by Lew Wallace
CHAPTER III
THE NEW FAITH PROCLAIMED
The question came earlier than the Prince expected, and in differentform. Those in position to observe his face saw it turn a trifle pale,and he hesitated, and glanced around uneasily, as though not altogetherassured of his footing. This might have been by-play; if so, it wassuccessful; every countenance not sympathetic was serious.
"Your Majesty's inquiry must be for information. I am too humble for anunfriendly design on the part of one so exalted as the Emperor ofConstantinople. It might be otherwise if I represented a church, adenomination, or a recognized religion; as it is, my faith is my own."
"But bethink thee, Prince, thou mayst have the truth--the very God'struth," Constantine interposed, with kindly intent. "We all know thycountry hath been the cradle of divine ideas. So, speak, and fear not."
The glance the Emperor received was winsomely grateful.
"Indeed, Your Majesty, indeed I have need of good countenance. Thequestion put me has lured more men to bloody graves than fire, swordand wave together. And then why I believe as I believe demands time inexcess of what we have; and I am the bolder in this because in limitingme Your Majesty limits yourself. So I will now no more than define myFaith. But first, it does not follow from my disclaimer that I can onlybe a Jew or a Christian; for as air is a vehicle for a multitude ofsubtleties in light, faith in like manner accommodates a multitude ofopinions."
While speaking, the Prince's voice gradually gained strength; his colorreturned, and his eyes enlarged and shone with strange light. Now hisright hand arose, the fingers all closed except the first one, and itwas long and thin, and he waved it overhead, like a conjuring wand. Ifthe concourse had been unwilling to hear him, they could not haveturned away.
"I am not a Hindoo, my Lord; because I cannot believe men can maketheir own gods."
The Father Confessor to the Emperor, at the left of the dais in a stoleof gold and crimson cloth, smiled broadly.
"I am not a Buddhist," the Prince continued; "because I cannot believethe soul goes to nothingness after death."
The Father Confessor clapped his hands.
"I am not a Confucian; because I cannot reduce religion to philosophyor elevate philosophy into religion."
The blood of the audience began to warm.
"I am not a Jew; because I believe God loves all peoples alike, or ifhe makes distinctions, it is for righteousness' sake."
Here the chamber rang with clapping.
"I am not an Islamite; because when I raise my eyes to Heaven, I cannottolerate sight of a man standing between me and God--no, my Lord, notthough he be a Prophet."
The hit was palpable, and from hate of the old enemy, the wholeassemblage broke into an uproar of acclamation. Only the Emperor kepthis gravity. Leaning heavily on the golden cone at the right of hischair, his chin depressed, his eyes staring, scarcely breathing, hewaited, knowing, that having gone so far, there was before the speakeran unavoidable climax; and seeing it in his face, and coming, hepresently aroused, and motioned for silence.
"I am not"--
The Prince stopped, but when the hush was deepest went on--"I am not aChristian; because--because I believe--God is God."
The Father Confessor's hands were ready to clap, but they stayed so;the same spell took hold of the bystanders, except that they looked atthe Emperor, and he alone seemed to comprehend the concluding phrase.He settled back easily in his seat, saying, "Thy Faith then is--"
"God!"
The monosyllable was the Prince's.
And with clear sight of the many things reprobated--Images, Saints, theCanonized, even the worship of Christ and the Holy Mother--with clearsight also of the wisdom which in that presence bade the guest stopwith the mighty name--at the same time more curious than ever to hearin full discourse the man who could reduce religion to a single wordand leave it comprehensible, Constantine drew a breath of relief, andsaid, smiling, "Of a surety, O Prince, there was never a Faith which,with such appearance of simplicity in definition, is capable of suchinfinity of meaning. I am full of questions; and these listening, mylords of the court, are doubtless in a similar mood. What sayest thou,O my most orthodox Confessor?" The Father bowed until the hem of hisblazing stole overlaid the floor.
"Your Majesty, we too are believers in God; but we also believe in muchbeside; so, if but for comparison of creeds, which is neverunprofitable while in good nature, I should like to hear the noble andfair speaking guest further."
"And you, my Lords?"
The throng around answered, "Yes, yes!"
"We will have it so then. Look, good Logothete, for the nearest dayunoccupied."
A handsome man of middle age approached the dais, and opening abroad-backed book, evidently the record of the royal appointments,turned a number of leaves, and replied: "Your Majesty, two weeks fromtomorrow."
"Note the same set aside for the Prince of India.-Dost hear, Prince?"
The latter lowered his face the better to conceal his pleasure.
"All days are alike to me," he answered.
"In this our palace, then--two weeks from to-morrow at the hour ofnoon. And now"--the rustle and general movement of the courtiers wasinstantly stayed--"and now, Prince, didst thou not speak of exercisingthe functions of a king at home? Thy capital must be in India, butwhere, pray? And how callest thou thyself? And why is this city sofortunate as to have attracted thy wandering feet? It is not every kingso his own master as to turn traveller, and go about making study ofthe world; although, I admit, it would be better could every king doso."
