 Chapter 21 of Our Death by Marie Corelli. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, The Crimson River. At these unexpected words, Theo sprang wildly to his feet. An awful darkness seemed to close in upon him. And a chaotic confusion of memories began to whirl, and drift through his mind like flotsam and jetsam tossed upon a storm-swept sea. The aged and shadowy-looking surreal stood motionless, watching him with something of timid pity and mild patience. Five thousand years he muttered hoarsely, pressing his hands into his aching brows, while his eyes again fixed themselves yearningly on the cross. Five thousand years before, before what? He caught the old man's arm, and in spite of himself, a laugh, wild, discordant, and out-of-all-keeping, with his inward emotions broke from his parched lips. Thou doting fool, he cried almost furiously, why dost thou mock me then with this false image of a hope unrealized, who gave thee leave to add more fuel to my flame of torment? What means this symbol to thine eyes? Speak, speak, what admonition does it hold for thee? What promise? What menace? What warning? What love? Speak, speak, oh, shall I force confession from thy throat? Or must I die unsatisfied and slain by speechless longing? What didst thou say? Five thousand years, nay by the gods, thou liest, and he pointed excitedly to the sacred emblem, I tell thee, that holy sign is as from a year to my suffering soul as the chiming of bells at sunset, as well known to my sight as the unfolding of flowers in the fields of spring, what shall be done or set of it in five thousand years that has not already been said and done? Zuriel regarded him more compassionately than ever with a penetrating, mournful expression in his serious dark eyes. Alas, alas, my son, thou art most grievously distraught, he said in troubled tones thy words but prove the dark disorder of thy wits, may heaven soon heal thee of thy mental wound, restrain thy wild and wandering fancies, for surely thou canst not be familiar as thou sayest with this silver symbol, seeing that it is but the talisman. Footnotes, the cross was held in singular veneration in the temple of Serapus and by many tribes in the East, ages before the coming of Christ, or badge of the mystic brethren of Alcarus and has no signification whatsoever save for the elect. It was designed some twenty years ago by the inspired chief of our Order, Coase Rule and such as are still his faithful disciples, where it as a record and constant reminder of his famous prophecy. The use heard in a dull apathy stole over him his recent excitement, died out under a chilling weight of vague yet bitter disappointment, and this prophecy he asked listlessly, what is its nature and whom doth it concern? Nay, in very truth it is a strange and marvelous thing, replied Zeryl, his calm voice thrilling with a mellow touch of fervor, Coase Rule to his said has heard the angels whispering in heaven, and his attentive ears have caught the echo of their distant speech. Thus spiritually instructed he doth powerfully predict salvation for the human race, and doth announce that in five thousand years or more, a god shall be moved by wondrous mercy to descend from heaven and take the form of man wherein unknown despise rejected, he will live our life from commencement to finish teaching, praying and sanctifying by his divine presence the whole sin burdened earth. This done he will consent to suffer a most cruel death, and the manner of his death will be that he shall hang nailed hands and feet to a cross as though he were a common criminal. His holy brows shall be bound about with thorns, and after hours of agony he innocent of every sin shall perish miserably, friendless, unpityed and alone. But afterward, and mark you this is the chiefest glory of all, he will rise again triumphant from the grave to prove his Godhead, and to convince mankind beyond all doubt and question that there is indeed an immortal hereafter, an actual free eternity of life, compared with which this our transient existence is a mere breathing space of pause and probation, and then forevermore his sacred name shall dominate and civilize the world. What name interrupted Theos with eager abruptness, canst thou pronounce it? Shook his head. Not I, my son, he answered gravely, not even close rule, can penetrate thus far, the name of him who is to come, is hidden deep among gods unfathomed silences. It should suffice thee without notice, now the sum and substance of the prophecy, would I might live to see the days when all shall be fulfilled, but alas my remaining years are few upon the earth, and heaven's time is not ours. He sighed and resumed his slow pacing onwards. Theos walked beside him as a man may walk in sleep, uncertainly, and with unseen eyes, his heart beating loudly, and a sixth sense of suffocation in his throat. What did it all mean, had his life gone back in some strange way, or had he merely dreamed of a former existence different to this one? He remembered now what Solomon had told him, respecting Coase Rule's new theory of a future religion, a theory that to him had seemed so old, so old, so utterly exhausted and worn threadbare. In what a cruel problem was he hopelessly involved, what a useless, perplexed, confused being he had become, he who would once, to have staked his life on the unflinching strength and capabilities of human reason. After a pause, forgive me he said in a low tone and speaking with some effort, forgive me and have patience with my laggard comprehension. I am perplexed at heart and slower thought, wilt thou assure me faithfully that this God-man thou speakest of is not yet born on earth. The faintest shadow of a wondering smile flickered over the old man's wrinkled countenance, like the reflection of a passing tapered flame on a faded picture. My son, my son, he murmured with compassionate tolerance, have I not told thee that five thousand years and more must pass away ere the prediction be accomplished? I marvel that so plain of truth should thus disquiet thee, now by my soul thou lookest pallid as the dead, come let us hasten on more rapidly, thy fainting spirits wilt revive in fresher air. He hurried his pace as he spoke and glided along with such a curious, stealthy, noiselessness that by and by Theos began dubiously to wonder whether, after all, he were a real personage or a phantom. He noticed that his own figure seemed to possess much more substantiality and distinctness about line than that of this mysterious cereal, whose very garments resemble floating cloud rather than actual woven fabric. Was his companion then a fitting specter? He smiled at the absurdity of the idea and to change the drift of his own foolish fancies, he asked suddenly concerning this wondrous city of Alcarus, is it a very ancient daze and long lineage? The annals of its recorded history reach over a period of 12,000 years, replied Zeryl, but is the present fashion to count from the deification of the Gaia or the snake, and according to this we are now in the 989th year of so-called grace and knowledge, rather say dishonor and crime. For a crueler, more bloodthirsty creed than the worship of the Gaia, never debased a people who shall number up the innocent victims that have been sacrificed in the great temple of the sacred python. And even on this very day which has just dawned, another holocaust is to be offered on the Veil Shrine, or so it hath been publicly proclaimed throughout the city and the crowd will flock to see a virgin's blood spilt on the accursed altars where Lysia and all the potent sea of triumphant wickedness presides. But if the auguries of the stars prevailed will be for the last time, here he paused and looked fixedly at Theos, thou dost return straightway to Solomon, is it not so? Theos bent his head in ascent, art thou true friend, or mere flatterer, be that spoiled child of fair fame and fortune. Friend, cried Theos with eager enthusiasm, I would give my life to save his. I, verily, is it so? And Zerial's melancholy eyes, dwelt upon him with a strange and sombre wistfulness, then as thou art a man, persuade him out of evil into good, rouse him to noble shame and nobler penitence to those faults, which mar his poet genius and a private of mortal worth, urge him to depart from Alcarus while there is yet time ere the bolt of destruction falls, and mark you well this final warning, bid him today avoid the temple and beware the king. As he said this, he stopped and extinguished the lamp he carried, there was no longer any need of it, for a broad patch of gray light fell through an aperture in the wall, showing a few rough broken steps that led upwards, and pointing to these he bade, the bewildered Theos, a kindly farewell. Thou wilt find Salumus, palace easily, he said, not of child in the streets, but knows the way thither, guard thy friend and be thyself also on guard against coming disaster, and if thou art not yet resolved to die, escape from the city air tonight's sun setting, soothe thy distempered fantasies with thoughts of God, and cease not to pray for thy soul's salvation, peace be with thee. He raised his hands with an expressive gesture of benediction, and turning round abruptly disappeared. Where had he gone? How had he vanished? It was impossible to tell. He seemed to have melted away like a mist into utter nothingness. Profoundly perplexed, Theos ascended the steps before him, his mind anxiously revolving, all the strange adventures of the night, while a dim sense of some unspeakable coming calamity brooded darkly upon him. The solemn admonitions he had just heard affected him deeply for the reason that they appeared to apply, so especially to Saluma, and the idea that any evil fate was in store for the bright, beautiful creature whom he had oddly enough learned to love more than himself, moved him to an almost womanish apprehension. In case of pressing necessity, could he exercise any authority over the capricious movements