IdylloftheWhiteLotus MCollins

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.
Karma
by Mabel Collins (M.C.)
TO THE TRUE AUTHOR, THE I !"IRER O# THI! WOR$, IT I! %E%ICATE%. "ublished in the &'(()s *The+e a+e th+ee t+uths ,hi-h a+e absolute, and ,hi-h -annot be lost, but yet .ay +e.ain silent fo+ la-/ of s0ee-h. *The soul of .an is i..o+tal, and its futu+e is the futu+e of a thin1 ,hose 1+o,th and s0lendo+ has no li.it. *The 0+in-i0le ,hi-h 1i2es life d,ells in us, and ,ithout us, is undyin1 and ete+nally benefi-ent, is not hea+d o+ seen o+ s.elt, but is 0e+-ei2ed by the .an ,ho desi+es 0e+-e0tion. *Ea-h .an is his o,n absolute la,1i2e+, the dis0ense+ of 1lo+y o+ 1loo. to hi.self3 the de-+ee+ of his life, his +e,a+d, his 0unish.ent.
It is +e-o..ended that you +ead the sho+t -o..enta+y .ade by T.!ubba Ro,. It ,ill hel0 you to unde+stand the sto+y of the hu.an 4ou+ney that is told in this do-u.ent. Read Adya+ "a.0hlet o. ', *Co..ents on the The Idyll of the White Lotus* fi+st and you ,ill unde+stand this sto+y .u-h bette+
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The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)
"+efa-e "+olo1ue 5OO$ O E Cha0te+ I Cha0te+ II Cha0te+ III Cha0te+ I6 Cha0te+ 7 Cha0te+ I6 Cha0te+ 7 Cha0te+ 6 Cha0te+ 7I Cha0te+ 6 Cha0te+ 6I Cha0te+ 6I
Cha0te+ 6II Cha0te+ 6III Cha0te+ I7 5OO$ TWO Cha0te+ I Cha0te+ II Cha0te+ III
Cha0te+ 6II Cha0te+ 6III Cha0te+ I7
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The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Preface

We a+e 0leased to announ-e this +e0+int of a ,o+/ ,hi-h, thou1h ,+itten in the fo+. of a no2el, has a dee0 s0i+itual .eanin1 unde+lyin1 it. It is a sto+y told in all a1es, and a.on1 e2e+y 0eo0le. It is the t+a1edy of the soul. Att+a-ted by desi+e, it stoo0s to sin3 b+ou1ht to itself by suffe+in1, it tu+ns fo+ hel0 to the +edee.in1 s0i+it ,ithin and in the final sa-+ifi-e a-hie2es its a0otheosis and sheds a blessin1 on .an/ind. It is a sto+y of initiation ,+itten in tende+ and beautiful lan1ua1e, and bea+s on its fa-e the sta.0 of 2e+di-ity in si.0li-ity and di1nity. 99 THE "U5LI!HER!.
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The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Prologue

5ehold I stood alone, one a.on1 .any, an isolated indi2idual in the .idst of a united -+o,d. And I ,as alone, be-ause, a.on1 all the .en .y b+eth+en ,ho /ne,, I alone ,as the .an ,ho both /ne, and tau1ht. I tau1ht the belie2e+s at the 1ate, and ,as d+i2en to do this by the 0o,e+ that d,elleth in the san-tua+y. I had no es-a0e, fo+ in that dee0 da+/ness of the .ost sa-+ed sh+ine, I beheld the li1ht of the inne+ life, and ,as d+i2en to +e2eal it, and by it ,as I u0held and .ade st+on1. #o+ indeed, althou1h I died, it too/ ten 0+iests of the te.0le to a--o.0lish .y death, and e2en then they but i1no+antly thou1ht the.sel2es 0o,e+ful.
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The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) BOOK ONE Chapter I
E+e .y bea+d had be-o.e a soft do,n u0on .y -hin I ente+ed the 1ates of the te.0le to be1in .y no2i-iate in the o+de+ of the 0+iesthood. My 0a+ents ,e+e she0he+ds outside the -ity. I had ne2e+ but on-e ente+ed ,ithin the -ity ,alls until the day .y .othe+ too/ .e to the 1ate of the te.0le. It as a feast day in the -ity, and .y .othe+, a f+u1al and indust+ious ,o.an thus fulfilled t,o 0u+0oses by he+ 4ou+ney. !he too/ .e to .y destination, and then she de0a+ted to en4oy a b+ief holiday a.id the si1hts and s-enes of the -ity. I ,as enth+alled by the -+o,ds and noises of the st+eets. I thin/ .y natu+e ,as al,ays one that st+o2e to yield itself to the 1+eat ,hole of ,hi-h it ,as su-h a s.all 0a+t 99 and by yieldin1 itself, to d+a, ba-/ into it the sustenan-e of life. 5ut out of the bustlin1 th+on1 ,e soon tu+ned. We ente+ed u0on a b+oad, 1+een 0lain u0on the fu+the+ side of ,hi-h +an ou+ sa-+ed, belo2ed +i2e+. Ho, 0lainly I behold that s-ene still< On the ban/s of the ,ate+ I sa, the s-ul0tu+ed +oofs and 1litte+in1 o+na.ents of the te.0le and its su++oundin1 buildin1s shinin1 in the -lea+ .o+nin1 ai+. I had no fea+, fo+ I had no definite e=0e-tations. 5ut I ,onde+ed .u-h ,hethe+ life ,ithin those 1ates ,as as beautiful a thin1 as it see.ed to .e it .ust be. At the 1ate stood a bla-/9+obed no2i-e s0ea/in1 to a ,o.an f+o. the -ity, ,ho -a++ied flas/s of ,ate+ ,hi-h she u+1ently 0+ayed one of the 0+iests to bless. !he ,ould then ha2e fo+ sale a 0+e-ious bu+den 99 a thin1 0aid dea+ly fo+ by the su0e+stitious 0o0ula-e. I 0ee0ed th+ou1h the 1ate as ,e stood ,aitin1 fo+ ou+ tu+n of s0ee-h, and beheld a si1ht that st+u-/ .e ,ith a,e. That a,e lasted a lon1 ti.e, e2en ,hen I had ente+ed into al.ost hou+ly fa.ilia+ity ,ith the fi1u+e ,hi-h so i.0+essed .e. It ,as one of the ,hite9+obed 0+iests, 0a-in1 slo,ly do,n the b+oad a2enue to,a+ds the 1ate. I had ne2e+ seen one of those ,hite9+obed 0+iests befo+e, sa2e on the sin1le o--asion ,hen I had befo+e 2isited the -ity. I then had seen se2e+al u0on the sa-+ed boat in the .idst of a +i2e+ 0+o-ession. 5ut no, this fi1u+e ,as hea+ .e, a00+oa-hin1 .e 99 I held .y b+eath. The ai+ ,as indeed 2e+y still, but those stately ,hite 1a+.ents loo/ed, as the 0+iest .o2ed beneath the shado, of the a2enue, as if no ea+thly b+ee>e -ould sti+ the.. His ste0 had the sa.e e?uable -ha+a-te+. He .o2ed, but it see.ed s-a+-ely as thou1h he ,al/ed in the fashion that othe+ and i.0etuous .o+tals ,al/. His eyes ,e+e bent on the 1+ound, so that I -ould not see the.3 and, indeed, I d+eaded the +aisin1 of those d+oo0in1 lids. His -o.0le=ion ,as fai+, and his hai+ of a dull 1old -olo+. His bea+d ,as lon1 and "a1e @

full, but it had the sa.e st+an1ely i..o2able, al.ost -a+2en loo/, to .y fan-y. I -ould not i.a1ine it blo,n aside. It see.ed as thou1h -ut in 1old, and .ade fi+. fo+ ete+nity. The ,hole .an i.0+essed .e thus 99 as a bein1 alto1ethe+ +e.o2ed f+o. the o+dina+y life of .an. The no2i-e loo/ed a+ound, his noti-e att+a-ted 0+obably by .y intense 1a>e, fo+ no sound +ea-hed .y ea+s f+o. the 0+iest)s footfall. *Ah<* he said, *he+e is the holy 0+iest A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB, I ,ill as/ hi..* Closin1 the 1ate behind hi., he d+e, ba-/, and ,e sa, hi. s0ea/ to the 0+iest, ,ho bo,ed his head sli1htly. The .an +etu+ned, and ta/in1 the ,ate+ tas/s f+o. the ,o.an -a++ied the. to the 0+iest, ,ho laid his hand fo+ a se-ond u0on the.. !he too/ the. a1ain ,ith 0+ofuse than/s, and then ,e ,e+e as/ed ou+ business. I ,as soon left alone ,ith the bla-/9+obed no2i-e. I ,as not so++y thou1h -onside+ably a,ed. I had ne2e+ -a+ed .u-h fo+ .y old tas/ of tendin1 .y fathe+)s shee0, and of -ou+se I ,as al+eady filled ,ith the idea that I ,as about to be-o.e so.ethin1 diffe+ent f+o. the -o..on he+d of .en. This idea ,ill -a++y 0oo+ hu.an natu+e th+ou1h se2e+e+ t+ials e2en than that of lea2in1 one)s ho.e fo+e2e+ and ente+in1 finally u0on a ne, and unt+ied -ou+se of life. The 1ate s,un1 to behind .e, and the bla-/9+obed .an lo-/ed it ,ith a 1+eat /ey that hun1 to his ,aist. 5ut the a-tion 1a2e .e no sense of i.0+ison.ent, 99 only a -ons-iousness of se-lusion and se0a+ateness. Who -ould asso-iate i.0+ison.ent ,ith a s-ene su-h as that ,hi-h lay befo+e .eC The te.0le doo+s ,e+e fa-in1 the 1ate, at the othe+ end of a b+oad and beautiful a2enue. It ,as not a natu+al a2enue fo+.ed by t+ees 0lanted in the 1+ound, and lu=u+iatin1 in a 1+o,th of thei+ o,n -hoosin1. It ,as fo+.ed by 1+eat tubs of stone, in ,hi-h ,e+e 0lanted sh+ubs of eno+.ous si>e, but e2idently t+i..ed and 1uided .ost -a+efully into the st+an1e sha0es they fo+.ed. 5et,een ea-h sh+ub ,as a s?ua+e blo-/ of stone, u0on ,hi-h ,as a -a+2en fi1u+e. Those fi1u+es nea+est the 1ate I sa, to be s0hin=es and 1+eat ani.als ,ith hu.an heads but afte+,a+ds I did not da+e +aise .y eyes to 1a>e -u+iously u0on the.3 fo+ I sa, a1ain a00+oa-hin1 us, in the -ou+se of his +e1ula+ ,al/ to and f+o, the 1olden9bea+ded 0+iest A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB. Wal/in1 on by the side of .y 1uide, I /e0t .y eyes u0on the 1+ound. When he 0aused I 0aused, and found that .y eyes fell u0on the he. of the 0+iest)s ,hite +obe. That he. ,as deli-ately e.b+oide+ed ,ith 1olden -ha+a-te+sD it ,as enou1h to abso+b .y attention and fill .e ,ith ,onde+ fo+ a ,hile. *A ne, no2i-eC* I hea+d a 2e+y ?uiet and s,eet 2oi-e say. *Well, ta/e hi. into the s-hool3 he is but a youth yet. Loo/ u0, boy3 do not fea+.* I loo/ed u0, thus en-ou+a1ed, and en-ounte+ed the 1a>e of the 0+iest. His eyes, I sa,, e2en then in .y "a1e E