These questions were rapidly put, but as the Prince was prepared forthem, he responded pleasantly:
"In answering the questions Your Majesty now honors me with. I am awarehow serious the mistake would be did I think of your curiosity alone. Amost excellent quality in a great man is patience. Alas, that it shouldbe one of the most abused! ... Among the oldest of Hindoo titles is_Rajah_. It means King rather than Prince, and I was born to it. YourMajesty may have heard of Oodeypoor, the bosom jewel of Rajpootana, thewhite rose just bloomed of Indian cities. At the foot of a spur of theArawalli mountains, a river rises, and on its right bank reposes thecity; from which, southeast a little way, a lake lies outspread, like amirror fallen face upward. And around the lake are hills, tall andbroken as these of the Bosphorus; and seen from the water the hills aremasses of ivy and emerald woods thickly sprinkled with old fortressesand temples, and seven-roofed red pagodas, each the home of a greatgold-decked Buddha, with lesser Buddhas in family. And in the lake areislands all palaces springing from the water line in open arches, andsculptured walls, and towered gates; and of still days their wondrouscunning in the air is renewed afresh in the waveless depths below them.If they are glorious then, what are they when reconstructed for festalnights in shining lamps? For be it said, my Lord, if a stranger in thewalls of this centre of empire may speak a word which has the faintestsavor of criticism, the Indian genius analyzed beauty before there wasa West, and taking suggestions from spark and dewdrop, applied them toarchitecture. Smile not, I pray, for you may see the one in the lampmultiplied for outline traceries, and the other in the fountain, thecascade, and the limpid margin at the base of walls. Or if still youthink me exaggerating, is not the offence one to be lightly forgivenwhere the offender is telling of his birthplace? In one of the palacesof that Lake of Palaces I was born, the oldest son of the Rajah ofMeywar, Oodeypoor his capital. In these words, which I hope may bekindly judged, Your Majesty will find answers to one, if not two of thequestions you were pleased to ask me--Why I am here? And why makingstudy of the world? Will Your Majesty pardon my boldness, if I suggestthat a reply to those inquiries would be better at the audience set forme next? I fear it is too long for telling now."
"Be it so," said Constantine, "yet a hint of it may not be amiss. Itmay set us to thinking; and, Prince, a mind prepared for an idea islike ground broken and harrowed for seed."
The Prince hesitated.
"Your
Majesty--my Lord"--he then said firmly, "the most sorrowful ofmen are those with conceptions too great for them, and which they mustcarry about with nothing better to sustain their sinking spirits than apoor hope of having them one day adopted; for until that day they arelike a porter overladen and going from house to house unknowing thename of the owner of his burden or where to look for him. I am such anunfortunate.... Oodeypoor, you must understand, is more than comely tothe eye of a native; it is a city where all religions are tolerated.The Taing, the Brahman, the Hindoo, the Mohammedan, the Buddhist livetogether there, protected and in peace, with their worship and housesof worship; nor is there any shutting of mouths, because controversylong since attained finality amongst them; or perhaps it were bettersaying, because opinions there have now their recognized grooves, andrun in them from generation to generation--opinions to which men areborn as to their property, only without right of change ormodification; neither can they break away from them. There is no excuseif an intelligent man in such a situation does not comprehend all thereligions thus in daily practice; or if one does comprehend them heshould not flatter himself possessed of any superior intellect.... TheRajah, my father, died, and I mounted his silver throne, and for tenyears administered justice in the Hall of Durbars to which he had beenused, he and his father's father, Children of the Sun, most pure ofblood. By that time I was of mature mind, and having given myself up tostudy, came to believe there is but one doctrine--principle--call itwhat you will, my Lord--but one of heavenly origin--one primarilycomprehensible by all--too simple indeed to satisfy the egotism of men;wherefore, without rejecting, they converted it into a foundation, andbuilt upon it each according to his vanity, until, in course of ages,the foundation was overlaid with systems of belief, childish,unnatural, ridiculous, indecent, or else too complicated for commonunderstanding"--
"This principle--what is it, Prince?" Constantine asked nervously.
"Your Majesty, I have already once named it."
"Mean you God?"
"And now, my Lord, thou hast pronounced it."
The stillness in the chamber was very deep. Every man seemed to beasking, what next?
