drying her tears, she
raised her fair head and answered:
“‘Is all my faithful love forgotten? It was hard for a weak woman to
resist supernatural strength. Yet in all perils of death and shame I
have been utterly chaste in soul and body, and no evil came near me, for
in me there was none to meet it.’
“She paused and the King made no answer. And she said:
“‘If man deserts me the High Gods are faithful. Make ready the funeral
pile. I will not live in this shame.’
“And it was done;—none daring to look in the King’s face, and he still
silent. . . . So, circling her husband thrice in farewell reverence, the
Queen entered the fire. And even as the flame lapped her feet, the Great
Gods descended in radiant chariots plumed for the untrodden ways of the
air, and the God of the Fire, who is the Purifier, took her by the hand
and presented her to Rama, saying,
“‘Even as is my white flame purity, so is the purity of this Queen.’
“And he accepted her from the God’s hand.
“Princess, would not all the world believe that after this coming of the
Gods this King would have honoured his Queen? Yet no.
“He knew her pure, but, since others whispered that another had seen her
face, and who could tell?—again he dismissed her for in him as in all
men, pride was mightier than love.
“And once more, Sita, standing before him and knowing this the end, made
declaration of her chastity that all might hear. And suddenly
transported beyond the weakness of a woman, she stood as one divine,
perfect in high soul and nobility, and she said:
“‘Never has any thought that was not pure and chaste entered my heart,
and as my heart so is my body. This have I said. And now, I beseech of
the Earth, the Great Goddess, Mother of us all, that she will grant me a
refuge, for I have none other.’
“And as she spoke these words, a very soft air, laden with coolness and
sacred perfumes, stirred among them, and in the silence there arose from
the earth a Throne and upon it the Mighty Mother of men and Gods, and
she raised the Queen in her arms and set her upon the Throne that all
might see her throned and glorious. And lo! for a moment she sat
majestic, and the assembly hid their faces, and when they again raised
them all was gone and only the common day was about them.
“But the King wept uncomforted knowing that never again by city or
forest might he see that fair face, which being his own he had cast from
him.”
And the woman paused, and all the ladies cried that this was the
cruellest story of all, demanding that she be dismissed from the
Presence as an offender. But the Princess sat submerged in thought, and
the woman said softly:
“My Princess—my beloved,—the Gods rule. In all life is sorrow, whether
in Kashmir or Jamu. But the Gods abide. In the hollow of Their hand lay
this Queen, and in the darkness the King’s eyes could not pierce They
smiled. Certainly she leaned on Their might and so walked content and
what could man do to her? Fear not, my Princess. The Gods abide—whether
in Kashmir or Jamu, and the earth is Their footstool. And this being so
the life of a woman is her own, go where she will.”
And there fell a great silence and she who said this glided away and was
gone. And presently the Princess rose in the midst of the women like a
Queen, and she spoke:
“This is the truth. Fate is fate and love is love, and what we do is our
own, and not the deeds of another. For that Queen I do not weep, but for
the King who was blind to her glory. It is the valour of men that sends
them forth to war, and it is the valour of women that puts their hearts
in the hand of their husbands. And to me, since I have seen this
portrait all other things are empty, and if he slay me still will I love
him. For it is the High God, who is worshipped by many names, who has
made the woman for the man and the man for the woman, and He abides
unchanging in Unity and what He does is better than well.”
And as she spoke the colours faded on the mountains and on the lake the
evening came with quiet feet.
THE WISDOM OF THE ORIENT
A DIALOGUE AND A STORY