of the willful laureate whose egotism was so absolute, whose imperious ways were so charming, whose commands were never questioned? He doubted it, for Saluma was accustomed to follow the lead of his own immediate pleasure in reckless scorn of consequences, and it was not likely he would listen to the persuasions or exhortations, however friendly of anyone presuming to run counter to his wishes. Again and again, Theos asked himself if Saluma of his own accord, and despite all warning, deliberately rushed into deadly peril, could I, even loving him as I do, rescue him? And as he pondered on this, a strange answer shaped itself unbidden in his brain, an answer that seemed as though it were spoken and allowed by some interior voice. No, no, ten thousand times no, you could not save him any more than you could save yourself from the results of your own misdoing. If you voluntarily choose evil, not all the forces in the world can lift you into good. If you voluntarily choose danger, not all the gods can bring you into safety. Free will is the divine condition attached to human life, and each man by thought word and deed determines his own fate and decides his own future. He sighed despondingly, a curious, vague contrition stirred within him. He felt as though he were in some mysterious way to blame for all his poet friends and shortcomings. In a few minutes he found himself on the broad, marvel embankment, close to the very spot from whence he had first beheld the beautiful, high priestess sailing slowly by in all her golden pomp and splendor, and as he thought of her now, a shutter, half of aversion, half of desire, quivered through him, flushing his brows with the warm, uprising blood that yet burned rebelliously at the remembrance of her witching, perfect loveliness. Here, too, he had met Saluma, Ah, Heaven. Things had happened since then how much he had seen and heard enough at any rate to convince him that the men and women of Alcurus were more or less the same as those of other great cities he seemed to have known in far off, half forgotten days, that they plotted against each other, deceived each other, accused each other falsely, murdered each other, and were fools, traitors, and egotists generally after the customary fashion of human pygmies. That they set up a sham to serve as religion, go being their only God, that the rich wanton in splendid luxury, and willfully neglected the poor, that the king was a showy profligate, ruled by a treacherous courtesan, just like many other famous kings and princes, who because of their stalwart, martial bearing, and a certain service, good nature, managed to conceal their vices from the two lenient eyes of the subject's famous lead, and that finally all things were evidently tending towards some great convulsion and upheaval, possibly arising from discontent and dissension among the citizens themselves, or likely or still from the sudden invasion of a foreign foe for any more terrific termination of events did not just then suggest itself to his imagination. Absorbed in thought he walked some paces along the embankment before he perceived that a number of people were already assembled there, men, women, and children who, crowding eagerly together to the very edge of the parapet, appeared to be anxiously watching the waters below. What unusual sight attracted them and why were they all so silent as those struck dumb by some unutterable dismay, one or two raising their heads turned their pale alarm faces toward theos as they approached their eyes seeming to mutely inquire his opinion concerning the alarming phenomenon which held them thus spellbound and fierce stricken. He made his way quickly to where they stood and looking where they looked uttered a sharp involuntary exclamation. The river, the clear rippling river, was red as blood. Beneath the slowly breaking light of dawn that streaked the heavens with delicate lines of silver, grey, and affidavit, the whole visible length and breadth of the heaving waters shown with a darkly flickering crimson hue, deeper than the luster of the deepest ruby, flowing sluggishly the while as though clogged with some thick and weedy slime. As the sky brightened gradually into a pale ethereal blue, so the tide became ruddier and more pronounced in color and presently as though seized by a resistless panic, the group of steering terrified bystanders broke up suddenly and rushed away in various directions, covering their faces as they fled and uttering loud cries of lamentation and despair. The ocelone remained behind, resting his folded arms on the sculptured balustrade. He gazed down, down into those crimson depths till their strange tint dazzled and confused his sight, looking up for relief to the eastern horizon where the sun was just bursting out in full splendor from a pavilion, a violet cloud, the red reflection was still before his eyes, so much so that the very air seemed flushed with spreading fire. And then, like the sound of a toxin ringing in his ears, the words of the prophet coast rule, as pronounced in the presence of the king, recurred to his memory with new and suggestive force. Blood, blood, tis a scarlet sea, wherein like a broken and empty ship out cures, founders, founders never to rise again. Still painfully oppressed by an increasing sense of some swift approaching disaster, his thoughts once more reverted anxiously to Saluma. He must be warned, yes, even if he disdained all warning, he had warned him against what, bid him avoid the temple and beware the king. So had said Zeryl the mystic, but to the laurel favorite of the monarch and idol of the people, such an admonition would seem more than absurd, it was to him about the prophecies of coast rule, he had heard them all and laughed them to scorn. How can I then use the oaths disconsolidately? How can I make him believe that Salmón declared evil threatens him? When he is at the very pinnacle of fame and fortune with all alcarus at his feet, he would never listen to me, nor would any persuasions of mine induce him to leave the city where his name is so glorious and is renounced so firmly established. Of last year's treachery I may perhaps convince him, yet even in this attempt I may fail and incur his hatred for my pains if I had only myself to consider. And here his reflection suddenly took a strange unbidden turn if he had only himself to consider well what then, was it not just within the bounds of probability that under the same circumstances he might be precisely as self-willed and as heartily opinionated as the friend whose arrogance he deplored yet could not alter. So pointed a suggestion was not exactly suited to his immediate humor and he felt curiously vexed with himself for indulging in such a foolish association of ideas. The positions were entirely different, he argued angrily addressing the troublesome inward monitor that every now and then tormented him. There was no resemblance whatever between himself the unknown, unfamed wanderer in a strange land and the brilliant Saluma, chosen poet Laurie of the realm. No resemblance none at all he reiterated over and over again in his own mind except well except in perhaps a few trifling touches of character and temper that were scarcely worth the noting that this juncture, his uncomfortable reverie was interrupted by the sound of a harsh metallic voice close behind him. What fools there are in the world said the voice in emphatic accents of supreme contempt. What braying asses, what earth's snouting swine, saw you not young crowd of whimpering idiots flying helter-skelter like chaff before the wind weeping, wailing and bemoaning their miserable little sins scattering dust on their adult pates and howling on their gods for mercy all for soothed because for once in their unobserving lives they behold the river red instead of green I meet as a thing to laugh at, this crass and brutish ignorance of the multitude, no teaching will ever cleanse their minds from the cobwebs of vulgar superstition. And I in common with every wise and worthy sage of sound repute and knowledge must needs waste all my scientific labors on a perpetually ungrateful public. Turning hastily round Theos confronted the speaker, a tall, spare man with a pale, clean shaven, intellectual face, small shrewd, speculative eyes, and very straight, neatly parted locks, a man on whose every liniment was expressed, a profound belief in himself and an equally profound scorn for the opinions of anyone who might possibly presume to disagree with him. He smiled condescendingly as he met Theos's half surprised, half inquiring look and saluted him with a gravely pompous air, which, however, was not without a saving touch of that indescribable easy grace which seemed to distinguish the manners of all the inhabitants of al-Qurus. Theos returned the salutation with equal gravity whereupon the newcomer waving his hand majestically continued, you, sir, I see are young and probably you are enrolled among the advanced students of one or other of our great collegiate institutions. Therefore the peculiar, though not at all a natural tent of the river this morning is, of course, no mystery to you, if as I presume you follow the scientific classes of instruction in the physiology of nature or manifestation of simple and complex motive force and the perpetual evolution of atoms. Theos smiled a grand deliquent manner of this self-important individual amused him. Most worthy, sir, he replied, you form to favorable an opinion of my scholarly attainments. I am a stranger in al-Qurus and, no, not of its educational system or the interior mechanism of its wondrous civilization. I come from far off lands where, if I remember rightly, much is taught but little retained, where petty pedagogues persist in dragging new generations of men through old and worn out ruts of knowledge that future ages shall never have need of. And concerning even the progress of science, I confess to a certain incredulity seeing that to my