Figures of Earth: A Comedy of Appearances

by James Branch Cabell

  VII

  The Crown of Wisdom

  So did it come about that as King Helmas rode a-hunting in Nevet underthe Hunter's Moon he came upon a gigantic and florid young fellow, whowas very decently clad in black, and had a queer droop to his left eye,and who appeared to be wandering at adventure in the autumn woods: andthe King remembered what had been foretold.

  Says King Helmas to Manuel the swineherd, "What is that I see in yourpocket wrapped in red silk?"

  "It is a feather, King, wrapped in a bit of my sister's best petticoat"

  "Now, glory be to your dark magics, friend, and at what price will yousell me that feather?"

  "But a feather is no use to anybody, King, for, as you see, it is aquite ordinary feather?"

  "Come, come!" the King says, shrewdly, "do people anywhere wrap ordinaryfeathers in red silk? Friend, do not think to deceive King Helmas ofAlbania, or it will be worse for you. I perfectly recognize that shiningwhite feather as the feather which was moulted in this forest by theZhar-Ptitza Bird, in the old time before my grandfathers came into thiscountry. For it was foretold that such a young sorcerer as you wouldbring to me, who have long been the silliest King that ever reigned overthe Peohtes, this feather which confers upon its owner perfect wisdom:and for you to dispute the prophecy would be blasphemous."

  "I do not dispute your silliness, King Helmas, nor do I disputeanybody's prophecies in a world wherein nothing is certain."

  "One thing at least is certain," remarked King Helmas, frowning uglily,"and it is that among the Peohtes all persons who dispute our propheciesare burned at the stake."

  Manuel shivered slightly, and said: "It seems to me a quite ordinaryfeather: but your prophets--most deservedly, no doubt,--are in higherrepute for wisdom than I am, and burning is a discomfortable death. So Irecall what a madman told me, and, since you are assured that this isthe Zhar-Ptitza's feather, I will sell it to you for ten sequins."

  King Helmas shook a disapproving face. "That will not do at all, andyour price is out of reason, because it was foretold that for thisfeather you would ask ten thousand sequins."

  "Well, I am particularly desirous not to appear irreligious now that Ihave become a young sorcerer. So you may have the feather at your ownprice, rather than let the prophecies remain unfulfilled."

  Then Manuel rode pillion with a king who was unwilling to let Manuel outof his sight, and they went thus to the castle called Brunbelois. Theycame to two doors with pointed arches, set side by side, the smallerbeing for foot passengers, and the other for horsemen. Above was anequestrian statue in a niche, and a great painted window with traceriesof hearts and thistles.

  They entered the larger door, and that afternoon twelve heralds, inbright red tabards that were embroidered with golden thistles, rode outof this door, to proclaim the fulfilment of the prophecy as to theZhar-Ptitza's feather, and that afternoon the priests of the Peohtesgave thanks in all their curious underground temples. The common people,who had for the last score of years taken shame to themselves for livingunder such a foolish king, embraced one another, and danced, and sangpatriotic songs at every street-corner: the Lower Council met, and votedthat, out of deference of his majesty, All Fools' Day should be strickenfrom the calendar: and Queen Pressina (one of the water folk) declaredthere were two ways of looking at everything, the while that she burneda quantity of private papers. Then at night were fireworks, the Kingmade a speech, and to Manuel was delivered in wheel-barrows the sum often thousand sequins.

  Thereafter Manuel abode for a month at the court of King Helmas, notingwhatever to this side and to that side seemed most notable. Manuel waswell liked by the nobility, and when the barons and the fine ladiesassembled in the evening for pavanes and branles and pazzamenos nobodydanced more statelily than Messire Manuel. He had a quiet way with theladies, and with the barons a way of simplicity which was vastly admiredin a sorcerer so potent that his magic had secured the long soughtZhar-Ptitza's feather. "But the most learned," as King Helmas justlysaid, "are always the most modest."

