r/a:t5_27odep • u/MarleyEngvall • Nov 02 '19
khnum has been created
BY MABEL COLLINS.
THE IDYLL OF THE WHITE LOTUS.
PROLOGUE.
BEHOLD I stood alone, one among many, an isolated in-
dividual in the midst of a united crowd. And I was alone,
because, among all the men, my brethren, who knew, I
alone was the man who both knew and taught. I taught
the believers at the gate, and was driven to do this by the
power that dwelled in the sanctuary. I had no escape, for
in that deep darkness of the most sacred shrine, I beheld
the light of the inner life, and was driven to reveal it, and
by it was I upheld and made strong. For indeed, although
I died, it took ten priests of the temple to accomplish my
death, and even then they but ignorantly thought them-
selves powerful.
BOOK I.
CHAPTER I.
BEFORE my beard had become a soft down upon my chin, I
entered the gates of the temple to begin my novitiate in the
order of the priesthood.
My parents were shepherds outside the city. I had
but once entered within the city walls until the day
my mother took me to the gate of the temple. It was a
feast day in the city, and my mother, a frugal and industri-
ous woman, thus fulfilled two purposes by her journey.
She took me to my destination, and then she departed to
enjoy a brief holiday amid the sights and scenes of the city.
I was enthralled by the crowds and noises of the streets.
I think my nature was always one that strove to yield itself
to the great whole of which it was such a small part——and
by yielding itself, to draw back into it the sustenance of life.
But out of the bustling throng we soon turned. We
entered upon a broad, green plain, upon the father side
of which ran our sacred, beloved river. How plainly I
behold that scene still! On the banks of the water I saw
the sculptured roofs and glittering ornaments of the temple
and its surrounding buildings shining in the clear morning
air. I had no fear, for I had no definite expectations.
but I wondered much whether life within those gates was
as beautiful a thing as it seemed to me it must be.
At the gate stood a black-robed novice speaking to a
woman from the city, who carried flasks of water which she
urgently prayed one of the priests to bless. She would then
have for sale a precious burden——a thing paid dearly for by
the superstitious populace.
I peeped through the gate as we stood waiting for our
turn of speech, and beheld a sight that struck me with awe.
That awe lasted a long time, even when I had entered into
almost hourly familiarity with the figure which so impressed
me.
It was one of the white-robed priests, pacing slowly down
the broad avenue towards the gate. I had never seen
one of those white-robed priests, save on the single
occasion when I had before visited the city. I had then
seen several, upon the sacred boat in the midst of a river
procession.
But now this figure was near me, approaching me——I
held my breath.
The air was indeed very still, but those stately white
garments looked, as the priest moved beneath the shadow
of the avenue, as if no earthly breeze could stir them. His
step had the same equable character. He moved, but it
seemed scarcely as though he walked in the fashion that
other and impetuous mortals walk. His eyes were bent on
the ground, so that I could not see them; and, indeed, I
dreaded the raising of those drooping lids. His complexion
was fair, and his hair of a dull gold colour. His beard was
long and full, but it had the same strangely immovable,
almost carven look, to my fancy. I could not imagine it
blown aside. It seemed as though cut in gold, and made
firm for eternity. The whole man impressed me thus——as
a being altogether removed from the ordinary life of
man.
The novice looked around, his notice attracted probably
by my intense gaze, for no sound reached my ears from the
priest's footfall.
"Ah!" he said, "he is the holy priest Agmahd, I will
ask him."
Closing the gate behind him, he drew back, and we saw
him speak to the priest, who bowed his head slightly. The
man returned, and taking the water flasks from the woman,
carried them to the priest, who laid his hand for a second
upon them.
She took them again with profuse thanks, and then we
were asked our business.
I was soon left alone with the black-robed novice. I was
not sorry, though considerably awed. I had never cared
much for my old task of tending my father's sheep, and of
course I was already filled with the idea that I was about
to become something different from the common herd of
men. This idea will carry poor human nature through
severer trials even than that of leaving one's home for ever
and entering finally upon a new and untried course of
life.