mind science somewhat resembles a straight line drawn clear across country but leading alas to an ocean wherein all landmarks are lost and swallowed up in blankness. Over and over again the human race has broadened the same pathway to research. Over and over again has it stood bewildered and baffled on the shores of the same vast sea. The most marvelous discoveries are, after all, mere child's play compared to the tremendous secrets that must remain forever unrevealed. And the poor and trifling comprehension of things that we, after a lifetime of study, succeed in attaining is only just sufficient to add to our already burdened existence the undesirable clogs of discontent and disappointed endeavor. We die in almost as much ignorance as we were born, and when we come face to face with the last dark mystery, what shall our little wisdom profit us? With his arms folded in an attitude of enforced patience and complacence superiority, the other listened curious curious the moment in a mile so to go check a would-be pessimist eye-eye to very greatly the fashion for young men these days to assume the manner of elderly and exhausted cynics who have tried everything and improved of nothing. Just a strange craze, but my good sir let us keep to the subject of present under discussion. Like all unripe philosophers you wander from the point. I did not ask you for your opinion concerning the uselessness or the efficiency of learning. I merely sought to discover whether you, like the silly throng that lately scattered right and left of you, had any foolish forebodings respecting the transformed however. A color which however seeming peculiar arises as all good scholars know from causes that are perfectly simple and easily explainable. The US hesitated his eyes wandered involuntarily to the flowing tide which now with the fully risen sun seemed more than ever brilliant and lurid in its sanguinary hue. Strange things have been said of late concerning alchurus he answered at last slowly and after a thoughtful pause things that though wild and vague are not without certain dark presages and ominous suggestions this crimson flood may be as you say the natural effect of purely natural causes yet notwithstanding this it seems to me a singular phenomenon may even a weird and almost fatal augury. His companion laughed a gentle careless laugh of a mused disdain. Phenomenon, augury, he exclaimed shrugging his shoulders lightly. These words my young friend are terms that nowadays belong exclusively to the vocabulary of the uneducated masses. We and by we I mean scientists and men of the highest culture have long ago rejected them as unmeaning and therefore unnecessary. Phenomenon is a particularly vile expression serving merely to designate anything wonderful and uncommon whereas to the scientific eye there is nothing left in the world that ought to excite so vulgar and barbarous in emotion as wonder. Nothing so apparently rare that cannot be reduced at once from the ignorant of enthusiasm to the sensible level of the commonplace. The so-called marvels of nature have thanks to the advancement of practical education entirely seized to effect by either surprise or admiration to carefully matured, mathematically adjusted and technically balanced brain of the finished student or professor of organic evolution. And as for the idea of auguries or portents, nothing could well be more entirely aberrienced with our present system of progressive ideas, whereby human reason is trained and taught to pulverize into indistinguishable atoms all supernatural propositions and to gradually eradicate from the mind the absurd notion of a deity or deities whom it is necessary to propitiate in order to live well. Much time is of course required to elevate the multitude above all desire for a religion but the seed has been sown and the harvest will be reaped and a glorious era is fast approaching when the free people govern themselves and rejoice in the grand and godless light of universal liberty. Somewhat heated by the fervor of his declamatory utterance, he passed his hand among his straight locks, whether to cool his forehead or to show off the numerous jewel rings on his fingers it was difficult to say and continue more calmly. No, young sir. The color of this river, a color which I willingly admit resembles the tint of flowing human blood, has not to do with foolish moments and evil. To simply cause by the influx of some foreign alluvial matter, probably washed down by storm from the sides of the distant mountains once these waters have their rising, see you not how the tide is thick and heavy with an unfloatable cargo of red sand, some sudden disturbance of the soil or a volcanic movement underneath the ocean or even a distant earthquake any of these may be the reason. Maybe why not say must be observed theos half ironically since learning makes you sure. His companion pressed the tips of his fingers delicately together as they're blindly deprecating this observation. Nay, nay, none of us however wise can say must be, he argued swabbly, it is not strictly speaking possible in this world to pronounce an incontestable certainty. Not even that two and two or four suggest a theos smiling. Not even that replied the other with perfect gravity in as much as in the kingdom of Hefarus whose borders touch ours the inhabitants also highly civilized do count their quantities by totally different method and to them two and two are not for the numbers two and four not being included in their system of figures. Thus the professor from the colleges of Hefarus could obstinately deny what to us seems the plainest fact known to common sense, yet were I to argue against him I should never persuade him out of his theory nor could he move me from one job from mine, and due from our differing standpoints therefore the first simple multiplication of numbers could never be proved correct beyond all question. Theos glanced at him and wondered the man must be mad he thought since surely anyone in his senses could see the two objects placed with two other must necessarily before. I confess you surprised me greatly sir, he said and in spite of himself a little quiver of laughter shook his voice, what I asked was by way of jest and I thought to hear so simple a subject treated with so much profound and almost doubting seriousness. See and he picked up four small stones from the roadway, count these one by one how many have you, surely even a professor from Hefarus could find no more and no less than four very deliberately and with unruffled equanimity the other took the pebbles in his hand turned them over and over and finally placed them in a row on the edge of the ballast rod near which he stood. There seemed to be no more he then observed placidly but I would not swear to it nor to anything else of which the actuality is only supported by the testimony of my own eyes and sense of touch. Good heavens man cried theos in amazement but a moment since you were praising the excellence of reason and the progressive system of learning that was to educate human beings into a contempt for the supernatural and spiritual and yet almost in the same breath you tell me you cannot rely on the evidence of your own senses. Was there ever anything more utterly incoherent and irrational? And he flung the pebbles into the redly flowing river with a gesture of irritation and impatience. The scientist if scientist he could be called gazed at him abstractedly and stroked as well shaving chin with a somewhat dejected air presently heaving a deep sigh he said. Alas I have again betrayed myself to my fatal destiny always by some unlooked for this chance I am compelled to avow what most I desire to conceal. Can you not understand sir any latest hand persuasively on theoses on that a theory may be one thing and one's own private opinion another. My theory is my profession I live by it suppose I resigned it well then I should also have to resign my present position in the royal institutional college my house my servants and my income. I advance the interests of pure human reason because the age has a tendency to place reason as the first and highest attribute of man and it would not pay me to pronounce my personal preference for the natural and vastly superior gift of intellectual instinct. I advise my scholars to become atheists because I perceive they have a positive passion for atheism and it is not my business nor would it be to my advantage to interfere with the declared predilections of my wealthiest patrons concerning my own ideas on these matters they are absolutely nil. I have no fixed principles because and his brows contracted in a puzzled line it is entirely out of my ability to fix anything the whole world of manners and morals is in a state of perpetual ferment and consequent change equally restless and mutable is the world of nature for at any moment mountains may become plains and plains mountains the dry land may be converted into oceans and oceans into dry land and so on forever in this incessant shifting of the various particles that make up the universe how can you expect a man to hold fast to so stable a thing as an idea and respecting the testimony offered by sight and sense can you rely upon such slippery evidence the newest move uneasily a slight shiver ran through his veins and a momentary dizziness seized him as of one who gazing down from some lofty mountain peak sees not below but the white deceptive blankness of a mist that bails the deeper deathful chasms from his eyes could he rely on sight and sense dare he take oath that these frail drives of his intelligence could never be deceived doubtful he mused on this while his companion continued for example I look an arms length into space my eyes show me that I behold nothing save empty air my touch corroborates the assertion of my eyes and yet science proves to me that every inch of that arms length of supposed blank spaces filled with thousands of minute living organisms