the ninth vibration-第26部分

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esty　that　a　sudden　convulsion　last　night　deprived　the　Lady　A…Kuei　of　life。　I　would　not　permit　the　news　to　reach　you　lest　it　should　break　your　august　night's　rest。〃

There　was　a　silence；　then　the　Emperor　turned　his　eyes　serenely　upon　his　Imperial　Mother。　〃That　the　statement　of　my　august　Parent　is　merely　…　let　us　say　…　allegoric　…　does　not　detract　from　its　interest。　But　had　the　Lady　A…Kuei　in　truth　departed　to　the　Yellow　Springs　I　should　none　the　less　have　received　the　news　without　uneasiness。　What　though　the　sun　set　…　is　not　the　memory　of　his　light　all　surpassing？〃

No　longer　could　the　Pearl　Empress　endure　the　excess　of　her　curiosity。　Deeply　kowtowing；　imploring　pardon；　with　raised　hands　and　tears　which　no　son　dare　neglect；　she　besought　the　Emperor　to　enlighten　her　as　to　this　mystery；　recounting　his　praises　of　the　lady　and　his　admission　that　he　had　never　beheld　her；　and　all　the　circumstances　connected　with　this　remark…　able　episode。　She　omitted　only；　（from　considerations　of　delicacy　and　others；）　the　vigils　of　the　Lady　Ma　in　the　Dragon　Chamber。　The　Emperor；　sighing；　looked　upon　the　ground；　and　for　a　time　was　silent。　Then　he　replied　as　follows：

〃Willingly　would　I　have　kept　silence；　but　what　child　dare　withstand　the　plea　of　a　parent？　Is　it　necessary　to　inform　the　Heavenly　Empress　that　beauty　seen　is　beauty　made　familiar　and　that　familiarity　is　the　foe　of　admiration？　How　is　it　possible　that　I　should　see　the　Princess　of　Feminine　Propriety；　for　instance；　by　night　and　day　without　becoming　aware　of　her　imperfections　as　well　as　her　graces？　How　awake　in　the　night　without　hearing　the　snoring　of　the　White　Jade　Concubine　and　considering　the　mouth　from　which　it　issues　as　the　less　lovely。　How　partake　of　the　society　of　any　woman　without　finding　her　chattering　as　the　crane；　avid　of　admiration；　jealous；　destructive　of　philosophy；　fatal　to　composure；　fevered　with　curiosity；　a　creature；　in　short；　a　little　above　the　gibbon；　but　infinitely　below　the　notice　of　the　sage；　save　as　a　temporary　measure　of　amusement　in　itself　unworthy　the　philosopher。　The　faces　of　all　my　ladies　are　known　to　me。　All　are　fair　and　all　alike。　But　one　night；　as　I　lay　in　the　Dragon　Couch；　lost　in　speculation；　absorbed　in　contemplation　of　the　Yin　and　the　Yang；　the　night　passed　for　the　solitary　dreamer　as　a　dream。　In　the　darkness　of　the　dawn　I　rose　still　dreaming；　and　departed　to　the　Pearl　Pavilion　in　the　garden；　and　there　remained　an　hour　viewing　the　sunrise　and　experiencing　ineffable　opinions　on　the　destiny　of　man。　Returning　then　to　a　couch　which　I　believed　to　have　been　that　of　the　solitary　philosopher　I　observed　a　depression　where　another　form　had　lain；　and　in　it　a　jade　hairpin　such　as　is　worn　by　my　junior　beauties。　Petrified　with　amazement　at　the　display　of　such　reserve；　such　continence；　such　august　self…restraint；　I　perceived　that；　lost　in　my　thoughts；　I　had　had　an　unimagined　companion　and　that　this　gentle　reminder　was　from　her　gentle　hand。　But　whom？　I　knew　not。　I　then　observed　Lo　Cheng　the　Court　Artist　in　attendance　and　immediately　despatched　him　to　make　secret　enquiry　and　ascertain　the　name　and　circumstances　of　that　beauty　who；　unknown；　had　shared　my　vigil。　I　learnt　on　his　return　that　it　was　the　Lady　A…Kuei。　I　had　entered　the　Dragon　Chamber　in　a　low　moonlight；　and　guessed　not　her　presence。　She　spoke　no　word。　Finding　her　Imperial　Master　thus　absorbed；　she　invited　no　attention；　nor　in　any　way　obtruded　her　beauties　upon　my　notice。　Scarcely　did　she　draw　breath。　Yet　reflect　upon　what　she　might　have　done！　The　night　passed　and　I　remained　entirely　unconscious　of　her　presence；　and　out　of　respect　she　would　not　sleep　but　remained　reverently　and　modestly　awake；　assisting；　if　it　may　so　be　expressed；　at　a　humble　distance；　in　the　speculations　which　held　me　prisoner。　What　a　pearl　was　here！　On　learning　these　details　by　Lo　Cheng　from　her　own　roseate　lips；　and　remembering　the　unexampled　temptation　she　had　resisted　（for　well　she　knew　that　had　she　touched　the　Emperor　the　Philosopher　had　vanished）　I　despatched　an　august　rescript　to　this　favored　Lady；　conferring　on　her　the　degree　of　Incomparable　Beauty　of　the　First　Rank。　On　condition　of　secrecy。〃

