 Chapter 10 of Our Death by Marie Corelli This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. God's Maiden, Edras He ran on swiftly for a few paces, then coming more closely in view of the misty shape he pursued. He checked himself abruptly and stood still, his heart sinking with a bitter and irrepressible sense of disappointment. Here surely was no angel wanderer from unseen spheres. Only a girl clad in floating gray draperies that clung softly to her slim figure and trail behind her as she moved sedately along through the snow-white blossoms that bent beneath her noiseless tread. He had no eyes for the strange flower transfiguration of the lately barren land, all his interest was centered on the slender, graceful form of the mysterious maiden. She, meanwhile, went on her way till she reached the western boundary of the field. There she turned, hesitated a moment, and then came back straight toward him. He watched her approach as though she were some invisible fate, and a tremor shook his limbs as she drew nearer, still nearer. He could see her distinctly now, all but her face that was in shadow for her head was bent and her eyes were downcast. Her long, fair hair flowed in a loose, rippling mass over her shoulders. She wore a wreath of the Ardath flowers and carried a cluster of them clasped between her small, daintily shaped hands. A few steps more, and she was close beside him, she stopped as if in expectation of some word or sign, but he stood mute and motionless, not daring to speak or stir. Then, without raising her eyes, she passed, passed like a flitting vapor, and he remained as though rooted to the spot in a sort of vague, dumb bewilderment. His stupefaction was brief, however, rousing himself to swift resolution. He hastened after her. Stay, stay, he cried aloud, obedient to his call. She paused, but did not turn. He came up with her. He caught at her robe, soft to the touch, as silken gauze and overwhelmed by a sudden emotion of awe and reverence he sank on his knees. Who and what are you, he murmured in trembling tones, tell me if you are mortal maid, I will not harm you, I swear. See, I am only a poor, crazed fool that loves a dream that stakes his life upon a chance of heaven. Pity me as you are gentle, but do not fear me, only speak. No answer came. He looked up, and now, in the rich radiance of the moon, the held her face, how like, and yet how altogether unlike it was to the face of the angel in his vision, for that ethereal being had seemed dazzlingly supremely beautiful beyond all mortal power of description, whereas this girl was simply fair, small, and delicate, with something wistful and pathetic in the lines of her sweet mouth, and shadows, as if remembered, soaring, slumbering in the depths of her serene, dove-like eyes. Her fragile figure drew queerly as though she were exhausted by some long fatigue, yet gazing down upon him, she smiled, and in that smile, the faint resemblance she bore to his spirit ideal flashed out like a beam of sunlight, though it vanished again as quickly as it had shown. He waited eagerly to hear her voice, waited in a sort of breathless suspense, but as she still kept silence, he sprang up from his kneeling attitude and seized her hands, how soft they were and warm. He folded them in his own, and drew her closer to himself, the flowers she held fell from her grasp, and lay in a tumbled, fragrant heap between them. His brain was in a whirl, the past and the future, the real and the unreal, the finite and the infinite, seemed all merging into one another without any shade of difference or division. We have met very strangely, you and I, he said, scarcely conscious of the words he uttered, will you not tell me your name? A faint sigh escaped her. My name is Edrus, she answered in low musical accents that carried to his sense of hearing a suggestion of something sweet and familiar. Edrus, he repeated, Edrus, and gazing at her dreamily, he raised her hands to his lips and kissed them gently. My fares, Edrus, from whence do you come? She met his eyes with a mild look of reproach and wonderment, from a far, far country theos, and he started as she thus addressed him, a land where no love is wasted and no promise forgotten. Again that mystic light passed over her pale face, the blossom cornel she wore seemed for a moment to glitter like a circlet of stars. His heart beat quickly, could he believe her? Was she in very truth that shining Perry, whose aerial loveliness had so long haunted his imagination? Nay, it was impossible, for if she were, why should she veil her native glory in such simple maiden guise? Searchingly he studied every feature of her countenance, and as he did so his doubts concerning her spirit origin became more and more confirmed. She was a living, breathing woman, an actual creature of flesh and blood, yet how account for her appearance on the field of our death. This puzzled him till all at once a logical explanation of the whole mystery dawned upon his mind. Aliebus had centered hither on purpose to meet him, of course. How dense he had been not to see through so transparent a scheme before. The clever Chaldean had resolved that he, Theos Alwyn, should somehow be brought to accept his trance as a real experience so that henceforth his faith in things unseen and eternal might be assured. Many psychological theorists would oppose such a deceit as not only permissible, but even praiseworthy if practiced for the furtherance of a good cause. Even the venerable Hermit, Al-Zir, might have shared in the conspiracy, and this address, as she called herself, was no doubt perfectly trained in the part she had to play. A plot for his conversion, well, he would enter into it himself. He resolved why not the girl was exquisitely fair, a veritable psyche of soft charms, and a little love-making by moonlight would do no harm. Here he suddenly became aware that while these thoughts were passing through his brain, he had unconsciously allowed her hands to slip from his hold, and she now stood apart at some little distance her eyes fixed full upon him with an expression of most plaintive piteousness. He made a hasty step or two toward her, and as he did so his pulses began to throb with an extraordinary sensation of pleasure, pleasure so keen as to be almost pain. Address, he whispered, Address, and stopped irresolutely. She looked up at him with the appealing wistfulness of a lost and suffering child, and a slight shudder ran through all her delicate frame. I am cold, Theos, she murmured half beseechingly, stretching out her hands to him. Once more hands as fine and fair as Lily leaves, little white hands which he gazed at wonderingly, yet did not take. Cold and very weary, the way has been long, and the earth is dark. Dark, repeated all when mechanically, still absorbed in the dubious contemplation of her lovely yielding form, her sweet upturned face and gold glistening hair. Dark here, beneath the brightness of the moon. Nay, I have seen many a full day look less radiant than this night of stars. Her eyes dwelt upon him with a certain pathetic bewilderment. She let her extended arms drop wearily at her sides, and a shadow of pain recollection crossed the fairness of her features. Ah, I forgot, and she sighed deeply. This is that strange, sad world where darkness is called light. At these words uttered with so much sorrowful meaning, a quick thrill stirred all one's blood, an inexplicable sharp thrill that was like the touch of scorching flame. He gazed at her perplexedly, his pride resented what he imagined to be the deception practiced upon him, but at the same time he was not insensible to the weird romance of the situation. He began to consider that as this fair girl, trained so admirably in mystical speech and manner, had evidently been sent on purpose to meet him, he could scarcely be blamed for taking her as she presented herself and enjoined to the full a thoroughly novel and picturesque adventure. His eyes flashed as he surveyed her standing there before him, utterly unprotected, and at his mercy his old-language skeptical smile played on his proud lips. That smile of the marble antinoous, which says bring me face to face with truth itself, and I shall still doubt. An expression of reluctant admiration and awakening passion dawned on his countenance. He was about to speak when she whose looks were fastened on him, with intense, powerful watchful, anxious entreaty suddenly wrung her hands together as though in despair and gave vent to a desolate sobbing cry that smote him to the very heart. Theos, Theos, and her voice peeled out on the breathless air in sweet, melodious, broken echoes. O my unfaithful beloved, what can I do for thee? A love unseen, thou wilt not understand. A love made manifest, thou wilt not recognize. Alas, my journey is in vain, my errand hopeless. For while thine unbelief resists my pleading, how can I lead thee from danger into safety? How bridge the depths between our parted souls? How win for thee pardon and blessing from Christ the King? Bright tears build her eyes and fell fast and thick through her long-drupping lashes, and all went smitten with remorse at the sight of such grief sprang to her side overcome by shame, love, and penitence. Weeping, and for me, he exclaimed, Sweet Eddress, gentlest of maidens, weep not for one unworthy, but rather small and speak again of love. And now his words pouring forth impetuously seem to utter themselves independently of any previous thought, yes, speak only of love, and the discourse of those tuneful lips shall be my gospel, the glance of those soft eyes my creed. And as for pardon and blessing I crave none but thine. I sought a dream, I have found a fair reality, a living proof of love's divine omnipotence. Love is the only God who would doubt his sovereignty or grudge him his full measure of worship. Not I, believe me, and carried away by the force of a resistless inward fervor, he threw himself once more at her feet. See, here do I pay my vows at love's high altar. Heart's desire shall be the prayer. Heart's ecstasy the praise. Together we will celebrate our glad service of love, and heaven itself shall sanctify this eve of St. Eddress and all angels. She listened, looking down upon him with grief, half timid tenderness, her tears dried, and a sudden hope irradiated her fair face with a soft bright flush, as lovely as the light of morning, falling on newly-opened flowers. When he ceased, she spoke, her accents breaking through the silence, like clear notes of music sweetly sung. So be it, she said, may heaven truly sanctify all pure thoughts and free the soul of my beloved from sin. And slowly bending forward as a delicate iris blossom bends to the sway of the wind, she laid her hands about his neck and touched his lips with her own. Ah, what divine ecstasy, what wild and fiery transport filled him then. Her kiss, like a penetrating lightning flash, pierced to the very center of his being. The moonbeams swam round him in eddying circles of gold, the white field heaved to and fro. He caught her waist and clung to her, and in the burning marvel of that moment, he forgot everything, save that whether spirit or mortal, she was in woman's witching shape, and that all the glamour of her beauty was his for this one night at least, this night which now in the speechless, glorious delirium of love that overwhelmed him seemed like the Mahapatans last night of al-Qadr, better than a thousand months. Drawn to her by some subtle mysterious attraction which she could neither explain nor control and absorbed in a rapture beyond all that his highest and most daring flights of poetical fancy had ever conceived, he felt as though his very life were ebbing out of him to become part of hers. And this thought was strangely sweet, the perfect consummation of all his best desires. All at once a cold shutter ran freezingly through his veins, a something chill and impalpable appeared to pass between him and her caressing arms. His limbs grew numb and heavy, his sight began to fail him. He was sinking, sinking, he knew not where when suddenly she withdrew herself from his embrace. Instantly his drink came back to him with a rush, he sprang