that no human vision shall ever be able to note or examine one did not therefore that I declined to this absolute confidence in any fact however seemingly obvious such as that two and two or four and that I prefer to say the blood red color of this river may be caused by an earth tremor or a landslip rather than positively absurd that it must be so though I confess that as far as my knowledge guides me I inclined to the belief that must be is in this instance the correct term he sighed again and rubbed his nose perplexedly theos glanced at him curiously certain whether to laugh or pity him then the upshot of all your learning series said is that one can never be quite certain of anything exactly so replied the pensive sage with a great shake of his head judged by the very finest lines of metaphysical argument you cannot really be sure whether you behold in me a person or a phantasm you think you see me I think I see you but after all it is only an impression mutually shared an impression which like many another less distinct maybe entirely erroneous I my dear young sir education is advancing at a very rapid rate and the art of close analysis is reaching such a picture perfection that I believe we shall soon be able logically to prove not only that we do not actually exist but moreover that we never have existed and herein as I consider it will be the final triumph of philosophy a poor triumph murmur theos purely what in such a case would become of all the nobel sentiments and passions of man love hope gratitude duty ambition they would be precisely the same as before rejoined the other complacently only we should have learned to accept them merely as the means whereby to sustain the impression that we live an impression which would always be agreeable however delusive the your shrugged his shoulders you possess a peculiarly constituted mind sir he said and I congratulate you on the skill you display in following out of somewhat puzzling investigation to almost its last hands breadth of a conclusion but pardon me I should scarcely think the discussion of such debatable theories conducive to happiness happiness and the scientists smiles cornfully to the fools term and designates a state of being that can only pertain to foolishness show me a perfectly happy manner and I will show you an ignorant whittling lightheaded hard-hearted and of a most powerfully good digestion many such there be now wantoning among us and the head and chief of them all is perhaps the most popular numbs call in alchuris the poet bah let us say the brain jackass in office the laurel saluma the eos gave an indignant start the hot color flushed his brows then he restrained himself by an effort control the fashion of your speech I pray you sir he said with excessive haughtiness the noble laureate is my friend and house I suffer no man to use his name unworthily in my presence the sage drew back and spread at his hands in a pacifying manner I crave your pardon good stranger he murmured with a kind of apologetic satire in his accurate voice I crave it most objectively yet to somewhat excuse the hastiness of my words I would explain that a contempt for poets and poetry is now universal among persons of profound enlightenment and practical knowledge I'm aware that interrupted Theos swiftly and with passion I'm aware that so-called wise men rooted in narrow prejudice without smattering of even narrower logic presumed out of their immeasurable littleness to decry and make mock of the truly great who thanks to God's unpurchable gift of inspiration can do without the study of books or the teaching of pedants who flare through the world flame winged and full of song like angels passing heavenward and whose voices rich with music not only sanctify the bygone ages but penetrate with echoing undying sweetness the ages still to come contempt for poets I discommon the petty boastful pedagogues of surface learning ever look a scant on these kings and exiled these emperors masked these gods disguised but humility condemned or rejected they are still the supreme rulers of the human heart and a love old chanted in the long ago by one such far-lipped and stroll outlast the history of many kingdoms he spoke with rapid almost unconscious fervor and as he ended raised one hand with an enthusiastic gesture toward the now brilliant sapphire sky and glowing sun the scientists looked at him furtively and smiled a bland expostulatory smile oh you are young you must be very young he said forbearingly in a little time you will grow out of all this ill-judged fanaticism for an art the pursuance of which is really only wasted labor think of the absurdity of it what can be more foolish than the writing a verse to express or to encourage emotion in the human subject when the great aim of education at the present day is to carefully eradicate emotion by degrees to be succeeding completely suppressing it an outburst of feeling is always vulgar the highest culture consists in being impassively equitable of temperament and absolutely indifferent to the attacks to be the joy or sorrow I should be inclined to ask you to consider this matter more seriously and from the strictly common sense point of view did I not know that for you to undertake a course of useful meditation while you remain in Saluma's companionship would be impossible quite impossible nevertheless our discourse has been so far interesting that I should be happy to meet you again and give you an opportunity for further converse should you desire it ask for the head professor of scientific positivism any day in the strangers court at the Royal Institutional College and I will at once receive you my name is Mira Kabur professor Mira Kabur at your service and laying one hand on his breast he bowed profoundly a professor of positivism who is himself never positive observed theos with a slight smile ah pardon return the other gravy on the contrary I'm always positive of the un-positiveness of positivism and with this final vindication of his theories he made another stately obeisance and went his way theos looked after his tall retreating figure half in sadness half in scorn this proudly incompetent learned ignorant Mira Kabur was no uncommon character surely there were many like him somewhere in the world somewhere in far lands of which the memory has indistinct as the outline of receding shores blurred by a falling mist theos seen painfully to call to mind certain cold-blooded casuous he had known who had attempted to explain away the mysteries of life and death by rule and line calculations and who for no other reason than their mathematically argued denial of God's existence had gained for themselves a temporary spurious celebrity yes surely he had met such men but where realizing with a sort of shock that he was quite as much in the dark as ever with regard to any real cognizance of his former place of abode and the manner of life he must have led before he entered this bewildering city of Al-Kiris he aroused himself abruptly and resolutely banishing the heavy thoughts that threatened to oppress his soul he began without further delay to direct his steps towards Saluma's palace he glanced once more at the river before leaving the embankment it was still blood red and every now and then between the sluggish ripples the attitudes of dead fish could be seen drifting along in shoals entangled in nets of slimy weed at a little distance looked like the floating presses of drowned women it was an uncanny sight and though it might certainly be as the wise Mira Kabur had stated the purely natural effect of purely natural causes still those natural causes were not as yet explained satisfactorily an earthquake or landslip would perhaps account sufficiently for everything but then an inquiring mind would desire the earthquake or landslip occurred and also why these supposed far-off disturbances should thus curiously affect the river surrounding Al-Kiris answers to such questions as these were not forthcoming either from Professor Mira Kabur or any other sagacious pundit and Theos was therefore still most illogically and unscientifically puzzled as well as superstitiously uneasy turning up a side street he quickened his pace in order to overtake a young bender of wines whom he perceives entering along in front of him balancing a flat tray loaded with thin crystal flasks on his head how gloriously the sunshine quivered through these delicately tinted glass bottles lighting up the glittering liquid contained within them why they look more like soap bubbles than anything else and the boy who carried them moved with such a lazy noiseless grace that he might have been taken for a dream self rather than a human being hello my leg cried Theos running after him tell me is this the way to the palace of the king's laureate the youth looked up what a beautiful creature he was with his brilliant dark eyes and dusky warm complexion why ask for the king's laureate he demanded with a pretty scorn the people saluma lived yonder and he pointed to a mass of towering palms from whose close and graceful flondage a white dome rose glistening in the clear air our porous fame is not the outgrowth of a mere king's favor tis the glad and willing tribute of the nation's love and praise a truce to monarchs they will soon be at a discount in Al Curus and with a flashing glance of defiance and a saucy smile he passed on easily sauntering as before a budding republican though Theos immediately as he pursued his course in the direction indicated that is how the liberty equality fraternity system always begins first among street boys who think they ought to be gentlemen then among shopkeepers who persuade themselves that they deserve to be peers then comes a time of topsy turviedom and fierce contention and by and by everything gets shaken together again in the form of a republic where in the street boys and shopkeepers are not a bit better off than they were under a monarchy they become neither