face, I fled,
To wander in the wastes. Once I looked back
Upon the garden; over it the sky
Was soft and clear; and midway in the air
I saw Veera between two angels, borne
To heaven. So I turned again and fled.
XIV.
"LONG LIVE THE KING."
I came at last to Mesched. It was night.
The moon, half-shadowed, trailed its silver robe
Over the tower above the eastern gate,
And there revealed the outlines of a skull
Set on a spear. The portals were unbarred.
I passed the arch, but in the shadow kept,
While on the flinty wall I edged my knife.
Then I crept on until I gained the porch
Of the great palace. There I smote the guard,
And entering in, sought out the sleeping king.
Deep in his heart I plunged my thirsty knife.
All the next day I sat before the gate,
And begged, and heard the rumors of the town;
Then, standing forth, I claimed to be their king,
And told them all my story to the end.
None pitied the dead ruler, for he knew
No pity while he lived. So I was king at last;
But all my life, and all my hope to me
Are dust and ashes, knowing that God's frown
Abides upon me. Would that I could die!
There is no kindlier spirit than content.
And there is nothing better in the world
Than to do good, and trust in God for all.
End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Stories in Verse, by Henry Abbey
*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STORIES IN VERSE ***
***** This file should be named 23037.txt or 23037.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/0/3/23037/
Produced by Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, storm and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This
file was made using scans of public domain works from the
University of Michigan Digital Libraries.)
Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.
Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules,
set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to
protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project
Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you
charge for the eBo
|