to his feet and stood erect, breathless, dizzy and confused, his pulse is beating like hammer strokes and every fiber in his frame quivering with excitement. Entranced, impassioned, elated, filled with unutterable incomprehensible joy, he would have clasped her again to his heart but she retreated swiftly from him and standing several paces off motioned him not to approach her more nearly. He scarcely heeded her warning gesture, plunging recklessly through the flowers. He had almost reached her side, went to his amazement and fear his eager progress was stopped by some invisible intangible barrier which despite all his efforts forcibly prevented him from advancing one step further. She was close within an arm's length of him and yet he could not touch her. Nothing apparently divided them, save a small breath of the our death blossoms gleaming ivory soft in the moonlight, nevertheless that invincible influence thrust him back and held him fast as though he were chained to the ground with weights of iron. Address, he cried loudly, his former transport of delight changed into agony. Address, come to me, I cannot come to you. What is this that parts us? Death, she answered and the solemn words seemed to toll slowly through the still air like a knell. He stood bewildered and dismayed. Death, what could she mean? What in the name of all her beautiful, delicate glowing youth had she to do with death? Gazing at her in mute wonder, he saw her stoop and gather one flower from the clusters growing thickly around her. She held it shield-wise against her breast where it shone like a large white jewel and regarded him with sweet wistful eyes full of mournful longing. Death lies between us, my beloved, she continued one line of shadow, only one little line, but thou mayest not pass it, save when God commands. And I, I cannot, for I know not of death, save that it is a heavy, heavy sleep allotted to over-weary mortals wherein they gain brief rest, whisked many lives, lives that, like recurring dawns, rouse them anew to labor. How often hast thou swept us, my theos, and forgotten me? She paused and awen, met her clear, steadfast looks with a swift glance of something like defiance. For as she spoke his previous idea concerning her, came back upon him with redoubled force. He was keenly conscious of the vehement fever of love into which her presence had thrown him, but all the same he was unable to dispossess himself of the notion that she was a pupil and an accomplice of Halibus, thoroughly trained and practiced in his mysterious doctrine, and that therefore she most probably had some magnetic power in herself that at her pleasure not only attracted him to her, but also held him thus motionless at a distance from her. She talked, of course, in an indefinite mystic way, either to intimidate or convince him, but, and he smiled a little, in any case it only rested with himself to unmask this graceful pretender to angelic honors. And while he thought thus her soft tones trembled on the silence again, he listened as a dreaming mariner might listen to the fan-seed singing of the sea fairies. Through long, bright eons of endless glory, she said, I've waited and prayed for thee. I've pleaded thy cause before the blinding splendors of God's throne. I've sung the songs of thy native paradise, but thou, grown doll of hearing, hast caught but the echo of the music. Life after life hast thou lived and given no thought to me, yet I remember and am faithful. All heaven to me without thee, my beloved. And now in this time of that last probation, now, if thou lovest me indeed, love thee, suddenly exclaimed Theos, half beside himself with the strange passion of yearning, her words awakened in him, love thee, Edrus, I, as the God's loved when earth was young, with the fullness of the heart and the vigor of glad life, even so I love thee. What sayest thou of heaven? Heaven is here, here on this bridal field of Ardath, or a canopy with stars, come, sweet one, cease to play this mystic midnight fantasy. I've done with dreams, Edrus, be thyself, for them art woman, not angel, thy kiss was warm as wine, nay, why, shrink from me, this as she retreated still further away, her eyes flashing with unearthly brilliancy, I will make thee a queen, fair Edrus, as poets ever make queens of the women they love, my fame shall be a crown for thee to wear, a crown that the whole world gazing on shall end thee. And in the heat and ardor of the moment, forgetful of the unseen barrier that divided her from him, he made a violent effort to spring forward, when love, a wave of rippling light appeared to break from beneath her feet, it rolled toward him and completely flooded the space between them like a glittering pool, and in it the flowers of Ardath swayed to and fro as water lilies on a woodland lake swayed to the measured dash of passing oars. Starting back with a cry of terror, he gazed wildly on this miracle of voice richer than all music rang, silvery clear across the liquid radiance, fame said the voice which thou crowned me, theose with so perishable a diadem. Paralyzed and speechless, he lifted his straining dazzled eyes, was that edrus, that lustrous figure, delicate as a sea mist with the sun shining through, he stared upon her as a dying man might stare for the last time on the face of his nearest and dearest. He saw her soft grey garments change to glistening white, the wreath she wore sparkled as with a million dewdrops, a rosy halo streamed above her and around her. Long streaks of crimson flared down the sky like threads of fire swung from the stars and in the deepening glory her countenance, divinely beautiful yet intensely sad, expressed the touching hope and fear of one who makes a final farewell appeal. Ah, God! He knew her now too late, too late he knew her, the angel of his vision stood before him and humbled to the very dust and ashes of despair. He loathed himself for his unworthiness and lack of faith. Oh, doubting and unhappy one she went on, in accent sweeter than a chime of golden bells, thou art lost in the gloom of the sorrowful star where naught is known of life, save its shadow. Lost, and as yet I cannot rescue thee, ah, forlorn edrus that I am left lonely up in heaven, but prayers to her and God's great patience never tires, learned therefrom from the perils of the past, the perils of the future, and way against an immortal destiny of love, the worth of fame. Wider and more dazzling grew the brilliancy surrounding her, raising her eyes she clasped her hands in an attitude of impassioned supplication. Oh, fair King Christ she cried, and her voice seemed to strike a melodious passage through the air, thou canst prevail. A burst of music answered her, music that rushed when like downwards and swept in strong vibrating chords over the land. Again, the Kyrie-Eleison, Christe-Eleison, Kyrie-Eleison peeled forth in the same full youthful tone chorus that had before sounded so mysteriously outside El-Zir's Hermitage, and the separate crimson rays glittering aurora-wise about her radiant figure suddenly melted altogether in the form of a great cross, which absorbing moon and stars in its fiery redness blazed from end to end of the eastern horizon. Then, like a fair white dove or delicate butterfly, she rose, she poised herself above the bowing, Ar-Dath-Bloom, a nom soaring aloft. She floated higher, higher, and ever higher, serenely and with aerial slow ease till drawn into the glory of that wondrous flaming cross, whose outstretched beams seemed waiting to receive her. She drifted straight upwards through its very center and so vanished. The o's stared aghast at the glowing sky, wither had she gone. Her words still rang in his ears, the warmth of her kiss still lingered on his lips. He loved her, he worshipped her. Why, why had she left him lost, as she herself had said in a world that was mere emptiness without her? He struggled for utterance, address. He whispered hoarsely, address, my angel love, come back, come back, pity me, forgive, address. His voice died in a hard sob of imploring agony, smitten to the very soul by a remorse greater than he could bear. His strength failed him, and he fell senseless, phase forward among the flowers of the prophet's field. Flowers that circling snowy around his dark and prostrate form looked like fairy garlands, bordering a poet's grave. End of Chapter 10, Chapter 11 of Our Death by Marie Carelli. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Part 2 in Al-Kiris, that which I've been is now, and that which is to be hath already been, and God requireth that which is past, Ecclesiastes. Chapter 11, The Marvelous City, profound silence, profound unconsciousness, oblivious rest. Such are the soothing ministrations of kindly nature to the overburdened spirit. Nature, who in her tender wisdom and maternal solicitude will not permit us to suffer beyond a certain limit. Excessive pain, whether it be physical or mental, cannot last long, and human anguish wound up to its utmost quivering pitch finds at the very height of desolation in Lathian calm. Even so, it was with Theos Alvin, drowned in the deep stillness of a merciful swoon he had sunk as it were out of light, far out of the furthest reach or sense of time in some vast unsounded gulf of shadows, where earth and heaven were alike forgotten. How long he laid thus he never knew, but he was roused at last, roused by the pressure of something cold and sharp against his throat, and on languidly opening his eyes he found himself surrounded by a small body of men in armor, who, leaning on tall pikes, which glistened brilliantly in the full sunlight, surveyed him with looks of derisive amusement. One of these closer to him than the rest, and who seemed, from his dress and bearing, to be some officer in authority held instead of a pike, a short sword, the touch of whose pointed steel-blade had been the effectual means of awakening him from his lethargy. How now, said this personage, and a rough voice, as he withdrew his weapon, what idle fellow art thou, traitor or spy, fool thou must be, and breaker of the king's law, else thou hath never dared to bask in such swine-like ease outside the gates of Al Caris the Magnificent. Al Caris the Magnificent, what was the man talking about, uttering a hasty exclamation, all one staggered to his feet with an effort, and shading his eyes from the hot glare of the sun-stared bewilderedly at his interlocutor. What is this, he stammered dreamily, I do not understand you. I have slept on the field of Ardath. The soldiers burst into a loud laugh in which their leader joined. Thou hast drunk deep, my friend, he observed putting up his sword with a sharp clatter into its shining sheet. What name sayest thou Ardath? We know it not, nor dost thou I warrant, when sober, go to make for thy home speedily. I, I, the flavor of good wine, clings to thy mouth still, tis a pleasant sweetness that I myself impartial too, and I can pardon those who, like thee, love it somewhat too well away, and thank the gods thou hast fallen into the hands of the king's guard, rather than let's see his priestly patrol. See the gates are open, in with thee, and cool thy head at the first fountain. The gates, what gates, removing his hand from his eyes, all when gazed around confusedly, he was standing on an open stretch of level-rowed, dustily white and dry with long-continued heat, and right in front of him was an enormously high wall, topped with rows of bristling iron spikes and guarded by the gates alluded to. Huge, massive portals seemingly made of finely molded brass and embellished on either side by thick, round stone watchtowers, from whose summits, while at penance, drooped idly in the windless air. Amazed and full of a vague trembling terror, he fixed his wondering looks once more upon his strange companions who in their turn regarded him with cool military indifference. I must be mad at dreaming, he thought. Then, growing suddenly, desperate, he stretched out his hands with a wild, appealing gesture. I swear to you, I know nothing of this place. He cried, I never saw it before. Some trick has been played on me. Who brought me here? Where is El-Zir, the hermit, the ruins of Babylon? Where