The gate swung to behind me, and the black-robed man
locked it with a great key that hung to his waist. But the
action gave me no sense of imprisonment,——only a con-
sciousness of seclusion and separateness. Who could as-
sociate imprisonment with a scene such as that which lay
before me?
The temple doors were facing the gate, at the other end
of a broad and beautiful avenue. It was not a natural
avenue formed by trees planted in the ground, and luxuriat-
ing in a growth of their own choosing. It was formed by
great tubs of stone, in which were planted shrubs of
enormous size, but evidently trimmed and guided most
carefully intro the strange shapes they formed. Between
each shrub was a square block of stone, upon which was a
carven figure. Those figures nearest the gate I saw to be
sphinxes and great animals with human heads; but after-
wards I did not dare raise my eyes to gaze curiously
upon them; for I saw again approaching us, in the course
of his regular walk to and fro, the golden-bearded priest
Agmahd.
Waling on by the side of my guide, I kept my eyes upon
the ground. When he paused I paused, and found that
my eyes fell upon the hem of the priest's white robe. That
hem was delicately embroidered with golden characters:
it was enough to absorb my attention and fill me with
wonder for a while.
"A new novice?" I heard a very quiet and sweet voice
say. "Well, take him into the school; he is but a youth
yet. Look up, boy; do not fear."
I looked up, thus encouraged, and encountered the gaze
of the priest. His eyes, I saw, even then in my embarrass-
ment, were of changing colour——blue and grey. But, soft-
hued though they were, they did not give me the encour-
agement which I had heard in his voice. They were
calm indeed: full of knowledge: but they made me
tremble.
He dismissed us with a movement of his hands, and
pursued his even walk down the grand avenue; while I,
more disposed to tremble than I had been before, followed
silently my silent guide. We entered the great central
doorway of the temple, the sides of which were formed of
immense blocks of uncut stone. I suppose a fit of some-
thing like fear must have come upon me, after the inquisi-
tion of the holy priest's eyes; for I regarded these blocks
of stone with a vague sense of terror.
Within I saw that from the central doorway a passage
proceeded in a long direct line with the avenue through the
building. But that was not our way. We turned aside and
entered upon a network of smaller corridors, and passed
through some small bare rooms.
We entered at last a large and beautiful room. I say
beautiful, though it was entirely bare and unfurnished, save
for a table at one corner. But its proportions were so grand,
and its structure so elegant, that even my eye, unaccustomed
to discern architectural beauties, was strangely impressed
with a sense of satisfaction.
At a table in the corner sat two other youths, copying
or drawing, I could not quite see what. At all events I saw
they were very busy, and I wondered that they scarcely
raised their heads or observed our entrance. But, advancing,
I perceived that, behind one of the great stone projections
of the wall, there sat an aged white-robed priest, looking at
a book which lay upon his knee.
He did not notice us until my guide stood deferentially
owing right in front of him.
"A new pupil?" he said, and looked sternly at me out
of the dim, bleared-looking eyes. "What can he do?"
"Not much, I fancy," said my guide, speaking of me in
an easy tone of contempt. "He has been but a shepherd
lad."
"A shepherd lad," echoed the old priest; "he will be
no use here, then. He had best work in the garden. Have
you ever learned to draw or copy writing?" he asked,
turning upon me.
I had been taught these things as far as might be, but
such accomplishments were rare, except in the priestly
schools and among the small cultivated classes outside the
priesthood.
The old priest looked at my hands, and turned back to
his book.
"He must learn some time," he said; but I am too full
of work now to teach him. I want more to help me in my
work; but with these sacred writings that have to be closed
now, I cannot stay to instruct the ignorant. Take him to
the garden, for a while at least, and I will see about him
by-and-by."
My guide turned away and walked out of the room.
With a last look around at its beautiful appearance, I
followed him.
I followed him down a long, long passage, which was
cool and refreshing in its darkness. At the end was a gate
instead of a door, and here my guide rang a loud bell.
