I knew
of no way to cheer her, although I would have gladly given up my life to
do so. Aye, more than that, my love for her was so strong that in order
to make her happy, I should have welcomed back to life again, if such a
thing were possible, any one of those handsome fellows in the picture.
However, by a superb display of will power, she quickly regained control
of herself, and becoming cheerful once more, bade me recline upon one of
the lounges while she pressed the spring which set the musical apparatus
in motion.
And as I followed her directions, there suddenly burst forth the
voluminous and harmonious sound of a hundred strange instruments,
causing an indescribable thrill of ecstasy to take possession of my
senses, until it seemed that there was nothing left of me but an
invisible spirit. And then, even the music apparently stopped, and a
peculiar feeling overcame me as if my soul had actually left its charge
and was flying about in an effort to find a convenient resting place.
Suddenly, as if half awake and half dreaming, I found myself within a
luxuriously furnished hall, surrounded by a score of richly-clad beings,
who were bowing, kneeling, and cutting up all sorts of silly antics
about me. In a dreamy sort of a way, I looked down at myself and
discovered that I was arrayed in the gorgeous garments of a king, and
weighted down with dazzling jewels from head to foot. Then everything
became clear enough to my memory; I was the king, and these idiotic
creatures fawning and cringing about me were my obedient subjects; my
slaves; the willing tools which kept me in power.
Pages:
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87