e.ba++ass.ent, ,e+e of -han1in1 -olo+ 99 blue and 1+ay. 5ut, soft9hued thou1h they ,e+e, they did not 1i2e .e the en-ou+a1e.ent ,hi-h I had hea+d in his 2oi-e. They ,e+e -al. indeedD full of /no,led1eD but they .ade .e t+e.ble. He dis.issed us ,ith a .o2e.ent of his hand, and 0u+sued his e2en ,al/ do,n the 1+and a2enue3 ,hile I, .o+e dis0osed to t+e.ble than I had been befo+e, follo,ed silently .y silent 1uide. We ente+ed the 1+eat -ent+al doo+,ay of the te.0le, the sides of ,hi-h ,e+e fo+.ed of i..ense blo-/s of un-ut stone. I su00ose a fit of so.ethin1 li/e fea+ .ust ha2e -o.e u0on .e, afte+ the in?uisition of the holy 0+iest)s eyes3 fo+ I +e1a+ded these blo-/s of stone ,ith a 2a1ue sense of te++o+. Within I sa, that f+o. the -ent+al doo+,ay, a 0assa1e 0+o-eeded in a lon1 di+e-t line ,ith the a2enue th+ou1h the buildin1. 5ut that ,as not ou+ ,ay. We tu+ned aside and ente+ed u0on a net,o+/ of s.alle+ -o++ido+s, and 0assed th+ou1h so.e s.all ba+e +oo.s u0on ou+ ,ay. We ente+ed at last a la+1e and beautiful +oo.. I say beautiful, thou1h it ,as enti+ely ba+e and unfu+nished, sa2e fo+ a table at one -o+ne+. 5ut its 0+o0o+tions ,e+e so 1+and, and its st+u-tu+e so ele1ant, that e2en .y eye, una--usto.ed to dis-e+n a+-hite-tu+al beauties, ,as st+an1ely i.0+essed, ,ith a sense of satisfa-tion. At the table in the -o+ne+ sat t,o othe+ youths, -o0yin1 o+ d+a,in1, I -ould not ?uite see ,hat. At all e2ents I sa, they ,e+e 2e+y busy, and I ,onde+ed that they s-a+-ely +aised thei+ heads to obse+2e ou+ ent+an-e. 5ut, ad2an-in1, I 0e+-ei2ed that behind one of the 1+eat stone 0+o4e-tions of the ,all, the+e sat an a1ed ,hite9+obed 0+iest, loo/in1 at a boo/ ,hi-h lay u0on his /nee. He did not noti-e us until .y 1uide stood defe+entially bo,in1 +i1ht in f+ont of hi.. *A ne, 0u0ilC* he said, and loo/ed /eenly at .e out of his di., blea+ed9loo/in1 eyes. *What -an he doC* * ot .u-h I fan-y,* said .y 1uide, s0ea/in1 of .e in an easy tone of -onte.0t. *He has been but a she0he+d lad.* *A she0he+d lad,* e-hoed the old 0+iest3 *he ,ill be no use he+e, then. He had best ,o+/ in the 1a+den. Ha2e you e2e+ lea+ned to d+a, o+ -o0y ,+itin1C* he as/ed, tu+nin1 u0on .e. I had been tau1ht these thin1s as fa+ as .i1ht be, but su-h a--o.0lish.ents ,e+e +a+e, e=-e0t in the 0+iestly s-hools and a.on1 the s.all -ulti2ated -lasses outside the 0+iesthood. The old 0+iest loo/ed at .y hands, and tu+ned ba-/ to his boo/.
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*He .ust lea+n so.e ti.e,* he said3 but I a. too full of ,o+/ no, to tea-h hi.. I ,ant .o+e to hel0 .e in .y ,o+/3 but ,ith these sa-+ed ,+itin1s that ha2e to be -losed no,, I -annot stay to inst+u-t the i1no+ant. Ta/e hi. to the 1a+den fo+ a ,hile at least, and I ,ill see about hi. by9and9by.* My 1uide tu+ned a,ay and ,al/ed out of the +oo.. With a last loo/ a+ound, at its beautiful a00ea+an-e, I follo,ed hi.. I follo,ed hi. do,n a lon1, lon1 0assa1e, ,hi-h ,as -ool and +ef+eshin1 in its da+/ness. At the end ,as a 1ate instead of a doo+, and he+e .y 1uide +an1 a loud bell. We ,aited in silen-e afte+ the bell had +un1. o one -a.e, and 0+esently .y 1uide +an1 the bell a1ain. 5ut I ,as in no hu++y. With .y fa-e 0+essed a1ainst the ba+s of the 1ate, I loo/ed fo+th into a ,o+ld so lo1i-al, that I thou1ht to .yself, *It ,ill be no ill to .e if the blea+9eyed 0+iest does not ,ant to ta/e .e f+o. the 1a+den yet a ,hile<* It had been a dusty hot ,al/ f+o. ou+ ho.e to the -ity, and the+e the 0a2ed st+eets had see.ed to .y -ount+y9b+ed feet infinitely ,ea+iso.e. Within the 1ates of the te.0le I had as yet only 0assed do,n the 1+and a2enue, ,he+e e2e+ythin1 filled .e so dee0ly, ,ith a,e, that I s-a+-e da+ed loo/ u0on it. 5ut he+e ,as a ,o+ld of deli-ate and +ef+eshin1 1lo+y. e2e+ had I seen a 1a+den li/e this. The+e ,as 1+eenness, dee0 1+eenness3 the+e ,as a sound of ,ate+, the .u+.u+in1 of 1entle ,ate+ unde+ -ont+ol, +eady to do se+2i-e fo+ .an and +ef+esh in the .idst of the bu+nin1 heat ,hi-h -alled the .a1nifi-en-e of -olo+ and 1+and de2elo0.ent of fo+. into the 1a+den. A thi+d ti.e the bell +an1 99 and then I sa,, -o.in1 f+o. a.on1 the 1+eat 1+een lea2es, a bla-/9+obed fi1u+e. Ho, st+an1ely out of 0la-e did the bla-/ d+ess loo/ he+e< and I thou1ht ,ith -onste+nation that I should also be -lothed in those 1a+.ents befo+e lon1, and should ,ande+ a.on1 the 2olu0tuous beauties of this .a1i-al 0la-e li/e a st+ayed -+eatu+e f+o. a s0he+e of da+/ness. The fi1u+e a00+oa-hed, b+ushin1, ,ith its -oa+se, li/e the deli-ate folia1e. I 1a>ed ,ith a sudden a,a/enin1 of inte+est u0on the fa-e of the .an ,ho d+e, nea+, and into ,hose -ha+1e I su00osed I ,as to be -o..itted. And ,ell I .i1ht3 fo+ it ,as a fa-e to a,a/e inte+est in any hu.an b+east.
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The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Chapter II

*What is itC* as/ed the .an ?ue+ulously, as he loo/ed at us th+ou1h the 1ate. *I sent f+uit and to s0a+e into the /it-hen this .o+nin1. And I -an 1i2e you no .o+e flo,e+s to9day3 all I ha2e to 0lu-/ ,ill be ,anted fo+ the 0+o-ession to9.o++o,.* *I a. not ,antin1 you+ f+uit o+ you+ flo,e+s,* said .y 1uide, ,ho see.ed fond of ado0tin1 a lofty tone. *I ha2e b+ou1ht you a ne, 0u0il, that)s all.* He unlo-/ed the 1ate, .otioned .e to 0ass th+ou1h, and shuttin1 it behind .e, ,al/ed a,ay do,n the lon1 -o++ido+ (,hi-h no,, loo/in1 ba-/ f+o. the 1a+den see.ed so da+/) ,ithout anothe+ ,o+d. *A ne, 0u0il fo+ .e< And ,hat a. I to tea-h you, -hild of the -ount+yC* I 1a>ed u0on the st+an1e .an in silen-e. Ho, -ould I tell ,hat he ,as to tea-h .eC* *Is it the .yste+ies of the 1+o,th of the 0lants you a+e to lea+nC 99 o+ the .yste+ies of the 1+o,th of sin and de-eitC ay, -hild, loo/ not so u0on .e, but 0onde+ .y ,o+ds and you ,ill by9and9by unde+stand the.. o,, -o.e ,ith .e, and fea+ not.* He too/ .y hand and led .e unde+ the tall9lea2ed 0lants to,a+ds the sound of ,ate+. Ho, e=?uisite it see.ed to .y ea+s, that soft, b+i1ht, .usi-al +hyth.< *He+e is the ho.e of ou+ Lady of the Lotus (6idya, s0i+itual intelli1en-e) the Lotus,* said the .an. *!it do,n he+e and loo/ u0on he+ beauty ,hile I ,o+/3 fo+ I ha2e .u-h to do that you -annot hel0 .e in.* othin1 loth, indeed, ,as I to sin/ u0on the 1+een 1+ass and only loo/ 99 loo/ in a.a>e.ent 99 in ,onde+ 99 in a,e< That ,ate+ 99 that deli-ate92oi-ed ,ate+ 99 li2ed only to feed the ?ueen of flo,e+s. I said to .yself, thou a+t indeed the Gueen of all flo,e+s i.a1inable. !E "!I E #O $%. And as I 1a>ed d+ea.in1ly in .y youthful enthusias. u0on this ,hite bloo. ,hi-h see.ed to .e, ,ith its soft, 1old9dusted hea+t, the 2e+y e.ble. of 0u+e, +o.anti- lo2e 99 as I 1a>ed the flo,e+ see.ed to -han1e in sha0e 99 to e=0and 99 to +ise to,a+ds .e. And lo, d+in/in1 at the st+ea. of s,eet soundin1 ,ate+, stoo0in1 to ta/e its +ef+eshin1 d+o0s u0on he+ li0s, I beheld a ,o.an of fai+ s/in ,ith hai+ li/e the dust of 1old. A.a>ed, I loo/ed and st+o2e to .o2e to,a+ds he+, but e+e I -ould .a/e any effo+t .y ,hole -ons-iousness left .e, and, I su00ose, I .ust ha2e s,ooned a,ay. #o+, indeed, the ne=t that I -an +e-all "a1e H