is good God? What fearful freak of fate is this? The soldiers laughed again. Their commander looked at him a little curiously. Nay, art thou, one of the escaped of Lassie, his lovers, he asks suspiciously. And has the silver nectar failed of its usual action and driven thy senses to the winds that thou ravest thus? For if thou art a stranger and knowest not of us, how speakest thou our language? Why wearest thou the garb of our citizens? All went shrank and shivered as though he had received a deadening blow. An awful, inexplicable, chill horror froze his blood. It was true he understood the language spoken. It was perfectly familiar to him, more so than his own native tongue. Stop what was his native tongue. He tried to think, and the sick fear at his heart grew stronger. He could not remember a word of it. And his dress, he glanced at it, dismayed and appalled. He had not noticed it till now. It bore some resemblance to the costume of ancient Greece and consisted of a white linen tunic and loose upper vest, both garments being kept in place by a belt of silver. From this belt depended a sheath dagger, a square writing tablet, and a pencil shaped implement which he immediately recognized as the antique form of stylus. His feet were shot with sandals. His arms were bare to the shoulder and clasped at the upper part by two broad silver armlets richly chased. Noting all these details, the fantastic oftenness of his position smote him with redoubled force and he felt as a madman may feel when his impending doom has not entirely asserted itself when only grotesque and leering suggestions of madness cloud his brain. When he had his faces dimly discerned, loomed out of the chaos of his nightly visions and when all the air seemed solid darkness a brown white line of fire cracking it asunder in the midst and that fire of his own approaching frenzy. Such a delirium of agony possessed Alvin at that moment he could have shrieked, laughed, groaned, wept and fallen down in the dust before these bearded armed men bringing them to slay him with their weapons there where he stood and put him mercifully and at once out of his mysterious misery. But an invisible influence stronger than himself prevented him from becoming altogether the victim of his own torturing emotions and he remained erect and still as a marble figure without wondering white piteous face of such unutterable affliction that the officer who watched him seem touched in advance clapped his shoulder in a friendly manner. Come, come, he said, thou needst fear nothing, we are not the men too blab of thy trespass against the city's edict for of a truth there is too much whispering away of young and goodly lives nowadays. What thou art not this gay gallant nor wealth thou be the last that has seen the world turn upside down in a haze of love and late feasting if thou hast not slept long enough why sleep again and thou wilt but not hear. He broke off abruptly a distant clatter of horses hoofs was heard as of one galloping at full speed the soldiers started and assumed an attitude of attention their leader muttered something like an earth and seizing Alvin by the arm with the brass gates which as he had said stood open and literally thrust him through in in my lap he urged with rough kindliness thou hast to face there than that of the king's own minstrel and why which thou died for a sake of an extra cup of wine if Lycea is to blame for this scattering of thy wits take heed thou do not venture near her more it is ill-gesting with the serpent's sting get thee hence quickly and be glad of thy life thou hast many years before the yet in which to play the lover fool. With this enigmatic speech he signed to his men to follow him they all filed through the gates which closed after them with a jarring clang a dark bearded face peered out of a narrow loophole in one of the watchtowers and a deep voice called what of the hour the officer raised his gauntlet to hand and answer promptly peace and safety salutation cried the voice again salutation responded the officer and with a reassuring nod and smile to the bewildered Alwyn he gathered his little band around him and they all marched off the measured clink-clank of their footsteps making metallic music as they wheeled round the corner and disappeared from sight left to himself Alwyn's first idea was to sit down in some quiet corner and endeavor calmly to realize what strange and cruel thing had chance to him but happening to look up he saw the bearded face in the watchtower observing him suspiciously and therefore roused himself sufficiently to walk away on and on scarce heeding wither he went till he had completely lost sight of those great cold glittering portals which had shut him against his will within the walls of a large splendid and popular city he as hopelessly perplexing and maddening as it was there could be no doubt as this fact and though he again and again tried to convince himself that he was laboring under some wild and exceptional hallucination his senses all gave evidence of the of his situation he felt he moved he heard he saw he was even beginning to be conscious of hunger thirst and fatigue the further he went the more gorgeous grew the surroundings his unguided steps wandered as it seemed of their own accord into wide streets paved entirely with mosaics and lined on both sides with lofty picturesque and palace-like buildings he crossed and recrossed broad avenues shaded by tall feathery palms and masses of graceful flowering foliage he passed rows upon rows of brilliant shops these frontages glittered with the most cost and beautiful wares of every description as he strolled about aimlessly uncertain whether to go he was constantly jostled by the pressing throngs of people that crowded the thoroughfares all more or less apparently bent on pleasure to judge from their animated countenances and frequent bursts of gay laughter the men were for the most part arrayed like himself though here and there he met some few whose garments were of soft silk instead of linen who wore gold belts in place of silver who carried their daggers and sheaths that were literally encrusted all over with lashing jewels as he advanced more into the city centre the crowds increased so much so that the noise of traffic and clutter of tongues became quite deafening to his ears richly ornamented chariots drawn by spirited horses and driven by personages whose attires seemed to be a positive blaze of golden gems roll past in a continuous procession fruit sellers carrying their lovely luscious merchandise and huge gilded moss wreath baskets stood at almost every corner flower girls fair as flowers boil off in their gracefully upraised arms wide wicker trays overflowing with odorous blossoms tied into clusters and reeds and there were countless numbers of curious little open square carts to which mules wearing colors of bells were harnessed the tinkle-tinkle of their constant passage through the throng making incessant merry music these vehicles bore the names of traders purveyors and wine and dealers in all sorts of provisions but with the exception of such necessary business caterers the streets were full of elegant loungers of both sexes who seemed to have nothing whatever to do but amuse themselves the women were especially noticeable for their lazy grace of manner they glided to and fro with an indolent floating ease that was indescribably bewitching the more so as many of them were endowed with exquisite beauty of form and feature beauty greatly enhanced by the artistic simplicity of their costume this was composed of a straight clinging gown slightly gathered at the throat and bound about the waist with a twisted girdle of silver gold and in some cases jewels their arms like those of the men were bare and their small delicate feet were protected by sandals fastened with cross bands of ribbon coquettishly knotted the arrangement of their hair was evidently a matter of personal taste and not the slavish copying of any set fashion some allowed it to hang in loosely flowing abundance over their shoulders others had it closely braided or coiled carelessly in a thick soft mass at the top of the head but all without exception wore white veils veils long transparent and filmy as gossamer which they flung back or draped about them at their pleasure and presently after watching several of these fairy creatures pass by and to their low laughter and dulcet speech of sudden memory leaped into all one's confused brain an old old memory that seemed to have lain hidden among his thoughts for centuries the memory of a story called lamia told in verse as delicious as music aptly played who wrote the story he could not tell but he recollected that it was about a snake in the guise of a beautiful woman and these women in this strange city looked as if they also had a snake like origin there was something so soft and live relating about their movements and gestures weary of walking distracted by the ever increasing clamor and feeling lost among the crowd he at last perceived a wide and splendid square surrounded with daily houses and having in its center a huge white granite obelisk which towered like a pillar of snow against the dense blue of the sky blow it a massively sculptured line also of white granite they couched holding our shield between its paws on either side to find fountains were in full play the delicate spiral columns of water being dashed up beyond the extreme point of the obelisk so that its stone face was wet and glistening with the tossing rainbow shower here he turned the side out of the main thoroughfare there were tall shady trees all about and fantastically carved benches underneath them he determined to sit down and rest and steadily think out his involved and peculiar condition of mind as he passed the sculptured line he saw certain words draped on the shield it held they were through the line and the serpent shall alcaras flourish there was no disorder in his intelligence concerning this sentence he was able to read it clearly and comprehensively and yet what was the language in which he was written and how did he come to know it so thoroughly with a sigh that was almost a groan he sank listlessly on a seat and bearing his head in his hands to shut out all the strange sights which so direfully perplexed his reason to subject himself to a patient serious cross examination in the first place who was he part of the required answer came readily theos theos what his brain refused to clear up this point it repeated theos theos over and over again but no more shuttering with a vague dread he asked himself the next question from whence had he come the reply was direct and decisive from our death but what was our death it was neither a country nor a city it was the least field where he had seen ah whom had he seen he struggled furiously with himself with some response to this none came total dumb blankness was the sole result of the inward rack to which he subjected his thoughts and where had he been before he ever saw our death had he no recollection of any other place any other surroundings absolutely none torture his wits as he would absolutely none this was frightful incredible surely surely amused bideously there must have been something in his life before the name of our death had swamped his intelligence he lifted his head his face had grown ashen gray and rigid in the deep extremity of his speechless trouble and terror there was a sick faintness at his heart and rising he moved unsteadily to one of the great fountains and they're dipping his hands in the spray dash some drops on his brow and eyes then making a cup of hallowed palms he drank thirstily several drafts of the cool water it seemed to lay the fever in his blood he looked around him with a wild big smile al carus of course he was in al carus why was he so distressed about it it was a pleasant city there was much to see and also much to learn at that instant a loud blast of silver toned trumpets split the air followed by a storm roar of distant acclimation surging up from thousands of throats crowds of men and women suddenly flocked into the square across it and out of it again the sea impetuously in