ckling
sparks in her hands.

With marigolds and lilies did Sulamith deck her couch, preparing it for
the night; and, reposing upon her breast, the king would say in the
joyousness of his heart:

"Thou are like to the king's decked, masted boat in the Land of Ophir, O
my beloved; a light, golden boat that floats, swaying, upon the sacred
river, among white fragrant blossoms."

* * * * *

Thus did his first--and last--love come to Solomon, the greatest of
kings and wisest of sages.

Many ages have passed since then. There have been kingdoms and kings,
and of them no trace has been left, as of a wind that has sped over a
desert. There have been prolonged, merciless wars, after which the names
of the commanders shone through the ages, like ensanguined stars; but
time has effaced even the very memory of them.

But the love of the lowly maiden of the vineyard and the great king
shall never pass away nor be forgotten,--for love is strong as death;
for every woman who loves is a queen; for love is beautiful.

CHAPTER NINE

IX.

Seven days had sped since Solomon,--poet, sage, and king,--had brought
into his palace the lowly maiden he had met in the vineyard at dawn. For
seven days did the king take joyance in her love, nor could be sated
therewith. And a great joy irradiated his countenance, like to the
golden light of the sun.

It was the time of light, warm, moonlit nights,--sweet nights of
love.... Upon a couch of tiger fells lay the naked Sulamith; and the
king, sitting upon the floor at her feet, filled his emerald goblet with
the aureate wine of Mauretus, and drank to the health of his beloved,
rejoicing with all his heart, and narrated to her the sage, strange
legends of eld. And Sulamith's hand rested upon his head, stroking his
wavy black hair.

"Tell me, my king," Sulamith had once asked, "is it not wonderful that I
fell in love with thee so instantly? I now call all things to mind, and
meseems I began belonging to thee from the very first moment, when I had
not yet had time to behold thee, but had merely heard thy voice. My
heart began to flutter and did open to meet thee, as a flower opens to
the south wind on a night in summer. How hast thou taken me so, my
beloved?"

And the king, quietly bending his head toward the soft knees of
Sulamith, smiled tenderly and answered:

"Thousands of women before thee, O my comely one, have put this question
to their beloved