I lay u0on the 1+ass, ,ith the sense of -ool ,ate+ u0on .y fa-e, and o0enin1 .y eyes, I beheld the bla-/9+obed, st+an1e fa-ed 1a+dene+ leanin1 o2e+ .e. *Was the heat too .u-h fo+ theeC* he as/ed, his b+o, /nit in 0e+0le=ity. *Thou loo/est a st+on1 lad to faint fo+ the heat, and that, .o+eo2e+, in a -ool 0la-e li/e this.* *Whe+e is sheC* ,as .y only +e0ly, as I atte.0ted to +ise u0on .y elbo, and loo/ to,a+ds the lily bed. *What<* -+ied the .an his ,hole -ountenan-e -han1in1, and assu.in1 a loo/ of s,eetness that I should ne2e+ ha2e su00osed -ould a00ea+ u0on a fa-e so natu+ally unbeautiful. *Hast thou seen he+C 5ut no 99 I a. hasty in su00osin1 it. What ha2e you seen boyC 99 do not hesitate to tell .e.* The 1entleness of his e=0+ession hel0ed .y s-atte+ed and sta+tled senses to -olle-t the.sel2es. I told hi. ,hat I had seen and, as I s0o/e, I loo/ed to,a+ds the lily bed, ho0in1, indeed, that the fai+ ,o.an .i1ht a1ain stoo0 to sla/e he+ thi+st at the st+ea.let. The .anne+ of .y st+an1e tea-he+ 1+adually -han1ed as I s0o/e to hi.. When I -eased des-+ibin1 the beautiful ,o.an ,ith the enthusias. of a boy ,ho has ne2e+ seen any but his o,n dus/y9s/inned +a-e, he fell u0on his /nees beside .e. *Thou hast seen he+<* he said in a 2oi-e of dee0 e=-ite.ent. *All hail< fo+ thou a+t destined to be a tea-he+ a.on1 us 99 a hel0 to the 0eo0le 99 thou a+t a see+<* 5e,ilde+ed by his ,o+ds, I only loo/ed u0on hi. in silen-e. Afte+ a .o.ent I 1+e, te++ified, fo+ I be1an to thin/ he .ust be .ad. I loo/ed a+ound, ,onde+in1 ,hethe+ I -ould +etu+n to the te.0le and es-a0e f+o. hi.. 5ut e2en as I debated ,ithin .yself ,hethe+ to 2entu+e u0on this, he +ose and tu+ned u0on .e ,ith the sin1ula+ s,eet s.ile, ,hi-h a00ea+ed to -o2e+ and hide the u1liness of his st+on1ly .a+/ed featu+es. *Co.e ,ith .e,* he said3 and I +ose and follo,ed hi.. We 0assed th+ou1h the 1a+den ,hi-h ,as so full of att+a-tions fo+ .y ,ande+in1 eyes that I loite+ed on .y 0ath behind hi.. Ah, su-h s,eet flo,e+s3 su-h +i-h 0u+0les and dee09hea+ted -+i.son. %iffi-ult I found it not to 0ause and inhale the s,eetness of ea-h fai+9fa-ed blosso., thou1h still they see.ed to .e, in .y so +e-ent ado+ation of its beauty, to but +efle-t the su0+e.e e=?uisiteness of the ,hite lotus flo,e+. We ,ent to,a+ds a 1ate in the te.0leD a diffe+ent one f+o. that by ,hi-h I had ente+ed the 1a+den. As ,e a00+oa-hed it, the+e issued fo+th t,o 0+iests -lad in the sa.e ,hite linen +obes as I had seen ,o+n by the 1olden9bea+ded 0+iest A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB. These .en ,e+e da+/3 and thou1h they .o2ed ,ith a si.ila+ stateliness and e?uilib+iu., as thou1h indeed, they ,e+e the .ost fi+.ly +ooted 1+o,th of the ea+th, yet to .y eyes they la-/ed a so.ethin1 ,hi-h the 0+iest A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB 0ossessed 99 a -e+tain 0e+fe-tion of -al. and assu+edness. They ,e+e youn1e+ than he, I soon sa,3 "a1e &(

0e+ha0s the+ein lay the diffe+en-e. My da+/92isa1ed tea-he+ d+e, the. aside, lea2in1 .e to stand in the 0leasant shado, of the dee09a+-hed doo+,ay. He s0o/e to the. e=-itedly, thou1h e2idently ,ith +e2e+en-e3 ,hile they, listenin1 ,ith ?ui-/ inte+est, 1lan-ed e2e+ and anon to,a+ds .e. "+esently they -a.e to .e, and the bla-/9+obed .an tu+ned and .o2ed o2e+ the 1+ass, as thou1h +etu+nin1 on the ,ay ,e had -o.e to1ethe+. The ,hite9-lad 0+iests, ad2an-in1 unde+ the doo+,ay, s0o/e to1ethe+ in lo, ,his0e+s. When they +ea-hed .e they .otioned .e to follo, the., and I did soD 0assin1 th+ou1h -ool, hi1h9+oofed -o++ido+s and 1a>in1 idly, as ,as al,ays a foolish habit of .ine, u0on e2e+ythin1 I 0assed3 ,hile they, still ,his0e+in1 to1ethe+ as they 0+e-eded .e, ,ould no, and then -ast loo/s u0on .e, the .eanin1 of ,hi-h I -ould not unde+stand. "+esently they tu+ned out of the -o++ido+s, and ente+ed into a la+1e +oo. si.ila+ to the one I had al+eady seen ,he+e the old 0+iest ,as inst+u-tin1 his -o0yists. This ,as di2ided by an e.b+oide+ed -u+tain ,hi-h fell in .a4esti- folds f+o. the lofty +oof to the 1+ound. I al,ays lo2ed beautiful thin1s, and I noti-ed ho,, as it tou-hed the 1+ound, it stood fi+. ,ith the stiffness of the +i-h 1old ,o+/ u0on it. One of the 0+iests ad2an-ed, and d+a,in1 ba-/ one side of the -u+tain a little, I hea+d hi. say 99 *My lo+d, .ay I ente+C* And no, I be1an to t+e.ble a little a1ain. They had not loo/ed un/indly u0on .e, yet ho, -ould I tell ,hat o+deal a,aited .eC I loo/ed in fea+ u0on the beautiful -u+tain and ,onde+ed, in so.e natu+al fea+, ,ho sat behind it. I had not o2e+lon1 in ,hi-h to t+e.ble and be af+aid of I /ne, not ,hat. 5efo+e lon1 the 0+iest ,ho had ente+ed +etu+ned, and a--o.0anyin1 hi. I sa, ,as the 1olden9bea+ded 0+iest A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB. He did not s0ea/ to .e, but said to the othe+s 99 *Wait thou he+e ,ith hi., ,hile I 1o to .y b+othe+ $a.en 5a/a Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB And sayin1 this, he left us alone a1ain in the 1+eat stone +oo.. My fea+s +etu+ned t+ebly u0on .e. Had but the stately 0+iest 1i2en .e a 1lan-e ,hi-h held /indness in it, I had not so yielded to the., but no, I ,as a1ain 0lun1ed in 2a1ue te++o+s of ,hat ne=t should -o.e u0on .e3 and I ,as ,ea/ened also by the s,oon ,hi-h had but so +e-ently 0+ost+ated .e. T+e.blin1, I san/ u0on a stone ben-h, ,hi-h +an a+ound the ,all3 ,hile the t,o da+/9hai+ed 0+iests tal/ed to1ethe+.
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I thin/ the sus0ense ,ould soon ho2e b+ou1ht anothe+ la0se into un-ons-iousness u0on .e, but suddenly I ,as a1ain a,a/ened to the doubts and 0ossibilities of .y 0osition by the ent+an-e of A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB, a--o.0anied by anothe+ 0+iest of .ost noble a00ea+an-e. He ,as fai+9s/inned and fai+9hai+ed, thou1h not so fai+ in eithe+ as A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB3 he sha+ed ,ith hi. the stately i..obility of a00ea+an-e ,hi-h .ade A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB an ob4e-t of the dee0est a,e to .e3 and in his da+/ eyes the+e ,as a bene2olen-e ,hi-h I had not yet seen in any of the 0+iests) -ountenan-es. I felt less fea+ful as I loo/ed u0on hi.. *This is he,* said A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB, in his .usi-ally -old 2oi-e. Why, I ,onde+ed, ,as I thus s0o/en ofC I ,as but a ne, no2i-e, and had al+eady been handed o2e+ to .y tea-he+. *5+eth+en* -+ied $a.en 5a/a Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB *is it not best that he should be -lothed in the ,hite 1a+.ent of the see+C Ta/e hi. to the baths3 let hi. bathe and be anointed. Then ,ill I and A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB .y b+othe+ 0ut u0on hi. the ,hite +obe. We ,ill then lea2e hi. to +e0ose, ,hile ,e +e0o+t to the -o.0any of the hi1h 0+iests. 5+in1 hi. ba-/ he+e ,hen he has bathed.* The t,o youn1e+ 0+iests led .e f+o. the +oo.. I be1an to see that they belon1ed to an infe+io+ o+de+ in the 0+iesthood, and, loo/in1 on the. no,, I sa, that thei+ ,hite +obes had not the beautiful 1olden e.b+oide+y u0on the., but ,e+e .a+/ed ,ith bla-/ lines and stit-hin1s a+ound the ed1es. Ho, deli-ious, afte+ all .y ,ea+iness, ,as the s-ented bath ,hi-h they led .e to< It soothed and eased .y 2e+y s0i+it. When I left it I ,as +ubbed ,ith a soft and s,eet oil, and then they ,+a00ed .e in a linen sheet, and b+ou1ht .e +ef+esh.ent 99 f+uits, oiled -a/es, and a f+a1+ant d+au1ht that see.ed to both st+en1then and sti.ulate .e. Then I ,as led fo+th a1ain to the -ha.be+ in ,hi-h the t,o 0+iests a,aited .e. They ,e+e the+e, ,ith anothe+ 0+iest of the infe+io+ o+de+, ,ho held in his hands a fine linen 1a+.ent of 0u+e ,hite. The t,o 0+iests too/ this, and, as the othe+s d+e, a,ay the sheet f+o. .y fo+., they to1ethe+ 0ut it u0on .e. And ,hen they had done so, they 4oined thei+ hands u0on .y head, ,hile the othe+ 0+iests /nelt do,n ,he+e they stood. I /ne, not ,hat all this .eant 99 I ,as a1ain be-o.in1 ala+.ed. 5ut the bodily +ef+esh.ent had done .u-h to soothe .y soul, and ,hen ,ithout fu+the+ -e+e.ony, they sent .e a,ay a1ain ,ith the t,o infe+io+ 0+iests, ,ith ,ho. I felt a little fa.ilia+i>ed, .y s0i+its a+ose, and .y ste0 be-a.e li1ht. They too/ .e to a s.all +oo., in ,hi-h ,as a lon1, lo, di2an -o2e+ed ,ith a linen sheet. The+e ,as nothin1 else in the +oo., and indeed I felt as if .y eyes and b+ain .i1ht ,ell +e.ain ,ithout inte+est fo+ a "a1e &8