one direction and urged for it by the general rush as well as by a corresponding impulse within himself he flung all meditation to the winds and plunged recklessly into the shouting on sweeping throng he was born swiftly with it down a broad avenue lined with grand old trees and decked with flying flags and streamers to the margin of a noble river as still as liquid amber in the wide sheen and heat of the noonday sun a splendid marvel embankment adorned with colossal statues girdled it on both sides and here under silken awnings of every color pattern and design an enormous multitude was assembled it's white a tired closely packed rank stretching far away into the blue distance on either hand all the attention of this vast concourse appeared to be centered on the slow approach of a strain gilded vessel that with great curve prowl and scarlet sails flapping idly in the faint breeze was gliding leisurely yet majestically over the azure blaze of the smooth water huge oars like golden fins projected from her sides and dipped lazily every now and then apparently wielded by the hands of invisible rowers whose united voices supplied the lack of the needful wind and as he caught sight of this cumbersome quaint galley theos moved by sudden interest elbow his way resolutely through the dense crowd till he gained the edge of the embankment where leaning against the marvel balustrade he watched with a curious fascination his gradual advance nearer near it came brighter and brighter glowed the vivid scarlet of its sails a solemn sound of stringed music rippled enchantingly over the glassy river mingling itself with the wild shouting of the populace shouting that seemed to rend the hollow vault of heaven nearer nearer and now the vessel stood round and curtsied forward is propelling fins moved more rapidly another graceful sweep and low it fronted the surging throng like a glittering fantastic apparition drawn out of dream land theos stared at it dazzled and stricken with a half blind breathless wonder was ever a ship like this he thought a ship that sparkled all over as though it were carbon print out of one great burning jewel golden hangings falling in rich loose folds draped it gorgeously from stem to stern gold courtage looped the sails on the deck a band of young gals flat and white and crowned with flowers now playing softly on quaintly shaped instruments and a cluster of tiny semi-nude boys fair as young cupids were grouped in pretty reposal attitudes along the edge of the gilded prow holding garlands of red and yellow blossoms which trailed down to the surface of the water beneath as a half slumbering man may note a seven-brilliant glare of sunshine flashing on the wall of the sleeping chamber so theos at first viewed this floating pageant in confused uncomprehending bewilderment when all at once his stupefied senses were roused to hot life and pulsing action with smothered cry of ecstasy he fixed his straining eager gaze on one supreme fair figure the central glory of the marvelous picture a woman or a goddess a rainbow flame in mortal shape a spirit of earth air fire water or a thought of beauty embodied into human sweetness and may perfect clothing gold attire and girdle with gem she stood leaning indolently against the middle mast of the vessel her great somber dusky eyes resting grossly on the swarming masses of people whose frenzied roar of rapture and admiration sounded like the breaking of billows presently with a slow solemn small on her haughtily curved lips she extended one hand and arm snow-white and glittering with jewels and made an imperious gesture to command silence instantly a profound hush ensued lifting a long slender white wand at the end of which could be plainly seen the gleaming silver head of a serpent she described three circles in the air with a perfectly even majestic motion her marvelous eyes turned toward theos and dwelt steadily upon him he met her gaze fully absorbing into his inmost soul the masmeric spell of her matrilous loveliness he saw without actually realizing the circumstance that the whole vast multitude around him had fallen prostrated in an attitude of worship and still he stood erect drinking in the warmth of those dark witching sleepy orbs that flashed at him half presently half mockingly and then the beauty of the ship began to sway gently and move onwards she that wondrous siren green was vanishing vanishing she and her kneeling maidens and music and flowers vanishing where with a start he sprang from his post of observation he felt he must go after her at all risk he must find out her place of a boat her rank her title her name all at once he was roughly seized by a dozen or more of hands loud angry voices shouted on all sides a traitor a traitor an infidel sent into the river with him he refuses worship he denies the gods bear him to the tribunal and in a trice of time he was completely surrounded and hemmed in by an exasperated gesticulating crowd whose ominous looks and indignant mutterings were plainly significant to prompt hostility with a few agile movements he succeeded in wrenching himself free from the grasp of his assailants and standing among them like a staggered bear he cried what have I done how have I offended speak or is it a fashion of alchiris to condemn a man unheard no one answered this appeal the very directness of it seemed to increase the irritation of the mop that pressing closer and closer began to jostle and hustle him in a threatening manner that voted ill for his safety he was again taken prisoner and struggling in the grasp of his captors he was preparing to fight for his life as best he could against the general fury when the sound of musical strings swept carelessly upwards in the ascending scale and he was immediately through the clamor a youth who rate in crimson and carrying a small golden heart marked sedately between the sered ranks that parted right and left at his approach thus clearing the way for another personage who followed him a graceful adonis like personage ingressing white no tower who wore a myrtle wreath on his dark abundant locks and whom the populace for getting for a moment the cause of their recent disturbance greeted with a ringing and ecstatic shout of indescribable uplifted so far away on the extreme outskirts of the throng the joyous echo of it was repeated faintly yet distinctly hail hail saw luma end of chapter 11 chapter 12 of our death by Marie Carelli this LibriVox recording is in the public domain saw luma the newcomer thus enthusiastically welcomed bowed right and left with a condescending air in response to the general acclamation and advancing to the spot where Theo stood an enforced prisoner in the close grip of three or four able bodied citizens he said and he smiled a dazzling childlike smile half petulant half pleased a smile of supreme self-consciousness as of one who knew his own resist this power to charm away all discord several voices answered him in clamors unison a traitor saw luma a profane rebel an unbeliever a most insolent naïve he refused homage to the high priestess a renegade from the faith now, by the sacred veil cried saw luma impatiently think ye, I can distinguish your jargon when like ignorant boars ye talk all at once tearing my ears to shreds with such unmelodious tongue clutter whom have ye seized thus roughly let him stand forth the men who held Theo's relaxed their grasp and he breathless and burning with indignation at the treatment he had received shook himself quickly free of all restraint and sprang forward confronting his rescuer there was a brief pause during which the two surveyed each other with looks of mutual amazement what mysterious indication of affinity did they read in one another's faces emotionless spellbound and dumb for a while eyeing half admiringly half enviously each other's personal appearance and bearing undoubtedly a curious far-off resemblance existed between them yet it was a resemblance that had nothing whatever to do with the actual figure mean or countenance it was that peculiar and often undefinable similarity of expression which we noticed between two brothers who are otherwise totally unlike instantly proclaims their relationship Theo's realized his own superior height and superior muscular development but what were these physical advantages compared to the classic perfection of Saluma's beauty beauty combining the delicate with the vigorous such as is shattered forth in the artist's conceptions of the god Apollo his features thoughtlessly regular were redeemed from all effeminacy by the ennobling impress of high thought and inward inspiration his eyes were dark with a brilliant under reflection of steel gray in them that at times flashed out like the soft glitter of summer lightning in the dense purple of an August heaven his olive tinted complexion was flushed warmly with the glow of health and he had a bold intellectual brows over which the rich hair clustered in luxuriant waves hair that was almost black with here and there a curious black of reddish gold brightening its curling masses as though a stray sunbeam or two have been caught and entangled therein he was arrayed in a costume of the finest silk his armlets built in dagger sheath were all of jewels and the general brilliancy of his attire was squeezed by a finely worked flexible collar of gold set with diamonds the first exchange of wondering glances over he viewed theos with a critical half supercilious air what art thou he demanded what is thy calling theos hesitated then spoke out boldly and unthinkingly I am a poet he said a murmur of irrepressible laughter and confusion ran through the listening crowd saluma's lip curled haughtily a poet and his fingers played idly with the dagger at his bow nay not so there is but one poet in al caris and I am he theos looked at him steadily a subtle sympathy attracted him toward this charming boaster involuntarily he smiled and bent his head courteously I do not seek to figure as rival he began rival at good saluma I have no rivals a burst of applause from those nearest to them in the throng declared the popular approval of this assertion and the boy bearing the harp who had loitered to listen to the conversation swept the strings of his instrument with a triumphant force and fervor that showed how thoroughly his feelings were in harmony with the expression of his master's sentiments saluma conquered with an effort his momentary irritation and resumed coldly from whence do you come there sir we should know your name poets are not so common this with an accent of irony taken aback by the question theos stood irresolute and uncertain what to say for he was afflicted with a strange and terrible malady such as he dimly remembered having heard of but never expected to suffer from a malady in which his memory had become almost a blank as regarded the past events of his life though every now and then shadowy images of bygone things flitted across his brain like the transient reflections of winds swept clouds on still translucent water presently in the midst of his painful indecision an answer suggested itself like a whispered hint from some visible prompter poets like saluma are no doubt as rare as nightingales in snow he said with a soft deference and an increasing sense of tenderness for his haughty handsome interlocutor as for me I am a singer of sad songs that are not worth the hearing my name is theos I come from far beyond the seas and I'm a stranger in alchuris therefore if I have erred in art I must be blamed for ignorance not malice as he spoke saluma regarded him intently theos met his gaze frankly and unflinchingly surely there was some singular power of attraction between the two for as their flashing eyes again dwelt earnestly on one another they both smiled and saluma advancing proffered his hand theos at once accepted it a curious sensation of pleasure tingling through his frame as he pressed those slender blown fingers in his own cordial clasp a stranger in alchuris and from beyond the seas then by my life and honor I ensure thy safety and bid thee welcome a singer of sad songs sad or merry that thou are a singer at all makes thee the guest of the king's moriot a look of