peers nor gentlemen but stay exactly in their original places with the disadvantage of finding their trade decidedly damaged by the change that has occurred in the national economy strange that the inhabitants of this world should make such a fuss about resisting tyranny and oppression when each particular individual man by custom and usage tyrannizes over and oppresses this fellow man to an extent that would be simply impossible to the fiercest kings thus meditating a few steps more brought him to the entrance of solemn as princely about the gate stood right open and a pleasant murmur of laughter and soft singing floated toward him across the slanted court where the great fountains were tossing up to the bright sky their straight listing columns of snowy spray he listened and his heart leaped with an intense relief and joy Saluma the beloved Saluma was evidently at home has yet unharmed these mirthful sounds betoken that all was well the vague trouble and depression that had weighed upon his soul for hours now vanished completely and acing along he sprang lightly up the marble stairs and into the rainbow colored spacious hall where the first person he saw was Zabastis the critic ah good Zabastis he cried gaily where is that master Saluma as he returned in safety in safety wrote Zabastis with an accent of ironic surprise to be sure is he a baby in swaddling clothes that he cannot be trusted out alone to take care of himself in safety I I want you he is safe enough and silly enough and lazy enough to please any one of his idiot flatterers were over my master and he emphasized this word with indescribable bitterness has slept as soundly as a swine and half dually bathed with the punctiliousness of a conceited swan being suitably combed perfumed attired and thrown as becomes his dainty puppet ship is now condescending to partake of vulgar food in the seclusion of his own apartment go thither and you shall find his burst stringing mightiness nobly enshrined as a god among a worshipping crowd of witness maidens he hath inquired for you many times which is somewhat of a wonder seeing that as a rule he concerns his mind would not save himself furthermore he is graciously pleased to be solicitous on behalf of the maidens of rata who have suddenly disappeared from the household leaving no message to explain the cause of her evanishment has seen her no and the old man thumb to stick petulately on the floor as the oath shook his head in the negative it is the only feminine creature I ever had patience to speak with a modest wench and a gentle one and were it not for her idolatrous adoration of saluma she would be fairly sensible with all no matter gone everything goes even good women and nothing lasts say folly of which there shall surely never be an end irreparately conscious that he had shown more feeling and speaking of nefrada than was usual with him he looked up impatiently and waved his staff toward saluma study in in boy into the chief of poets and prince of egotis he waits your service he is all agape and thirsty for more flattery and delicate controlment stuffing of praise good youth and who knows but a portion of his mantel may descend on you hereafter make of you as conceited and pretty a bantling bard for the glory of proud posterity and chuckling audibly he hobbled down a side passage while theos half angry half amused crossed the hall quickly and arrived at the door of the laureates private sanctum where gently drawing aside the silk and draperies he looked in for a moment without being himself received what a picture he beheld how perfection every shade of color in every line of detail saluma reclining in a quaintly carved ebony chair was towing with the fruit and wine set out before him on an ivory and gold stand his dress simpler than it had been on the previous evening was a fine white linen gathered loosely about his classic figure he wore neither myrtle wreath nor jewels the expression of his face was serious even noble and his attitude was one of languid grace and unstudied ease that became infinitely well the maidens of his household waited near him some of them held flowers one kneeling at a small lyre seemed just about to strike a few chords when saluma silenced her by a light gesture be sorelin he said softly I cannot listen thou hast not my nephrodis tenderness sorelin a beautiful dark girl with hair as black as night and eyes that looked as though they held suppressed yet ever burning fire letter hands instantly dropped from the instrument and sighing shrank back a little in a bash silence at that moment theos advanced and the laureate sprang up delightedly ah at last my friend he cried enthusiastically clasping him by both hands where in the name of all the gods hast thou been roaming how did we part by my soul I forget but no matter thou art here once more and as I live we will not separate again so easily my noble theos and he threw one arm affectionately round his neck I miss thee more than I can tell these past few hours thou to seem so sympathetically conjoined with me that verily I think I am but have myself in thine absence come sit thee down and break thy fast I'll misfear thou hast met with some mischance on thy way hither and that I should have had to solid forth and rescue thee again even as I did yesterday say hast thou occupied thyself with so much friendly consideration on my behalf as I have on thine he laughed gaily as he spoke and theos looking into his bright beautiful face was for a moment too deeply moved by his own strange general emotions to utter a word in reply why did he love Solomon so ardently he wondered why was it that every smile on that proud mouth every glance of those flashing eyes possessed such singular overwhelming fascination for him he could not tell but he readily yielded to the magic influence of his friends extraordinary attractiveness and sitting down beside him in the azure light and soft fragrance of his regal apartment experienced a sudden sense of rest satisfaction and completeness such as maybe felt by a man that one with himself and with all the world end of chapter 21 chapter 22 of our death by Marie Carelli this Liebervox recording is in the public domain wasted passion the assembled maidens have retired modestly into the background while the laureate had thus joyously greeted his return guest but now had a signal from their lord they again advanced and taking up the glittering dishes of fruit and the flasks of wine propped with them in turn to theos with much deferential grace and courtesy he was by no means slow in responding to the humble attentions of these fair ones there was a sort of deliciously dreamy enchantment and being weighted upon by such exquisitely lovely creatures the passing touch of their little white hands that supported the heavy golden savers seemed to add new savor to the luscious fair the timorous fire of their downcast eyes softly sparkling through the veil of their long lashes gave extra warmth through the roseal wine and he could not refrain from occasionally whispering a tender flattery or delicate compliment in the ear of one or other of his silk-like servitors though they all appeared curiously unmoved by his joyously worded adulation now and then a pale flickering blush or sudden smile brightened their faces but for the most part they maintained at a mere and serious demeanor as though possessed by the very spirit of invincible reserve with Solomon it was otherwise they hovered about him like butterflies round a rose a thousand riskful passionate glances darted upon him when he unconscious or indifferent apparently saw nothing many a deep involuntary sigh was stifled quickly Eric could escape between the rosey lips whose duty it was to read themselves with smiles and theos noticing these things thought heavens how this man is loved and yet he is perhaps the most ignorant of love's true meaning scarcely have this reflection entered his mind and he became bitterly angry with himself for having indulged in it how recreate how base and idea how incompatible with the adoring homage he felt for his friend what saluma a poet whose songs of love were so perfect so wildly sweet and soul entrancing he to be ignorant of love's true meaning oh impossible and a burning flush of shame rose to theos's brow shame that he could have entertained such a blasphemy against his idle for a moment then that curious big soft contrition he had before experienced stole over him once again a sudden moisture filled his eyes and turning abruptly toward his host he held out his own just filled goblet drink weed the loving cup together saluma he said in his voice trembled a little with its own deep tenderness pledge me thy faith as I do pledge the mind and for today at least let me enjoy thy boon companionship who knows how soon we may be forced to part forever and debrief the last word softly with a faint sigh saluma looked at him with an expressive glance a bright surprise part he exclaimed joyously may not we my friend not till we find each other tiresome not till we prove that our spirits like over a metal some steeds do chafe and fret one another rudely in the harness of custom wherefore then and then only will be time to break loose at a gallop and seek each one a wider pasture land meanwhile here's to thee and bending his handsome head readily drank a deep draft of the proffered wine may all the gods hold fast our bond of friendship and with a graceful salute he returned the jewel cup path empty he osat once drained off what yet remained within it and then leaning more confidentially over the lawyer's chair he whispered hast thou in very truth forgotten thy rashness of last night saluma surely thou must guess how unquite I've been concerning thee tell me was thy hot pursuit in vain or didst thou discover the king peace and a quick frown darkened the smooth beauty of saluma's face as he grasped the osa's arm hard to warn him into silence then forcing a smile he answered in the same