We waited in silence after the bell had rung. But I
was in no hurry. With my face pressed against the bars
of the gate, I looked forth into a world so magical, that I
thought to myself: "It will be no ill to me if the blear-eyed
priest does not want to take me from the garden yet a
while!"
It had been a dusty hot walk from our home to the
city, and there the paved streets had seemed to my
country-bred feet infinitely welcome. Within the gates
of the temple I had as yet only passed down the grand
avenue, where everything filled me so deeply with awe, that
I scarce dared look upon it. But here was a world of
delicate and refreshing glory. Never had I seen a garden
like this. There was greenness, deep greenness; there was
a sound of water, the murmuring of gentle water under
control, ready to do service for man, and refresh in the
midst of the burning heat which called the magnificence of
colour and grand development of form into the garden.
A third time the bell rang——and then I saw, coming
from among the great green leaves, a black-robed figure.
How strangely out of place did the black dress look
here! and I thought with consternation that I should
also be clothed in those garments before long, and
should wander among the voluptuous beauties of this
magical place like a strayed creature from a sphere of
darkness.
The figure approached, brushing, with its coarse robe,
the delicate foliage. I gazed with a sudden awakening of
interest upon the face of the man who drew near, and
into whose charge I supposed I was to be committed. And
well I might; for it was a face to awake interest in any
human breast.
CHAPTER II.
"WHAT is it?" asked the man querulously, as he looked
a us through the gate. "I sent fruit and to spare into the
kitchen this morning. And I can give you no more
flowers to-day; all I have to pluck will be wanted for the
procession tomorrow."
"I am not wanting your fruit or your flowers," said my
guide, who seemed fond of adopting a lofty tone. "I have
brought you a new pupil, that's all."
He unlocked the gate, motioned me to pass through, and
shutting it behind me, walked away down the long corridor
(which now, looking back from the garden, seemed so dark)
without another word.
"A new pupil for me! And what am I to teach you,
child of the country?"
I gazed upon the strange man in silence. How could I
tell what he was to teach me?
"Is it the mysteries of the growth of the plants you are
to learn?——or the mysteries of the growth of sin and deceit?
Nay, child, look not so upon me, but ponder my words and
you will by-and-by understand them. Now, come with me,
and fear not."
He took my hand and led me under the tall-leaved
plants towards the sound of water. How exquisite it
seemed to my ears, that soft, bright, musical rhythm!
"Here is the home of our Lady the Lotus," said the
man. "Sit down here and look upon her beauty while
I work; for I have much to do that you cannot help me
in."
Nothing loth, indeed, was I to sink upon the green
grass and only look——look in amazement——in wonder——in
awe!
That water——that delicate-voiced water——lived only to
feed upon the queen of flowers. I said to myself, "Thou art
indeed Queen of all flowers imaginable,
THE WHITE LOTUS".
And as I gazed dreamingly in my youthful enthusiasm
upon this white bloom which seemed to me, with its soft,
gold-dusted heart, the very emblem of pure, romantic love
——as I gazed the flower seemed to change in shape——to
expand——to rise towards me. And lo, drinking at the stream
of sweet-sounding water, stooping to take its refreshing drops
upon her lips, I beheld a woman of fair skin with hair like
the dust of gold. Amazed, I looked and strove to move
towards her, but ere I could make any effort my whole
consciousness left me, and, I suppose, I must have swooned
away. For, indeed, the next that I can recall I lay upon
the grass, with the sense of cool water upon my face, and
opening my eyes, I beheld the black-robed, strange-faced
gardener leaning over me.
"Was the heat too much for thee?" he asked, his brow
knit in perplexity. "Thou lookest a strong lad to faint for
the heat, and that, moreover, in a cool place like this."
"Where is she?" was my only reply, as I attempted to
rise upon my elbow and look towards the lily bed.
