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the young king-第2章

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lingered about his boyish lips; and lit up with a bright lustre his

dark woodland eyes。



After some time he rose from his seat; and leaning against the

carved penthouse of the chimney; looked round at the dimly…lit

room。  The walls were hung with rich tapestries representing the

Triumph of Beauty。  A large press; inlaid with agate and lapis…

lazuli; filled one corner; and facing the window stood a curiously

wrought cabinet with lacquer panels of powdered and mosaiced gold;

on which were placed some delicate goblets of Venetian glass; and a

cup of dark…veined onyx。  Pale poppies were broidered on the silk

coverlet of the bed; as though they had fallen from the tired hands

of sleep; and tall reeds of fluted ivory bare up the velvet canopy;

from which great tufts of ostrich plumes sprang; like white foam;

to the pallid silver of the fretted ceiling。  A laughing Narcissus

in green bronze held a polished mirror above its head。  On the

table stood a flat bowl of amethyst。



Outside he could see the huge dome of the cathedral; looming like a

bubble over the shadowy houses; and the weary sentinels pacing up

and down on the misty terrace by the river。  Far away; in an

orchard; a nightingale was singing。  A faint perfume of jasmine

came through the open window。  He brushed his brown curls back from

his forehead; and taking up a lute; let his fingers stray across

the cords。  His heavy eyelids drooped; and a strange languor came

over him。  Never before had he felt so keenly; or with such

exquisite joy; the magic and the mystery of beautiful things。



When midnight sounded from the clock…tower he touched a bell; and

his pages entered and disrobed him with much ceremony; pouring

rose…water over his hands; and strewing flowers on his pillow。  A

few moments after that they had left the room; he fell asleep。





And as he slept he dreamed a dream; and this was his dream。



He thought that he was standing in a long; low attic; amidst the

whir and clatter of many looms。  The meagre daylight peered in

through the grated windows; and showed him the gaunt figures of the

weavers bending over their cases。  Pale; sickly…looking children

were crouched on the huge crossbeams。  As the shuttles dashed

through the warp they lifted up the heavy battens; and when the

shuttles stopped they let the battens fall and pressed the threads

together。  Their faces were pinched with famine; and their thin

hands shook and trembled。  Some haggard women were seated at a

table sewing。  A horrible odour filled the place。  The air was foul

and heavy; and the walls dripped and streamed with damp。



The young King went over to one of the weavers; and stood by him

and watched him。



And the weaver looked at him angrily; and said; 'Why art thou

watching me?  Art thou a spy set on us by our master?'



'Who is thy master?' asked the young King。



'Our master!' cried the weaver; bitterly。  'He is a man like

myself。  Indeed; there is but this difference between us … that he

wears fine clothes while I go in rags; and that while I am weak

from hunger he suffers not a little from overfeeding。'



'The land is free;' said the young King; 'and thou art no man's

slave。'



'In war;' answered the weaver; 'the strong make slaves of the weak;

and in peace the rich make slaves of the poor。  We must work to

live; and they give us such mean wages that we die。  We toil for

them all day long; and they heap up gold in their coffers; and our

children fade away before their time; and the faces of those we

love become hard and evil。  We tread out the grapes; and another

drinks the wine。  We sow the corn; and our own board is empty。  We

have chains; though no eye beholds them; and are slaves; though men

call us free。'



'Is it so with all?' he asked;



'It is so with all;' answered the weaver; 'with the young as well

as with the old; with the women as well as with the men; with the

little children as well as with those who are stricken in years。

The merchants grind us down; and we must needs do their bidding。

The priest rides by and tells his beads; and no man has care of us。

Through our sunless lanes creeps Poverty with her hungry eyes; and

Sin with his sodden face follows close behind her。  Misery wakes us

in the morning; and Shame sits with us at night。  But what are

these things to thee?  Thou art not one of us。  Thy face is too

happy。'  And he turned away scowling; and threw the shuttle across

the loom; and the young King saw that it was threaded with a thread

of gold。



And a great terror seized upon him; and he said to the weaver;

'What robe is this that thou art weaving?'



'It is the robe for the coronation of the young King;' he answered;

'what is that to thee?'



And the young King gave a loud cry and woke; and lo! he was in his

own chamber; and through the window he saw the great honey…coloured

moon hanging in the dusky air。





And he fell asleep again and dreamed; and this was his dream。



He thought that he was lying on the deck of a huge galley that was

being rowed by a hundred slaves。  On a carpet by his side the

master of the galley was seated。  He was black as ebony; and his

turban was of crimson silk。  Great earrings of silver dragged down

the thick lobes of his ears; and in his hands he had a pair of

ivory scales。



The slaves were naked; but for a ragged loin…cloth; and each man

was chained to his neighbour。  The hot sun beat brightly upon them;

and the negroes ran up and down the gangway and lashed them with

whips of hide。  They stretched out their lean arms and pulled the

heavy oars through the water。  The salt spray flew from the blades。



At last they reached a little bay; and began to take soundings。  A

light wind blew from the shore; and covered the deck and the great

lateen sail with a fine red dust。  Three Arabs mounted on wild

asses rode out and threw spears at them。  The master of the galley

took a painted bow in his hand and shot one of them in the throat。

He fell heavily into the surf; and his companions galloped away。  A

woman wrapped in a yellow veil followed slowly on a camel; looking

back now and then at the dead body。



As soon as they had cast anchor and hauled down the sail; the

negroes went into the hold and brought up a long rope…ladder;

heavily weighted with lead。  The master of the galley threw it over

the side; making the ends fast to two iron stanchions。  Then the

negroes seized the youngest of the slaves and knocked his gyves

off; and filled his nostrils and his ears with wax; and tied a big

stone round his waist。  He crept wearily down the ladder; and

disappeared into the sea。  A few bubbles rose where he sank。  Some

of the other slaves peered curiously over the side。  At the prow of

the galley sat a shark…charmer; beating monotonously upon a drum。



After some time the diver rose up out of the water; and clung

panting to the ladder with a pearl in his right hand。  The negroes
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