Domnei: A Comedy of Woman-Worship

by James Branch Cabell

  It was a lumbering Orestes who proclaimed each step in his enchaineddeductions by the descent of a blunt forefinger upon the palm of hisleft hand. Demetrios had left a son but not an heir.

  Yet the chain held. Melicent tested every link and found each obdurate.She foresaw it all. Perion would be surrounded and overpowered. "Andthese troops come from Calonak because of me!"

  "Things fall about with an odd patness, as you say. It should teach younot to talk about divinities lightly. Also, by this Jew's advice, Imean to further the gods' indisputable work. You will appear upon thewalls of Nacumera at dawn to-morrow, in such a garb as you wore in yournative country when the Comte de la Foret first saw you. Ahasuerusestimates this Perion will not readily leave pursuit of you in thatevent, whatever his lieutenants urge, for you are very beautiful."

  Melicent cried aloud, "A bitter curse this beauty has been to me, andto all men who have desired it."

  "But I do not desire it," said Orestes. "Else I would not have sold itto Ahasuerus. I desire only the governorship of some province on thefrontier where I may fight daily with stalwart adversaries, and ridepast the homes of conquered persons who hate me. Ahasuerus here assuresme that the Emperor will not deny me such employment when I bring himthe head of Messire de la Foret. The raids of Messire de la Foret haveirreligiously annoyed our Emperor for a long while."

  She muttered, "Thou that once wore a woman's body--!"

  "--And I take Ahasuerus to be shrewd in all respects save one. For hedesires trivialities. A wise man knows that woman are the sauce and notthe meat of life; Ahasuerus, therefore, is not wise. And in consequenceI do not lack a handsome bribe for this Bathyllos whom our goodEmperor--misguided man!--is weak enough to love; my mother goes inchains; and I shall get my province."

  Here Orestes laughed. And then the master of Nacumera left DameMelicent alone with Ahasuerus.

  27.

  _How Ahasuerus Was Candid_

  When Orestes had gone, the Jew remained unmoved. He continued to dabblehis finger-tips in the water as one who meditates. Presently he driedthem on either sleeve so that he seemed to embrace himself.

  Said he, "What instruments we use at need!"

  She said, "So you have purchased me, Ahasuerus?"

  "Yes, for a hundred and two minae. That is a great sum. You are not asthe run of women, though. I think you are worth it."

  She did not speak. The sun shone, and birds chaunted merrily to theright hand and to the left. She was considering the beauty of thesegardens which seemed to sleep under a dome of hard, polished blue--thebeauty of this cloistered Nacumera, wherein so many infamies writhedand contended like a nest of little serpents.

  "Do you remember, Melicent, that night at Fomor Beach when you snatcheda lantern from my hand? Your hand touched my hand, Melicent."

  She answered, "I remember."

  "I first of all saw that it was a woman who was aiding Perion toescape. I considered Perion a lucky man, for I had seen the woman'sface."

  She remained silent.

  "I thought of this woman very often. I thought of her even morefrequently after I had talked with her at Bellegarde, telling ofPerion's captivity.... Melicent," the Jew said, "I make no songs, noprotestations, no phrases. My deeds must speak for me. Concede that Ihave laboured tirelessly." He paused, his gaze lifted, and his lipssmiled. His eyes stayed mirthless. "This mad Callistion's hate of you,and of the Demetrios who had abandoned her, was my firststepping-stone. By my advice a tiny wire was fastened very tightlyaround the fetlock of a certain horse, between the foot and the heel,and the hair was smoothed over this wire. Demetrios rode that horse inhis last battle. It stumbled, and our terrible proconsul was thusbrought to death. Callistion managed it. Thus I betrayed Demetrios."

  Melicent said, "You are too foul for hell to swallow." And Ahasuerusmanifested indifference to this imputed fault.

  "Thus far I had gone hand-in-hand with an insane Callistion. Now ourways parted. She desired only to be avenged on you, and very crudely.That did not accord with my plan. I fell to bargaining. I purchasedwith--O rarity of rarities!--a little rational advice and much gold aswell. Thus in due season I betrayed Callistion. Well, who forbids it?"

