Domnei: A Comedy of Woman-Worship

by James Branch Cabell

  She laid her hand upon his unmoved hand, and found it cold and swollen.She wept to see the broken tyrant, who to her at least had been not allunkind.

  He said, with a great hunger in his eyes:

  "So likewise ends the duel which was fought between us two. I wouldsalute the victor if I could. ... Ey, Melicent, I still consider youand Perion are fools. We have a not intolerable world to live in, andcommon-sense demands we make the most of every tidbit this worldaffords. Yet you can find in it only an exercising-ground forinfatuation, and in all its contents--pleasures and pains alike--onlyso many obstacles for rapt insanity to override. I do not understandthis mania; I would I might have known it, none the less. Always Ienvied you more than I loved you. Always my desire was less to win thelove of Melicent than to love Melicent as Melicent loved Perion. I wasincapable of this. Yet I have loved you. That was the reason, Ibelieve, I put aside my purchased toy." It seemed to puzzle him.

  "Fair friend, it is the most honourable of reasons. You have donechivalrously. In this, at least, you have done that which would be notunworthy of Perion de la Foret." A woman never avid for strainedsubtleties, it may be that she never understood, quite, why Demetrioslaughed.

  He said:

  "I mean to serve you now, as I had always meant to serve you some day.Ey, yes, I think I always meant to give you back to Perion as a freegift. Meanwhile to see, and to writhe in seeing your perfection, hasmeant so much to me that daily I have delayed such a transfiguration ofmyself until to-morrow." The man grimaced. "My son Orestes, who willpresently succeed me, has been summoned. I will order that he conductyou at once into Perion's camp--yonder by Quesiton. I think I shall notlive three days."

  "I would not leave you, friend, until--"

  His grin was commentary and completion equally. Demetrios observed:

  "A dead dog has no teeth wherewith to serve even virtue. Oh, no, mywomen hate you far too greatly. You must go straightway to this Perion,while Demetrios of Anatolia is alive, or else not ever go."

  She had no words. She wept, and less for joy of winning home to Perionat last than for her grief that Demetrios was dying. Woman-like, shecould remember only that the man had loved her in his fashion. And,woman-like, she could but wonder at the strength of Perion.

  Then Demetrios said:

  "I must depart into a doubtful exile. I have been powerful and valiant,I have laughed loud, I have drunk deep, but heaven no longer wishesDemetrios to exist. I am unable to support my sadness, so near am I tomy departure from all I have loved. I cry farewell to all diversionsand sports, to well-fought battles, to furred robes of vair and ofsilk, to noisy merriment, to music, to vain-gloriously coloured gems,and to brave deeds in open sunlight; for I desire--and I entreat ofevery person--only compassion and pardon.

  "Chiefly I grieve because I must leave Melicent behind me, unfriendedin a perilous land, and abandoned, it may be, to the malice of thosewho wish her ill. I was a noted warrior, I was mighty of muscle, and Icould have defended her stoutly. But I lie broken in the hand ofDestiny. It is necessary I depart into the place where sinners, whethercrowned or ragged, must seek for unearned mercy. I cry farewell to allthat I have loved, to all that I have injured; and so in chief to you,dear Melicent, I cry farewell, and of you in chief I crave compassionand pardon.

  "O eyes and hair and lips of Melicent, that I have loved so long, I donot hunger for you now. Yet, as a dying man, I cry to the clean soul ofMelicent--the only adversary that in all my lifetime I who was onceDemetrios could never conquer. A ravening beast was I, and as a beast Iraged to see you so unlike me. And now, a dying beast, I cry to you,but not for love, since that is overpast. I cry for pity that I havenot earned, for pardon which I have not merited. Conquered andimpotent, I cry to you, O soul of Melicent, for compassion and pardon.

  "Melicent, it may be that when I am dead, when nothing remains ofDemetrios except his tomb, you will comprehend I loved, even while Ihated, what is divine in you. Then since you are a woman, you will liftyour lover's face between your hands, as you have never lifted my face,Melicent, and you will tell him of my folly merrily; yet since you area woman, you will sigh afterward, and you will not deny me compassionand pardon."

