夜莺与玫瑰-第22部分

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“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　king’s　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　king’s　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　king’s　raiment？”
“They　will　not　know　thee，　my　lord，　”　cried　the　Chamber…lain。
“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　shepherd’s　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　King’s　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　toil　for　a　hard　master　is　bitter，　but　to　have　no　master　to　toil　for　is　more　bitter　still。　Thinkest　thou　that　the　ravens　will　feed　us？And　what　cure　hast　thou　for　these　things？　Wilt　thou　say　to　the　buyer，　‘Thou　shalt　buy　for　so　much，’　and　to　the　seller，　‘Thou　shalt　sell　at　this　price？’　I　trow　not。　Therefore　go　back　to　thy　Palace　and　put　on　thy　purple　and　fine　linen。　What　hast　thou　to　do　with　us，　and　what　we　suffer？”
“Are　not　the　rich　and　the　poor　brothers？”asked　the　young　King。
“Ay，　”　answered　the　man，　“and　the　name　of　the　rich　brother　is　Cain。”
And　the　young　King’s　eyes　filled　with　tears，　and　he　rode　on　through　the　murmurs　of　the　people，　and　the　little　page　grew　afraid　and　left　him。
And　when　he　reached　the　great　portal　of　the　cathedral，　the　soldiers　thrust　their　halberts　out　and　said，　“What　dost　thou　seek　here？None　enters　by　this　door　but　the　King。”
And　his　face　flushed　with　anger，　and　he　said　to　them，　“I　am　the　King，”　and　waved　their　halberts　aside　and　passed　in。
And　when　the　old　Bishop　saw　him　ing　in　his　goatherd’s　dress，　he　rose　up　in　wonder　from　his　throne，　and　went　to　meet　him，　and　said　to　him，　“My　son，　is　this　a　king’s　apparel？　And　with　what　crown　shall　I　crown　thee，　and　what　sceptre　shall　I　place　in　thy　hand？　Surely　this　should　be　to　thee　a　day　of　joy，　and　not　a　day　of　abasement。”
“Shall　Joy　wear　what　Grief　has　fashioned？”　said　the　young　King。　And　he　told　him　his　three　dreams。
And　when　the　Bishop　had　heard　them　he　knit　his　brows，　and　said，　“My　son，　I　am　an　old　man，　and　in　the　winter　of　my　days，　and　I　know　that　many　evil　things　are　done　in　the　wide　world。　The　fierce　robbers　e　down　from　the　mountains，　and　carry　off　the　little　children，　and　sell　them　to　the　Moors。　The　lions　lie　in　wait　for　the　caravans，　and　leap　upon　the　camels。　The　wild　boar　roots　up　the　corn　in　the　valley，　and　the　foxes　gnaw　the　vines　upon　the　hill。　The　pirates　lay　waste　the　sea…coast　and　burn　the　ships　of　the　fishermen，　and　take　their　s　from　them。　In　the　salt…marshes　live　the　lepers；they　have　houses　of　wattled　reeds，　and　none　may　e　nigh　them。　The　beggars　wander　through　the　cities，　and　eat　their　food　with　the　dogs。　Canst　thou　make　these　things　not　to　be？　Wilt　thou　take　the　leper　for　thy　bedfellow，　and　set　the　beggar　at　thy　board？　Shall　the　lion　do　thy　bidding，　and　the　wild　boar　obey　thee？　Is　not　He　who　made　misery　wiser　than　thou　art？　Wherefore　I　praise　thee　not　for　this　that　thou　hast　done，　but　I　bid　thee　ride　back　to　the　Palace　and　make　thy　face　glad，　and　put　on　the　raiment　that　beseemeth　a　king，　and　with　the　crown　of　gold　I　will　crown　thee，　and　the　sceptre　of　pearl　will　I　place　in　thy　hand。　And　as　for　thy　dreams，　think　no　more　of　them。　The　burden　of　this　world　is　too　great　for　one　man　to　bear，　and　the　world’s　sorrow　too　heavy　for　one　heart　to　suffer。　”
“Sayest　thou　that　in　this　house？”said　the　young　King，　and　he　strode　past　the　Bishop，　and　climbed　up　the　steps　of　the　altar，　and　stood　before　the　image　of　Christ。
He　stood　before　the　image　of　Christ，　and　on　his　right　hand　and　on　his　left　were　the　marvellous　vessels　of　gold，　the　chalice　with　the　yellow　wine，　and　the　vial　with　the　holy　oil。　H