conscious vanity illumined his face as he thus announced with proud emphasis his own title and claim to distinction the brotherhood of poets he continued laughingly is a mystic and doubtful tie that have often questioned but provided they do not like ill conditioned wolves fight each other out of the arena there should be joy in the relationship here turning full upon the crowd he lifted his rich melodious voice to higher and more ringing tones it is like you oh hasty and misjudging kerosians that finding a harmless wanderer from far off lands present at the pageant of the mid-summer benediction ye should pounce upon him even as kites on outstrain seabird and maul him with your ruthless talons as he broken the law of worship ye have broken the law of hospitality as he failed to kneel to the passing ship of the sun so have ye failed to handle him with due courtesy what report shall he bear hence of your gentleness and culture to those dim and unjoyous shores beyond the gray green wall of ocean billows where the very name of Al Kiris serves as a symbol for all that is great and wise and wondrous in the whole circle of the world moreover ye know full well that foreigners and sojourners in the city are exempt from worship and the king's command is that all such should be well and nobly entertained to the end that when they depart they may carry with them a full store of pleasant memories hence scatterbrains to your homes no festival can ye enjoy without a gust of contention ye are ill made instruments all playing strings even I crowned minstrel of the king can scarce keep one day in happy tune look ye now this stranger is my guest is there a man in Al Kiris who will treat as an enemy one whom Sal Luma calls friend a storm of applause followed this little extemporary speech applause accompanied by an odorous rain of flowers there were many women in the crowd and these suppressed eagerly forward every word that dropped from the poet laureates Malif Lewis Lips now moved by one common impulse they hastily snatched off their posies and garlands and flung them in lavish abundance at his feet some of the blossoms chancing to fall on theos and cling to his garments he quickly shook them off and gathering them together presented them to the personage for whom they were intended he however gaily rejected them moving his small sandled foot playfully among the thick wealth of red and white roses that lay waiting to be crushed beneath his tread keep thy share he said with an amused flash of his glorious eyes such offerings art my daily lot I can spare thee one handful from the overflowing harvest of my song it was impossible to be offended with such charming self complacency the naive conceit of the man was as harmless as the delight of a fair girl who has made her first conquest and Theos smiling kept the flowers by this time the surrounding throng had broken up into little knots and groups all ill humor on the part of the populace had completely vanished and large numbers were now leaving the embankment and dispersing in different directions to their several homes all those who had been within hearing distance of Saluma's voice appeared highly elated as though they had endured some special privilege and pleasure to be reproved by the laureate was evidently considered better than being praised by anyone else many persons pressed up to Theos and shaking hands with him offered their eager excuses and apologies for the misunderstanding that had lately taken place explaining with much animation both of look and gesture that the fact of his wearing the same style of dress themselves had induced them to take it for granted that he must be one of their fellow citizens and therefore subject to the laws of the realm Theos was just beginning to feel somewhat embarrassed by the excess of politeness and cordiality of his recent antagonists when Saluma again interposing cut all explanation short come come cease this useless prading he said imperatively yet good-naturedly in everything he showed your mother the ignorance and lack of discernment for concerning the matter of attire are not the fashions of Al-Kyrus copied more or less badly in every quarter of the habitable globe even as our language and literature formed the chief studying the light of all scholars and educated gentlemen a truce to your discussions let us get hence and home here he turned to Theos with a graceful salutation you my good friend will doubtless be glad to rest and recover from my countryman's gentle treatment of your person thus saying he made a slight commanding sign the clustering people drew back on either side and he taking Theos by the arm pass through their ranks talking laughing and nodding graciously here and there as he went with the half kindly half indifferent ease of an affable monarch who occasionally bows to some of his poorest subjects as he trod over the flowers that lay heaped about his path several girls rushed impetuously forward struggling with each other for possession of those particularly favored blossoms that had received the pressure of his foot and kissing them they tied them in little knots and pinned them proudly on the bosoms of their white gowns one or two Mordering stretched out their hands to touch the golden frame of the harp as it was carried past them by the youth in Crimson a pretty fellow enough who looked extremely haughty and almost indignant at this effrontery on the part of the fair poet worshippers but he made no remonstrance and merely held his head a little higher and walked with a more consequential air as he followed his master at a respectful distance another long ecstatic shout of hail saluma arose on all sides rippling away away down as it seemed to the very furthest edge of echoing resonance and then the remainder of the crowd quickly scattered right and left leaving the spacious embankment almost deserted say for the presence of several copper colored blue-shirted individuals who were commencing the work of taking down and rolling up the silken awnings accompanying their labors by sort of an autonomous chant that mingling with the slow gliding flash of the river sounded as weird and mournful as the south of the wind through leafless trees meanwhile Theos in the company of his new friend began to express his thanks for the timely rescue he had received but saluma waved such acknowledgements aside nay I've only served thee as a crowned laureate should ever serve a lesser minstrel he said with that indescribably delicious air of self-fattery which was so whimsical and yet so winning and I tell thee an all good faith that for a newly arrived visitor in Alkiris thy first venture was a reckless one to omit to kneel in the presence of the high priestess during her benediction was a violation of our customs and ceremonies dangerous to life and limb a religiously excited mob is merciless and if I had not chanced upon the scene of action I should have been no longer the man I am smile Theos licking down on his companions light, live, elegant form as it moved gracefully by his side but that I failed in homage to the high priestess an intentional lack of wit on my part for if that was the high priestess that dazzling wonder of beauty who lately passed in a glittering ship on her triumphant way down the river like a priceless pearl in a cup of gold I, I, and Saluma's dark brows contracted in a slight frown not so many fine words I pray thee thou couldst not well mistake her there is only one Lysia Lysia murmured Theos dreamily and the musical name slid off his lips with a soft sibilant sound Lysia and I forgot to kneel to that enchanting that adorable being oh unwise benighted fool where were my thoughts next time I see her I will atone no matter what creed she represents I will kiss the dust at her feet and so make reparation for my sin Saluma glanced at him with a somewhat dubious expression but art thou already persuaded he queried lightly and will thou also be one of us well thou wilt need to kiss the dust in very truth if thou service Lysia no half measures will suit where she the untouched and immaculate is concerned and here there was a faint inflection of mingled mockery and sadness in his tone to lover is for many men an absolute necessity but the virgin priestess of the serpent receives love as statues may receive it moving all others to frenzy she is herself unmoved theos listened scarcely hearing he was studying every line in Saluma's face and figure with fixed and wistful attention almost unconsciously he pressed the arm he held and Saluma looked up at him with a half smile I fancy we shall like each other he said the singing bird of passage and I a nested nightingale amid the roses of the east our ways of making melody are different we shall not quarrel quarrel echo theos amazedly nay I might quarrel with my nearest and dearest but never with thee Saluma for I know thee for a very prince of poets and would assume profane the sanctity of the muse herself as violate thy preferred friendship I so return Saluma his bright eyes flashing with undisguised pleasure and thou thinkest thus of me we shall be firm and fast companions thou has spoken well and not without good instruction I perceive my fame hath reached thee in thine own ocean girdle lands where music is as rare as sunshine right glad am I that chance has thrown us together for now thou wilt be better able to judge of my master skill and sweet word weaving thou must abide with me for all the days of thy sojourn here art willing willing I more than willing exclaimed theos enthusiastically but if I burdened hospitality burden and Saluma laughed talk not of burdens to me I who have feasted kings and make light of their entertaining here he added as he led the way through a broad alley lined with alms here is the entrance to my poor dwelling and a sparkling mist of his smile brightened his features there is room enough in it me thinks to hold thee even if thou hath brought a retinue of slaves he pointed before him as he spoke and theos stood for a moment stock still and overcome with astonishment at the size and splendor of the palace whose gates they were just approaching of the purest white marble surrounded on all sides by long fluted colonnades and fronted by a spacious court paved with mosaics where eight flower bordered fountains dashed up to the hot blue sky incessant showers of refreshing spray into this court and across it Saluma let his wondering guest ascending a wide flight of steps they entered a vast open hall where the light poured in through rose-colored and pale blue glass that gave a strange lovely effect of mingled sunset and moonlight to this scene here reclining about on cushions of silk and velvet were several beautiful girls in various attitudes of indolence and ease one laughing black hair curie was amusing herself with a tame bird which flew to and from her uplifted finger another in a half sitting posture played cup and ball with much active bold dexterity some were working at gold and silver embroidery others clustered in a semi-circle round a large OCR basket filled with myrtle were busy weaving garlands of their fragrant leaves and one maiden seemingly younger than the rest and of lighter and more delicate complexion leaned somewhat pensively against an ebony framed harp as though she were considering what sad or suggestive chords she should use as strings as saluma and theos appear these nymphs all rose from their different occupations and amusements and stood with bent heads and folded hands in statuesque silence and humility these are my human rose buds said saluma softly and gaily as holding the dazzle theos by the arm he escorted him past these radiant and exquisite forms they bloom and fade and die like the flowers thrown by the populous proud and happy to feel that their perishable loveliness has even for a brief while been made more lasting by contact with my deathless poet fame ah nefrata and he paused at the side of the girl standing by the harp as thou sung many of my songs today whereas thy voice too weak for such impassioned cadence thou art pale I miss thy soft blush and dimpling smile what ails thee my honey-throated Oreo nothing my lord answered nefrata in