  She gave him both--she who was prodigal of charity. Orestes came, withAhasuerus at his heels, and Demetrios sent Melicent into the Women'sGarden, so that father and son might talk together. She waited in thisplace for a half-hour, just as the proconsul had commanded her, obeyinghim for the last time. It was strange to think of that.

  * * * * *

  It was not gladness which Melicent knew for a brief while. Rather, itwas a strange new comprehension of the world. To Melicent the worldseemed very lovely.

  Indeed, the Women's Garden on this morning lacked nothing to delighteach sense. Its hedges were of flowering jessamine; its walkways werespread with new sawdust tinged with crocus and vermilion and with micabeaten into a powder; and the place was rich in fruit-bearing trees andwelling waters. The sun shone, and birds chaunted merrily to the righthand and to the left. Dog-headed apes, sacred to the moon, werechattering in the trees. There was a statue in this place, carved outof black stone, in the likeness of a woman, having enamelled eyes andthree rows of breasts, with the lower part of her body confined in asheath; and upon the glistening pedestal of this statue chameleonssunned themselves with distended throats. Round about Melicent werenodding armaments of roses and gillyflowers and narcissi and amaranths,and many violets and white lilies, and other flowers of all kinds andcolours.

  To Melicent the world seemed very lovely. Here was a world created byEternal Love that people might serve love in it not all unworthily.Here were anguishes to be endured, and time and human frailty andtemporal hardship--all for love to mock at; a sea or two for love tosever, a man-made law or so for love to override, a shallow wisdom forlove to deny, in exultance that these ills at most were only corporalhindrances. This done, you have earned the right to come--comehand-in-hand--to heaven whose liege-lord was Eternal Love.

  Thus Melicent, who knew that Perion loved her.

  She sat on a stone bench. She combed her golden hair, not heeding themore coarse gray hairs which here and there were apparent nowadays. Apeacock came and watched her with bright, hard, small eyes; and hecraned his glistening neck this way and that way, as though he werewondering at this other shining and gaily coloured creature, who seemedso happy.

  She did not dare to think of seeing Perion again. Instead, she madebecause of him a little song, which had not any words, so that it isnot possible here to retail this song.

  Thus Melicent, who knew that Perion loved her.

  24.

  _How Orestes Ruled_

  Melicent returned into the Court of Stars; and as she entered, Oresteslifted one of the red cushions from Demetrios' face. The eyes ofAhasuerus, who stood by negligently, were as expressionless as the eyesof a snake.

  "The great proconsul laid an inconvenient mandate upon me," saidOrestes. "The great proconsul has been removed from us in order thathis splendour may enhance the glories of Elysium."

  She saw that the young man had smothered his own father in the flesh asDemetrios lay helpless; and knew thereby that Orestes was indeed theson of Demetrios.

  "Go," this Orestes said thereafter; "go, and remember I am masterhere."

  Said Melicent, "And by which door?" A little hope there was as yet.

  But he, as half in shame, had pointed to the entrance of the Women'sGarden. "I have no enmity against you, outlander. Yet my mother desiresto talk with you. Also there is some bargaining to be completed withAhasuerus here."

  Then Melicent knew what had prompted the proconsul's murder. It seemedunfair Callistion should hate her with such bitterness; yet Melicentremembered certain thoughts concerning Dame Melusine, and did notwonder at Callistion's mania half so much as did Callistion's son.

  "I must endure discomfort and, it may be, torture for a little longer,"said Melicent, and laughed whole-heartedly. "Oh, but to
-day I find acure for every ill," said Melicent; and thereupon she left Orestes as aprincess should.

  But first she knelt by that which yesterday had been her master.

  "I have no word of praise or blame to give you in farewell. You werenot admirable, Demetrios. But you depart upon a fearful journey, and inmy heart there is just memory of the long years wherein according toyour fashion you were kind to me. A bargain is a bargain. I sold withopen eyes that which you purchased. I may not reproach you."

  Then Melicent lifted the dead face between her hands, as mothers caresstheir boys in questioning them.