,hile3 fo+ ho, .u-h had I not seen sin-e I ente+ed the te.0le in the .o+nin1< Ho, lon1 it see.ed sin-e I had let 1o .y .othe+)s hand at the 1ate< *Rest in 0ea-e,* said one of the 0+iests. *Ta/e you+ fill of slee0, fo+ you ,ill be a,a/ened in the fi+st -ool hou+s of the ni1ht<* And so they left .e.
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The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Chapter III
I lay u0on .y -ou-h, ,hi-h ,as soft enou1h to .a/e it 2e+y ,el-o.e to .y ,ea+y li.bs, and befo+e lon1 I ,as bu+ied in 0+ofound slee0, not,ithstandin1 the st+an1eness of .y su++oundin1s. The health and faith of youth enabled .e to fo+1et all the ne,ness of .y 0osition in the te.0o+a+y lu=u+y of -o.0lete +est. ot lon1 afte+,a+ds I ha2e ente+ed that -ell to 1a>e u0on that -ou-h, and .a+2el ,he+e the 0ea-e of .ind had flo,n that had been .ine in .y i1no+ant boyhood. When I a,o/e it ,as ?uite da+/, and I sta+ted suddenly to a sittin1 0ostu+e, 2i2idly -ons-ious of a hu.an 0+esen-e in the +oo.. My ,its ,e+e s-atte+ed by .y sudden a,a/enin1. I thou1ht .yself to be at ho.e, and that it ,as .y .othe+ ,ho ,as silently ,at-hin1 beside .e. *Mothe+,* I -+ied out, *,hat is the .atte+C Why a+e you he+eC A+e you illC A+e the shee0 ast+ayC* #o+ a .o.ent the+e ,as no ans,e+, and .y hea+t be1an to beat +a0idly as I +eali>ed in the .idst of the blan/ da+/ness that I ,as not at ho.e 99 that I ,as indeed in a ne, 0la-e 99 that I /ne, not ,ho it .i1ht be that thus silently ,at-hed in .y +oo.. #o+ the fi+st ti.e I lon1ed fo+ .y little ho.ely -ha.be+ 99 fo+ the sound of .y .othe+)s 2oi-e. And, thou1h I thin/ I ,as a b+a2e lad, and one not 1i2en to ,o.anish ,ea/ness, I lay do,n a1ain and ,e0t aloud. *5+in1 li1hts,* said a ?uiet 2oi-e3 *he is a,a/e.* I hea+d sounds, and then a st+on1 f+a1+an-e -+e0t to .y nost+ils. I..ediately afte+,a+ds t,o youn1 no2i-es ente+ed at the doo+, bea+in1 sil2e+ la.0s, ,hi-h th+e, a sudden and 2i2id li1ht into the +oo.. Then I sa, 99 and the si1ht so sta+tled .e that I -eased to ,ee0 and, fo+1ot .y ho.e9si-/ness 99 I sa, that .y +oo. ,as ?uite full of ,hite9+obed 0+iests, all standin1 .otionless. o ,onde+, indeed, that I had been o2e+0o,e+ed by the sense of a hu.an 0+esen-e in .y +oo.. I ,as su++ounded by a silent and statues?ue -+o,d of .en ,hose eyes ,e+e bent u0on the 1+ound, ,hose hands ,e+e -+ossed u0on thei+ b+easts. I san/ ba-/ a1ain u0on .y -ou-h and -o2e+ed .y fa-e3 the li1hts, the -+o,d of fa-es, o2e+0o,e+ed .e3 and I felt st+on1ly dis0osed, ,hen I had +e-o2e+ed f+o. .y astonish.ent, to be1in ,ee0in1 a1ain f+o. shee+ be,ilde+.ent of ideas. The f+a1+an-e 1+e, st+on1e+ and .o+e intense, the +oo. see.ed filled ,ith bu+nin1 in-ense3 and, o0enin1 .y eyes, I sa, that a youn1 0+iest on ea-h side of .e held the 2ases ,hi-h -ontained it. The +oo., as I ha2e said, ,as full of 0+iests3 but the+e ,as an inne+ -i+-le -lose about .y -ou-h. U0on the fa-es of these .en I 1a>ed ,ith a,e. A.on1 the. ,e+e A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB and $a.en Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddess AA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an natu+eB and the othe+s sha+ed ,ith the. the st+an1e i..obility of e=0+ession ,hi-h had affe-ted .e so dee0ly. I 1lan-ed f+o. fa-e to fa-e and -o2e+ed .y eyes a1ain t+e.blin1. I felt as thou1h ,alled in by an i.0enet+able ba++ie+3 I ,as i.0+isoned, ,ith these .en a+ound .e, by so.ethin1 infinitely .o+e i.0assable than stone ,alls. The silen-e ,as b+o/en at last. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB s0o/e. *A+ise, -hild,* he said, *and -o.e ,ith us.* I a+ose obediently, thou1h t+uly I ,ould +athe+ ha2e +e.ained alone in .y da+/ -ha.be+ than ha2e a--o.0anied this st+an1e and silent -+o,d. 5ut I had no -hoi-e "a1e &;

sa2e silent -o.0lian-e ,hen I en-ounte+ed the -old, i.0enet+able blue eyes ,hi-h A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB tu+ned u0on .e. I a+ose, and found that ,hen I .o2ed I ,as en-losed by the sa.e inne+ -i+-le. 5efo+e, behind, and at the side of .e they ,al/ed, the othe+s .o2in1 in o+de+ly fashion outside the -ent+e. We 0assed do,n a lon1 -o++ido+ until ,e +ea-hed the 1+eat ent+an-e doo+ of the te.0le. It stood o0en and I felt +ef+eshed as by the fa-e of an old f+iend by the 1li.0se I 1ot of the sta+lit do.e ,ithout. 5ut the 1li.0se ,as b+ief. We halted 4ust inside the 1+eat doo+s, and so.e of the 0+iests -losed and ba++ed the.3 ,e then tu+ned to,a+ds the 1+eat -ent+al -o++ido+ ,hi-h I had obse+2ed on .y fi+st ent+an-e. I noti-ed no, that, thou1h so s0a-ious and beautiful, no doo+s o0ened into it, sa2e one dee0 a+-hed one +i1ht at the end, fa-in1 the 1+eat te.0le a2enue. I ,onde+ed idly ,he+e this solita+y doo+ ,ould lead. They b+ou1ht a little -hai+, and 0la-ed it in the .idst of the -o++ido+. On this I ,as told to sit, fa-in1 the doo+ at the fa+ end. I did so, silent and ala+.ed3 99 ,hat .eant this st+an1e thin1C Why ,as I to sit thus, ,ith the hi1h 0+iests standin1 a+ound .eC What o+deal ,as befo+e .eC 5ut I +esol2ed to be b+a2e, to ha2e no fea+. Was not I al+eady -lothed in a 0u+e ,hite linen 1a+.entC T+uly it ,as not e.b+oide+ed in 1old3 but yet it ,as not stit-hed ,ith bla-/, li/e that of the youn1e+ 0+iests. It ,as 0u+e ,hite3 and 0+idin1 .yself that this .ust .ean so.e so+t of distin-tion. I t+ied to sustain .y failin1 -ou+a1e by this idea. The in-ense 1+e, so st+on1 that it .ade .y head -onfused. I ,as una--usto.ed to the s-ents ,hi-h the 0+iests so la2ishly s-atte+ed. !uddenly 99 ,ithout ,o+d o+ any si1n of 0+e0a+ation 99 the li1hts ,e+e e=tin1uished, and I found .yself on-e .o+e in the da+/, su++ounded by a st+an1e and silent -+o,d. I t+ied to -olle-t .yself and +eali>e ,he+e I ,as. I +e.e.be+ed that the .ass of the -+o,d ,as behind .e, that in f+ont of .e the 0+iests had 0a+ted, so that, thou1h the inne+ -i+-le still se0a+ated .e f+o. the othe+s, I ,as loo/in1, ,hen the li1hts ,e+e 0ut out, st+ai1ht do,n the -o++ido+ to,a+ds the dee09a+-hed doo+ ,ay. I ,as ala+.ed and .ise+able. I -u+led .yself to1ethe+ on .y seat, intendin1 to be b+a2e, if need be, but in the .eanti.e to +e.ain as silent and unobt+usi2e as 0ossible. Mu-h did I -he-/ the -al. fa-es of those hi1h 0+iests ,ho. I /ne, to be standin1 i..o2ably beside .e. The absolute silen-e of the -+o,d behind filled .e ,ith te++o+ and a,e. I ,as at so.e .o.ents so full of ala+. that I ,onde+ed ,hethe+, if I a+ose and .o2ed st+ai1ht do,n the -o++ido+, I -ould es-a0e f+o. bet,een the 0+iests unnoti-ed. 5ut I da+ed not t+y it3 and indeed the in-ense -o.bined ,ith the effe-ts of the subtle d+in/ and the ?uiet ,e+e 0+odu-in1 an una--usto.ed d+o,siness. My eyes ,e+e half -losed, and I thin/ I .i1ht soon ha2e fallen aslee0, but .y -u+iosity ,as suddenly a+oused by 0e+-ei2in1 that a line of li1ht sho,ed a+ound the ed1es of the doo+,ay at the fa+ end of the -o++ido+. I o0ened .y eyes ,ide to loo/, and soon sa, that slo,ly, 2e+y slo,ly, the doo+ ,as bein1 o0ened. At last it stood half9,ay o0en and a di. suffused /ind of li1ht -a.e fo+th f+o. it. 5ut at ou+ end of the -o++ido+ the da+/ness +e.ained total and un+elie2ed, and I hea+d no sound o+ si1n of life, sa2e a lo,, subdued b+eathin1 f+o. the .en ,ho su++ounded .e.
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I -losed .y eyes afte+ a fe, .o.ents3 fo+ I ,as 1a>in1 so intently out of the da+/ness that .y eyes 1+e, ,ea+ied. When I o0ened the. a1ain I sa, that the+e stood a fi1u+e 4ust outside the doo+,ay. Its outline ,as distin-t, but the fo+. and fa-e ,e+e di., by +eason of the li1ht bein1 behind3 yet, un+easonable as it ,as, I ,as filled ,ith a sudden ho++o+ 99 .y flesh -+ee0ed, and I had to use a /ind of 0hysi-al +e0+essi2e fo+-e in o+de+ to 0+e2ent .yself f+o. s-+ea.in1 aloud. This intole+able sense of fea+ .o.ently in-+eased3 fo+ the fi1u+e ad2an-ed to,a+ds .e, slo,ly, and ,ith a /ind of 1lidin1 .otion that ,as unea+thly. I sa, no,, as it nea+ed, that it ,as +obed in so.e /ind of da+/ 1a+.ent, ,hi-h al.ost enti+ely 2eiled fo+. and fa-e. 5ut I -ould not see 2e+y -lea+ly, fo+ the li1ht f+o. the doo+,ay only faintly +ea-hed out f+o. it. 5ut .y a1ony of fea+ ,as suddenly au1.ented by obse+2in1 that, ,hen the 1lidin1 fi1u+e nea+ly a00+oa-hed .e, it /indled so.e /ind of li1ht ,hi-h it held, and ,hi-h illu.ined its di. d+a0e+y. 5ut this li1ht .ade nothin1 else 2isible. 5y a 1i1anti- effo+t I +e.o2ed .y fas-inated 1a>e f+o. the .yste+ious fi1u+e, and tu+ned .y head, ho0in1 to see the fo+.s of the 0+iests beside .e. 5ut thei+ fo+.s ,e+e not to be seen 99 all ,as a total blan/ of da+/ness. This +eleased the s0ell of ho++o+ that ,as on .e, and I -+ied out 99 a -+y of a1ony and fea+ 99 and bo,ed .y head in .y hands. The 2oi-e of A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an ea+. *#ea+ not, .y -hild,* he said in his .elodious, undistu+bed a--ents. atu+eB fell u0on .y
I .ade an effo+t to -ont+ol .yself, hel0ed by this sound ,hi-h sa2o+ed at least of so.ethin1 less unfa.ilia+ and te++ible than the 2eiled fi1u+e ,hi-h stood befo+e .e. It ,as the+e 99 not -lose, but -lose enou1h to fill .y soul ,ith a /ind of unea+thly te++o+. *!0ea/, -hild,* said a1ain the 2oi-e of A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB, *and tell us ,hat ala+.s theeC* I da+ed not disobey, thou1h .y ton1ue -lo2e to the +oof of .y .outh3 and, indeed, a ne, su+0+ise enabled .e to s0ea/ .o+e easily than othe+,ise I -ould ha2e done. *What,* I e=-lai.ed, *do you not see the li1ht f+o. the doo+,ay, and the 2eiled fi1u+eC Oh< send it a,ay3 it f+i1htens .e<* A lo,, subdued .u+.u+ see.ed to -o.e f+o. all the -+o,d at on-e e2idently .y ,o+ds e=-ited the.. Then the -al. 2oi-e of A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB a1ain s0o/eD 99 *Ou+ ?ueen is ,el-o.e, and ,e do he+ all +e2e+en-e.* The 2eiled fi1u+e bo,ed its head, and then ad2an-ed nea+e+. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB s0o/e on-e .o+e, afte+ a 0ause of total silen-e 99 *Cannot ou+ Lady .a/e he+ sub4e-ts .o+e o0en9eyed, and 1i2e the. -o..ands as befo+eC* "a1e &E