low tone was not the king it could not be mistaken neighbor persisted theos gently convinced me of my error didst thou overtake and steadily confront yarn armed and muffled stranger not I and saluma shrugged his shoulders petulantly sleep fell upon me suddenly when I left thee and he thinks I must have wandered home like a shadow in a dream was I not drunk last night I and so in all likelihood worked thou little could we be trusted to recognize either king or clown then added nevertheless I till thee once again was not the king his majesty hath too much at stake to risk so dangerous a pleasantry theos heard but he was dissatisfied and ill at ease saluma's careless contentment increased his own disquietude just then a curious looking personage entered the apartment a gray haired dwarfish niggler who carried slung across his back a large bundle consisting of several neatly rolled up pieces of linen one of which was simply detached from the rest and sat down before the lawyer who in return gave him a silver coin at the same time asking justingly is the news worth paying for today Zibia or is it the same ill written clumsy chronicle of Trumpry commonplace events Zibia slipping the coin he had received into a wide leather pouch which hung from his girdle appeared to meditate a moment then he replied if the truth must be told most illustrious interest the minds of the culture the cheap scrubs of the daily circular cater chiefly for the mob and do all in their power to foster more of a qualities of disposition and murderous tendencies among the lower orders hence though there is nothing in the news sheet pertaining to literature or the fine arts there is much concerning the sudden death of the unsculptor nerve jealous whose body was found flung on the banks of the river this morning theos started saluma listened with placid silence to the case of self slaughter pursued Zibia Chatterley or so say the wise writers who are supposed to know everything self slaughter committed during a state of temporary insanity where well I myself would have had a different opinion and a sagacious one no doubt interrupted saluma coldly and with a dangerous flash as of steel in his eyes but be advised to give Zibia give thine opinion no utterance the only gross rank back making numerous apologetic gestures and waited in a bash silence till the laureates features regain their wanted soft serenity any venture to speak again though not without a little hesitation concerning the topics of the hour he murmured Timersley my lord is perhaps not aware that the river itself is a subject of much excited discussion the water having changed to a marvelous blood color during the night which singular circumstance have caused a great panic among the populace even as I passed by the embankment the crowd there was thick as a hive of swarming bees he paused but saluma made no remark and he continued more glibly also today's circular contains the full statement of the king's reward for the capture of the prophet coast rule and the formal program of the sacrificial ceremonial amounts to take place this evening in the temple of magaia all is set forth in the fine words of that petty public scribes who needs must make as much as possible out of little and there's likewise a so-called facsimile of the king's signature which will naturally be of supreme interest to the vulgar furthermore it is proclaimed that a grand combat of wild beasts in the royal arena will follow immediately after the service in the temple is concluded he thinks none will go to bed early seeing there is so full a list of amusements he paused again somewhat out of breath and saluma meanwhile unrolled the linen scroll about 24 inches in length and 20 width carefully ruled black and red lines divided it into nearly the same number of columns as those on the page of an ordinary newspaper and it was covered with closed writing here and there embellished by bold profusely ornamented headings one of these death of the sculptor Nurgalis seemed to burn into Theos' brain like letters of fire how was it he wondered that the body of that unfortunate victim had been found on the shore of the river and he himself had seen it loaded with iron weights and cast into the lake that form part of Blicé's fatal garden presently saluma passed the scroll to him with a smile saying lightly there my friend is a specimen of the true mob literature written today forgotten tomorrow there's a droll thing to meditate upon the ephemeral nature of all this pouring out of unnecessary words and stale stock phrases and which thou believeth Theos' each little page that adds his poor quoted to this ill assorted trash deems himself wiser and greater far than any poet or philosopher dead or living by in this very new sheet I have seen the immortal works of the divine hip spurious so hacked by the blunt knives of pigment and vulgar criticism that by my faith were it not for contempt one would be disposed to nail the hands of such trumpery scribblers to a post and scourge their bare backs with thorny rods to cure them of their insolence so that the noble Zabasties have found place in these narrow columns to write his carping diatribes against me me the king's laureate as I live his cumbersome diction hath caused me infinite mirth and I have laughed at his grabbed and feeble wit till my size of eight most potently now get thee gone fellow thou in thy news and he nodded a good humored dismissal to the deferential Zibya who with his woolly gray head very much on one side stood listening gravely and approvingly said, yet stay as gossip whispered thee the name of the poor virgin self destined for this evening sacrifice no my lord responded Zibya promptly to his veiled and deeper mystery than usual I've inquired of many but in vain and even the chief flamin of the outside court of the temple always drunk and garrulous as he is can tell me not that the holy victims title or parentage tis a passing fare wench said he with a chuckle that is all I know concerning her a passing fare wench ah and Zibya rolled up the whites of his eyes and sighed in a comically contemplative manner if ever a flamin deserved expulsion from his office it is surely young ancient crafty carnal minded soul so keen a glance for a woman's beauty is not a needful qualification for a servant of the snake divine he thinks we have fallen upon evil days maybe the crazed prophet is right after all and things are coming to an end like that this course I hope Zibya observes Saluma yawning and flinging himself lazily back on his velvet couch get hence and serve thy customers with their cheap news depend upon it some of them are cursing thee mightily for thy delay and if thou should chance to meet the singing maiden of my household nefrada bitter make haste homeward she hath been absent since the break of morn too long for my contentment maybe I did unwisely give the child her freedom as slave she would not have presumed thus wantonly without her lord's permission say if thou seaster that I am wrathful the thought of mine anger will be as a swift wing to walk her hither like a trembling dove afraid all penitent and eager for my pardon remember be sure thou tell her of my deep displeasure Zibya bowed profoundly his outspread hands almost touching the floor in the civility of his obeisance and backed out of the room as humbly as there he were leaving the presence of royalty when he had gone Theos looked up from the new scroll he was perusing is it not strange nefrada should have left thee thus Salomah he said with a touch of anxiety in his tone maybe and he hesitated conscious of a strange unbidden remorse that suddenly and without any apparent reason overwhelmed his conscience maybe she was not happy not happy ejaculated Salomah amazingly not happy with me not happy in my house protected by my patronage where then if not here could she find happiness in his beautiful flashing eyes betokent his entire and naive astonishment at the mere supposition Theos smiled involuntarily how charming after all was Salomah's sublime egotism how almost childlike was his confidence in himself and his own ability to engender joy all at once the young girl Zorlin spoke her accents were low and timorous may it please my lord Salomah here's thee with pleasure Zorlin replied the lawyer gently thou dost speak more sweetly than many a bird doth sing a rich warm blush crimson the maiden's cheeks at these dulcet words she drew a quick and easy breath and went on I loved nefrada she murmured in a soft tone of touching tenderness and I watched her often when she deemed herself unseen she has me think shed many tears for sake of We have lived as sisters, sharing the same room and the same couch of sleep, but alas, in spite of all my Lord's most constant kindly favor, the fraud is not happy, and I have sometimes thought, hear her mellow voice sank into a nervous indistinctness, that it may be because she loves my Lord Saluma far too well. And as she said this, she looked up with a sudden of fright in her dark, lovely eyes. As though she were alarmed at her own presumption, Saluma met her troubled gaze calmly, and with a bright smile of complacent vanity. And thus thou plead for thine absent friend, Zorlin, he asked with just sufficient satire in his utterance to render it almost cruel. Am I to blame for the foolish fancies of all the amorous maidens in Al-Kiris? Many there be who love me, well, what then must I love many in return? Nay, not so the poet is the worshipper of ideal beauty, and for him the brief passions of mortal men and women serve as mere pastime to while away an hour. But by my faith thou hast gained wondrous boldness in thy speech to praise so glibly of the heart's emotion, what knowest thou concerning such things thou who has counted scarcely fifteen summers? As thou caught contagion from the fodder and art thou too sick of love? O, the dazzling smile with which he accompanied this poignant question, the pitiless burning ardor