  "I would I had done this when you were living," said Melicent, "becauseI understand now that you loved me in your fashion. And I pray that youmay know I am the happiest woman in the world, because I think thisknowledge would now gladden you. I go to slavery, Demetrios, where Iwas queen, I go to hardship, and it may be that I go to death. But Ihave learned this assuredly--that love endures, that the strong knotwhich unites my heart and Perion's heart can never be untied. Oh,living is a higher thing than you or I had dreamed! And I have in myheart just pity, poor Demetrios, for you who never found the love ofwhich I must endeavour to be worthy. A curse was I to you unwillingly,as you--I now believe--have been to me against your will. So at thelast I turn anew to bargaining, and cry--in your deaf ears--_Pardon forpardon, O Demetrios!_"

  Then Melicent kissed pitiable lips which would not ever sneer again,and, rising, passed into the Women's Garden, proudly and unafraid.

  Ahasuerus shrugged so patiently that she was half afraid. Then, as acloud passes, she saw that all further buffetings would of necessity betrivial.

  For Perion, as she now knew, was very near to her--single of purpose,clean of hands, and filled with such a love as thrilled her withdelicious fears of her own poor unworthiness.

  25.

  _How Women Talked Together_

  Dame Melicent walked proudly through the Women's Garden, and presentlyentered a grove of orange trees, the most of which were at this seasonabout their flowering. In this place was an artificial pool by whichthe trees were nourished. On its embankment sprawled the body of youngDiophantus, a child of some ten years of age, Demetrios' son byTryphera. Orestes had strangled Diophantus in order that there might beno rival to Orestes' claims. The lad lay on his back, and his left armhung elbow-deep in the water, which swayed it gently.

  Callistion sat beside the corpse and stroked its limp right hand. Shehad hated the boy throughout his brief and merry life. She thought nowof his likeness to Demetrios.

  She raised toward Melicent the dilated eyes of one who has just comefrom a dark place. Callistion said:

  "And so Demetrios is dead. I thought I would be glad when I said that.Hah, it is strange I am not glad."

  She rose, as though with hard effort, as a decrepit person might havedone. You saw that she was dressed in a long gown of black, pleated tothe knees, having no clasp or girdle, and bare of any ornamentationexcept a gold star on each breast.

  Callistion said:

  "Now, through my son, I reign in Nacumera. There is no person who daresdisobey me. Therefore, come close to me that I may see the beauty whichbesotted this Demetrios, whom, I think now, I must have loved."

  "Oh, gaze your fill," said Melicent, "and know that had you possessed atithe of my beauty you might have held the heart of Demetrios." For itwas in Melicent's mind to provoke the woman into killing her beforeworse befell.

  But Callistion only studied the proud face for a long while, and knewthere was no lovelier person between two seas. For time here hadpillaged very sparingly; and if Dame Melicent had not any longer thefirst beauty of her girlhood, Callistion had nowhere seen a woman morehandsome than this hated Frankish thief.

  Callistion said:

  "No, I was not ever so beautiful as you. Yet this Demetrios loved mewhen I, too, was lovely. You never saw the man in battle. I saw him,single-handed, fight with Abradas and three other knaves who stole mefrom my mother's home--oh, very long ago! He killed all four of them.He was like a horrible unconquerable god when he turned from thatfinished fight to me. He kissed me then--blood-smeared, just as hewas.... I like to think of how he laughed and of how strong he was."

  The woman turned and crouched by the dead boy, and seemed painstakinglyto appraise her own reflection on the water's surface.

  "It is gone now, the comeliness Demetrios was pleased to like. I wouldhave waded Acheron--singing--rather than let his little finger ache. Heknew as much. Only it seemed a trifle, because your eyes were brightand your fair skin was unwrinkled. In consequence the man is dead. Oh,Melicent, I wonder why I am so sad!"

  Callistion's meditative eyes were dry, but those of Melicent were not.And Melicent came to the Dacian woman, and put one arm about her in thatdim, sweet-scented place, saying, "I never meant to wrong you."

  Callistion did not seem to heed. Then Callistion said:

  "See now! Do you not see the difference between us!" These two werekneeling side by side, and each looked into the water.

  Callistion said:

  "I do not wonder that Demetrios loved you. He loved at odd times manywomen. He loved the mother of this carrion here. But afterward he wouldcome back to me, and lie asprawl at my feet with his big crafty headbetween my knees; and I would stroke his hair, and we would talk of theold days when we were young. He never spoke of you. I cannot pardonthat."