  Helmas now wore the feather from the wing of the miller's goose affixedto the front of Helmas' second best crown, because that was the one heused to give judgments in. And when it was noised abroad that KingHelmas had the Zhar-Ptitza's feather, the Peohtes came gladly to bejudged, and the neighboring kings began to submit to him their moredifficult cases, and all his judgings were received with reverence,because everybody knew that King Helmas' wisdom was now infallible, andthat to criticize his verdict as to anything was merely to expose yourown stupidity.

  And now that doubt of himself had gone out of his mind, Helmas liveduntroubled, and his digestion improved, and his loving-kindness wasinfinite, because he could not be angry with the pitiable creatureshaled before him, when he considered how little able they were todistinguish between wisdom and unwisdom where Helmas was omniscient: andall his doings were merciful and just, and his people praised him. Eventhe Queen conceded that, once you were accustomed to his ways, andexercised some firmness about being made a doormat of, and had itunderstood once for all that meals could not be kept waiting for him,she supposed there might be women worse off.

  And Manuel got clay and modeled the figure of a young man which had thefeatures and the wise look of King Helmas.

  "I can see the resemblance," the King said, "but it does not half do mejustice, and, besides, why have you made a young whipper-snapper of me,and mixed up my appearance with your appearance?"

  "I do not know," said Manuel, "but I suppose it is because of a geaswhich is upon me to make myself a splendid and admirable young man inevery respect, and not an old man."

  "And does the sculpture satisfy you?" asks the King, smiling wisely.

  "No, I like this figure well enough, now it is done, but it is not, Isomehow know, the figure I desire to make. No, I must follow after myown thinking and my own desire, and wisdom is not requisite to me."

  "You artists!" said the King, as people always say that "Now I wouldconsider that, for all the might of your sorceries, wisdom is ratherclamantly requisite to you, Messire Manuel, who inform me you must soonbe riding hence to find elsewhere the needful look for your figure. Forthus to be riding about this world of men, in search of a shade ofexpression, and without even being certain of what look you are lookingfor, does not appear to me to be good sense."

  But young Manuel replied sturdily:

  "I ride to encounter what life has in store for me, who am made certainof this at least, that all high harvests which life withholds for mespring from a seed which I sow--and reap. For my geas is potent, and,late or soon, I serve my geas, and take my doom as the pay well-earnedthat is given as pay to me, for the figure I make in this world of men.

  "This figure, foreseen and yet hidden away from me, glimpsed from afarin the light of a dream,--will I love it, once more, or will loathingawake in me after its visage is plainlier seen? No matter: as fate says,so say I, who serve my geas, and gain in time such payment, at worst, asis honestly due to me, for the figure I make in this world of men.

  "To its shaping I consecrate youth that is strong in me, ardentlyyielding youth's last least gift, who know that all grace which the godshave allotted me avails me in naught if it fails me in this. For allthat a man has, that must I bring to the image I shape, that my makingmay live when time unmakes me and death dissevers me from the figure Imake in this world of men."

  To this the King rather drily replied: "There is something in what yousay. But that something is, I can assure you, not wisdom."

  So everyone was satisfied in Albania except Manuel, who declared that hewas pleased but not contented by the image he had made in the likenessof King Helmas.

  "Besides," they told him, "you look as though your mind were troublingyou about something."

  "In fact, I am puzzled to see a foolish person made wise in all hisdeeds and speeches by this wisdom being expected of him."

  "But that is a cause for rejoicing, and for applauding the might of yoursorceries, Messire Manu
el, whereas you are plainly thinking of vexatiousmatters."

  Manuel replied, "I think that it is not right to rob anybody ofanything, and I reflect that wisdom weighs exactly the weight of afeather."

  Then Manuel went into King Helmas' chickenyard, and caught a goose, andplucked from its wing a feather. Manuel went glitteringly now, inbrocaded hose, and with gold spurs on his heels: the figure which he hadmade in the likeness of King Helmas was packed in an expensive knapsackof ornamented leather, and tall shining Manuel rode on a tall dappledhorse when he departed southward, for Manuel nowadays had money tospare.