The fi1u+e stoo0ed, and see.ed to t+a-e so.ethin1 on the 1+ound. I loo/ed and sa, the ,o+ds in lette+s of fi+e, ,hi-h 2anished as they -a.e 99 *Ies3 but the -hild .ust ente+ .y san-tua+y alone ,ith .e.* I sa, the ,o+ds, I say, and .y 2e+y flesh t+e.bled ,ith ho++o+. The unintelli1ible d+ead of this 2eiled fo+. ,as so 0o,e+ful that I ,ould +athe+ ha2e died than fulfill su-h a -o..and. The 0+iests ,e+e silent, and I 1uessed that, as the fi1u+e, so the fie+y lette+s ,e+e in2isible to the.. I..ediately I +efle-ted that if, st+an1e and in-+edible as it see.ed, it ,e+e so, they ,ould not /no, of the -o..and. Te++ified as I ,as, ho, -ould I b+in1 .yself to f+a.e the ,o+ds ,hi-h should b+in1 u0on .e an o+deal so utte+ly d+eadfulC I +e.ained silent. The fi1u+e tu+ned suddenly to,a+ds .e and see.ed to loo/ on .e. Then a1ain it t+a-ed, in the s,iftly 2anishin1, fie+y lette+s 99 *"ass on .y .essa1e.* 5ut I -ould not3 indeed, ho++o+ had no, .ade it 0hysi-ally i.0ossible. My ton1ue ,as s,ollen and see.ed to fill .y .outh. The fi1u+e tu+ned to .e ,ith a 1estu+e of fie+-e an1e+. With a ?ui-/, 1lidin1 .o2e.ent, it da+ted to,a+ds .e, and d+e, the 2eil f+o. its fa-e. My eyes see.ed to sta+t f+o. thei+ so-/ets, as that fa-e ,as u0tu+ned -lose to .ine. It ,as not hideous, thou1h the eyes ,e+e full of an i-y an1e+ 99 in an1e+ that flashed not, but f+o>e. It ,as not hideous, yet it filled .e ,ith su-h loathin1 and fea+ as I had ne2e+ i.a1ined 0ossible, and the ho++o+ of it lay in the fea+ful unnatu+alness of the -ountenan-e. It see.ed to be fo+.ed of the ele.ents of flesh and blood, yet it i.0+essed .e as bein1 only a .as/ of hu.anity 99 a fea+ful, -o+0o+eal un+eality 99 a thin1 .ade u0 of flesh and blood, ,ithout the life of flesh and blood. Into a se-ond ,e+e -+o,ded these ho++o+s. Then ,ith a 0ie+-in1 sh+ie/ I s,ooned fo+ the se-ond ti.e in that day 99 .y fi+st day in the te.0le.
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The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Chapter I&
When I a,o/e I felt .y body to be -o2e+ed ,ith a -old de,, and .y li.bs see.ed lifeless. I lay hel0lessly ,onde+in1 ,he+e I ,as. It ,as still and da+/, and at best the sense of solita+y ?uiet ,as deli1htful. 5ut soon .y .ind be1an to +e2ie, the e2ents ,hi-h had .ade the 0ast day see. li/e a yea+ to .e. The 2ision of the ,hite Lotus9 flo,e+ 1+e, st+on1 in .y eyes, but ,aned as .y te++ified soul fle, on to the +e-olle-tion of that late+ and .ost ho++ible si1ht 99 that ,hi-h, indeed, had been the last befo+e the., until no, ,hen I a,o/e in the da+/ness. A1ain I sa, itD a1ain, in .y i.a1ination, I sa, that u0lifted fa-e 99 its 1hastly un+eality, the -old 1la+e of its -+uel eyes. I ,as unst+un1, unne+2ed, e=hausted 99 and a1ain thou1h no, the 2ision see.ed but .y o,n i.a1ination I -+ied aloud in te++o+. I..ediately I sa, a li1ht a00+oa-h the doo+,ay of the +oo., and a 0+iest ente+ed, -a++yin1 a sil2e+ la.0. I sa, by its +ays, that I ,as in a -ha.be+ ,hi-h I had not befo+e ente+ed. It see.ed full of -o.fo+t. I sa, that soft fallin1 -u+tains .ade it se-luded, and I felt that the ai+ ,as full of a 0leasant f+a1+an-e. The 0+iest a00+oa-hed, and as he nea+ed .e he bo,ed his head. *What needs .y lo+dC* he said. *!hall I b+in1 f+esh ,ate+ if thou a+t thi+sty<* *I a. not thi+sty,* I ans,e+ed3 *I a. af+aid 99 af+aid of the ho++ible thin1 ,hi-h I ha2e seen.* * ay,* he ans,e+ed, *it is but thy youth that .a/es thee af+aid. The 1a>e of ou+ all90o,e+ful Lady is at all ti.es enou1h to .a/e a .an s,oon. #ea+ not, fo+ thou a+t hono+ed in that thine eyes ha2e 2ision. What shall I b+in1 to 1i2e thee easeC* *Is it ni1htC* I said, +estlessly tu+nin1 u0on .y soft -ou-h. *It is nea+ .o+nin1 no,,* ans,e+ed the 0+iest. *Oh that the day ,ould -o.e<* I e=-lai.ed3 *that the blessed sun should blot f+o. .y eyes the thin1 that .a/es .e shudde+< I a. af+aid of the da+/ness, fo+ the da+/ness is the e2il fa-e<* *I ,ill stay beside you+ bed,* said the 0+iest ?uietly. He 0la-ed the sil2e+ la.0 u0on a stand and sat do,n nea+ .e. His fa-e +ela0sed into instant -o.0osu+e, and e+e he had been the+e a .o.ent he see.ed to "a1e &'

.e nau1ht but a -a+2en statue. His eyes ,e+e -oldD his s0ee-h, thou1h full of /ind ,o+ds, had no ,a+.th in it. I sh+an/ a,ay f+o. hi.3 fo+ as I loo/ed on hi. the 2ision of the -o++ido+ see.ed to +ise bet,een us. I bo+e this a ,hile, t+yin1 to find -o.fo+t in his 0+esen-e3 but at len1th I bu+st fo+th in ,o+ds, fo+1ettin1 .y fea+ of 1i2in1 offen-e, ,hi-h had /e0t .e until no, so obediently ?uiet. *Oh, I -annot bea+ it<* I -+ied. *Let .e 1o a,ay3 let .e 1o out 99 into the 1a+den 99 any,he+e< The ,hole 0la-e is full of the 2ision. I see it e2e+y,he+e. I -annot shut .y eyes a1ainst it< Oh, let .e 99 let .e 1o a,ay<* *Rebel not a1ainst the 2ision* ans,e+ed the 0+iest. *It -a.e to thee f+o. the san-tua+y 99 f+o. the .ost sa-+ed sh+ine. It has .a+/ed thee as one diffe+ent f+o. othe+s, one ,ho ,ill be hono+ed and ea+ed fo+ a.on1 us. 5ut thou .ust subdue the +ebellion of thy hea+t.* I ,as silent. The ,o+ds san/ li/e -old i-i-les u0on .y soul. I did not 1+as0 thei+ .eanin1 99 indeed, it ,as i.0ossible that I should3 but ,as sensiti2ely ali2e to the -hill of the s0ee-h. Afte+ a lon1 0ause, in ,hi-h I t+ied ha+d to 0ut thou1ht out of .y .ind, and so obtain +elease f+o. .y fea+s, a sudden +e-olle-tion sei>ed .e ,ith an a1+eeable sense of +elief. *Whe+e,* I said, *is the bla-/ .an ,ho. I sa, in the 1a+den yeste+dayC* *WhatC 99 the 1a+dene+, !eboua AintuitionB < He ,ill be slee0in1 in his -ha.be+. 5ut ,hen the days b+ea/s he +ise and 1o out into the 1a+den.* *May I 1o ,ith hi.C* I as/ed, ,ith fe2e+ish an=iety, e2en -las0in1 .y hands as in 0+aye+, so dist+essed ,as I lest I should be +efused. *Into the 1a+denC If you a+e +estless, it ,ill soothe the fe2e+ that is u0on you+ f+a.e, to 1o a.on1 the .o+nin1 de,s and the f+esh flo,e+s. I ,ill -all !eboua AintuitionB to fet-h you, ,hen I see the da,n b+ea/in1.* I hea2ed a dee0 si1h of +elief at this easy assent to .y 0+aye+3 and tu+nin1 a,ay f+o. the 0+iest, lay still ,ith -losed eyes, t+yin1 to /ee0 all ho++id si1hts o+ i.a1inin1s f+o. .e by the thou1ht of the sense of deli1ht ,hi-h ,ould soon be .ine ,hen I should lea2e the -lose, a+tifi-ially 0e+fu.ed -ha.be+ fo+ the s,eetness and f+ee inb+eathin1 of the oute+ ai+. I said no ,o+d, ,aitin1 0atiently3 and the 0+iest sat .otionless beside .e. At last, afte+ ,hat see.ed to .e hou+s of ,ea+y ,aitin1, he a+ose and e=tin1uished the sil2e+ la.0. I sa, then that a di. 1+ay li1ht ente+ed the +oo. f+o. the lofty ,indo,s. *I ,ill -all !eboua AintuitionB ,* he said, tu+nin1 to .e, *and send hi. to you. Re.e.be+ that this is you+ "a1e &H

-ha.be+, ,hi-h is hen-efo+th to belon1 to you. Retu+n he+e befo+e the .o+nin1 -e+e.onies3 the+e ,ill be no2i-es ,aitin1 ,ith the bath and oil fo+ you+ anoint.ent.* *And ho,,* said I, .u-h te++ified at the idea of bein1, by so.e st+an1e destiny, so i.0o+tant a 0e+son 99 *ho, shall I /no, ,hen to +etu+n he+eC* *Iou need not -o.e till afte+ the .o+nin1 .eal. A bell +in1s fo+ that3 and, .o+eo2e+, !eboua AintuitionB ,ill tell you.* With these ,o+ds he de0a+ted. I ,as full of 0leasu+e at the thou1ht of the f+esh ai+ ,hi-h ,ould +e2i2e .y unnatu+ally ,ea+ied body3 and I lon1ed to see !eboua)s AintuitionB st+an1e fa-e, and the s,eet s.ile ,hi-h ,ould no, and then oblite+ate his u1liness. It see.ed as thou1h his had been the only hu.an fa-e I had seen sin-e I 0a+ted ,ith .y .othe+. I loo/ed to see if I still ,o+e .y linen 1a+.ent so that I ,as +eady to 1o ,ith hi.. Ies, it ,as on .e, .y 0u+e ,hite d+ess. I loo/ed on it ,ith a sense of 0+ide, fo+ I had ne2e+ ,o+n anythin1 so finely ,o2en befo+e. I ,as so fa+ +esto+ed to ?uietude by the idea of bein1 a1ain ,ith !eboua AintuitionB that I lay loo/in1 idly at .y d+ess, and ,onde+in1 ,hat .y .othe+ ,ould ha2e thou1ht, seein1 .e -lad in this fine and deli-ate linen. It ,as not lon1 befo+e I hea+d a ste0 ,hi-h +oused .e f+o. .y d+ea.in13 !eboua)s AintuitionB st+an1e 2isa1e a00ea+ed in the doo+,ay3 !eboua)s AintuitionB bla-/ fo+. ad2an-ed to,a+ds .e. He ,as u1ly 99 yes3 un-outh 99 yes3 bla-/ and ,ithout any fai+ness of a00ea+an-e. Iet as he ente+ed and loo/ed on .e, the s.ile ,hi-h I +e.e.be+ed a1ain i++adiated his fa-e. He ,as hu.an< 99 lo2in1< I st+et-hed out .y hands to hi. as I +ose f+o. .y -ou-h. *O !eboua< AintuitionB * I said, the tea+s +isin1 in .y foolish boy)s eyes as I sa, this 1entleness u0on his fa-e 99 *!eboua AintuitionB , ,hy a. I he+eC What is it that .a/es the. say I a. diffe+ent f+o. othe+sC !eboua AintuitionB , tell .e, a. I a1ain to see that a,ful fo+.C* !eboua AintuitionB -a.e and /nelt beside .e. It see.ed natu+al in this bla-/ .an to /neel do,n ,hen a sense of a,e o2e+-a.e hi.. *My son* he said, *thou a+t 1ifted f+o. hea2en ,ith un-losed eyes. 5e b+a2e in the 0ossession of the 1ift and thou shalt be a li1ht in the .idst of the da+/ness that is des-endin1 u0on ou+ unha00y land.* *I don)t ,ant to be,* I said f+etfully. I ,as not af+aid of hi., and .y +ebellion .ust out. *I don)t ,ant to do anythin1 ,hi-h .a/es one feel so st+an1e. Why ha2e I beheld this 1hastly fa-e ,hi-h e2en no, -o.es befo+e .y eyes and blots out f+o. the. the li1ht of dayC* "a1e 8(