  "I know," said Melicent. Their cheeks touched now.

  "There is only one master who could teach you that drear knowledge--"

  "There is but one, Callistion."

  "The man would be tall, I think. He would, I know, have thick, brown,curling hair--"

  "He has black hair, Callistion. It glistens like a raven's wing."

  "His face would be all pink and white, like yours--"

  "No, tanned like yours, Callistion. Oh, he is like an eagle, veryresolute. His glance bedwarfs you. I used to be afraid to look at him,even when I saw how foolishly he loved me--"

  "I know," Callistion said. "All women know. Ah, we know many things--"

  She reached with her free arm across the body of Diophantus andpresently dropped a stone into the pool. She said:

  "See how the water ripples. There is now not any reflection of my poorface or of your beauty. All is as wavering as a man's heart.... And nowyour beauty is regathering like coloured mists. Yet I have otherstones."

  "Oh, and the will to use them!" said Dame Melicent.

  "For this bright thieving beauty is not any longer yours. It is minenow, to do with as I may elect--as yesterday it was the plaything ofDemetrios.... Why, no! I think I shall not kill you. I have at handthree very cunning Cheylas--the men who carve and reshape children intosuch droll monsters. They cannot change your eyes, they tell me. Thatis a pity, but I can have one plucked out. Then I shall watch myCheylas as they widen your mouth from ear to ear, take out thecartilage from your nose, wither your hair till it will always be likerotted hay, and turn your skin--which is like velvet now--the colour ofbaked mud. They will as deftly strip you of that beauty which hasrobbed me as I pluck up this blade of grass.... Oh, they will make youthe most hideous of living things, they assure me. Otherwise, as theyagree, I shall kill them. This done, you may go freely to your lover. Ifear, though, lest you may not love him as I loved Demetrios."

  And Melicent said nothing.

  "For all we women know, my sister, our appointed curse. To love theman, and to know the man loves just the lips and eyes Youth lends tous--oho, for such a little while! Yes, it is cruel. And therefore weare cruel--always in thought and, when occasion offers, in the deed."

  And Melicent said nothing. For of that mutual love she shared withPerion, so high and splendid that it made of grief a music, and wrung anew sustainment out of every cross, as men get cordials of bitterherbs, she knew there was no comprehension here.

  26.

  _How Men Ordered Matters_

  Orestes came into the garden with Ahasuerus and nine other attendants.The master of N
acumera did not speak a syllable while his retainersseized Callistion, gagged her, and tied her hands with cords. Theysilently removed her. One among them bore on his shoulders the slimcorpse of Diophantus, which was interred the same afternoon (with everyappropriate ceremony) in company with that of his father. Orestes hadthe nicest sense of etiquette.

  This series of swift deeds was performed with such a glib precipitancythat if was as though the action had been rehearsed a score of times.The garden was all drowsy peace now that Orestes spread his palms in agesture of deprecation. A little distance from him, Ahasuerus with hisforefinger drew upon the water's surface designs which appeared toamuse the Jew.

  "She would have killed you, Melicent," Orestes said, "though allOlympos had marshalled in interdiction. That would have beenirreligious. Moreover, by Hercules! I have not time to choose sidesbetween snarling women. He who hunts with cats will catch mice. I aimmore highly. And besides, by an incredible forced march, this Comte dela Foret and all his Free Companions are battering at the gates ofNacumera--"

  Hope blazed. "You know that were I harmed he would spare no one. Yourtroops are all at Calonak. Oh, God is very good!" said Melicent.

  "I do not asperse the deities of any nation. It is unlucky. None theless, your desires outpace your reason. Grant that I had not more thanfifty men to defend the garrison, yet Nacumera is impregnable except bystarvation. We can sit snug a month. Meanwhile our main force is atCalonak, undoubtedly. Yet my infatuated father had already recalledthese troops, in order that they might escort you into Messire de laForet's camp. Now I shall use these knaves quite otherwise. They willarrive within two days, and to the rear of Messire de la Foret, who isencamped before an impregnable fortress. To the front unscalable walls,and behind him, at a moderate computation, three swords to his one. Allthis in a valley from which Daedalos might possibly escape, butcertainly no other man. I count this Perion of the Forest as alreadydead."