《石榴之屋》第7章

thee　gone；　and　e　here　no　more。
nay；　answered　death；　but　till　thou　hast　given　me　a　grain　of　corn
i　will　not　go。
but　avarice　shut　her　hand；　and　clenched　her　teeth。 i　will　not
give　thee　anything；　she　muttered。
and　death　laughed；　and　took　up　a　black　stone；　and　threw　it　into　the
forest；　and　out　of　a　thicket　of　wild　hemlock　came　fever　in　a　robe
of　flame。 she　passed　through　the　multitude；　and　touched　them；　and
each　man　that　she　touched　died。 the　grass　withered　beneath　her
feet　as　she　walked。
and　avarice　shuddered；　and　put　ashes　on　her　head。 thou　art
cruel；　she　cried；　thou　art　cruel。 there　is　famine　in　the　walled
cities　of　india；　and　the　cisterns　of　samarcand　have　run　dry。 there
is　famine　in　the　walled　cities　of　egypt；　and　the　locusts　have　e
up　from　the　desert。 the　nile　has　not　overflowed　its　banks；　and　the
priests　have　cursed　isis　and　osiris。 get　thee　gone　to　those　who
need　thee；　and　leave　me　my　servants。
nay；　answered　death；　but　till　thou　hast　given　me　a　grain　of　corn
i　will　not　go。
i　will　not　give　thee　anything；　said　avarice。
and　death　laughed　again；　and　he　whistled　through　his　fingers；　and　a
woman　came　flying　through　the　air。 plague　was　written　upon　her
forehead；　and　a　crowd　of　lean　vultures　wheeled　round　her。 she
covered　the　valley　with　her　wings；　and　no　man　was　left　alive。
and　avarice　fled　shrieking　through　the　forest；　and　death　leaped
upon　his　red　horse　and　galloped　away；　and　his　galloping　was　faster
than　the　wind。
and　out　of　the　slime　at　the　bottom　of　the　valley　crept　dragons　and
horrible　things　with　scales；　and　the　jackals　came　trotting　along
the　sand；　sniffing　up　the　air　with　their　nostrils。
and　the　young　king　wept；　and　said： who　were　these　men；　and　for
what　were　they　seeking？
for　rubies　for　a　kings　crown；　answered　one　who　stood　behind　him。
and　the　young　king　started；　and；　turning　round；　he　saw　a　man
habited　as　a　pilgrim　and　holding　in　his　hand　a　mirror　of　silver。
and　he　grew　pale；　and　said： for　what　king？
and　the　pilgrim　answered： look　in　this　mirror；　and　thou　shalt　see
him。
and　he　looked　in　the　mirror；　and；　seeing　his　own　face；　he　gave　a
great　cry　and　woke；　and　the　bright　sunlight　was　streaming　into　the
room；　and　from　the　trees　of　the　garden　and　pleasaunce　the　birds
were　singing。
and　the　chamberlain　and　the　high　officers　of　state　came　in　and　made
obeisance　to　him；　and　the　pages　brought　him　the　robe　of　tissued
gold；　and　set　the　crown　and　the　sceptre　before　him。
and　the　young　king　looked　at　them；　and　they　were　beautiful。 more
beautiful　were　they　than　aught　that　he　had　ever　seen。 but　he
remembered　his　dreams；　and　he　said　to　his　lords： take　these
things　away；　for　i　will　not　wear　them。
and　the　courtiers　were　amazed；　and　some　of　them　laughed；　for　they
thought　that　he　was　jesting。
but　he　spake　sternly　to　them　again；　and　said： take　these　things
away；　and　hide　them　from　me。 though　it　be　the　day　of　my
coronation；　i　will　not　wear　them。 for　on　the　loom　of　sorrow；　and
by　the　white　hands　of　pain；　has　this　my　robe　been　woven。 there　is
blood　in　the　heart　of　the　ruby；　and　death　in　the　heart　of　the
pearl。 and　he　told　them　his　three　dreams。
and　when　the　courtiers　heard　them　they　looked　at　each　other　and
whispered；　saying： surely　he　is　mad；　for　what　is　a　dream　but　a
dream；　and　a　vision　but　a　vision？ they　are　not　real　things　that
one　should　heed　them。 and　what　have　we　to　do　with　the　lives　of
those　who　toil　for　us？ shall　a　man　not　eat　bread　till　he　has　seen
the　sower；　nor　drink　wine　till　he　has　talked　with　the　vinedresser？
and　the　chamberlain　spake　to　the　young　king；　and　said；　my　lord；　i
pray　thee　set　aside　these　black　thoughts　of　thine；　and　put　on　this
fair　robe；　and　set　this　crown　upon　thy　head。 for　how　shall　the
people　know　that　thou　art　a　king；　if　thou　hast　not　a　kings
raiment？
and　the　young　king　looked　at　him。 is　it　so；　indeed？　he
questioned。 will　they　not　know　me　for　a　king　if　i　have　not　a
kings　raiment？
they　will　not　know　thee；　my　lord；　cried　the　chamberlain。
i　had　thought　that　there　had　been　men　who　were　kinglike；　he
answered；　but　it　may　be　as　thou　sayest。 and　yet　i　will　not　wear
this　robe；　nor　will　i　be　crowned　with　this　crown；　but　even　as　i
came　to　the　palace　so　will　i　go　forth　from　it。
and　he　bade　them　all　leave　him；　save　one　page　whom　he　kept　as　his
panion；　a　lad　a　year　younger　than　himself。 him　he　kept　for　his
service；　and　when　he　had　bathed　himself　in　clear　water；　he　opened　a
great　painted　chest；　and　from　it　he　took　the　leathern　tunic　and
rough　sheepskin　cloak　that　he　had　worn　when　he　had　watched　on　the
hillside　the　shaggy　goats　of　the　goatherd。 these　he　put　on；　and　in
his　hand　he　took　his　rude　shepherds　staff。
and　the　little　page　opened　his　big　blue　eyes　in　wonder；　and　said
smiling　to　him；　my　lord；　i　see　thy　robe　and　thy　sceptre；　but　where
is　thy　crown？
and　the　young　king　plucked　a　spray　of　wild　briar　that　was　climbing
over　the　balcony；　and　bent　it；　and　made　a　circlet　of　it；　and　set　it
on　his　own　head。
this　shall　he　my　crown；　he　answered。
and　thus　attired　he　passed　out　of　his　chamber　into　the　great　hall；
where　the　nobles　were　waiting　for　him。
and　the　nobles　made　merry；　and　some　of　them　cried　out　to　him；　my
lord；　the　people　wait　for　their　king；　and　thou　showest　them　a
beggar；　and　others　were　wroth　and　said；　he　brings　shame　upon　our
state；　and　is　unworthy　to　be　our　master。 but　he　answered　them　not
a　word；　but　passed　on；　and　went　down　the　bright　porphyry　staircase；
and　out　through　the　gates　of　bronze；　and　mounted　upon　his　horse；
and　rode　towards　the　cathedral；　the　little　page　running　beside　him。
and　the　people　laughed　and　said；　it　is　the　kings　fool　who　is
riding　by；　and　they　mocked　him。
and　he　drew　rein　and　said；　nay；　but　i　am　the　king。 and　he　told
them　his　three　dreams。
and　a　man　came　out　of　the　crowd　and　spake　bitterly　to　him；　and
said；　sir；　knowest　thou　not　that　out　of　the　luxury　of　the　rich
eth　the　life　of　the　poor？ by　your　pomp　we　are　nurtured；　and
your　vices　give　us　bread。 to　to