*Co.e ,ith .e,* said !eboua AintuitionB , +isin1 instead of ans,e+in1 .y ?uestion and holdin1 out his hand to .e. *Co.e, and ,e ,ill 1o a.on1 the flo,e+s, and tal/ of these thin1s ,hen the f+esh ai+s ha2e -ooled thy b+o,.* I +ose, nothin1 loth, and hand in hand ,e 0assed th+ou1h the -o++ido+s until ,e +ea-hed a doo+ that ad.itted us to the 1a+den. Ho, -an I des-+ibe the sense of e=hila+ation ,ith ,hi-h I d+an/ in the .o+nin1 ai+C It ,as in-o.0a+ably 1+eate+ and /eene+ a deli1ht than anythin1 in the ,o+ld of natu+e had e2e+ befo+e i.0a+ted to .e. ot only did I 0ass out of a se-luded and s-ented at.os0he+e, diffe+ent f+o. any to ,hi-h I had been a--usto.ed, but also the te++ified, o2e+9e=-ited .ental state ,hi-h I ,as in ,as infinitely -ooled and +e9 assu+ed by the +ene,ed sense that the ,o+ld ,as still beautiful and natu+al outside the te.0le doo+s. !eboua AintuitionB , loo/in1 in .y fa-e, see.ed by so.e subtle sy.0athy to dete-t .y 2a1ue thou1hts and inte+0+et the. to .e. *The sun still +ises in all his .a1nifi-en-e,* he said. *The flo,e+s still o0en thei+ hea+ts to his 1+eetin1. O0en thou thine, and be -ontent.* I did not ans,e+ hi.. I ,as youn1 and untau1ht. I -ould not +eadily ans,e+ hi. in ,o+ds, but I loo/ed u0 in his fa-e as ,e .o2ed a-+oss the 1a+den and I su00ose .y eyes .ust ha2e s0o/en fo+ .e. *My son* he said, *be-ause in the ni1ht you ha2e been into the da+/ness, the+e is no +eason to doubt that the li1ht still is behind the da+/ness. Iou do not fea+ ,hen lyin1 do,n to slee0 at ni1ht that you ,ill see the sun in the .o+nin1. Iou ha2e been into dee0e+ da+/ness than that of the ni1ht, and you ,ill see a b+i1hte+ sun than this.* I did not unde+stand hi., thou1h I +e2ol2ed his ,o+ds in .y .ind. I said nothin1, fo+ the s,eet ai+, and the sense of hu.an sy.0athy, ,e+e enou1h fo+ .e. I see.ed -a+eless of hea+in1 ,o+ds, o+ unde+standin1 .y e=0e+ien-es, no, that I ,as out in the f+esh ai+. I ,as but a boy, and the shee+ deli1ht of .y +e2i2in1 st+en1th .ade .e fo+1et all else. This ,as natu+al3 and all that ,as natu+al see.ed to .e, to9day, to be abundantly full of -ha+.. Iet no soone+ had I ente+ed the natu+al on-e .o+e and be1un to +e2el in .y +etu+n to it, than suddenly and una,a+es I ,as ta/en out of it. Whithe+C Alas< ho, -an I tellC The+e a+e no ade?uate ,o+ds in the lan1ua1es of the ,o+ld to des-+ibe any +eal thin1 ,hi-h lies outside the -i+-le that is -alled natu+al. !u+ely I stood ,ith .y o,n feet u0on the 1+een 1+ass 99 su+ely I had not de0a+ted f+o. the s0ot ,he+eon "a1e 8&

I stoodC !u+ely !eboua AintuitionB stood by .eC I 0+essed his hand. Ies, it ,as the+e. Iet I /ne, by .y sensations that the natu+al had yielded .e u0, and that a1ain I ,as ,ithin the ,o+ld of feelin1 99 si1ht 99 sound ,hi-h I d+eaded. I sa, nothin1 99 I hea+d nothin1 99 yet I stood in ho++o+, t+e.blin1 as the lea2es t+e.ble befo+e a sto+.. What ,as I about to seeC What ,as nea+ .e< What ,as it that d+e, a -loud a-+oss .y eyesC I -losed the.. I da+ed not loo/. I da+ed not fa-e the di.ness of the +ealities a+ound .e. *O0en thine eyes, .y son* said !eboua AintuitionB , *and tell .e, is ou+ Lady (6idya, s0i+itual intelli1en-e) the+eC* I o0ened the., d+eadin1 to behold the a,ful fa-e ,hi-h had filled .e ,ith fea+ in the da+/ness of the ni1ht. 5ut no 99 fo+ a .o.ent I sa, nothin1 99 and I si1hed ,ith +elief, fo+ I al,ays e=0e-ted to see that fa-e u0lifted -lose to .ine, ,ith a 1+in of an1e+ u0on it. 5ut in anothe+ se-ond .y f+a.e th+illed ,ith deli1ht. !eboua AintuitionB had b+ou1ht .e, ,ithout .y 0e+-ei2in1 it, -lose beside the lotus tan/3 and I sa,, stoo0in1 as befo+e, to d+in/ the -lea+ flo,in1 ,ate+, the fai+ ,o.an ,hose lon1 1olden hai+ half hid he+ fa-e f+o. .e. *!0ea/ to he+<* -+ied !eboua AintuitionB . *I see by thy fa-e that she is befo+e thee. Oh, s0ea/ to he+< ot in this 1ene+ation has she s0o/en ,ith he+ 0+iests 99 s0ea/ to he+, fo+ indeed ,e need he+ hel0<* !eboua AintuitionB had fallen on his /nees by .y side, as yeste+day he had done. His fa-e ,as full of ea+nestness and 1lo, 99 his eyes full of a 0+aye+. Loo/in1 into the. I san/ ba-/ o2e+-o.e, I -ould not tell by ,hat, but it see.ed as thou1h the 1olden9hai+ed ,o.an -alled .e to he+, and as thou1h !eboua AintuitionB 0ushed .e to,a+ds he+, yet in .y body I ,as no nea+e+ to he+3 but in .y -ons-iousness I a00ea+ed to +ise and .o2e to,a+ds the lily tan/, until, leanin1 u0on its led1e, I tou-hed he+ 1a+.ent ,he+e it fell u0on the su+fa-e of the ,ate+. I loo/ed u0 into he+ fa-e, but I -ould not see it. Li1ht +adiated f+o. it, and I -ould only loo/ at it as I .i1ht loo/ u0on the sun. Iet I felt the tou-h of he+ hand u0on .y head, and ,o+ds -+e0t into .y .ind ,hi-h e.anated f+o. he+, thou1h I ,as s-a+-ely -ons-ious that I hea+d the.. *Child ,ith the o0en eyes,* she said, *thy soul is 0u+e, and u0on it is laid a hea2y tas/. 5ut /ee0 thou nea+ to .e ,ho a. full of li1ht, and I ,ill sho, thee the ,ay to 0lant thy feet.* *Mothe+,* said I, *,hat of the da+/nessC* I s-a+-e da+ed f+a.e .y ?uestion .o+e 0lainly. It see.ed that if I s0o/e of that te++ible fa-e it ,ould a00ea+ in an1e+ befo+e .e. I felt a th+ill 0ass th+ou1h .e f+o. he+ hands as I utte+ed the ,o+ds. I fan-ied that it .ust be an1e+ ,hi-h ,as about to des-end on .e, but he+ 2oi-e 0assed into .y -ons-iousness as s,eetly and softly as +aind+o0s, and i.0a+ted to .e the sa.e sense of di2ine sendin1 that ,e d,elle+s in "a1e 88