The　Pearl　Empress；　still　in　deepest　bewilderment；　besought　his　majesty　to　proceed。　He　did　so；　with　his　usual　dignity。

〃Though　my　mind　could　not　wholly　restrain　its　admiration；　yet　secrecy　was　necessary；　for　had　the　facts　been　known；　every　lady；　from　the　Princess　of　Feminine　Propriety　to　the　Junior　Beauty　of　the　Bed　Chamber　would　henceforward　have　observed　only　silence　and　a　frigid　decorum　in　the　Dragon　Bed　Chamber。　And　though　the　Emperor　be　a　philosopher；　yet　a　philosopher　is　still　a　man；　and　there　are　moments　when　decorum　…〃

The　Emperor　paused　discreetly；　then　resumed。

〃The　world　should　not　be　composed　entirely　of　A…Kueis；　yet　in　my　mind　I　behold　the　Incomparable　Lady　fair　beyond　expression。　Like　the　moon　she　sails　glorious　in　the　heavens　to　be　adored　only　in　vision　as　the　one　woman　who　could　respect　the　absorption　of　the　Emperor；　and　of　whose　beauty　as　she　lay　beside　him　the　philosopher　could　remain　unconscious　and　therefore　untroubled　in　body。　To　see　her；　to　find　her　earthly；　would　be　an　experience　for　which　the　Emperor　might　have　courage；　but　the　philosopher　never。　And　attached　to　all　this　is　a　moral：〃

The　Pearl　Empress　urgently　inquired　its　nature。

〃Let　the　wisdom　of　my　august　parent　discern　it；〃　said　the　Emperor　sententiously。

〃And　the　future？〃　she　inquired。

〃The　…　let　us　call　it　parable　…〃　said　the　Emperor　politely　…〃with　which　your　Majesty　was　good　enough　to　entertain　me；　has　suggested　a　precaution　to　my　mind。　I　see　now　a　lovely　form　moving　among　the　flowers。　It　is　possible　that　it　may　be　the　Incomparable　Lady；　or　that　at　any　moment　I　may　come　upon　her　and　my　ideal　be　shattered。　This　must　be　safeguarded。　I　might　command　her　retirement　to　her　native　province；　but　who　shall　insure　me　against　the　weakness　of　my　own　heart　demanding　her　return？　No。　Let　Your　Majesty's　words　spoken　…　well　…　in　parable；　be　fulfilled　in　truth。　I　shall　give　orders　to　the　Chief　Eunuch　that　the　Incomparable　Lady　tonight　shall　drink　the　Draught　of　Crushed　Pearls；　and　be　thus　restored　to　the　sphere　that　alone　is　worthy　of　her。　Thus　are　all　anxieties　soothed；　and　the　honours　offered　to　her　virtuous　spirit　shall　be　a　glorious　repayment　of　the　ideal　that　will　ever　illuminate　my　soul。〃

