FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   197   198   199   200   201   202   203   204   205   206   207   208   209   210   211   212   213   >>  
ablature: '"Of reckless mercy thus the Sage declared: More culpable the sparer than the spared; For he that breaks one law, breaks one alone: But who thwarts Justice flouts Law's sovereign throne." And have I not been over-merciful in thy case?' As the King was haranguing Feshnavat, his nostril took in the steam of the viands and the fresh odours of the wines, and he could delay no longer to satisfy his craving, but caught up the goblet, and drank from it till his visage streamed the tears of contentment. Lo, while he put forth his hand tremblingly, as to continue the words of his condemnation of the Vizier, the heavens were severed by a third flash, one exceeding in fierceness the other flashes; and now the Great Hall rocked, and the pillars and thrones trembled, and the eyes of Shagpat opened. He made no motion, but sat like a wonder of stone, looking before him. Surely, Kadza shrieked, and rushed forward to him from the crowd, yet he said nothing, and was as one frozen. So the King cried, 'He waketh! the flashes preceded his wakening! Now shall he see the vengeance of kings on his enemies.' Thereupon he made a signal, and the scimitars of the guard were in air over the head of Feshnavat, when darkness as of the dropping of night fell upon all, and the darkness spake, saying, 'I am Abarak of the Bar, preceder of the Event!' Then it was light, but the ears of every soul present were pierced with the wailing of wild animals, and on all sides from the Desert hundreds of them were seen making toward the City, some swiftly, others at a heavy pace; and when they were come near they crouched and fawned, and dropped their dry tongues as in awe. There was the serpent, meek as before the days of sin, and the leopard slinking to get among the legs of men, and the lion came trundling along in utter flabbiness, raising not his head. Soon the streets were thronged with elephants and lions and sullen tigers, and wild cats and wolves, not a tail erect among them: great was the marvel! So the King cried, 'We 're in the thick of wonders; banquet we lightly while they increase upon us! What's yonder little man?' This was Abarak that stood before the King, and exclaimed, 'I am the darkness that announceth the mastery of the Event, as a shadow before the sun's approach, and it is the Shaving of Shagpat!' The world darkened before the eyes of the King when he heard this, and in a moment Abarak was clutched by the
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   197   198   199   200   201   202   203   204   205   206   207   208   209   210   211   212   213   >>  



Top keywords:
darkness
 

Abarak

 

flashes

 

Shagpat

 

Feshnavat

 

breaks

 

crouched

 
fawned
 

swiftly

 
dropped

leopard

 

slinking

 

ablature

 

tongues

 

serpent

 
present
 

declared

 
preceder
 

pierced

 

reckless


making

 
hundreds
 

Desert

 

wailing

 

animals

 

exclaimed

 

announceth

 
yonder
 

lightly

 

increase


mastery
 

shadow

 
darkened
 

moment

 

clutched

 

approach

 

Shaving

 

banquet

 

raising

 

streets


thronged

 

elephants

 

flabbiness

 
trundling
 
sullen
 

marvel

 
wonders
 

tigers

 

wolves

 

sparer