  She said:

  "God is asleep. Therefore you live, and I--alas!--must live for awhile longer."

  "Yes, you must live for a while longer--oh, and I, too, must live for awhile longer!" the Jew returned. His voice had risen in a curiousquavering wail. It was the first time Melicent ever knew him to displayany emotion.

  But the mood passed, and he said only:

  "Who forbids it? In any event, there is a venerable adage concerningthe buttering of parsnips. So I content myself with asking you toremember that I have not ever faltered. I shall not falter now. Youloathe me. Who forbids it? I have known from the first that youdetested me, and I have always considered your verdict to err upon theside of charity. Believe me, you will never loathe Ahasuerus as I do.And yet I coddle this poor knave sometimes--oh, as I do to-day!" hesaid.

  And thus they parted.

  28.

  _How Perion Saw Melicent_

  The manner of the torment of Melicent was this: A little before dawnshe was conducted by Ahasuerus and Orestes to the outermost turrets ofNacumera, which were now beginning to take form and colour. Verysuddenly a flash of light had flooded the valley, the big crimson sunwas instantaneously apparent as though he had leaped over the bleedingnight-mists. Darkness and all night's adherents were annihilated.Pelicans and geese and curlews were in uproar, as at a concertedsignal. A buzzard yelped thrice like a dog, and rose in a long spiralfrom the cliff to Melicent's right hand. He hung motionless, a speck inthe clear zenith, uncannily anticipative. Warmth flooded the valley.

  Now Melicent could see the long and narrow plain beneath her. It wasovergrown with a tall coarse grass which, rippling in the dawn-wind,resembled moving waters from this distance, save where clumps of palmtrees showed like islands. Farther off, the tents of the FreeCompanions were as the white, sharp teeth of a lion. Also she couldsee--and did not recognise--the helmet-covered head of Perion catch andreflect the sunrays dazzlingly, where he knelt in the shimmering grassjust out of bowshot.

  Now Perion could see a woman standing, in the new-born sunlight, undermany gaily coloured banners. The maiden was attired in a robe of whitesilk, and about her wrists were heavy bands of silver. Her hair blazedin the light, bright as the sunflower glows; her skin was whiter thanmilk; the down of a fledgling bird was not more grateful to the touchthan were her hands. There was never anywhere a person more delightfulto gaze upon, and whosoever beheld her forthwith desired to render loveand service to Dame Melicent. This much could Perion know, whose fondeyes did not really see the woman upon the battlements but, instead,young Melicent as young Perion had first beheld her walking by the seaat Bellegarde.

  Thus Perion, who knelt in adoration of that listless girl, all whiteand silver, and gold, too, where her blown hair showed like a halo.Desirable and lovelier than words may express seemed Melicent to Perionas she stood thus in lonely exaltation, and behind her, gloriousbanners fluttered, and the blue sky took on a deeper colour. WhatPerion saw was like a church window when the sun shines through it.Ahasuerus perfectly understood the baiting of a trap.

  Perion came into the open plain before the castle and called on herdear name three times. Then Perion, naked to his enemies, and at thedisposal of the first pagan archer that chose to shoot him down, sangcheerily the waking-song which Melicent had heard a mimic Amphitryonmake in Dame Alcmena's honour, very long ago, when people laughed andMelicent was young and ignorant of misery.

  Sang Perion, "_Rei glorios, verais lums e clardatz--_" or, in otherwording:

  "Thou King of glory, veritable light, all-powerful deity! be pleased tosuccour faithfully my fair, sweet friend. The night that severed us hasbeen long and bitter, the darkness has been shaken by bleak winds, butnow the dawn is near at hand.

  "My fair sweet friend, be of good heart! We have been tormented lon
genough by evil dreams. Be of good heart, for the dawn is approaching!The east is astir. I have seen the orient star which heralds day. Idiscern it clearly, for now the dawn is near at hand."

  The song was no great matter; but the splendid futility of itsperformance amid such touch-and-go surroundings Melicent considered tobe august. And consciousness of his words' poverty, as Perion thuslightly played with death in order to accord due honour to the lady heserved, was to Dame Melicent in her high martyrdom as is the twist of adagger in an already fatal wound; and made her love augment.

