A Prince of Dreamers

aling cup of t

ng in his pleasur

ird

of persuasion in him for those he loves."--The scribe's hand paused in its swift swooping over the Persian curves, and he looked up for an instant with all

one man's body. Meanwhile the King's action in this matter hath stirred up the whole city. Ere noon Jamal-ud-din left, accompanied by a goodly gathering of his clan all incensed at the sentence of exile passed on their captain. He hath gone to his relatives of Barha and will doubtless rouse them to resistance. But the jade Siyah Yamin hath done more for our cause than any, since I have but now returned from seeing her leave-taking; for the baggage hath elected to follow her lawful spouse. Truly 'tis said 'A torn ear clamours for more earring!' Half the town were at the heels of her palanquin wherein she sate veiled like any

aging interruption, and the writer, thrusting the papers under a fold of his embroidered shawl took up a lute which l

am caught

nted net o

I am str

for her, and

is upon

sses were o

e smartest deformities in fact to be found in the service of the young nobility of the court. His cunning face, ful

y, "and, Yahéd, close the doors on us.

went on

I am held

e brown bo

I am lost i

ry though

tar of sof

touch of

he turned swiftly on the

Lo! my liver dissolved when the arch-heretic, Abul, spoke at the King's audience of an envoy from Sinde. For aught I

lkily as he unwound his close-draped shawl, so disclosing, in truth, th

"thou knowest more than I, the companion of thy youth; since I know naught. A blank as of d

ed cynically at the du

the Dream-compeller goes to make th

on-day pellet of twelve years agone. Thou knowest the old Tuglak tombs about Big

tly, "but give me the packet. I must answer it, if answer be required." H

n, thou wouldst learn," he said vexedly. "I slept and drea

Aye! and I wondered what Birbal, the heretic pig

"It is a blank; and hearken, Mi

ought of Akbar's ever-swift punishment for treason. "Thou

le cloth, and left not my side day nor night. None knew of it. And I remember nothing of my sleep, except my dream." He shivered and looked round apprehensively. "It was a dream of nigh

e nine deadly sins ere even earthly punishment be thought of, and I am but at my seventh; or stay,

oy's fa

ave the orders for the audience

t of God, the companion of princes, the chamberlain of pleasures to the Heir-Apparent! Khodadad adventurer, made Tarkhan on the battlefield by the King's brother, the rebel of Kabul, because, being above myself with hemp, I saved his life! Made Tarkhan, thou prophet of God! and I a Tarkhan by birth. Still," he continued, checking himself in his reckless mirth, "thou art in luck. But mark me, if by this loss suspicion comes--aye! even a suspicion that Khodadad

shawl round him as before. "This very sight of thee reca

amongst his cush

r fanning his perfumed hair, his smooth yellow skin oily with unguents, every atom of his body and soul surcharged with sensuality, there yet came to him an uprush of almost wild pride in his race, in the honours, the privileges which distinguished it even from the common herd of princedom. A Barlas Tarkhan! Barlas the brave! Master of seven distinctions in procession or audience. Free of every part of a king's palace by night and day! Aye and more! Having the right to drink with the King! So that when the Royal cup was handed from the righ

from those peers, there was small dan

bt, due to the Heir-Apparent's childish knuckling under, since some new intrigue must be set on foot to weaken Akbar's authority; but once that was over Ibrah?m might be counted on to make the hours hum. So he clapped his hands for the tiremen and fresh dressing, and shaving, and scenting; the

, a host of pipe-bearers, toothpick holders, keepers of aphrodisaical pills, and general p

he night was spangled beyond belief. Spangled with myriads of stars, not white as in north

, vice dwelt and turned darkness into day. Above, all was shadow, save for one light high up on the palace whose outline struck firm against the velvet of the sky. It shone from Akbar's balcony; Akbar who after his usual habit watched while his subjects slept. To-night, however, something more than mere m

ly by the tendril-inlaid curves of agate and chalcedony, lapis-lazuli and cornelian upon the marble wall, and partly by the pearl embroidered yellow satin cushions amongst which the King reclined, was a beautifully embossed silver clepsydre, or water clock, in which the floatin

of a most elegant water; but----" He looked up, his face full of denial. "It would mayhap lose half its weight in th

m. They were Rajah Birbal and Shaik Abulfazl. The latter, seei

sure at all times the luck of the Most Excellent has been stupendous. Still, we

aikjee," he remarked urbanely, "that the wise s

y; but the King himself bent forward to touch the diamond with one pliant

by recollections of the years he had worn it--ever since as a bo

Leedes, firmly, "is as God made

es were on his; for the time the whole of th

at, sir jeweller?" came the swift answer, "therein li

hen bluntly, suddenly, he said, "Yet, Great King, woul

Akbar's eyes

nts. The room next Diswunt the painter's, in the Court of Labour, is vacant. Se

Birbal and Abulfazl looked at each

e talisman to which all have looked as security for the King's success in all ways. Therefore if Majesty will ordain the cutting of the Eastern gem in Western fashion, let it at least condescend to wear in its place--until the gem return--a veritab

