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Red Eve By: Henry Rider Haggard (1856-1925) |
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by H. Rider Haggard
First Published 1911.
DEDICATION Ditchingham, May 27, 1911. My dear Jehu: For five long but not unhappy years, seated or journeying side by side,
we have striven as Royal Commissioners to find a means whereby our
coasts may be protected from "the outrageous flowing surges of the
sea" (I quote the jurists of centuries ago), the idle swamps turned to
fertility and the barren hills clothed with forest; also, with small
success, how "foreshore" may be best defined! What will result from all these labours I do not know, nor whether grave
geologists ever read romance save that which the pen of Time inscribes
upon the rocks. Still, in memory of our fellowship in them I offer to
you this story, written in their intervals, of Red Eve, the dauntless,
and of Murgh, Gateway of the Gods, whose dreadful galley still sails
from East to West and from West to East, yes, and evermore shall sail.
Your friend and colleague, H. Rider Haggard. To Dr. Jehu, F.G.S., St.
Andrews, N.B. RED EVE MURGH THE DEATH They knew nothing of it in England or all the Western countries in those
days before Crecy was fought, when the third Edward sat upon the throne.
There was none to tell them of the doom that the East, whence come light
and life, death and the decrees of God, had loosed upon the world. Not
one in a multitude in Europe had ever even heard of those vast lands of
far Cathay peopled with hundreds of millions of cold faced yellow
men, lands which had grown very old before our own familiar states and
empires were carved out of mountain, of forest, and of savage haunted
plain. Yet if their eyes had been open so that they could see, well
might they have trembled. King, prince, priest, merchant, captain,
citizen and poor labouring hind, well might they all have trembled when
the East sent forth her gifts! Look across the world beyond that curtain of thick darkness. Behold! A
vast city of fantastic houses half buried in winter snows and reddened
by the lurid sunset breaking through a saw toothed canopy of cloud.
Everywhere upon the temple squares and open spaces great fires burning a
strange fuel the bodies of thousands of mankind. Pestilence was king
of that city, a pestilence hitherto unknown. Innumerable hordes had died
and were dying, yet innumerable hordes remained. All the patient East
bore forth those still shapes that had been theirs to love or hate, and,
their task done, turned to the banks of the mighty river and watched. Down the broad street which ran between the fantastic houses advanced a
procession toward the brown, ice flecked river. First marched a company
of priests clad in black robes, and carrying on poles lanterns of black
paper, lighted, although the sun still shone. Behind marched another
company of priests clad in white robes, and bearing white lanterns, also
lighted. But at these none looked, nor did they listen to the dirges
that they sang, for all eyes were fixed upon him who filled the centre
space and upon his two companions. The first companion was a lovely woman, jewel hung, wearing false
flowers in her streaming hair, and beneath her bared breasts a kirtle of
white silk. Life and love embodied in radiance and beauty, she danced
in front, looking about her with alluring eyes, and scattering petals
of dead roses from a basket which she bore. Different was the second
companion, who stalked behind; so thin, so sexless that none could
say if the shape were that of man or woman. Dry, streaming locks of
iron grey, an ashen countenance, deep set, hollow eyes, a beetling,
parchment covered brow; lean shanks half hidden with a rotting rag,
claw like hands which clutched miserably at the air. Such was its awful
fashion, that of new death in all its terrors. Between them, touched of neither, went a man, naked save for a red
girdle and a long red cloak that was fastened round his throat and hung
down from his broad shoulders. There was nothing strange about this man,
unless it were perhaps the strength that seemed to flow from him and the
glance of his icy eyes... Continue reading book >>
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