  Sang Perion:

  "My fair sweet friend, it is I, your servitor, who cry to you, _Be ofgood heart!_ Regard the sky and the stars now growing dim, and you willsee that I have been an untiring sentinel. It will presently fare theworse for those who do not recognise that the dawn is near at hand.

  "My fair sweet friend, since you were taken from me I have not everbeen of a divided mind. I have kept faith, I have not failed you.Hourly I have entreated God and the Son of Mary to have compassion uponour evil dreams. And now the dawn is near at hand."

  "My poor, bruised, puzzled boy," thought Melicent, as she had done solong ago, "how came you to be blundering about this miry world of ours?And how may I be worthy?"

  Orestes spoke. His voice disturbed the woman's rapture thinly, like thespeech of a ghost, and she remembered now that a bustling world was herantagonist.

  "Assuredly," Orestes said, "this man is insane. I will forthwithcommand my archers to despatch him in the middle of his caterwauling.For at this distance they cannot miss him."

  But Ahasuerus said:

  "No, seignior, not by my advice. If you slay this Perion of the Forest,his retainers will speedily abandon a desperate siege and retreat tothe coast. But they will never retreat so long as the man lives andsways them, and we hold Melicent, for, as you plainly see, thisabominable reprobate is quite besotted with love of her. His deathwould win you praise; but the destruction of his armament will purchaseyou your province. Now in two days at most our troops will come, andthen we will slay all the Free Companions."

  "That is true," said Orestes, "and it is remarkable how you think ofthese things so quickly."

  So Orestes was ruled by Ahasuerus, and Perion, through no merit of hisown, departed unharmed.

  Then Melicent was conducted to her own apartments; and eunuchs guardedher, while the battle was, and men she had not ever seen died by thescore because her beauty was so great.

  29.

  _How a Bargain Was Cried_

  Now about sunset Melicent knelt in her oratory and laid all her griefbefore the Virgin, imploring counsel.

  This place was in reality a chapel, which Demetrios had builded forMelicent in exquisite enjoyment. To furnish it he had sacked towns shenever heard of, and had rifled two cathedrals, because the notion thatthe wife of Demetrios should own a Christian chapel appeared to himamusing. The Virgin, a masterpiece of Pietro di Vicenza, Demetrios hadpurchased by the interception of a free city's navy. It was a paintedstatue, very handsome.

  The sunlight shone on Melicent through a richly coloured window whereinwere shown the sufferings of Christ and the two thieves. This siftagemade about her a welter of glowing and intermingling colours, abovewhich her head shone with a clear halo.

  This much Ahasuerus noted. He said, "You offer tears to Miriam ofNazara. Yonder they are sacrificing a bull to Mithras. But I do notmake either offering or prayer to any god. Yet of all persons inNacumera I alone am sure of this day's outcome." Thus spoke the JewAhasuerus.

  The woman stood erect now. She asked, "What of the day, Ahasuerus?"

  "It has been much like other days that I have seen. The sun rosewithout any perturbation. And now it sinks as usual. Oh, true, therehas been fighting. The sky has been clouded with arrows, and horses,nicer than their masters, have screamed because these soulless beastswere appalled by so much blood. Many women have become widows, anddivers children are made orphans, because of two huge eyes they neversaw. Puf! it is an old tale."

  She said, "Is Perion hurt?"

  "Is the dog hurt that has driven a cat into a tree? Such I estimate tobe the position of Orestes and Perion. Ah, no, this Perion who was mycaptain once is as yet a lord without any peer in the fields where mencontend in battle. But love has thrust him into a bag's end, and hisfate is certain."

  She spoke her steadfast resolution. "And my fate, too. For when Perionis trapped and slain I mean to kill myself."

  "I am aware of that," he said. "Oh, women have these notions! Yet whenthe hour came, I think, you would not dare. For I know your beliefsconcerning hell's geography, and which particular gulf of hell isreserved for all self-murderers."