e or the people? Lo! Abulfazl! to what end? Since if the tale be not true that luck lies in

spoke, holding the diamo

"thou art mine to-night; a

han usual lassitude, for the day had left him weary. It was no small thing to one of his temper

on themselves as the disappointment ate into his very soul. Surely he had a right to expect more of Fate?--he who had waited so long, so patiently for an heir--since in those long years of waiting the very thought of mere sonship had bee

ume his task," came Birbal's voice. Noting the Ki

s of the night. Through it like a little line of light fading into nothingness, ran the signal string attached to the quaint contrivance by which the King could secure, when the mood seized him, the presence of an opponent for some midnight argument. One touch

ring some sage, or fool, or knave, to keep Jalal-ud-din Mahomed Akbar, Defender of the Faith, from wearying for sleep! But from the

nce; then yet once aga

will bring to-morrow--Ye Gods! How will it be w

er answer; so silently he passed through the great wadded curtains of gold tissue which

ate thinking, the fact had not interfered with his enjoyment of the present one. Verily he had

this and that in obedience to no law, but arbitrarily, whimsically. It passes by unse

iviality standing out as clear, as untouched by Time, as m

is foster-nurse Anagah. Dear Anagah! How he had loved her! More, in a way, than he had loved his absent, stately mother; but he had vague recollections of that quaint meeting with the latter

choice had gone. All he remembered was quick clasping

weete

lm him again) had been the last passion-fraught kiss he had given to--to a murderer--t

Why did such things come i

; reckless, defiant, presuming on his position, boasting of the foul murder of

en grip of his own strong young arms, the relentless forcing backwar

gah's tears. She had died of a broken heart because of her son's d

d, though he had always, even

e enemy, I will not

ed him on to remembrance of the day when this feeling for the sanctity of life had risen in him not toward man only but tow

sands of men who for two days had been sweeping across the country driving all wild things before them, were narrowin

kara fawn, looking at him with great s

had ever seen the like in him before, and the battue was given up; nor has he sin

imself had appeared to the outside multitude. To him it had been a crisis in

ot touched him as, for instance

after three long yea

pproach of the long expected caravan from Kabul and met his dearest dear six miles out along the road. Even his father's more passionate love for

s back in the old dreary disappointment; the o

hen? The dynasty would remain. He and his and the City of Victory he had built with such h

ds came back the old puzzle. Oh!

which he still held in the palm of his left hand, while his right rested on the

, to hang over into the darkness, whence a faint sound as of metal on metal rose waveri

ring beyond the wadded curtain, to peer through it stealthily,

swinging dhooli rose into sight, and a moment afterward its occup

woollen robe of a Sufi ecstatic which the figure wore,

te!" he e

were on the King. "Hush!" he whispered, "See, he dre

rill through his hearer, and his eyes

zing at the diamond, but seeing it not; for the veil

his own voice sounding strange to his ears as he stepped closer,

gers were on his wri

seest thou not that the man sleeps indeed! Hast thou not heard, hast thou not read of the death in life whereby the so

d despite h

ny faces," he gasped, "a

earned I have learned. And this"--he pointed to the dreaming figure--"I know, that if my lord desires to hear the futu

t, doubter to the very core, he knew already. Knew that all his master's dreams were but dreams; that like all other things in

whispered, "tell

the silence the Sufi's voice

What of the future? Is Jalal-ud-

; the reply rang i

ering warp among the woof. See! how the westering sun turn

ing rest to tired travellers. He is not there, but I--who lived in him--I linger still in Justice, Mer

clear dreaming eyes clouded and there was silence. The

acked me to the soul? Somethi

ilence while those

back the fresh questioning which tremb

per sleep, for his voice lost its resona

n ('the dreaming of a King can never die'). And all their faults shall fall from them. Ah God! The cry of little children, the wail of murdered women in my palace walls--do

which India always sought, for which she seeks. This is no land of golden sunsettin

me from sleep? 'They wait m

uld know, the secret of its birth and of its death. What are the words thou soughtest for in the years--Akbar? His

I have f

its grip dropped nerveless on the knee, so that the shining orb it had held ro

tle cry caught at

it once more softly in the King's empty palm. "Hold fast to thy

s hold upon the balustrade had been withdrawn, the counterpoise had reasserted itself, and Birbal peeri

he wall was but the work of a minute or so. Yet he was too late. The newly arrived Sufi from

n Akbar awoke and smiled to find Birbal wrapped in

remember? That

. "So may I wake in Paradise after a