he managed to convey into the sleeping brilliancy of his soft poetic eyes, the beautiful linger of his attitude as leaning his head back easily on one arm, he turned up the shrinking girl a look that seemed intended to pierce into the very inmost recesses of her soul. The rosy color faded from her cheeks, white as a marble image she stood, her breath coming between her lips in quick fright and gasp. My Lord, she stammered, I hear her voice failed her, and suddenly covering her face with her hands she broke into a passion of weeping. Saluma's delicate brows darkened into a close frown, and he waved his hand with a petulant gesture of impatience. Ye gods, what fools are women, he said wearily, ever hovering uncertainly on a narrow verge between silly smiles and silly o' tears. As I live, they are most uncomfortable playfellows, and dwelling with them long would drive all the inspiration out of man, no matter how nobly he were gifted. He butterflies, ye little, fluttering souls, and beginning to laugh as riddly as he had frowned. He addressed the other maidens who, though they did not dare to move or speak, were evidently affected by the grief of their companion. Go, handsaw, and take this sensitive baby Zorlin into your charge, and console her for her fancy troubles, tis a mere frenzy of feminine weakness, and will pass like an April shower. Let by this ache prevail, if I saw much of woman's weeping, I would discard forever woman's company and dwell in peaceful hermit fashion alone among the treetops. So heed the warning, pretty ones, let me witness none of your tears if your lies, or else say farewell to Saloma, and seek some less easy and less pleasing service. With this injunction, he signed to them all to depart, whereupon the odd, and trembling girls knowagelessly, surrounded the still convulsively sobbing Zorlin, and gently leading her away, they quickly withdrew, each one making a profound obeisance to their imperious master, ere leaving his presence. When they had finally disappeared, Saloma heaved a sigh of relief. Can anything equal the perverseness of these frivolous feminine toys? He murmured, pettishly, turning his head round toward Theos as he spoke, was ever a more foolish child than Zorlin, just as I would bane, have consoled her for her pricking heartache. She must need poor out-of-torrent of teardrops to change my human and quench her own delight, tis the most irksome inconsistency. Theos glanced at him with a vague emotion of wonder and self-proproachful sadness, neighborhood style, indeed, have consoled her, Saloma, the inquired gravely. How? How? And Saloma laughed musically, my simple friend, dost thou ask me such a babe's question? He sprang from his couch and standing erect, pushed his clustered dark hair off his wide bold brows. Am I disfigured, aged, lame, or quickered lint? Cannot these arms embrace? These lips and gender kisses? These eyes wax, amorous, and shall not one brief hour of love with me? Consolver erious maid that ever pined for passion. Now, by my faith, how, Salom, is thy countenance, art thou an anchorite, good Theos, and which thou have me scourge my flesh and groan, because the gods have given me youth and vigorous manhood. He drew himself up with an inimitable gesture of pride, his attitude was statuistic and noble, and Theos looked at him as he would have looked at a fine picture with a sense of critically satisfied admiration. Most assuredly, I am no anchorite, Saloma, he said, smiling slightly, yet with a touch of sorrow, in his voice but me thanks. The consolment thou wouldst offer to enamored maids is far more dangerous than lasting. Thy love to them means ruin, thy embraces shame, thy am thinking passion death. What, will thou be a spinthrift of desire? Will thou drain the fond souls of women as a bee drains the sweetness of flowers? Will thou be honey-cloid, behold them droop and wither around thee? And what thou leave them utterly destroyed and desolate? Hast thou known best age of a heart, my friend? A poet heart to feel the misery of the world, the patient grief of all appealing nature, commingled with the dreadful yet majestic silence of an unknown god. Oh, surely thou hast this supremus gift of genius, this loving enduring faithful sympathetic heart, for without it how shall thy fame be held long in remembrance? How shall thy news-grown laurels escape decay, tell me? And leaning forward he caught his friend's hand in his eagerness. Thou art not made of stone, thou art human, thou art not exempt from mortal suffering. Not exempt, no, interpose Saloma thoughtfully, but as yet I have never really suffered. Never really suffered, Theos dropped the handy health, and an invisible barrier seemed to rise slowly up between him and his beautiful companion. Never really suffered, then he was no true poet, after all, if he was ignorant of sorrow, if he could not spiritually enter into the pathos of speechless griefs and unshed tears, if he could not absorb into his own being the prayers and planes of all creation, and uttered them aloud in burning and immortal language. His calling was in vain, his election futile. This thought smote Theos with the strength of a sudden blow. He sat silent and weighed with a dreary feeling of disappointment to which he was unable to give any fitting expression. I've never really suffered, repeated Saloma slowly, but I've imagined suffering. That is enough for me. The passions, the tortures, the despairs of imagination are greater far than the seeming real petty afflictions with which human beings daily perplex themselves. Indeed, I've often wondered here his eyes grew more earnest and reflected. Whether this busy working of the brain called imagination may not perhaps be a special phase or supreme effort of memory, and that therefore we do not imagine so much as we remember. For instance, if we have ever lived before our present recollection may in certain exalted states of mind serve to bring back the shadow pictures of things long gone by, good or evil deeds, scenes of love and strife, ethereal and divine events in which we have possibly enacted each our different parts as unwittingly as we enact them here. Eastside and seemed somewhat troubled but presently continued in a lighter tone yet after all it is not necessary for the poet to personally experience the emotions wherever he writes. The divine hisperos despicks murderers, cowards and slaves and his sublime tragedies but think as though it was essential for him to become a murderer. Coward enslaved himself in order to delineate these characters. And I, I write of love, love spiritual, love eternal, love fitted for the angels I've dreamt of but not for such animals as men. And what matters is that I know not of such love unless for chance I knew it years ago in some far off barisphere. For me the only charm of worth and woman is beauty, beauty. To its entrancing sway, my senses all make swift surrender. Oh, too swift and too degrading a surrender, interrupted theos, suddenly with reproachful vehemence. Thy words do maddened patience, better a thousand times, that thou shouldst perish, Solomon, now in the full plenitude of thy poet glory, and thus confess thyself a prey to thine own passions, a credulous victim of Lysia's treachery. For one second the laureate stood amazed, the next he sprang upon his guest and grasping him fiercely by the throat. Treachery, he muttered with white lips, treachery, dares thou speak of treachery and Lysia in the same breath. O thou rash fool, thus thou blaspheme my lady's name and yet not fear to die. And his live brown fingers tightened their clutch, but theos cared nothing for his own life. Some inward excitation of feeling kept him resolute and perfectly controlled. Kill me, Solomon, he gasped. Kill me, friend whom I love. Death will be easy at thy hands. Deprive me of my sad existence, does better so, than that I should have slain thee last night at Lysia's bidding. At this, Solomon suddenly released his hold and started backward with a sharp cry of anguish. His face was pale and his beautiful eyes grew strained and piteous. Slain, me, me, at Lysia's bidding. He murmured wildly, oh ye gods, the world grows dark, is the sun quenched in heaven. At Lysia's bidding, nay, by my soul my sight is dimmed. I see not but flaring red in the air, why? And he laughed discordantly, thou poor theos, thou shalt use no dagger's point for a low. I am dead already. Thy words have killed me. Go tell her how well her cruel mission hath sped. My very soul is slain at her bidding. Hasten to her, wilt thou, and his accents trembled with pathetic paintedness. Say, I am gone, lost, drawn into a night of everlasting blackness, like a taper blown swiftly out by the wind. Tell her that Solomon, the poet, Solomon, the foolish, credulous, Solomon who loved her so madly, is no more. His voice broke, his head drew quoth theos, whose every nerve throbbed in response of sympathy with the passion of his despair. Stroke the think of some word of comfort that, like soothing balm, might temper the bitterness of his chafed and wounded spirit, but could find none. For it was a case in which the truth must be told, and truth is always hard to bear if it destroys, or attempts to destroy any one of our cherished self-delusions. My friend, my friend, he said presently, but gentle earnestness, control this fury of thy heart. Why are such unmanly sorrow for one who is not worthy of thee? Solomon looked up, his black silky lashes were wet with tears. Not worthy? Oh, the old poor consolation! He exclaimed quickly, dashing the drops from his eyes. Not worthy? No. What mortal woman is ever worthy of her poet's love, not one in all the world? Nevertheless, worthy or unworthy, true or treacherous, not can make lies see otherwise than fair, fair beyond all fairness. And I, I was so possessor of our beauty. For me, her eyes warmed into stars of fire. For me, her kisses ripened in their pearl and ruby nest. All, all for me. And now, he flung