CHAPTER XXI.
AN AUDIENCE WITH THE SUPREME GODDESS.
The palace of Tanje, situated about fifty miles from Calnogor, was themetropolitan palace of the supreme goddess. It was sculptured out of ahill of white marble, as were also its walls, enclosing a garden asquare mile in extent.
In conformity with the programme prepared by his majesty, KingAldemegry Bhoolmakar, we were to be received by her holiness Lyone inher palace at Tanje. The thought of meeting the adorable figure thatcrowned the throne of the gods filled me with keenest delight.
I seemed about to visit, not a human being like myself, but averitable deity. What honor, what pleasure, it would be to speak toher face to face, heart to heart. Disguise it as I might, a feelingfor the goddess was being awakened in my soul. Was it the adoration ofthe worshipper, or was it the dawn of a sacrilegious passion?
It seemed a monstrous idea for any one to love in the ordinary meaningof the term a being so high and holy. I could only worship her afaroff, like any adoring citizen of Atvatabar.
His majesty the king, together with Chief Minister Koshnili,Commander-in-Chief Coltonobory, Admiral Jolar and other dignitaries ofthe kingdom, did us the honor to escort us to Tanje.
The method of travel between Calnogor and Tanje was by means of thepneumatic tube, also a deity of invention. This consisted of a smoothtube six feet in diameter that curved over the country in a sinuousline, being supported on pillars at a height of twenty feet above theground. A decorative car of gold ornamented in enamelled colors rodethe crest of the tube, being connected with the piston inside. The carwas steadied between rails on either side and swept over the earthwith inconceivable rapidity. The distance from Calnogor to Tanje wastraversed in thirty minutes.
A feeling of awe overcame the sailors as we approached the abode ofthe living symbol of the Holy Soul.
The palace was a noble pile of masonry as it glittered in theperpendicular sunlight. It stood two stories in height and wassurmounted by a flattened central dome of colored glass, the ribs ofthe dome being of solid gold. The lower story was surrounded by acolonnade of pillars carved in the most grotesque shapes imaginable.The grand entrance on the north side was constructed of alternatingpillars of platinum and gold, all three feet in thickness. From thetowers brilliant banners, emblazoned with the figure of the throne ofthe gods, floated on the wind.
The apartments of the grand chamberlain were on the north side of thepalace, where the pneumatic car was provided with a depot for the useof travellers.
Cleperelyum, the grand chamberlain, clad in white robes like an Arabchief, received us in the name of the goddess with marked deferenceand courtesy.
A guard of honor consisting of a thousand wayleals was drawn up aroundthe palace. The audience chamber was a rectangular court in the centreof the building, whose ceiling was the roof of the palace itself,surmounted by the dome peculiar to the palaces of Atvatabar.
The hall leading to the presence chamber was lined with the priestsand priestesses from Egyplosis in attendance on the goddess.
Led by the grand chamberlain, we arrived at the golden doors of theaudience chamber, which were opened by the servitors of the palace.With trembling exultation I saw at the further end of the spaciousapartment a royal seat of violet velvet whereon sat Lyone, the supremegoddess of Atvatabar.
As my eyes rested upon the goddess she appeared still more divine thanbefore. It seemed an unhallowed act that rough sailors should ventureinto such spiritual precincts. We were awe-struck with the presencebefore us. As the grand chamberlain called out our names, we bowed lowto that majestic spirit that seemed much more a deity than humanflesh.
HER HOLINESS OFFERED BOTH HIS MAJESTY THE KING ANDMYSELF HER HAND TO KISS.]
Her holiness greeted us with marked favor and offered both his majestythe king and myself her hand to kiss. The high officials and myofficers and sailors were obliged to remain standing during theaudience, according to the etiquette of the holy palace. His majestythe king and myself were allowed to seat ourselves on an elevated daisbefore the goddess. When thus seated, I had leisure to observe thatshe was arrayed in a single garment of quivering pale green silk, thatcaressed every curve of her matchless figure and spread in myriadfolds about her limbs and feet. On her head she wore a model of thejarcal, or bird of yearning, fashioned in precious terrelium. She worealso a jewelled belt of gold. The breast was embroidered with a goldenemblem of the throne of the gods, the sacred ensign of Atvatabar. Onher neck were circles of rich rose pearls whose light gleamed soft onthe green lustre of her attire. On her head was the tiara of thegoddess, the triple crown of Harikar.
Her holiness had an air of girlish frankness combined with royaldignity. She was so youthful that she could not have been more thantwenty years old. She possessed a charming presence and a clear andmusical voice. Her eyes were large and blue, and her finely-formedlips, like blood-red anemones, contrasted finely with the pale goldenhue of her complexion.
Her features combined the witchery of a houri with the strength ofintellect. They were sculptured and illuminated by a grandly-developedsoul.
The odor of a high and steadfast virtue surrounded her. It was not thevirtue of the ascetic, but rather that strength of soul that couldtriumph over temptation, that loved fair lights, fine raiment, sweetcolors, and all the gladness and beauty of life.
In her soft right hand she bore a rod of divination, the spiritualsceptre of Atvatabar. On either side of her stood a twin soul in fondembrace as a guard of love.
The audience chamber was in itself a dream of grandeur and beauty.From the rose-tinted glass of the dome overhead a light soft and warmbathed all beneath with a peculiar sweetness. The lower part of thewalls resembled the cloisters of a mosque. Behind pillars of solidsilver a corridor ran all around the chamber. Here an artistic groupof singers, clad in classic robes in soft colors, perambulated,singing as they went a refrain of penetrating sweetness. The audiencelistened with the deepest respect to the singing and to ourconversation with the goddess. In the assembly were all the notablesof the kingdom, poets, artists, musicians, inventors, sculptors, etc.,as well as royal and sacerdotal officers.
The singing of the choir, that moved like an apparition of spirits inthe dim cloisters, seemed to embody our thoughts and feelings. Formyself the divine song was a draught of joy. It was a breath ofverdure, of flowers and fruits, of a warm and serene atmosphere madeperfect by the presence of a peerless incarnation of man's universalsoul.