The　Empress　was　speechless。　She　had　borne　the　Emperor　in　her　womb；　but　the　philosopher　outsoared　her　comprehension。　She　retired；　leaving　his　Majesty　in　a　reverie；　endeavoring　herself　to　grasp　the　moral　of　which　he　had　spoken；　for　the　guidance　of　herself　and　the　ladies　concerned。　But　whether　it　inculcated　reserve　or　the　reverse　in　the　Dragon　Chamber；　and　what　the　Imperial　ladies　should　follow　as　an　example　she　was；　to　the　end　of　her　life；　totally　unable　to　say。　Philosophy　indeed　walks　on　the　heights。　We　cannot　all　expect　to　follow　it。

That　night　the　Incomparable　Lady　drank　the　Draught　of　Crushed　Pearls。

The　Princess　of　Feminine　Propriety　and　the　White　Jade　Concubine；　learning　these　circumstances；　redoubled　their　charms；　their　coquetries　and　their　efforts　to　occupy　what　may　be　described　as　the　inner　sanctuary　of　the　Emperor's　esteem。　Both　lived　to　a　green　old　age；　wealthy　and　honored；　alike　firm　in　the　conviction　that　if　the　Incomparable　Lady　had　not　shown　herself　so　superior　to　temptation　the　Emperor　might　have　been　on　the　whole　better　pleased；　whatever　the　sufferings　of　the　philosopher。　Both　lived　to　be　the　tyrants　of　many　generations　of　beauties　at　the　Celestial　Court。　Both　were　assiduous　in　their　devotions　before　the　spirit　tablet　of　the　departed　lady；　and　in　recommending　her　example　of　reserve　and　humility　to　every　damsel　whom　it　might　concern。

It　will　probably　occur　to　the　reader　of　this　unique　but　veracious　story　that　there　is　more　in　it　than　meets　the　eye；　and　more　than　the　one　moral　alluded　to　by　the　Emperor　according　to　the　point　of　view　of　the　different　actors。

To　the　discernment　of　the　reader　it　must　accordingly　be　left。



THE　HATRED　OF　THE　QUEEN

A　Story　of　Burma

Most　wonderful　is　the　Irawadi；　the　mighty　river　of　Burma。　In　all　the　world　elsewhere　is　no　such　river；　bearing　the　melted　snows　from　its　mysterious　sources　in　the　high　places　of　the　mountains。　The　dawn　rises　upon　its　league。　wide　flood；　the　moon　walks　upon　it　with　silver　feet。　It　is　the　pulsing　heart　of　the　land；　living　still　though　so　many　rules　and　rulers　have　risen　and　fallen　beside　it；　their　pomps　and　glories　drifting　like　flotsam　dawn　the　river　to　the　eternal　ocean　that　is　the　end　of　all　…　and　the　beginning。　Dead　civilizations　strew　its　banks；　dreaming　in　the　torrid　sunshine　of　glories　that　were　…　of　blood…stained　gold；　jewels　wept　from　woeful　crowns；　nightmare　dreams　of　murder　and　terror；　dreaming　also　of　heavenly　beauty；　for　the　Lord　Buddha　looks　down　in　moonlight　peace　upon　the　land　that　leaped　to　kiss　His　footprints；　that　has　laid　its　heart　in　the　hand　of　the　Blessed　One；　and　shares　therefore　in　His　bliss　and　content。　The　Land　of　the　Lord　Buddha；　where　the　myriad　pagodas　lift　their　golden　flames　of　worship　everywhere；　and　no　idlest　wind　can　pass　but　it　ruffles　the　bells　below　the　htees　until　they　send　forth　their　silver　ripple　of　music　to　swell　the　hymn　of　praise！

There　is　a