A Prince of Dreamers

rd our God

a pathway to the En

*

we got by

we had

we found

and ca

ipl

t invincible and most mightie prince Lord Yelabdim

h meanes the mutual and friendly traffeque of marchandise on both sides may come, is the cause that the bearer of this letter John Newbery joyntly with those that be in his company, with a curt

greatly beholden of to your Maiestie; wee should more earnestl

may be honestly intreated and received. And that in respect of the hard journey which they have taken to places so far distant it would please your Maiestie with some libertie and securitie of voiage to gratifie it, with such privileges as to you shall

its brocaded bag, lay before the King--fell mellifluously from Abulfazl's practised

the festivities of this New Year's Day, both minds and bodies w

set was flaring in the west. Over the wide plain of India the growing sh

Then, suddenly, a gong struck, echoing through the arches and

ly. It sounded to him like the knell of some doom. Whose? Theirs, or the King's, who, with face suddenly alert, rose, and

figures showed, heading a procession of lighted tapers. Boy and girl, they were naked save for the wreaths of roses with which they were bound together, and for the filmy gossamer veil, spangled with diamond dewdrops, which, just reaching their foreheads in front, trailed behind them on the floor. The first foots

epped back to let it pass. He felt as if some corpse lay there, li

nt of the Kyrie in Palestrina's Mass of Pope Marcellus, as the procession formed itself into a semicircle about the thro

t! Our da

thou

in th

on th

ay is

its cour

est h

od's

man

urse i

and Righ

have

arknes

us th

ay is

e tiny children drew the gossamer veil over their faces and, bending to kiss each other, turned, still solemn,

omp and magnificence? Or was it only because outside the rose-red arches the sun's last rim was just disappearing beneath the western horizon? Or on tha

ell have

ant voice in the pause which ensued, "which s

bar's, however, was only the quick curiosity with which he met all new things, and a not unkindly personal interest for the three adventurers whose bold blue eyes

t burden and therefore wee us

isfy, and Akbar held up

in their appointed places on the floor at the extremities of the small

also unmistakably the leading spirit. As he spoke he made an obeis

quickly. There was a hal

e latter profession for it showed the restless energy of the born wander

e enough in the West?"

ty," replied John Newbery, "but not en

and Man Singh muttered under his breath. "A Rajp?t live

xt adventurer. He was shorter, broader, and had

may it please your Majesty, cit

bar's mind, and he repeated the sa

ons, his whole appearance suggested

lliam Leedes, a jeweller. Native of England, educated at Ghent and Rotterdam. I have cut gems for royalty"--his eyes fixed themselves on the almost rough translucence of

dred pinpoints of light welded into one bright flash, and a low guttural "wah" of admiration ran through the immediate circle

-sided life!" Then he held the jewel out toward Birbal, the young Princes, Ab

n the little one Padré Rudolfo show

replied William Leedes; "of old

uld cut suc

s. 'Tis diamond

Akbar, with a sudden smile. T

bring us in exc

gold brings with it,

are already! Purse-bearer! Set forth the immo

bled in a netted bag and set out a row of coins on an embroidered kerchief, Akb

t Excellent," petitio

the legend

huge disc which contained a hundred pounds worth of pure gold, and re

golde

den be

here it encircled a li

it is

ker aft

r coin of the realm, despite its stamp "De

isc worth just one half th

garment

ope b

m the o

His p

ithout

ry readily, "we ask but this; that following the divine example, yo

than his age--eighteen--was asleep. Prince Murad the next, tall, lanky, cadaverous, sate sulky, indifferent. The youngest, Dan

s beggars," quoted t

penny left as alms?" c

the Most Excellent's regalia," spoke up Ghiass B

hat decorous assemblage. "Sure Akbar's crown can s

he man on whom, more than on all the others, he was dependent for th

heir gaze concentrated on that somewhat forlor

rol over the lesser principle of gold. Yet, ere your Majesty decides, it were well that these traders be made acquainted with your Majesty's law, which while yielding due profit to the dealer, denies to him greed of unearned gain; the law dem

ously, and Ralph Fitch muttered under his bre

led himself together

trades fair. And by that just fame of our country and of

my laws," put i

oed John Newbery, adding to hims

h sinews of iron--fingered the Queen's letter. At all times his mind went forth joyfully to any new thing, ex

t across the sea; that dim mysterious sea which he had seen once, long years before, of which he had so often d

ng fo

s for the reply

them injures me, Akbar the Emperor. They have s

est lay with Providence--and Commerce! England had gained a foothold i

ng made as if he would rise. "The envoy from Sinde waits to bring

omeone whom even a king would hesitate to touch, someone hedged round by strange privileges and high honours. Still annexation must come in the sequence of civilisation, so what mattered it if Bazi committed suicide in a fit of drun

anderer who had sought escape, so men said, from hereditary iniquity in the wilde

prinkled paper that Bazi had taken the baggage of immortality from the lodging of life, that Payandar having poured the dust of his brain in

irbal advanced to perform his duty of taking the miss

exclamatio

ed, for Birbal stood

ed at the envoy's throat. Was it--or was it not--a smagdarite of which Bir

vely, "for the virtuous name

nt up to his throat

of the Kingly Ho

bal could not resist an

e talisman

eyes held th

pleases the Favoured-of-Kings, this Dust-

n stone, but his mind was lost in colour, beauty, perfume. Rose-leaves twined themselves into his brain, they

sk of Roses must

secret; onl

essence of a

imperious voice. "Must the K

it, thrust it hastily into his bosom, and then

gning away the offering, "the audience ends. Birb

suitable lodging looked round the fast-emptying Hall-of-Audien

hn Newbery suddenly, "'twi

re is mettle here and to spare already, God knows.

e be Christian men, comrade, and these

my masters! But cheer up, friend! We will do the cutting of India whils

not an' I would! There is something of stea

figures standing under the Great Arch of Victory and looking out over the purpling Indian plai

the open where the blistering sun had scorched all day long into the very heart of India--that dream

of heat and dust from the lingering steps of homing cattle lay in quaint streaks, still faintly tinted with gold, over the distant country, and hung whiter, more obscure, and mingled with the smoke of the city, about the base of that mighty

Birbal! How many years is it since we two have sought the rose-essence of truth and found nothing but the scentless leaves? And y

? Pur?sha gazes upon the Dancer Prakr?ti, but b

ou cold Kapilian! Nay! Birbal! I cannot believe it so. It strikes a chill to my very marrow. 'Tis warmer beneath the

id marble lettering of the legend which he himself h

r it, but build no house there. Who hopes for an Hour, hopes

yes embraced the darkening plain, and questioned vainly the reddening flush behind the departed sun. "We

y of dreams--the heritage of those who shall come after me--the birthplace and the death-place of the holder of an empire that is dea

he birthplace of most things; and the last report of the engineers

ar is not to be let or hindered by aught save Death--and even so"--he glanced with his winning, affectionate, almost womanish sm

eplied Birbal. "Yet who should wa

with curiosity, almo

ock!--a ghost is what we need! Someone to tell us fairly, squarely----" Then he smiled. "D

ncident. "Nay, I saw no ghost," he said slow

could feel nothing there.