the
high-priests looked out over the city and the plains and the lake
by day; and at the cryptic moon and significant stars and planets,
and their reflections in the lake, at night. Here was done the very
secret and ancient rite in detestation of Bokrug, the water-lizard,
and here rested the altar of chrysolite which bore the Doom-scrawl
of Taran-Ish.
Wonderful likewise were the gardens made by Zokkar the olden
king. In the center of Sarnath they lay, covering a great space and
encircled by a high wall. And they were surmounted by a mighty dome
of glass, through which shone the sun and moon and planets when it
was clear, and from which were hung fulgent images of the sun and
moon and stars and planets when it was not clear. In summer the
gardens were cooled with fresh odorous breezes skilfully wafted by
fans, and in winter they were heated with concealed fires, so that
in those gardens it was always spring. There ran little streams
over bright pebbles, dividing meads of green and gardens of many
hues, and spanned by a multitude of bridges. Many were the
waterfalls in their courses, and many were the hued lakelets into
which they expanded. Over the streams and lakelets rode white
swans, whilst the music of rare birds chimed in with the melody of
the waters. In ordered terraces rose the green banks, adorned here
and there with bowers of vines and sweet blossoms, and seats and
benches of marble and porphyry. And there were many small shrines
and temples where one might rest or pray to small gods.
Each year there was celebrated in Sarnath the feast of the
destroying of lb, at which time wine, song, dancing, and merriment
of every kind abounded. Great honors were then paid to the shades
of those who had annihilated the odd ancient beings, and the memory
of those beings and of their elder gods was derided by dancers and
lutanists crowned with roses from the gardens of Zokkar. And the
kings would look out over the lake and curse the bones of the dead
that lay beneath it.
At first the high-priests liked not these festivals, for there
had descended amongst them queer tales of how the sea-green eikon
had vanished, and how Taran-Ish had died from fear and left a
warning. And they said that from their high tower they sometimes
saw lights beneath the waters of the lake. But as many years passed
without calamity even the priests laughed and cursed and joined in
the orgies of the feasters. Indeed, had they not themselves, in
their high tower, often performed the very ancient and secret rite
in detestation of Bokrug, the water-lizard? And a thousand years of
riches and delight passed over Sarnath, wonder of the world.
Gorgeous beyond thought was the feast of the thousandth year of
the destroying of lb. For a decade had it been talked of in the
land of Mnar, and as it drew nigh there came to Sarnath on horses
and camels and elephants men from Thraa, Ilarnek, and Kadetheron,
and all the cities of Mnar and the lands beyond. Before the marble
walls on the appointed night were pitched the pavilions of princes
and the tents of travelers. Within his banquet-hall reclined
Nargis-Hei, the king, drunken with ancient wine from the vaults of
conquered Pnoth, and surrounded by feasting nobles and hurrying
slaves. There were eaten many strange delicacies at that feast;
peacocks from the distant hills of Linplan, heels of camels from
the Bnazic desert, nuts and spices from Sydathrian groves, and
pearls from wave-washed Mtal dissolved in the vinegar of Thraa. Of
sauces there were an untold number, prepared by the subtlest cooks
in all Mnar, and suited to the palate of every feaster. But most
prized of all the viands were the great fishes from the lake, each
of vast size, and served upon golden platters set with rubies and
diamonds.
Whilst the king and his nobles feasted within the palace, and
viewed the crowning dish as it awaited them on golden platters,
others feasted elsewhere. In the tower of the great temple the
priests held revels, and in
high-priests looked out over the city and the plains and the lake
by day; and at the cryptic moon and significant stars and planets,
and their reflections in the lake, at night. Here was done the very
secret and ancient rite in detestation of Bokrug, the water-lizard,
and here rested the altar of chrysolite which bore the Doom-scrawl
of Taran-Ish.
Wonderful likewise were the gardens made by Zokkar the olden
king. In the center of Sarnath they lay, covering a great space and
encircled by a high wall. And they were surmounted by a mighty dome
of glass, through which shone the sun and moon and planets when it
was clear, and from which were hung fulgent images of the sun and
moon and stars and planets when it was not clear. In summer the
gardens were cooled with fresh odorous breezes skilfully wafted by
fans, and in winter they were heated with concealed fires, so that
in those gardens it was always spring. There ran little streams
over bright pebbles, dividing meads of green and gardens of many
hues, and spanned by a multitude of bridges. Many were the
waterfalls in their courses, and many were the hued lakelets into
which they expanded. Over the streams and lakelets rode white
swans, whilst the music of rare birds chimed in with the melody of
the waters. In ordered terraces rose the green banks, adorned here
and there with bowers of vines and sweet blossoms, and seats and
benches of marble and porphyry. And there were many small shrines
and temples where one might rest or pray to small gods.
Each year there was celebrated in Sarnath the feast of the
destroying of lb, at which time wine, song, dancing, and merriment
of every kind abounded. Great honors were then paid to the shades
of those who had annihilated the odd ancient beings, and the memory
of those beings and of their elder gods was derided by dancers and
lutanists crowned with roses from the gardens of Zokkar. And the
kings would look out over the lake and curse the bones of the dead
that lay beneath it.
At first the high-priests liked not these festivals, for there
had descended amongst them queer tales of how the sea-green eikon
had vanished, and how Taran-Ish had died from fear and left a
warning. And they said that from their high tower they sometimes
saw lights beneath the waters of the lake. But as many years passed
without calamity even the priests laughed and cursed and joined in
the orgies of the feasters. Indeed, had they not themselves, in
their high tower, often performed the very ancient and secret rite
in detestation of Bokrug, the water-lizard? And a thousand years of
riches and delight passed over Sarnath, wonder of the world.
Gorgeous beyond thought was the feast of the thousandth year of
the destroying of lb. For a decade had it been talked of in the
land of Mnar, and as it drew nigh there came to Sarnath on horses
and camels and elephants men from Thraa, Ilarnek, and Kadetheron,
and all the cities of Mnar and the lands beyond. Before the marble
walls on the appointed night were pitched the pavilions of princes
and the tents of travelers. Within his banquet-hall reclined
Nargis-Hei, the king, drunken with ancient wine from the vaults of
conquered Pnoth, and surrounded by feasting nobles and hurrying
slaves. There were eaten many strange delicacies at that feast;
peacocks from the distant hills of Linplan, heels of camels from
the Bnazic desert, nuts and spices from Sydathrian groves, and
pearls from wave-washed Mtal dissolved in the vinegar of Thraa. Of
sauces there were an untold number, prepared by the subtlest cooks
in all Mnar, and suited to the palate of every feaster. But most
prized of all the viands were the great fishes from the lake, each
of vast size, and served upon golden platters set with rubies and
diamonds.
Whilst the king and his nobles feasted within the palace, and
viewed the crowning dish as it awaited them on golden platters,
others feasted elsewhere. In the tower of the great temple the
priests held revels, and in
Similar Books
