Project Gutenberg's The Ninth Vibration And Other Stories, by L. Adams Beck

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Title: The Ninth Vibration And Other Stories

Author: L. Adams Beck

Release Date: August, 1999 [Etext #1853]
Posting Date: November 18, 2009

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NINTH VIBRATION ***

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THE NINTH VIBRATION AND OTHER STORIES

By L. Adams Beck

CONTENTS:

THE NINTH VIBRATION

THE INTERPRETER A ROMANCE OF THE EAST

THE INCOMPARABLE LADY A STORY OF CHINA WITH A MORAL

THE HATRED OF THE QUEEN A STORY OF BURMA

FIRE OF BEAUTY

THE BUILDING OF THE TAJ MAHAL

"HOW GREAT IS THE GLORY OF KWANNON!"

"THE ROUND-FACED BEAUTY"

THE NINTH VIBRATION

There is a place uplifted nine thousand feet in purest air where one
of the most ancient tracks in the world runs from India into Tibet.
It leaves Simla of the Imperial councils by a stately road; it passes
beyond, but now narrowing, climbing higher beside the khuds or steep
drops to the precipitous valleys beneath, and the rumor of Simla grows
distant and the way is quiet, for, owing to the danger of driving horses
above the khuds, such baggage as you own must be carried by coolies, and
you yourself must either ride on horseback or in the little horseless
carriage of the Orient, here drawn and pushed by four men. And presently
the deodars darken the way with a solemn presence, for--

"These are the Friars of the wood,
The Brethren of the Solitude
Hooded and grave--"

their breath most austerely pure in the gradually chilling air. Their
companies increase and now the way is through a great wood where it
has become a trail and no more, and still it climbs for many miles and
finally a rambling bungalow, small and low, is sighted in the deeps of
the trees, a mountain stream from unknown heights falling beside it. And
this is known as the House in the Woods. Very few people are permitted
to go there, for the owner has no care for money and makes no provision
for guests. You must take your own servant and the khansamah will cook
you such simple food as men expe