"One day, Your Majesty--it was in my tenth year of government--afunction was held in a tent erected for the purpose--a _shamiana_vastly larger than any hall. I went up to it in state, passing throughlines of elephants, an hundred on either hand, covered with cloth ofgold and with houdahs of yellow silk roofed with the glory of peacocks.Behind the mighty brutes soldiery blotted out the landscape, and theair between them and the sky was a tawny cloud of flaunting yak-tails;nor had one use for ears, so was he deafened by beat of drums andblowing of brazen horns twice a tall man's height. I sat on a throne ofsilver and gold, all my ministers present. My brother entered, he thenext entitled. Halfway down the aisle of chiefs I met him, and then ledhim to my seat, and saluted him Rajah of Meywar. Your Majesty, so Iparted with crown and title--laid them down voluntarily to search theworld for men in power in love with God enough to accept him as theirsum of faith. Behold why I travel making the earth a study! Behold whyI am in Constantinople!"
Constantine was impressed.
"Where hast thou been?" he at length asked--"where before coming here?"
"It were easier did Your Majesty ask where I have not been. For then Icould answer, Everywhere, except Rome."
"Dost thou impugn our devotion to God?"
"Not so, not so, my Lord! I am seeking to know the degree of your loveof Him."
"How, Prince?"
"By a test."
"What test?"
No man listening could have said what mood the Emperor was in; yet theguest replied with an appearance of rising courage: "A trial, to findall the other things entering into Faith which Your Majesty and YourMajesty's lords and subjects are willing to lay down for God's sake."
With a peremptory gesture Constantine silenced the stir and rustle inthe chamber. "It is right boldly put," he said.
"But none the less respectfully. My Lord, I am striving to beunderstood."
"You speak of a trial. To what end?"
"One Article of Faith, the all-essential of Universal Brotherhood inReligion."
"A magnificent conception! But is it practicable?"
Fortunately or unfortunately for the Prince, an officer that momentmade way through the courtiers, and whispered to the Dean, who at onceaddressed himself to the Emperor.
"I pray pardon, but it pleased Your Majesty to bid me notify you whenit is time to make ready for the Mystery to-night. The hour is come;besides which a messenger from Scholarius waits for an interview."
Constantine arose.
"Thanks, worthy Dean," he said; "we will not detain the messenger. Theaudience is dismissed."
Then descending from the dais, he gave his hand to the Prince. "I seethe idea you have in mind, and it is worthy the bravest effort. I shalllook forward to the next audience with concern. Forget not that theguestship continues. My steward will take you in charge. Farewell."
The Prince, sinking to his knees, kissed the offered hand, whereuponthe Emperor said as if just reminded: "Was not your daughter with mykinswoman in the White Castle?"
"Your Majesty, the Princess on that occasion most graciously consentedto accept my daughter as her attendant."
"Were she to continue in the same attendance, Prince, we might hope tohave her at court some day."
"I lay many thanks at Your Majesty's feet. She is most honored by thesuggestion." Constantine in lead of his officers then passed out,while, in care of the steward, the Prince was conducted to thereception room, and served with refreshments. Afterwhile through thewindows he beheld the day expiring, and the first audience finished,and the second appointed, he was free to think of the approachingMystery.
Be it said now he was easy in feeling--satisfied with the management ofhis cause--satisfied with the impression he had made on the Emperor andthe court as well. Had not the latter applauded and voted to hear himagain? When taken with the care habitually observed by leadingpersonages in audiences formal as that just passed, how broadlysympathetic the expressions of the monarch had been.
In great cheerfulness the Prince ate and drank, and even occupied thewine-colored leisure conning an argument for the occasion inprospect--noon, next day two weeks! And more clearly than ever hisscheme seemed good. Could he carry it through--could he succeed--thegood would be recognized--never a doubt of that. If men were sometimesblind, God was always just.
In thought he sped forward of the coming appointment, and saw himselfnot only the apostle of the reform, but the chosen agent, theaccredited go-between of Constantine and the young Mahommed. Heremembered the points of negotiation between them. He would not requirethe Turk to yield the prophetic character of Mahomet; neither shouldthe Byzantine's faith in Christ suffer curtailment; he would ask them,however, to agree to a new relation between Mahomet and Christ on theone side and God on the other--that, namely, long conceded, as havingexisted between God and Elijah. And then, an article of the utmostmateriality, the very soul of the recast religion, he would insist thatthey obligate themselves to worship God alone, worship being Hisexclusive prerogative, and that this condition of exclusive worship beprescribed the only test of fraternity in religion; all other worshipto be punishable as heresy. Nor stopped he with Mahommed andConstantine; he doubted not bringing the Rabbis to such a treaty. Howalmost identical it was with the Judaism of Moses. The Bishop of Romemight protest. What matter? Romanism segregated must die. And so theisms of the Brahman and the Hindoo, so the Buddhist, the Confucian, theMencian--they would all perish under the hammering of the union. Then,too, Time would make the work perfect, and gradually wear Christ andMahomet out of mind--he and Time together. What if the task did takeages? He had an advantage over other reformers--he could keep hisreform in motion--he could guide and direct it--he could promisehimself life to see it in full acceptance. In the exuberance oftriumphant feeling, he actually rejoiced in his doom, and for themoment imagined it more than a divine merc
y.