  Then Melicent waited for a while. She spoke later without any apparentemotion. "And how should I fear hell who crave a bitterer fate! Listen,Ahasuerus! I know that you desire me as a plaything very greatly. Theinfamy in which you wade attests as much. Yet you have schemed to nopurpose if Perion dies, because the ways of death are always open. Iwould die many times rather than endure the touch of your finger.Ahasuerus, I have not any words wherewith to tell you of my loathing--"

  "Turn then to bargaining," he said, and seemed aware of all herthoughts. "Oh, to a hideous bargain. Let Perion be warned of thosetroops that will to-morrow outflank him. Let him escape. There is yettime. Do this, dark hungry man, and I will live." She shuddered here."Yes, I will live and be obedient in all things to you, my purchaser,until you shall have wearied of me, or, at the least, until God hasremembered."

  His careful eyes were narrowed. "You would bribe me as you once bribedDemetrios? And to the same purpose? I think that fate excels less ininvention than in cruelty."

  She bitterly said, "Heaven help me, and what other wares have I tovend!"

  He answered:

  "None. No woman has in this black age; and therefore comfort you, mygirl."

  She hurried on. "Therefore anew I offer Melicent, who was a princessonce. I cry a price for red lips and bright eyes and a fair woman'stender body without any blemish. I have no longer youth and happinessand honour to afford you as your toys. These three have long beenstrangers to me. Oh, very long! Yet all I have I offer for onecharitable deed. See now how near you are to victory. Think now howgloriously one honest act would show in you who have betrayed eachoverlord you ever served."

  He said:

  "I am suspicious of strange paths, I shrink from practising unfamiliarvirtues. My plan is fixed. I think I shall not alter it."

  "Ah, no, Ahasuerus! think instead how beautiful I am. There is nocomelier animal in all this big lewd world. Indeed I cannot count howmany men have died because I am a comely animal--" She smiled as onewho is too tired to weep. "That, too, is an old tale. Now I abate invalue, it appears, very lamentably. For I am purchasable now just byone honest deed, and there is none who will barter with me."

  He returned:

  "You forget that a freed Perion would always have a sonorous word ortwo to say in regard to your bargainings. Demetrios bargained, you mayremember. Demetrios was a dread lord. It cost him daily warfare toretain you. Now I lack swords and castles--I who dare love you much asDemetrios did--and I would be able to retain neither Melicent nortranquil existence for an unconscionable while. Ah, no! I bear myformer general no grudge. I merely recognise that while Perion lives hewill not ever leave pursuit of you. I would readily concede the potencyof his spurs, even were there need to look on you a second time--Ithappens that there is no need! Meanwhile I am a quiet man, and I abhordissension. For the rest, I do not think that you will kill yourself,and so I think I shall not alter my fixed plan."

  He left her, and Melicent prayed no more. To what end, she reflected,need she pray, when there was no hope for Perion?

  30.

  _How Melicent Conquered_

  Into Melicent's bedroom, about two o'clock in the morning, cameAhasuerus the Jew. She sat erect in bed and saw him cowering over alamp which his long glistening fingers shielded, so that the lean faceof the man floated
upon a little golden pool in the darkness. Shemarvelled that this detestable countenance had not aged at all sinceher first sight of it.

  He smoothly said:

  "Now let us talk. I have loved you for some while, fair Melicent."

  "You have desired me," she replied.

  "Faith, I am but as all men, whatever their age. Why, what the devil!man may have Javeh's breath in him, but even Scripture proves that manwas made of clay." The Jew now puffed out his jaws as if inrecollection. "_You are a handsome piece of flesh_, I thought when Icame to you at Bellegarde, telling of Perion's captivity. I thought nomore than this, because in my time I have seen a greater number ofhandsome women than you would suppose. Thereafter, on account of an oddreason which I had, I served Demetrios willingly enough. This son ofMiramon Lluagor was able to pay me well, in a curious coinage. So Iarranged the bungling snare Demetrios proposed--too gross, I thoughtit, to trap any woman living. Ohe, and why should I not lay an open andfrank springe for you? Who else was a king's bride-to-be, young,beautiful, and blessed with wealth and honour and every other comfortwhich the world affords?" Now the Jew made as if to fling away a robefrom his gaunt person. "And you cast this, all this, aside as nothing.I saw it done."