a thi+sty land asso-iate ,ith the ad2ent of the s,eet .oistu+e. *The da+/ness is not to be fea+ed3 it is to be -on?ue+ed and d+i2en ba-/, as the soul 1+o,s st+on1e+ in the li1ht. My son, the+e is da+/ness in that inne+.ost san-tua+y of the te.0le, be-ause the ,o+shi00e+s the+ein -annot bea+ the li1ht. The li1ht of you+ ,o+ld is e=-luded f+o. it, that it .ay be illu.ined ,ith the li1ht of the s0i+it. 5ut the blind 0+iests, hid in thei+ o,n -on-eit, -o.fo+t the.sel2es ,ith the b+ood of da+/ness. They .o-/ .y na.e by usin1 it3 tell the., .y son that thei+ ?ueen holds no s,ay in the +eal.s of da+/ness. They ha2e no ?ueen3 they ha2e no 1uide but thei+ blind desi+es. This is the fi+st .essa1e you a+e -ha+1ed ,ith 99 did they not as/ fo+ oneC* At this .o.ent I see.ed d+a,n ba-/ f+o. he+. I -lun1 to he+ 1a+.ent he., but .y hands ,e+e 0o,e+less3 as I lost .y hold u0on he+ I see.ed also to lose the sense of he+ 0+esen-e. I ,as -ons-ious only of an intole+able feelin1 of 0hysi-al i++itation. My eyes had -losed, hel0lessly, as I d+e, f+o. he+3 I o0ened the. ,ith an effo+t. I sa, befo+e .e only the lotus tan/, filled ,ith blosso.s of the ?ueen of flo,e+s 99 filled ,ith blosso.s ,hi-h floated +oyally u0on the su+fa-e of the ,ate+. The sunshine lay u0on thei+ 1olden hea+ts, and I sa, in the. the -olo+ of 1olden hai+. 5ut a 2oi-e, full of ,+ath, thou1h s0ea/in1 slo,ly and ,ith delibe+ate intonation a+oused .e f+o. d,ellin1 u0on the f+in1e of .y d+ea.. I tu+ned .y head and beheld, to .y a.a>e.ent, !eboua AintuitionB standin1 bet,een t,o no2i-es3 his head bo,ed, his hands -+ossed. ea+ to .e stood the hi1h 0+iests A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB and $a.en Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddess AA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an natu+eB3 A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB ,as s0ea/in1 to !eboua AintuitionB . I soon 1athe+ed that he ,as in dis1+a-e on a--ount of .e, but I -ould not dis-o2e+ ,hat he had done. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB and $a.en Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddess AA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an natu+eB 0la-ed the.sel2es on eithe+ side of .e. And I unde+stood that I ,as to ,al/ bet,een the.. We ad2an-ed in silen-e to,a+ds the te.0le, and ente+ed a1ain its 1loo.y 1ates.
"a1e 8:
The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Chapter &
I ,as led into the hall ,he+e the 0+iests had been ta/in1 thei+ .o+nin1 .eal. The +oo. ,as al.ost dese+ted no,3 but A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB and $a.en Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddess AA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an natu+eB +e.ained tal/in1, in thei+ lo, subdued tones, by one of the ,indo,s, ,hile t,o no2i-es led .e to a 0la-e by the table, and b+ou1ht .e oiled -a/es, f+uit, and .il/. It ,as st+an1e to .e to be ,aited on by these youths, ,ho did not s0ea/ to .e, and ,ho. I +e1a+ded ,ith a,e as bein1 .o+e e=0e+ien-ed than .yself in the te++ible .yste+ies of the te.0le. I ,onde+ed, as I ate .y -a/es, ,hy they had not s0o/en to .e, any of the no2i-es ,ho. I had seen3 but loo/in1 ba-/ o2e+ the b+ief ti.e ,hi-h I had s0ent in the te.0le, I +e-olle-ted that I had ne2e+ been left alone ,ith one of the.. E2en no,, A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB and $a.en Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddess AA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an natu+eB +e.ained in the +oo., so that, as I sa, the silen-e of fea+ ,as u0on the fa-es of the youths ,ho se+2ed .e. And I fan-ied it to be a fea+, not as of a s-hool.aste+ ,ho uses his eyes li/e o+dina+y .o+tals, but as of so.e .any9si1hted and .a1i-al obse+2e+ ,ho is not to be de-ei2ed. I sa, no 1lea. of e=0+ession on the -ountenan-e of eithe+ of the youths. They a-ted li/e auto.ata. The e=haustion ,hi-h had a1ain ta/en 0ossession of .y f+a.e ,as lessened by the food, and ,hen I had eaten I +ose ea1e+ly to loo/ f+o. the hi1h ,indo,, to see if !eboua AintuitionB ,e+e in the 1a+den. 5ut A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB ad2an-ed, ste00ed bet,een .e and the ,indo,, and 1a>ed u0on .e ,ith the i..o2able loo/ ,hi-h .ade .e d+ead hi. so dee0ly. *Co.e,* he said. He tu+ned and .o2ed a,ay3 I follo,ed hi. ,ith d+oo0in1 head, and all .y ne, ene+1y and ho0e de0a+ted3 ,hy, I /ne, not3 I -ould not tell ,hy I 1a>ed u0on the e.b+oide+ed he. of the ,hite 1a+.ent 99 ,hi-h see.ed to 1lide so s.oothly o2e+ the 1+ound in f+ont of .e 99 ,ith a sense that I ,as follo,in1 .y doo.. My doo.< A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB the ty0i-al 0+iest of the te.0le, the +eal leade+ a.on1 the hi1h 0+iests. My doo.. We 0assed do,n the -o++ido+s till ,e ente+ed u0on the ,ide one ,hi-h led f+o. the 1ate of the te.0le to the holy of holies. A ho++o+ filled .e at the si1ht of it, e2en ,ith the sunli1ht st+ea.in1 th+ou1h the 1ate,ay, and .a/in1 .o-/ of its unutte+able shado,s. Iet so dee0 ,as .y d+ead of A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB, that, left thus alone ,ith hi., I follo,ed hi. in 0e+fe-t obedien-e and silen-e. We 0assed do,n the -o++ido+ 99 ,ith ea-h +elu-tant ste0 of .ine I d+e, nea+e+ to that te++ible doo+ ,hen-e, in the da+/ness of the ni1ht, I had seen the hideous fo+. e.e+1e. I ,as s-annin1 the ,all ,ith the /ind of te++o+ ,ith ,hi-h a to+.ented soul .i1ht 1a>e u0on the a,ful inst+u.ents of s0i+itual in?uisition. It is i.0ossible, on-e loo/in1 u0on so.e i.0endin1 doo. ,ith o0en eyes, not to +e.ain 1a>in1 the+eon ,ith ob4e-t yet +i2eted attention. !u-h did I in .y blind fea+ besto, u0on the ,alls of the lon1 -o++ido+, ,hi-h, to .y fan-y, as ,e .o2ed do,n it, see.ed to -lose u0on us and to shut us f+o. all "a1e 8;

the b+i1ht, beautiful ,o+ld ,hi-h I had li2ed in until no,. !-annin1 thus intently these s.ooth and te++ible ,alls, I 0e+-ei2ed, as ,e a00+oa-hed it, a little doo+, ,hi-h stood at +i1ht an1les ,ith the doo+ of the san-tua+y. It ,ould ha2e es-a0ed any obse+2ation but one unnatu+ally tense3 fo+ the da+/ness at this fa+ end of the -o++ido+ ,as dee0 indeed, by -ont+ast ,ith the 1lo,in1 sunli1ht ,e had left at the othe+. We a00+oa-hed this doo+. As I ha2e said, it stood at +i1ht an1les ,ith the ,all of the san-tua+y. It ,as -lose to the doo+ of it, but it ,as in the ,all of the -o++ido+. My ste0s see.ed to be ta/en ,ithout .y o,n 2olition no,3 -e+tainly .y ,ill ,ould ha2e -a++ied .e ba-/ to the sunshine ,hi-h .ade the ,o+ld, beautiful ,ith flo,e+s 99 ,hi-h .ade life see. a 1lo+ious +eality, and not a hideous and uni.a1inable d+ea.< Iet the+e it ,as 99 the doo+ 99 and A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB stood, his hand u0on it. He tu+ned and loo/ed at .e. *Ha2e no fea+,* he said, in his -al., e?uable tones. *Ou+ san-tua+y is the -ent+e of ou+ ho.e, and its nea+ nei1hbo+hood is enou1h to fill us ,ith st+en1th.* I 0assed th+ou1h the sa.e e=0e+ien-e as ,hen fi+st A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB en-ou+a1ed .e by his 2oi-e in the 1a+den. I +aised .y eyes, ,ith an effo+t, to his, that I .i1ht dis-o2e+ ,hethe+ the+e ,as the sa.e en-ou+a1e.ent in his beautiful -ountenan-e. 5ut all that I sa, ,as the intole+able -al. of those blue eyes3 they ,e+e 0itiless, i..o2ableD .y soul, a1hast, beheld in the. at that .o.ent fully the -+uelty of the beast of 0+ey. He tu+ned f+o. .e and o0ened the doo+3 and, 0assin1 th+ou1h it, held it o0en that I .i1ht follo, hi.. I follo,ed hi. 99 yes, thou1h .y ste0s see.ed to +e-oil u0on .yself and lead .e to the dee0s. We ente+ed a lo,9+oofed +oo., li1hted by one b+oad ,indo,, hi1h in the ,all. It ,as -u+tained and d+a0ed ,ith +i-h .ate+ial3 a lo, -ou-h stood at one side of the +oo.. When .y 1lan-e fell on the -ou-h I sta+ted3 ,hy, I /no, not3 but I at on-e thou1ht it to be the -ou-h ,hi-h I had sle0t on in the last ni1ht. I -ould loo/ at nothin1 else, thou1h the+e ,e+e .any beautiful thin1s to loo/ at, fo+ the +oo. ,as ado+ned lu=u+iously. I only ,onde+ed, ,ith a sh+in/in1 hea+t, ,hy that -ou-h had been +e.o2ed f+o. the +oo. in ,hi-h I had sle0t. While I loo/ed on it, lost in -on4e-tu+e, I suddenly be-a.e -ons-ious of silen-e 99 -o.0lete silen-e 99 and of loneliness.
"a1e 8@

I tu+ned ,ith a sudden ala+.. Ies< I ,as alone. He ,as 1one 99 the d+ead 0+iest A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB 99 he had 1one ,ithout anothe+ ,o+d, and let .e in this +oo.. What -ould it .eanC I -+ossed to the doo+ and t+ied it. It ,as fast -losed and ba++ed. I ,as a 0+isone+. 5ut ,hat -ould it .eanC I loo/ed a+ound the .assi2e stone ,alls 99 I 1lan-ed u0 at the hi1h ,indo, 99 I thou1ht of the nea+ nei1hbo+hood of the san-tua+y 99 and I flun1 .yself u0on the -ou-h and hid .y fa-e. I i.a1ine that I .ust ha2e lain the+e fo+ hou+s. I did not da+e to a+ise and .a/e any distu+ban-e. I had nothin1 to a00eal to but the blue, 0itiless eyes of the 0+iest A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB. I lay u0on .y -ou-h ,ith fast9-losed eyes, not da+in1 to fa-e the as0e-t of .y 0+ison and 0+ayin1 that the ni1ht .i1ht ne2e+ -o.e. It ,as yet the ea+ly 0a+t of the day, that I felt su+e of, althou1h I /ne, not ho, lon1 a ti.e I had 0assed in the 1a+den ,ith !eboua AintuitionB . The sun ,as hi1h, and st+ea.ed in at .y ,indo,. I sa, this as, afte+ a lon1 ti.e had 0assed, I tu+ned and loo/ed a+ound, .y +oo. ,ith a sudden and ala+.ed 1lan-e. I had the idea that so.e one ,as in it 99 but, unless hidden behind the -u+tains, no 2isible fo+. ,as in the +oo.. o, I ,as alone. And as I 1athe+ed -ou+a1e to loo/ u0 to the sunli1ht that .ade .y ,indo, a thin1 1lo+ious fo+ the eyes, I be1an to +eali>e that it still 2e+itably ,as in e=isten-e3 and that, not,ithstandin1 .y +e-ent hideous e=0e+ien-es, I ,as nothin1 but a boy ,ho lo2ed sunshine. The att+a-tion 1+e, 2e+y st+on1, and at last fanned itself into the ,ish to -li.b u0 to the hi1h ,indo, and loo/. The 0assion ,hi-h -aused .e to desi+e so a+dently to do this, ha2in1 on-e thou1ht of it, I -an no .o+e a--ount fo+ than I -ould fo+ .ost of the in?uisiti2e and headst+on1 0u+0oses of a boy)s b+ain. At all e2ents I +ose f+o. .y -ou-h 99 -astin1 all te++o+ of .y su++oundin1s to the ,inds, no, that I had a 0u+0ose suffi-iently -hildish to abso+b .e. The ,all ,as 0e+fe-tly s.ooth3 but I fan-ied that, by standin1 on a table that ,as beneath the ,indo,, I -ould +ea-h the sill ,ith .y hands, and so +aise .yself u0 to see out. I soon -li.bed the table, but I -ould ba+ely +ea-h the sill ,ith u0st+et-hed a+.s. I 4u.0ed a little, and 4ust -at-hin1 hold of the sill .ana1ed to d+a, .yself u0,a+ds. I su00ose that 0a+t of the ente+0+ise .ust ha2e been the deli1ht to .e3 fo+ I -e+tainly did not anti-i0ate seein1 anythin1 but the te.0le 1a+dens. What I sa,, thou1h the+e ,as nothin1 0e+ha0s 2e+y sta+tlin1, sobe+ed .y en4oy.ent. The 1a+dens ,e+e not the+e. My ,indo, loo/ed out u0on a s.all s?ua+e 0ie-e of 1+ound, ,hi-h ,as "a1e 8E