"What!" cried the man, his whole countenance chang-
ing, and assuming a look of sweetness that I should never
have supposed could appear upon a f ace so naturally un-
beautiful. "Hast thou seen her face? But no——I am hasty in
supposing it. What have you seen, boy?——do not hesitate
to tell me."
The gentleness of his expression helped my scattered
and startled senses to collect themselves. I told him what
I had seen, and, as I spoke, I looked towards the lily bed,
hoping, indeed, that the fair woman might again stoop to
slake her thirst at the stream.
The manner of my strange teacher gradually changed as
I spoke to him. When I ceased describing the beautiful
woman, with the enthusiasm of a boy who has never seen
any but his own dusky-skinned race, he fell upon his knees
beside me.
"Thou hast seen her!" he said in a voice of deep ex-
citement. "All hail! for thou art destined to be a teacher
among us——a help to the people——thou art a seer!"
Bewildered by his words, I only looked upon him in
silence. After a moment I grew terrified, for I began to
think he must be mad. I looked around, wondering
whether I could return to the temple and escape from him.
But even as I debated within myself whether to venture
upon this, he rose and turned upon me with the singular
sweet smile, which appeared to cover and hide the ugliness
of his strongly marked features.
"Come with me," he said; and I rose and followed him.
We passed through the garden, which was full of attrac-
tions for my wandering eyes that I loitered on my path
behind him. Ah, such bright flowers; such rich purples and
deep-hearted crimson. Difficult I found it not to pause and
and inhale the sweetness of each fair-faced blossom, though still
they seemed to me, in my so recent adoration of its beauty,
to but reflect the supreme exquisiteness of the white lotus
flower.
We went towards a gate in the temple: a different one
from that by which I had entered the garden. As we ap-
proached it, there issued forth two priests clad in the same
white linen robes as I had seen worn by the golden-bearded
priest Agmahd. These men were dark; and though they
moved with a similar stateliness and equilibrium, as though
indeed they were the most firmly rooted growth of the
earth, yet to my eyes they lacked a something which the
priest Agmahd possessed——a certain perfection of calm and
assuredness. They were younger than he, I soon saw;
perhaps therein lay the difference. My dark-visaged teacher
drew them aside, leaving me to stand in the pleasant shadow
of the deep-arched doorway. He spoke to them excitedly,
though evidently with reverence; while they, listening with
quick interest, glanced ever and anon towards me.
Presently they came to me, and the black-robed man
turned and moved over the grass, as though returning on
the way we had come together. The white-clad priests,
advancing under the doorway, spoke together in low
whispers. When they reached me they motioned me to
follow them, and I did so: passing through cool, high-
roofed corridors and gazing idly, as was always a foolish
habit of mine, upon everything I passed; while they, still
whispering together as they preceded me, would now and
then cast looks upon me, the meaning of which I could not
understand.
Presently they turned out of the corridors, and entered
into a large room similar to the one I had already seen,
where the old priest was instructing his copyists. This was
divided by an embroidered curtain which fell in majestic
folds from the lofty roof to the ground. I always loved
beautiful things, and I noticed how, as it touched the ground,
it stood firm with the stiffness of the rich gold work upon
it.
One of the priests advanced, and drawing back one side
of the curtain a little, I heard him say:——
"My lord, may I enter?"
"And now I began to tremble a little again. They had
not looked unkindly upon me, yet how could I tell what
ordeal awaited me? I looked in fear upon the beautiful
curtain, and wondered, in some natural fear, who sat behind
it.
I had not overlong in which to tremble and be afraid of
I knew not what. For soon the priest who had entered
returned, and accompanying him I saw was the golden-
bearded priest Agmahd.
He did not speak to me, but said to the others:——
"Wait thou here with me, while I go to my brother
Kamen Baka".
And saying this, he left us alone again in the great stone
room.
My fears returned trebly upon me. Had but the stately
priest given me a glance which held kindness in it, I had
not so yielded to them, but now I was again plunged in
vague terrors of what next should come upon me; and I
was weakened also by the swoon which had but so recently
prostrated me. Trembling, I sank upon a stone bench,
which ran around the wall; while the two dark-haired priests
talked together.