himself desolately on his couch and fixed his wistful gaze on his companion's grave. Pain, countenance, still all at once a hopeful light flashed across his features. A light that seemed to shine through him like an inwardly kindled flame. Ah, what a quarrelous fool am I! He cried joyously, so joyously, that Theos knew not whether to be glad or sorry. At his sudden and capricious change of mood, why should I best bemoan myself? Or fancied wrong? Good noble Theos, thou hast been misled. My Lycia's words were but to try thy metal. To test thee to the core, approved thee truly faithful as Solomon's friend. She bade thee slay me, even so. But hath thou rashly undertaken such a deed, thine own life would have paid the forfeit. Now, I begin to understand it all, that his plain and his face grew brighter and brighter. As he cheated himself into the pleasing idea his own fancy had suggested, she tried thee. She tempted thee. She found thee true and incorruptible. Ah, was a jest, my friend, and entirely recovering from his depression. He clapped his hand heartily on Theos' shoulder. It was all a jest, and she, the fair inquisitor, for herself proved it so erelong, and make merry with our ill-omened fears. Why, I can laugh now at my own despondency. Come, look thou also more cheerly, gentle Theos, and pardon these uncivil fingers that so nearly gripped thee into silence, and he laughed. Thou art the best and kindest of loyal comrades, and I will so assure Lycia of thy merit, that she shall institute no more torture trials upon thy frank and trusting nature, high hope, and stretching out his arms lazily. He heaved a sigh of tranquil satisfaction. Me thought I was wounded into death, but was the mere fancied prick of an arrow, after all, and I am well again. What art thou, still melancholy, still somber? Nay, surely thou wilt not be a veritable killjoy. Theos stood mute and sorely perplexed. He saw it once how useless it was now to try and convince Saluma of any danger threatening him through the instigation of the woman he loved. He would never believe it, and yet something must be done to put him on his guard. Taking up the scroll of the public news, where the account of the finding of the body of Nerjalus was written, with all that exaggerated attention to repulsive details, which seems to be a special gift of the cheap reporters. Theos pointed to it. His was accrual, and he said in a low, uncertain voice, Saluma, canst thou expect mercy from a woman who has once been so merciless? Va, returned the lawyer lightly, who and what was Nerjalus, a hewer of stone images, and nobody he will not be missed. Besides, he is only one of many who have perished thus. Only one of many ejaculated Theos with a shudder of aversion, and yet, o thou most reckless and misguided soul, thou dost flood this wanton murderous. A warm flesh tinted Saluma's olive skin, his hands clenched and unclenched slowly, as though he held some struggling prison thing and raising his head, he looked at his companion, full and steady with a singularly solemn and reproving expression in his luminous eyes. As thou not loved her also, he demanded a faint, serious smile curving his lips as he spoke. If only for the space of some few passing moments was not by his soul ravaged, by heart and slave, a man who had conquered by her spell, I, thou dost shrinketh that, and his smile deepened as Theos, suddenly conscience-stricken, avoided his friends too scrutinizing gaze, blame me not, therefore for thine own weakness. He paused and went on slowly with a meditative air. I love her, yes, as a man must always love the woman that baffles him, the woman whose moods are complex and fluctuating as the winds on the sea, and whose humor sways between the softness of the dove and the fierceness of the tiger. Nothing is more fatally fascinating to the masculine sense than such a creature, more especially if to this temperament as united, rare physical grace, combined with keen intellectual power, to his vain to struggle against the irresistible witchery exercised over us by the commingling of beauty and ferocity, we see it in the wild animals of the forest, and the high soaring birds of the air, and we like nothing better than to hunt it, capture it, tame it, or kill it, as suits our pleasure. He paused again and again smiled, a grave reluctant, doubting smile, such as seen to Theos, oddly familiar, suggesting to his bewildered fancy that he must have seen it before on his own face, reflected in a mirror. Even thus do I love Lysia, continued Salima, she perplexes me, she opposes her will to mine, the very irritation and ferment into which I am thrown by her presence, as far to my genius, and but for the spur of this never satiated passion, who knows whether I should sing so well. He was silent for a little space, then he resumed in a more ordinary tone. The wretched and her jealous, whose fate thou dost so persistently deplore, deserved his end for his presumption, distal not hear his insolent insinuation concerning the king. I heard it, yes, replied Theos, and I saw no harm in the manner of his utterance. No harm, exclaimed Salima excitedly, no harm, nay, but I forgive, thou art a stranger in Al-Kyrus, and therefore thou art ignorant. Of the last word spoken by the sacred oracle, some hundred years or more ago, they are these when the high priestess is the king's mistress, then fall Al-Kyrus. It is absolute doggle and senseless with all, nevertheless it is caused the enactment of the law, which is to the effect that the reigning monarch of Al-Kyrus shall never under any sort of pretext confer with the high priestess of the temple on any business whatsoever, and that furthermore he shall never be permitted to look upon her face, except at times of public service and state ceremonials. Now dost thou not at once proceed how vile were the suggestions of no jealous, and also how foolish was thy fancy last night with regard to the armed masquerader thou did see in Lycea's garden. The use made no reply, but sat absorbed in his own reflections. He began now to understand much that had before seemed doubtful and mysterious. No wonder he thought that Zephyronum's fury against the audacious coast rule had been so excessive, for had not the crazed prophet called Lycea an unvirgined virgin and queen courtesan, and according to Saluma's present explanation, nothing more dire and offensive in the way of open blasphemy could be uttered, yet the questions to remain to us coast rule right or wrong. This was a problem which Theos longed to investigate, and yet recalled from instinctively felt that upon its answer hung the fate of Al-Kyrus, and also what just then seemed more precious than anything else, the life of Saluma. He could not decide with himself why. This was so. He simply accepted his own inward assurance that so it was. Presently he inquired, How comes it, Saluma, that the corpse of Nojalus was found on the shores of the river? Did we not see it waved with iron and laid elsewhere? O, simpleton lap Saluma, thinkest thou, Lycea's lake of lilies, is a common grave for criminals. The body of Nojalus sank therein, is true. But was there no after means of lifting it from thence, and placing it where best such carrion should be found, hath not the high priestess of Nagyya, slaves enough to work her will? Barely thou dost trouble thyself over much concerning these trivial everyday occurrences. I marvel at thee. Hundreds have drained the silver nectar gladly for so fair a woman's sake. Hundreds will drain it gladly still for that mere privilege of living some brief days in the presence of such peerless beauty. But speaking of that river, distal and martyred on thy way hither, I, despondent theostreamly, was read as blood. Strange! And Saluma looked thoughtfully for an instant, and rousing himself, said lightly, tis from some simple cause no doubt, yet will create a silly panic in the city, and all the fanatics for coast rules new creed will creep forth, shouting afresh their prognostications of death and doom. Thy faith will be a most desperate howling, and I'll not walk abroad till the terror hath debated. For over I have worked to do, some lately buttered thoughts of mine have ripened into glorious conclusion, and Zabastis hath orders presently to attend me, that he may take my lines down from mine own dictation. Thou shalt hear a most choice, legend of love, and thou wilt listen. He relate his hand affectionately, on Theos' shoulder, a legend said about me, thinks with wondrous jewels of poetic splendor. Tis a rare privilege I offer thee, my friend, for as a rule, Zabastis is my only auditor, but I would swear that art no plagiarist, and wits not dishonor thine own intelligence, so far as to filch pearls of fancy from another minstrel. As well steal my garments as my thoughts, for verily the thoughts are the garments of the poet's soul, and the common thief of things, petty and material, is no wit more contemptible, than he who robs an author of ideas wherein to deck the bareness of his own poor wit. Come, place thyself at ease upon this Christian couch, and give me thy attention. I feel the fervor rising within me, I will summon Zabastis. Here he pulled a small silken cord, which at once set a clanging bell echoing loudly through the palace, and thou shalt freely hear, and freely judge the last off-spring of my fertile genius. My lyrical romance, Nur-Halma, Theos started violently. He had the greatest difficulty to restrain the anguish cry that arose to his lips. Nur-Halma, oh memory, slow filtering reluctant memory, why was his brain thus tortured with these conflicting pang of piteous recollection, little by little, like sharp, deep stabs of nervous suffering, there came back to him a few fragmentary suggestions which gradually formed themselves into a distinct and comprehensive certainty. Nur-Halma was the title of his own poem, the poem he had written, surely not so very long ago, among the mountains of the paths of D'Ariel.