a low tone raising a pair of lovely dusky violet eyes fringed with long black lashes nothing save that my heart is always sad in thine absence saluma smiled well pleased let it be sad no longer then he said caressing her cheek with his hand and theos saw a wave of rich color mounting swiftly to her fair brows at his touch as though she were a white poppy warming to crimson in the ardent heat of the sun I love to see thee merry mirth suits a young and beauteous face like thine look you sweet I bring with me here a stranger from far off lands one to whom saluma's name is as a star in the desert I must needs have thy voice in all its full lusciousness of tune too warble for his pleasure those heart entangling ditties of mine which thou has rendered with such matchless tenderness thanks gesenia this as another maiden advanced and gently removing the myrtle wreath he wore placed one just freshly woven on his clustering curls then turning to theos he inquired will thou also wear a minstrel garland my friend nefrata or gesenia will crown thee I'm not worthy answer theos bending his head in low salutation to the two lovely girls to dyeing him with a certain wistful wonder one spray from saluma's discarded wreath will best suffice me saluma broke into a laugh of absolute delight I swear thou speak as well and like a true man he said joyously unfamous as thou art thou deservedest honor for the frank confession of thy lack of merit believe me there are some boastful rhymers and alchorists who in his wish gesenia and gesenia obediently detaching a sprig of myrtle from the wreath saluma had worn all day handed it to theos with a graceful obeisance for who knows but the leaves may contain a certain witchery we want not of that shall endow him with a touch of the divine inspiration at that moment a curious figure came shuffling across the splendid hall that of a little old man somewhat shabbily attired upon whose wrinkled countenance there seemed to be a fixed maligned smile like the smile of a mocking greek mask he had small bright beady black eyes placed very near the bridge of his large hooked nose his thin wispy gray locks dreamed scantily over his bent shoulders and he carried a tall staff to support his awkward steps a staff with which he made a most disagreeable tapping noise on the marble pavement as he came along ah sir gad about he exclaimed in a harsh squeaky voice as he perceived saluma back again from your self advertising in the city is there any poor soul left in alchiris whose ears have not been deafened by the parrot cry of the name of saluma if there is at him at him my dainty warbler of tiresome trills at him and storm his senses with a rhodo-montade of rhymes without reason the immortal of the immortals bard of bards stuff him with quatrains and sextanes beat him with blank verse blank of all meaning lash him with ballad and sonnet scourges till the tortured wretch howling for mercy shall swear that no poet save saluma ever lived before or will ever live again on the face of the shuttering and astonished earth and breathless with this extraordinary outburst he struck his staff loudly on the floor and straightway to such a violent fit of coughing that his whole lean body shook with the paroxysm saluma laughed heartily laughter in which he was joined by all the assembled maidens including the gentle, pensive, eyed nefrotter standing erect in his glistening princely attire with one hand resting familiarly on the osa's arm and the sparkle of mirth lighting up his handsome features he formed the greatest contrast imaginable to the little shrunken old personage who clinging convulsively to his staff was entirely absorbed in his efforts to control and overcome his sudden and unpleasant attack of threatened suffocation the years my friend he said still laughing thou must know the admirable sabasties of man of vast importance in his own opinion have done with thy wheezing he continued vehemently thumping the struggling old gentleman on the back he was another one of the minstrel craft thou hatest hast art of bitterness in thy barb tongue wherewith to welcome him as guest to mine abode thus adjured the old man peered up at theos inquisitively wiping away the tears that coughing had brought into his eyes and after a minute or two began also to laugh in a smothered chuckling way a laugh that resembled a croaking of frogs in a marshy pool another one of the minstrel craft he echoed derisively eye eye like meets like in fools consort with fool the guest of saluma harkened young man and he drew closer the maligned grin widening on his furrowed face thou shalt learn enough trash here to stock thee with idiot songs for a century thou shalt gather up such fragments of stupidity as shall provide thee with food for all the pealing lovesick girls of a nation does thou write follies also thou shalt not write them here thou shalt not even think them for here saluma the great the unrivaled saluma is so lord of the land of poise poise by all the gods i would the accursed art had never been invented some might the world have been spared many long drawn nothings and woofed in obscure and distracting phraseology thou would be poet go to make brick men sandals dig in trenchments fight for thy country and leave the idle string of words and the tinkling of rhyme to children who play with life instead of living it and with this he hobbled off uneasily grunting and grumbling as he went and waving his staff magisterially right and left to warm the smiling maidens out of his way and once more saluma's laughter clear and joyous peeled through the vaulted vestibule poor sabasties he said in a tone of good-humored tolerance he has the most caustic wit of any man in alchuris he is a positive marvel perverseness and ill-humor were worth the four hundred go-pieces I pay immediately for his task of being my scribe and critic like all of us he must live, eat and wear decent clothing and that his only literary skill lies in the abuse of better men than himself is his misfortune rather than his fault yes he is my paid critic paid to rail against me on all occasions public or private for the merriment of those who care to listen to the mutterings of his discontent I cannot choose but laugh myself whenever I think of him he deems his words carry weight with the people a last poor soul his scorn but adds to my glory his derision to my fame nay of a truth I need him even as the king needs the court fool to make mirth for me in vacant moments for there is something grotesque in the contemplation of his conquered clownishness that sees not in life but the eating the sleeping the building and the bargaining such men as he can never bear to know the flowers gifted by heaven for whom all common things take radiant shape and meaning for whom the flowers reveal their fragrant secrets for whom birds not only sing but speak in most melodious utterance for those dreaming eyes the very sunbeams spin bright fantasies in mid-air more lasting than the kingdoms of the world blind and unhappy Zabastis he is ignorant as a stone and for him the mysteries of nature are forever veiled the triumphal hero march of the stars the brief bright rhyme of the flashing comet the canticle of the rose as she bears her crimson heart to the smile of the sun the chorus of green leaves chanting orisons to the wind the never completed epic of heaven's lofty solitudes where the white moon paces wandering like a maiden in search of love all these and other unnumbered joys he has lost joys that saluma child of the high gods and favorite of destiny drinks in with the light and the air his eyes softened with a dreamy intense luster that gave them a new and almost pathetic beauty while Theo's listening to each word he uttered wondered whether there were ever any sound sweeter than the rise and fall of his exquisite voice a voice as deliciously clear and mellow as a golden flute tenderly played yes though we must laugh at Zabastis we should also pity him he resumed in gayer accents his fate is not enviable he is nothing but a critic be a lesser man one who enable himself to do any great work takes refuge in finding fault with the works of others and those who a poor true poise are in time themselves a poor the balance of justice never errs in these things the poor wins the whole world's love and immortal fame his adverse critic brief contempt and measureless oblivion come he added addressing Theo's we will leave these maidens to their duties and pastimes nefrada here his dazzling smile flashed like a beam of sunlight over his face that will bring us fruit and wine yonder we shall pass the afternoon together within doors bid my steward prepare the rose chamber for my guest and let Avazel and Zimra attend there to wait upon him all the maidens saluted touching their heads with their hands in token of obedience and Saluma leading the way courteously back in Theo's to follow as he went of two distinct impressions first that the mysterious mental agitation he had suffered from when he had found himself so unexpectedly in a strange city was not completely dispelled and secondly that he thought as though he must have known Saluma all his life his memory still remained a blank as regarded his past career but this fact had ceased to trouble him and he was perfectly tranquil and altogether satisfied with his present surroundings in short to be an alkyrus seemed to him quite in keeping with the necessary course of events while to be the friend and companion of Saluma was more natural and familiar to his mind than all once natural and familiar things End of Chapter 12 Chapter 13 of Our Death by Marie Corelli this LibriVox recording is in the public domain A Poets Palace Gliding along with that graceful almost phantom like swiftness of movement that was so much a part of his manner Saluma escorted his visitor to the further end of the great hall there throwing aside a curtain of rich azure silk which partially draped to large folding doors he ushered him into a magnificent apartment opening out upon the terrace and garden beyond a garden filled with such a marvellous profusion of foliage and flowers that looking at it from between the glistening marble columns surrounding the palace it seemed as though the very sky above rested edge wise on towering pyramids of red and white bloom awnings of pale blue stretched from the windows across the entire width of the spacious outer collinade and here two small boys half nude and black as polished ebony were huddled together on the mosaic pavement watching the arrogant department of a superb peacock that strutted majestically to and fro with boastfully spreading tail and glittering crest as brilliant as the gleam of the hot sun on the silver fringe of the azure canopies a blazy rascals cried Saluma imperiously as with the extreme point of his sandaled foot he touched the dimpled shiny back of the nearest boy up and away fetch rose water and sweet perfumes hither by the gods ye have let the incense and yonder burner smolder and he pointed to a massive brazen vessel gorgeously ornamented from wence rose but the very faint as blue with a fragrant smoke off with ye both ye basking black amours bring fresh frankren scents wherewith to stir this heated air handsome back again like a lightning flash or out of my sight forever while he spoke the little fellows stood trembling and ducking their woolly heads as though they half expected to be seized by their irate master and flung like black balls out into the wilderness of flowers be glancing timidly up and perceiving that even in the midst of his petulance he smiled they took courage and as soon as he had seized they darted off with the swiftness of flying arrows each striving to outstrip the other in a race across the terrace and garden saluma laughed as he watched them disappear and then stepping back into the interior of the apartment he turned to theos and bad him be seated theos sank unresistingly into a low velvet cushion chair richly carved and inlaid with ivory and stretching his limbs indolently surveyed with new and ever-growing admiration the supple elegant figure of his host who, throwing himself full length on a couch covered with leopard skins folded