The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1917-08-22
klNC-gMe KIYBER RIFLES
- Romance @Mr@uzxre
84 TALBOT MUNpY
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He followed her through leather cur
tains again and down the dark pass
age into the outer chamber; and the
illusion was Of walking behind a gold
en-haired Madonna to some shrine of
Innocence. Her perfume was like in
cense; her manner perfect reverence.
She passed into the cave where the
two dead bodies lay like high priest
ess performing a rite. Walking to the
bed, she stood for minutes, gazing at
the Sleeper and his queen. And from
the new angle from which King saw
him the Sleeper's likeness to himself
was actually startling. Startling -
weird-like an incarnation were Vas
minis words when at last she spoke.
"Muhammad lied! He lied in his
teeth! His sons have multiplied his
lie! Siddhattha, whom men havo call
ed Gotama, the Buddha, was before
Muhammad and he knew more He
told of the wheel of things, and there
is a wheel! Yet, what knew the
.Buddha of the wheel? He who spoke
Of Dharma (the customs of the law
not knowing Dharma! This is true
OF old there was wish of the gods
of the old gods. And so these two
were. There is wish again now of
the old gods. So, are we two not as
they two were? 1t is the same wish,
and 10! We are ready, this man and
l. We will obey, ye gods-ye old
gods! She raised her arms and, 60
ing closer to the bed, stood there in
and receiving blessings.
Icf oh
old gods-older than these Hills
show me in a vision what their fault
was-why these two were ended be-
fore the end! ! know all the other
things ye have shown me. l know
the worlds silly creeds have made 1t
mad, and it must rend itself, and this
man and ! shall reap where the ma
tions sowed-if only we obey! Where
in, ye old dear gods, who love me, did
these two disobey? l pray you, tell
me in vision."
She shook her head and sighed
Sadness seemed to have crept over
her. like a cold mist from the night.
1t was as if she could dimly see her
plans foredoomed, and yet hoped on
in spite Of it. The fatalism that she
scorned as Muhammad's lie held her
in its grip, and her natural courage
fought with it. Womanlike, she turn
ed to King in that minute and cinfided
to him her very inmost thoughts.
And he. without inkling as to how
she must fail, yet knew that she must,
and pitied her.
Have you seen that breast under
the armor?' she asked suddenly.
Come nearer! Come and look! Why
did his breast decay and his body
stay whole like hers? Did she kill
him? Was that a dagger-stab in his
breast? I found perfume in these
caves--great jars Of it, and I use it
always. Ie is better than temple in
cense and all the breath Of gardens in
the spring! 1 have put it on slaugh-
tered animals. Where the knife has
touched them. they decay-as that
mans breast did-but the rest Of them
remains undecaying year after year
1t was a knife. I think, that pierced
his breast. I think that scent is the
preservative. Did she kill him? Was
she jealous of him? How did she die?
There is no mark on her! Athelstan
listen! / think he would have failed
her! I think she stabbed him rather
than see him fail, and then swallowed
poison! Afterwards their servants
laid them there. She smiles in death
because she knew the wheel will turn
and that death dies too! He looks
grim because he knew less than she.
1t is always woman who understands
and man who fails! I think she
stabbed him. She should have loved
him better, and then there would have
been no need. I will love you better
than she loved him!"
She turned and devoured him with
her eyes, so that it needed all his man
hood to hold him back from being
her slave that minute. For in that
minute she left no charm uneXercised
- sex smerism-beauty- flattery
cher eyes could flatter as a dumb
dogs fatter a huntsman! )-grace un-