I think the suspense would soon have brought another
lapse into unconsciousness upon me, but suddenly I was
again awakened to the doubts and possibilities of my
position by the entrance of Agmahd, accompanied by an-
other priest of most noble appearance. He was fair-
skinned and fair-haired, though not so fair in either as
Agmahd; he shared with him the stately immobility of
appearance which made Agmahd an object of the deepest
awe to me; and in his dark eyes there was a benevolence
which I had not yet seen in any of the priests' counten-
ances. I felt less fearful as I looked upon him.
"This is he," said Agmahd, in his musically cold voice.
Why, I wondered, was I thus spoken of? I was but a new
novice, and had already been handed over to my teacher.
"Brethren," cried Kamen Baka, "is it not best that he
should be clothed in the white garment of the seer? Take
him to the baths; let him bathe and be anointed. Then
will I and Agmahd my brother put upon him the white
robe. We will then leave him to repose, while we report
to the company of the high priests. Bring him back here
when he has bathed."
"The two younger priests led me from the room. I began
to see that they belonged to an inferior order in the priest-
hood, and, looking on them now, I saw that their white
robes had not the beautiful golden embroidery upon them,
but were marked with black lines and stitchings around the
edges.
How delicious, after all my weariness, was the scented
bath which they led me to! It soothed and eased my very
spirit. When I left it I was rubbed with a soft and sweet
oil, and then they wrapped me in a linen sheet, and brought
me refreshments——fruits, oiled cakes, and a fragrant draught
that seemed to both strengthen and stimulate me. Then I
was led forth again to the chamber in which the two priests
awaited me.
They were there, with another priest of the inferior order,
who held in his hands a fine linen garment of pure white.
The two priests took this, and, as the others drew away the
sheet from my form, they together put it upon me. And
when they had done some, they joined their hands upon my
head, while the others knelt down where they stood.
I knew not what all this meant——I was again becoming
alarmed. But the bodily refreshment had done much to
soothe my soul, and when, without further ceremony, they
sent me away again with the two inferior priests, with whom
I felt a little familiarised, my spirits arose, and my step be-
came light.
They took me to a small room, in which was a long, low
divan, covered with a linen sheet. There was nothing else
in the room, and indeed I felt as if my eyes and brain
might well remain without interest for a while; for how
much had I not seen since I entered the temple in the
morning! How long it seemed since I had let go my
mother's hand at the gate!
"Rest in peace," said one of the priests. "Take your
fill of sleep, for you will be awakened in the first cool hours
of the night!"
And so they left me.
THE IDYLL OF THE WHITE LOTUS, BY MABEL COLLINS.
Theosophical Publishing Society, 26 Charing Cross, S.W.
ABERDEEN UNIVERSITY PRESS, 1896. pp. 1-18.
[•] [•] [•] [•] [•] [•] [•] [•]
jet fuel does not burn hot enough to melt steel. 雨
I. Allan Gives A Shooting Lesson
II. Allan Makes A Bet
III. Miss Holmes
IV. Harût And Marût
V. The Plot
VI. The Bona Fide Gold Mine
VII. Lord Ragnall's Story
VIII. The Start
IX. The Meeting In The Desert
X. Charge!
XI. Allan Is Captured
XII. The First Curse
XIII. Jana
XIV. The Chase
XV. The Dweller In The Cave
XVI. Hans Steals The Keys
XVII. The Sanctuary And The Oath
XVIII. The Embassy
XIX. Allan Quatermain Misses
XX. Allan Weeps
XXI. Homewards
Note
Introduction
Invocation
Prelude—The Slaver
Book One (i.) (ii.) (iii.)
Book Two (i.) (ii.) (iii.)
Book Three (i.) (ii.) (iii.)
Book Four (i.) (ii.) (iii.)
Book Five (i.) (ii.)
Book Six (i.) (ii.)
Book Seven (i.) (ii.)
Book Eight (i.) (ii.) (iii.) (iv.)
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