his arms behind his head and eyed his guest with a complacent smile of vanity and self-approval it is not an altogether unfitting retreat for poets musings he said assuming an air of indifference as he glanced round his luxurious almost royally appointed room I've heard of worse but truly it needs the highest art of all known nations to worthily deck a habitation wherein the divine muse may daily dwell nevertheless air, light, and flowers are not lacking and on these me thinks I could subsist where I deprived of all other things theos sat silent looking about him wistfully was ever poet king or even emperor housed more sumptuously than this he thought as his eyes wandered to the domed ceiling wreathe with carved clusters of grapes and pomegranates the walls frescoed with glowing scenes of love and song tournament the groups of superb statuary that gleamed whitely out of dusky velvet draped corners the quaintly shaped bookcases overflowing with books and made so as to revolve and round at a touch or move to and fro on noiseless wheels the grand busts both in bronze and marble that stood on tall pedestals or projecting bracket and while he dimly noted all these splendid evidences of unlimited wealth and luxury the perfume and luster of the place the glitter of gold and azure silver and scarlet the oriental linger pervading the very air and above all the rich amber and azure tinted that bathed every object in a dream like in fairy radiance plunged his senses into a delicious confusion a throbbing fever of delight to which he could give no name but which permeated every fiber of his being he felt have blinded with the brilliancy of the scene the dazzling glow of color the sheen of deep and delicate hues cunningly intermixed and contrasted the gorgeous lavishness of waving blossoms that seemed to surge up like a sea to the very windows and though many thoughts flitted hazely through his brain he could not shape them into utterance he stared vaguely at the floor it was paved with variegated mosaic and strewn with the soft dark furry skins of wild animals at a little distance from where he sat there was a huge bronze lectern supported by a sculptured griffin with horns over at the top turned upward again in the form of a candelabra the harp bearer had brought in the harp and it now stood in a conspicuous position in decked with myrtle some of the garlands woven by the maidens being no doubt used for this purpose yet there was something mirage like and fantastic and the splendor that everywhere surrounded him he felt as though he were one of the spectators in a vast auditorium where curtain had just risen on the first scene of the play he was dubiously considering in his own perplexed mind whether such princely living were the privilege or right or custom of poets in general when saluma spoke again waving his hand toward one of the busts near him a massive frowning head magnificently sculptured there is the glorious orazel he said the father as we almost own of the art of poetry and indeed of all true literature yet there be some who swear he never lived at all I though his poems have come down to us and many are the arguments I have had with so-called wise men like sabasties concerning his style and method of versification everything he has written bears the impress of the same master touch nevertheless gearless controversialists hold that his famous work the ruva calama descended by oral tradition from mouth to mouth till it came to us in its improved present condition improved and saluma laughed disdainfully as if the mumbling of an epic poem from grand side a grandson could possibly improve it it would rather be deteriorated if not altogether changed into the mirror's dog girl nay nay the ruva calama is the achievement of one great mind not twenty orazels were born in succession to write it there was there could be only one and he writes supreme is chief of the bards immortal as well might fools hereafter wrangle together and say there were many salunas only I have taken good heed posterity shall know there was only one unmatched for love and passion singing throughout the length and breadth of the world he sprang it from his recumbent posture and attracted his attention to another bust even finer than the last it was placed on a pedestal wreath at the summit and at the base with Laurel the divine his sparrows he exclaimed pointing to it in a sort of ecstasy the master from whom it may be I have caught the perfect entranced of my own verse melody is fame as thou knowest is unrivaled and universal yet canst thou believe it there has been of late an ass found in Al Kyrus who hath chosen him as a subject for his brain and other ass is joined in the unufonious course the marvelous plays of his sparrows the grandest tragedies the areas comedies the tendrous fantasies ever created by human brain have been called in question by these thistle eating animals and one most untractable mule head hath made pretense to discover there in a passage of secret writing which shall so the fool thinks proved that his sparrows was not the author of his own works but only a literary cheat and forger of another and lesser man's inspiration by the gods one's sides would split with laughter at the silly brute were he not altogether too contemptible to provoke even derision his sparrows a traitor to the art he served and glorified his sparrows a literary juggler and trickster by the serpents head they may as well seek to prove that the fiery in heaven a common oil lamp as striped to lessen by one iota the transcendent glory of the noblest poet the centuries have ever seen warmed by enthusiasm with his eyes flashing and the impetuous words coursing from his lips his head thrown back his hand uplifted soluna looked magnificent and theos to whose misty brain the names of orazel and his sparrows carried no positively distinct meaning was nevertheless struck by a certain suggestiveness in his remarks that seemed to bear on some discussion in the literary world that had taken place quite recently he was puzzled and tried to fix the precise point round which his thoughts strayed so hesitatingly but he could arrive at no definite conclusion the brilliant meteor like soluna mean time flashed hither and thither about the rune selecting certain volumes from his loaded book stands and bringing them in a pile on a small table by his visitor's side there are some of the earliest editions of the plays of his sparrows he went on talking in that rapid fluent way of his that was as musical as a bird's song they are rare and curious see you the names of the scribes and the dates of issue are all distinct ah the treasures of poetry enshrined within these pages was ever papyrus so jammed with pearls of thought and wisdom if there were a next world my friend and he replaced his hand familiarly on his guest's shoulder while the bright steel gray under gleam sparkled in his splendid eyes it would be worth dwelling in for the sake of his sparrows as grand to god as any of the thunders in the empyrean surely there is a next world murmured thea scarcely knowing what he said a world where thou and I soluna and all the masters and servants of song shall meet and hold hard festival soluna laughed again a little sadly this time and shrugged his shoulders believe it not he said and there was a touch of melancholy in his rich voice we are midges in a sunbeam emits on a sand hill no more is there a next world thinkest thou for the bees who die of surfage in the nilica cups for the whirling drift of brilliant butterflies that sleeply float with a wind unknowing wither till met by the icy blast of the north they fall like broken and colorless leaves in the dust of the high road is there a next world for this and he took from a tall boss near at hand a delicate flower literally shaped and deliciously orderous the expression of its solar mind is in its fragrance even as the expression of ours finds vent in thought and aspiration have we more right to live again than this most innocently fair blossom unsmurched by deeds of evil nay I would more easily believe in a heaven for birds and flowers then for women and men a shadow of pain darkened his handsome face as he spoke and theos gazing full at him became suddenly filled with pity and anxiety he passionately longed to assure him that there was in very truth a future higher and happier existence he theos would vouch for the fact but how and why what could he say what could he prove his throat ached his eyeballs burned he was as it were forbidden to speak not withstanding the yearning desire he felt to impart to the soul his newfound friend something of that indescribable sense of ever lastingness which he himself was now conscious of even as one set free of prison his conscious of liberty mewed and with a feeling as of hot unshed tears welling up from his very heart he turned over the volumes of his bureaus almost mechanically they were formed of sheets of papyrus artistically bound in loose leather coverings and tied together with gold colored ribbon the kerosene language was as he has been before stated perfectly familiar to him though he could not tell how he had acquired the knowledge of it and he was able to see the glance that saluma had good cause to be enthusiastic in his praise of the author whose genius he so fervently admired there was a ringing richness in the rush of the verse a wealth of simile combined with a simplicity and directness of utterance that charmed the ear while influencing the mind beginning to read in soto voce the opening lines of a spirited battle challenge running thus I tell thee oh thou pride enthroned king that from these peaceful fields these harvest lands strange crops shall spring not sown by thee or thine armed millions bristling weapons helmed men dreadfully plumed and eager for the fray steel crest of mermidans tossed spears while steeds uplifted flags and penance horrid swords death gleaming eyes stern hands to grasp and tear life from beseeching life till all the heavens strike havoc to the terror trembling stars and the two small black pages lately dispatched in such haste by saluma returned each one bearing a huge gilded bowl filled with rose water together with fine cloths lace fringed and soft as satin kneeling humbly down one before theos the other before saluma they lifted these great shining bowls on their heads and remained motionless saluma dipped his face and hands in the cool fragrant fluid theos followed his example and when these light ablutions were completed the pages disappeared coming back almost immediately with baskets of loose rose leaves white and red which they scattered profusely about the room a delightful odor set the sweet and yet not faint began to freshen the already perfumed air and saluma flinging himself again with his couch motion theos to take a similar resting place opposite he had once obeyed yielding anew to the sense of indolent luxury and voluptuous ease his surroundings engendered and presently the aroma of rising incense mingled itself with the scent of the strewn rose petals the pages had replenished the incense burner and now these duties done so far they brought each brought long starved palm leaf and placing a position began to fan the two young men slowly and with measured gentleness standing as mute as little black statues the only movement about them being the occasional rolling of the white eyeballs and the swaying to and fro of their shiny arms as they wielded the graceful bending leaves this is the way a poet should ever live murmur theos glancing up from the soft cushions among which he reclined to saluma who lay with his eyes half closed and smile on his beautiful mouth self centered in a circle of beauty with naught but fair suggestions and sweet thoughts to break the charm of solitude a kingdom of happy fancies should be his with gates shut last against unwelcome intruders gates that should never open safe to the conquering touch of a woman's kiss for the master key of love must unlock all doors even the doors of a minstrel's dreaming think as thou so set saluma lazily turning his dark delicate head slightly round on his glistening pale rose satin pillow nay of a truth