登陆注册
15365000000099

第99章 THE WAKING(2)

I listened:he was coming with the rush as of a thousand times ten thousand far-off wings,with the roar of a molten and flaming world millions upon millions of miles away.His approach was a crescendo chord of a hundred harmonies.

The three looked at each other and smiled,and that smile went floating heavenward a three-petaled flower,the family's morning thanksgiving.From their mouths and their faces it spread over their bodies and shone through their garments.Ere I could say,"Lo,they change!"Adam and Eve stood before me the angels of the resurrection,and Mara was the Magdalene with them at the sepulchre.

The countenance of Adam was like lightning,and Eve held a napkin that flung flakes of splendour about the place.

A wind began to moan in pulsing gusts.

"You hear his wings now!"said Adam;and I knew he did not mean the wings of the morning.

"It is the great Shadow stirring to depart,"he went on."Wretched creature,he has himself within him,and cannot rest!""But is there not in him something deeper yet?"I asked.

"Without a substance,"he answered,"a shadow cannot be--yea,or without a light behind the substance!"He listened for a moment,then called out,with a glad smile,"Hark to the golden cock!Silent and motionless for millions of years has he stood on the clock of the universe;now at last he is flapping his wings!now will he begin to crow!and at intervals will men hear him until the dawn of the day eternal."I listened.Far away--as in the heart of an 鎜nian silence,I heard the clear jubilant outcry of the golden throat.It hurled defiance at death and the dark;sang infinite hope,and coming calm.It was the "expectation of the creature"finding at last a voice;the cry of a chaos that would be a kingdom!

Then I heard a great flapping.

"The black bat is flown!"said Mara.

"Amen,golden cock,bird of God!"cried Adam,and the words rang through the house of silence,and went up into the airy regions.

At his AMEN--like doves arising on wings of silver from among the potsherds,up sprang the Little Ones to their knees on their beds,calling aloud,"Crow!crow again,golden cock!"--as if they had both seen and heard him in their dreams.

Then each turned and looked at the sleeping bedfellow,gazed a moment with loving eyes,kissed the silent companion of the night,and sprang from the couch.The Little Ones who had lain down beside my father and mother gazed blank and sad for a moment at their empty places,then slid slowly to the floor.There they fell each into the other's arms,as if then first,each by the other's eyes,assured they were alive and awake.Suddenly spying Lona,they came running,radiant with bliss,to embrace her.Odu,catching sight of the leopardess on the feet of the princess,bounded to her next,and throwing an arm over the great sleeping head,fondled and kissed it.

"Wake up,wake up,darling!"he cried;"it is time to wake!"The leopardess did not move.

"She has slept herself cold!"he said to Mara,with an upcast look of appealing consternation.

"She is waiting for the princess to wake,my child,"said Mara.

Odu looked at the princess,and saw beside her,still asleep,two of his companions.He flew at them.

"Wake up!wake up!"he cried,and pushed and pulled,now this one,now that.

But soon he began to look troubled,and turned to me with misty eyes.

"They will not wake!"he said."And why are they so cold?""They too are waiting for the princess,"I answered.

He stretched across,and laid his hand on her face.

"She is cold too!What is it?"he cried--and looked round in wondering dismay.

Adam went to him.

"Her wake is not ripe yet,"he said:"she is busy forgetting.When she has forgotten enough to remember enough,then she will soon be ripe,and wake.""And remember?"

"Yes--but not too much at once though."

"But the golden cock has crown!"argued the child,and fell again upon his companions.

"Peter!Peter!Crispy!"he cried."Wake up,Peter!wake up,Crispy!

We are all awake but you two!The gold cock has crown SO loud!The sun is awake and coming!Oh,why WON'T you wake?"But Peter would not wake,neither would Crispy,and Odu wept outright at last.

"Let them sleep,darling!"said Adam."You would not like the princess to wake and find nobody?They are quite happy.So is the leopardess."He was comforted,and wiped his eyes as if he had been all his life used to weeping and wiping,though now first he had tears wherewith to weep--soon to be wiped altogether away.

We followed Eve to the cottage.There she offered us neither bread nor wine,but stood radiantly desiring our departure.So,with never a word of farewell,we went out.The horse and the elephants were at the door,waiting for us.We were too happy to mount them,and they followed us.

同类推荐
  • Capital-2

    Capital-2

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 在家律要广集

    在家律要广集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 冷禅室诗话

    冷禅室诗话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • My Discovery of England

    My Discovery of England

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 辍锻录

    辍锻录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 执手相依,不离不弃

    执手相依,不离不弃

    她是世上最珍有的七彩狐,人人都想得到她的帮助,一次意外,她被人追杀,遇见了他,他救了她,她认他为主,他们每天都待在一起。不想承认的,是她爱上了他,可他那么绝情,怎么去爱呢?主人,依依什么都不怕,怕的只有三件事,怕主人不开心,怕主人受伤,怕依依再也陪伴不了主人了——雪依依
  • 无名暗火

    无名暗火

    大陆最北端小镇,正悄悄展开一场杀人游戏。幕后操纵者以一个亿RMB奖金为诱饵,吸引来自世界各地20位顶尖职业杀手,上届冠军的弟弟张小虎为寻找失踪的哥哥,而为此参加比赛,结识寡妇制造者,然而发现里面隐藏着巨大的阴谋,一个叫“天狼”的恐怖组织成功从参赛选手之中实验出两只僵尸王,Z博士用两只僵尸王的血液激活千年尸王,并提取千年尸王体内尸毒,从此世界各地爆发未知病毒……
  • 王妃训夫记

    王妃训夫记

    一朝穿越,沦为世家,嫁入王府,王爷刁难。原身旧爱,表叔子求爱。王爷旧爱菱儿,永不能忘。他和她,欢喜冤家,离开王爷,身份转变,遇王爷旧爱。王爷纳他人为正王妃,登基,正王妃成贵妃,莫大耻辱。而你依然快活,再遇王爷,做出选择,她会爱上他吗,他是爱王妃欣儿还是初恋菱儿或贵妃浅浅?尽请期待!
  • 夏之晴天

    夏之晴天

    腹黑总裁遇到黑道千金。冷漠如他,和霸道如她,究竟会发生什么、、、、、、、小伙伴们,快来看看吧!
  • 铁路

    铁路

    人生就像铁路,它总会通往一个相同的地方,而这些一切,都不是为了最后的终结
  • 青春的方阵

    青春的方阵

    拿出泛黄的笔记本,翻开来,一句一字,引起我无限的回忆有回忆,是幸福的,有把自己青春岁月里,对爱的感悟,和青涩也甜美的惦念,相思整理在这里。
  • 邪王霸宠:腹黑狂妃不好惹

    邪王霸宠:腹黑狂妃不好惹

    21世纪不务正业的女盗贼死亡后竟重生在强者如云的穹苍大陆,还不小心摊上了个天天吃吃睡睡的小妖兽?靠!还有那什么鬼男人,能不能不缠着老娘了?老娘不报仇了还不行吗!?
  • 火凤传奇录

    火凤传奇录

    我依然是我,我就是不一样的烟火!谁说女儿身不能争天下?所以我的名字叫杨大象。
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 樱花学院的三个公主

    樱花学院的三个公主

    在两年的时间里她们变成了一个文武双全,多才多艺,是一个大名鼎鼎的明星组合,也是漂亮妖娆的三位美国公主,还带来六个帅气男生的为爱竞争。两年之间到底发生了什么?现在紫玉三姐妹和上官天明,南宫希冀,蓝玉休斯又还会在一起吗?记得要加群号哦284833020