there are times when I could bar out women from my thoughts as mere disturbance of the translucent element of poise in which my spirit bathes there is fatigue in love whose pretty human butterflies too often weary the flowers whose honey they seek to drain nevertheless the passion of love have a certain tingling pleasure in it I yield to when it touches me even as I yield to all other pleasant things but there are some who unwisely carry desire too far and make of love a misery instead of a pastime many will die for love fools are they all to die for fame for glory that I can understand but for love he laughed and taking up our crushed rose petal he flipped it into the air with his finger and thumb I would have soon died for a sake of that perished leaf as for a sake of a woman's transient beauty as he uttered these words entered carrying a golden salver on which were placed a tall flagon to goblets and a basket of fruit she approached the oes first and he raising himself on his elbow surveyed her with fresh admiration and interest while he poured out the wine from the flagon into one of those glistening cups which he noticed were rough with the quantity of small gems used in their outer ornamentation he was struck by her fair and melancholy style of loveliness and as she stood before him with lowered eyes the color alternately flushing and paling on her cheeks and her bosom heaving restlessly beneath the loosely drawn folds of her prim rose hue gown and inexplicable emotion of pity smote him as if he had suddenly been made aware of some inward sorrow of hers which he was utterly powerless to console he would have spoken but just then could find nothing to say and when he had selected a fine peach from the heaped-up dainties offered for his joys he still watched her as she turned to saluma who smiled and battered set down her salver on a low bronze stand at his side she did so and then with the warm blood burning in her cheeks stood waiting and silent saluma with a live movement of his supple form lifted himself into a half sitting posture and throwing one arm round her waist drew her close to his breast and kissed her my fairest moon beam he said gaily thou art as noiseless and placid as thy yet unembodied sisters that stream through heaven and dance on the river when the world is sleeping, myrtle and he detached a spray from the bosom of her dress what hast thou to do with the poet's garland by my faith thou art like the ocean and has chosen to wear a sprig of my faded crown for thine adornment is it not so a hot and painful blush crimson nefrada's face a softness as of suppressed tears glistened in her eyes she made no answer but looked beseechingly at the little twig saluma held silly child he went on laughingly replacing it himself against her bosom where the breath seemed to struggle with such panting haste and fear thou art welcome to the dead leaves sanctified by song if thou think is them a value but I would rather see the rose but of love a bright breast of thine than the cast-off ornaments of fame and filling himself a cup of wine he raised it aloft looking at Theos smilingly as he did so to your health my noble friend he cried and to the joys of the passing hour a wise toast answered Theos placing his lips to his own goblet's rim for the past is past will never return the future we know not and only the present can be called our own to the health of the divine saluma whose fame is my glory whose friendship is dear to me as life and with this he drained off the wine to the last drop scarcely had he done so when the most curious sensation overcame him a sensation of bewildering ecstasy as though he had drunk of some ambrosian nectar or magic drug which had suddenly wound up his nerves to an acute tension of indescribable delight the blood coarsed more swiftly through his veins he felt his face flush with the heat and ardor of the moment he laughed as he set the cup down empty and throwing himself back on his luxurious couch his eyes flashed on salumas with a bright comprehensive glance of complete confidence and affection it was strange to note how quickly saluma returned that glance how thoroughly and so short a space of time their friendship had cemented itself into a more than fraternal bond of union nefrada meanwhile stood a little aside her wistful looks wandering from one to the other as though in something of doubt or wonder presently she spoke inclining her fair head toward saluma my lord goes to the palace tonight to make his valued voice heard in the presence of the king she inquired timidly even so nefrada responded the laureate passing his hand carelessly through his clustering curls i've been summoned vivid by the royal command but what of that little one thou knowest is a common occurrence and that the court is left of all pleasure and sweetness when saluma is silent my lord's guest goes with him pursued nefrada gently i most assuredly and saluma smiled at theos as he spoke thou wilt accompany me to the king my friend he went on he will give thee a welcome for my sake and though of a truth his majesty is most potently ignorant of all things save the arts of love and warfare nevertheless he is a man as well as monarch and thou wilt find him a generous of hospitality i will go with thee saluma anywhere replied theos quickly for in following such a guide i follow my own most perfect pleasure nefrada looked at him meditatively with a melancholy expression in her lovely eyes my lord saluma's presence indeed brings joy she said softly and tremulously but the joy is too sweet and brief for when he departs none can fill the place he leaves vacant she paused saluma's gaze rested on her intently a half amused half tender light leaping from under the drooping shade of his long silky black lashes she caught the look and a little shiver ran through her delicate frame she pressed one hand on her heart and resumed in steadier and more even tones my lord has perhaps not heard of the disturbances of the early morning in the city she asked the riotous crowd in the marketplace the ravings of the prophet coase the sudden arrest and imprisonment of many and the consequent wrath of the king no by my faith return saluma yawning slightly and settling his head more comfortably on his pillows nor do I care to heed the turbulence about mob they cannot guide itself and yet resists all guidance arrests imprisonments they are common but why in the name of the sacred veil do they not arrest and imprison the actual disturbances of the peace street orations filter through the mind of the disaffected rousing them to foolish frenzy and disordered action why above all men do they not seize coase rule a veritable madman for all his many years and seeming wisdom have they not denounced the faith of agaia and foretold the destruction of the city times out of number and are we not all weary to death of his bombastic malving if the king deemed a poet's council worth the taking he would long ago have shut this bearded renter within the four walls of a dungeon where only rats and spiders would attend his lectures on approaching doon neighbor my lord nefrada ventured to say timidly the king dare not lay hands on coase rule dare not laugh saluma lazily stretching out his hand and helping himself to a luscious nectarine from the basket at his side sweet nefrada set us thou a limit to the power of the king as well draw a boundary line for the imagination of the poet coase rule may be loved and feared by a certain number of superstitious malcontents who look upon a madman as a sort of sacred wild animal but the actual population of al-kiris the people who are the blood bone and sinew of the city these are not in favor of change either in religion laws manners or customs but coase rule is old and that the king humors his vagaries as simply out of pity for his age and infirmity nefrada not because of fear our monarch knows no fear coase rule prophesies terrible things murmured the girl hesitatingly I have often thought if they should come true the timid dove and saluma rising from his couch kissed her neck lightly thus causing a delicate flush of crimson to ripple through the whiteness of her skin think no more of such folly thou wilt anger me that a doting gray beard like coase rule should trouble the piece of al-kiris magnificent by the gods the whole thing is absurd let me hear no more of mobs or rites or road rhetoric my soul appores even the suggestion of discord tranquility divine is calm disturbed only by the fluttering of winged thoughts hovering over the cloudless heaven of fancy this this alone is the summon center of my desires and today I find that even though nefrada here his voice took upon itself an injured tone thou who art usually so gentle has somewhat troubled the placidity of my mind by the foolish talk concerning common and unpleasant circumstances he stopped short in a line of vexation and annoyance made its appearance between his broad beautiful brows while nefrada seeing this expression of almost baby petulance in the face she adored through herself suddenly at his feet and raising her lovely eyes swimming in tears she exclaimed my lord saluma singing angel of nefrada's soul give me it is true thou should's never hear of strife or contention among the coarser tribe of men and I poor nefrada would give my life to shield thee from the faintest shadow of annoying I would have thy path all woven sunbeams thou should's lived like a very monarch embowered mid roses sheltered from rough winds and folded in loving arms there may be but not more fond than mine her voice broke stooping she kissed the silver fastening of a sandal and springing up rushed from the room the word could be uttered to bid her stay saluma looked after her with a pretty half-pleased perplexity she is often thus he said in a tone of playful resignation as I told the theos women are butterflies hovering hither and thither on uneasy opinions uncertain of their own desires nefrada is a woman riddle sometimes she angers me sometimes she soothes now she prattles of things that concern me not and a non converses with such high and lofty earnestness of speech but I listen amazed and wonder where she has gathered up her store of seeming wisdom love teaches her all she knows interrupted theos quickly and with a meaning glass saluma laughed languidly a faint color warming the clear olive pallor of his complexion I poor tender little soul she loves me he said carelessly that is no secret but then all women love me I'm more like to die of a surfer to love than of anything else he moved towards the open window come he added it is the hour of sunset there is a green hillock in my garden yonder from whence we can behold the pomp and panoply of the golden gods departure is a sight I never miss I would have the share its glory with me but are thou then indifferent to women's tenderness as theos have banteringly as he took his own does thou love no one my friend replied saluma seriously I love myself I see not that contents more than my own personality with all my heart I admire the miracle and beauty of my own existence there is nothing even in the completest fairness of womanhood that satisfies me so much as the contemplation of my own genius realizing as I do its wonders power and perfect charm the life of a poet such as I am is a perpetual marvel the whole universe ministers to my needs humanity becomes the nearest bound slave to the caprice of my imperial imagination with the thought I scale the stars with a wish I float in highest ether among spheres undiscovered yet familiar to my fancy I converse with the spirits of flowers and fountains and the love of women is a mere drop in the deep ocean of my unfathomed delight yes I adore my own identity and of a truth self-worship is the only creed the world has ever followed faithfully to the end he glanced up with a bright assured smile the o's met his gaze wonderingly doubtfully but may never reply and together they pace slowly across the marvel terrace and out into the glories garden rich with the riotous roses that clamored and clustered everywhere their hues deepening to flame-like vividness in the burning radiance of the sinking sun end of chapter 13