su++ounded by hi1h blan/ ,alls. I soon sa, that these ,e+e e2idently ,alls of the te.0le, not oute+ ,alls. The 0ie-e of 1+ound ,as en-losed in the 2e+y hea+t of the 1+eat buildin1, fo+ I -ould see its -olu.ns and +oofs +isin1 beyond ea-h side, and the ,alls ,e+e blan/. Mine ,as the only ,indo, I -ould 0e+-ei2e any t+a-e of. At that .o.ent I hea+d a faint sound in the +oo., and, ?ui-/ly lettin1 .yself d+o0, I stood u0on the table, loo/in1 +ound in -onste+nation. The sound see.ed to 0+o-eed, f+o. behind a hea2y -u+tain that half -o2e+ed one ,all. I stood b+eathless, and, e2en in this b+oad dayli1ht and 1lea.in1 sunshine, so.e,hat in te++o+ of ,hat I .i1ht see. #o+ I had no idea that the+e ,as any .ode of ent+an-e but that doo+ by ,hi-h I had -o.e, so that I s-a+-e da+ed to ho0e fo+ a ,holeso.e hu.an 0+esen-e< These fea+s soon 2anished, ho,e2e+, fo+ the -u+tain ,as d+a,n a little ba-/, and a bla-/9+obed no2i-e 99 ,ho. I had not seen befo+e 99 -+e0t f+o. out its shelte+. I ,onde+ed at his stealthy .anne+3 but I had no fea+s, fo+ he held in his hand a 1lo+ious blosso. of the +oyal ,hite lotus flo,e+. I s0+an1 f+o. the table and ad2an-ed to,a+ds hi., .y eyes u0on the flo,e+. When ?uite -lose he s0o/e, 2e+y lo, and ?ui-/ly. *This,* he said, *is f+o. !eboua AintuitionB . Che+ish it, but let none of the 0+iests see it. Che+ish it, and it ,ill hel0 you in hou+s ,hen you ,ill need hel03 and !eboua AintuitionB u+1es that you +e.e.be+ all the ,o+ds he has said to you, and that you t+ust, abo2e all, to you+ lo2e fo+ the t+uly beautiful and to you+ natu+al li/es and disli/es. That is the .essa1e,* he said, ste00in1 ba-/ to,a+ds the -u+tain. *I a. +is/in1 .y life he+e to 0lease !eboua AintuitionB . 5e -a+eful that you ne2e+ -o.e nea+ this doo+, o+ sho, that you /no, it e=ists3 it o0ens into the 0+i2ate +oo. of the hi1h 0+iest A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB, into ,hi-h none da+e ente+ sa2e on 0e+il of intole+able 0unish.ent.* *And ho, ha2e you -o.e th+ou1hC* I as/ed in 1+eat -u+iosity. *They a+e en1a1ed in the .o+nin1 -e+e.onies 99 all the 0+iests 99 and I su--eeded in es-a0in1 unseen to -o.e to you.* *Tell .e,* I -+ied, holdin1 hi. e2en as he endea2o+ed to hu++y th+ou1h the doo+, *,hy did not !eboua AintuitionB -o.eC* *He -annot 99 he is -losely ,at-hed that he .ay .a/e no effo+t to 1et nea+ you.* *5ut ,hy is thisC* I e=-lai.ed in dis.ay and ,onde+. *I -annot tell,* said the no2i-e, e=t+a-tin1 his 1a+.ent f+o. .y 1+as0. *Re.e.be+ the ,o+ds I ha2e said.* He hastily 0assed th+ou1h the doo+ and -losed it behind hi.. I found .yself half s.othe+ed by the hea2y "a1e 8F

-u+tain and, as soon as I -ould +e-o2e+ f+o. .y a.a>e.ent at this sudden a00ea+an-e and disa00ea+an-e, I .o2ed it aside and ste00ed out, the lily in .y hand. My fi+st thou1ht, e2en befo+e I ,ould let .yself thin/ o2e+ the ,o+ds ,hi-h I ,as to +e.e.be+ 99 ,as to 0la-e .y 0+e-ious flo,e+ in so.e safe 0la-e. I held it tende+ly, as thou1h it ,e+e the b+eathin1 fo+. of one I lo2ed. I loo/ed a+ound an=iously, ,onde+in1 ,he+e it ,ould be both unseen and yet 0+ese+2ed. I sa,, afte+ a fe, .o.ents s0ent in hasty ins0e-tion that 4ust behind the head of .y -ou-h the+e ,as a -o+ne+ ,hi-h the -u+tain fell a little a,ay f+o.. He+e, at least, I .i1ht 0la-e it fo+ a ,hile3 it ,ould ha2e +oo. to b+eathe, and ,ould not be seen unless the -u+tain ,e+e .o2ed a,ay 99 and behind .y -ou-h see.ed a less li/ely 0la-e fo+ it to be dis-o2e+ed in than any othe+. I hastily 0la-ed it he+e, af+aid to /ee0 it in .y hand lest the -e+e.onies should be o2e+ and A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB ente+ .y +oo.. !o I hid it, and then loo/ed a+ound fo+ so.e 2essel of ,ate+ in ,hi-h I .i1ht 0la-e it, fo+ it o--u++ed to .e that, if I did not su00ly it ,ith so.e of that ele.ent ,hi-h it so dea+ly lo2ed, it ,ould not li2e lon1 to be .y f+iend. I found a little ea+then 4a+ of ,ate+ and 0la-ed it in it, ,onde+in1 the ,hile ,hat I should do if the 0+iests, dis-o2e+in1 its absen-e, should as/ .e fo+ it. I -ould not tell ,hat to do in su-h an e.e+1en-y3 but, if the flo,e+ ,e+e dis-o2e+ed, I -ould only ho0e that so.e ins0i+ation ,ould be 1i2en .e by ,hi-h I .i1ht a2oid th+o,in1 fu+the+ bla.e u0on !eboua AintuitionB 3 fo+, thou1h I -ould not unde+stand ,hy o+ ho,, it ,as 2e+y e2ident that he had been bla.ed fo+ so.ethin1 in -onne-tion ,ith .e. I ,ent and sat on the -ou-h, to be nea+ .y belo2ed flo,e+. Ho, I desi+ed that I .i1ht 0la-e it in the sunshine and +e2el in its beauties< In this ,ay the day 0assed. o one -a.e nea+ .e. I ,at-hed the sun 0ass a,ay f+o. .y ,indo,. I ,at-hed the shado,s of e2enin1 des-end u0on it. I ,as still alone. I do not thin/ I 1+e, .o+e te++ified. I do not +e.e.be+ that the -o.in1 ni1ht b+ou1ht ,ith it any a1ony of fea+. I ,as filled ,ith a dee0 -al.ness, ,hi-h eithe+ the lon1 undistu+bed hou+s of the day had 0+odu-ed, o+ else it ,as ,+ou1ht by the beautiful thou1h unseen flo,e+3 fo+ that ,as e2e+ befo+e .y eyes in all its +adiant and deli-ate beauty. I had none of the intole+able 2isions ,hi-h I had been unable to d+i2e f+o. .e in the fo+.e+ ni1ht. It ,as ?uite da+/ ,hen the doo+ ,hi-h -o..uni-ated ,ith the -o++ido+ o0ened, and A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB ente+ed, follo,ed by a youn1 0+iest, ,ho b+ou1ht .e food and a -u0 of so.e st+an1e s,eet9s.ellin1 sy+u0. I should not ha2e sti++ed f+o. .y -ou-h had it not been that I lon1ed fo+ food. I had not thou1ht of it befo+e, but I ,as indeed faint and fastin1. I +ose ea1e+ly, the+efo+e, and, ,hen the youn1 0+iest b+ou1ht the food to .y side, I d+an/ fi+st of the sy+u0 99 ,hi-h indeed he offe+ed .e fi+st 99 fo+ .y e=haustion suddenly be-a.e 0lain to .e. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB loo/ed on .e as I d+an/. When I had 0ut do,n the -u0, I +aised .y eyes to his ,ith a ne, defian-e. *I shall 1o .ad,* I said boldly, *if you lea2e .e in this +oo. alone. I ha2e ne2e+ been left alone so lon1 in all .y life.* "a1e 8'

I s0o/e unde+ a sudden i.0ulse. When I had been 0assin1 the lon1 hou+s in solitude they had not see.ed so te++ible3 but no,, ,ith a ?ui-/ a00+ehension of the e2il of this solita+iness, I s0o/e out .y feelin1. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an 99 atu+eB said to the youn1 0+iest
*!et the food do,n and fet-h hithe+ the boo/ that lies u0on the -ou-h in .y oute+ +oo..* He de0a+ted on his e++and, A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB said nothin1 to .e3 and I 99 ha2in1 said .y say, and not ha2in1, as I +athe+ e=0e-ted, been annihilated fo+ it 99 too/ u0 an oiled -a/e f+o. the 0latte+, and -hee+fully ,ent on ,ith .y .eal. #i2e yea+s afte+ I -ould not ha2e fa-ed A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB in this ,ay. I -ould not ha2e eaten .y all ha2in1 4ust defied hi.. 5ut no, I ,as elated by the su0+e.e i1no+an-e and indiffe+en-e of youth. I had no .easu+in1 line fo+ the de0ths of the 0+iest)s intelle-t 99 the ,ide e.b+a-in1ness of his ste+n -+uelty. Ho, should I ha2eC I ,as i1no+ant. And, .o+eo2e+, I had no -lue to the .ode of his -+uelty 99 the 0u+0ose, the intention of it. I ,as in the da+/ alto1ethe+. 5ut I ,as ,ell a,a+e that .y life in the te.0le ,as not ,hat I had loo/ed fo+ if it ,as to be li/e this, and I al+eady -he+ished boyish notions of es-a0in1 f+o. it (e2en do,n the te++ible -o++ido+) if I ,e+e to e=ist afte+ su-h an unha00y fashion. I little /ne, ,hen I thou1ht of this ho, ,ell I ,as 1ua+ded. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB said no ,o+d ,hile I ate and d+an/, and 0+esently the youn1 0+iest o0ened the doo+ and ente+ed, bea+in1 in his hands a la+1e bla-/ boo/. He 0la-ed it on a table ,hi-h A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB told hi. to d+a, nea+ to .y -ou-h. A la.0 ,as then b+ou1ht by hi. f+o. a -o+ne+ of the +oo. and 0la-ed on the table. He li1hted it, and this done, A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB s0o/eD *Iou need not be lonely if you loo/ ,ithin those 0a1es.* !o sayin1, he tu+ned and left the +oo., follo,ed by the youn1 0+iest. I o0ened it at on-e. It see.s, loo/in1 ba-/ on that ti.e, that I ,as to the full as in?uisiti2e as .ost boys3 at all e2ents, any ne, ob4e-t +i2eted .y attention fo+ the ti.e bein1. I o0ened the bla-/ -o2e+s of the 2olu.e and 1a>ed on the fi+st 0a1e. It ,as beautifully -olo+ed, and I loo/ed in 0leasu+e at the -olo+s a little ,hile befo+e I be1an to s0ell out the lette+s. They stood out f+o. a 1+ay ba-/1+ound in lette+s of so b+illiant a hue that they see.ed li/e fi+e. The title ,as 99 *The A+ts and "o,e+s of Ma1i-.* It ,as nonsense to .e. I ,as a -o.0a+ati2ely unedu-ated boy, and I ,onde+ed ,hat -o.0anionshi0 A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB su00osed su-h a boo/ "a1e 8H

-ould affo+d .e. I tu+ned idly o2e+ its 0a1es. They ,e+e all unintelli1ible to .e, by 2e+y +eason e2en of the ,o+ds used, a0a+t f+o. the .atte+. The thin1 ,as +idi-ulous, to ha2e sent .e this boo/ to +ead. I ya,ned ,idely o2e+ it, and -losin1 the boo/ ,as about to lie do,n a1ain u0on .y -ou-h, ,hen I ,as sta+tled to obse+2e that I ,as not alone. On the othe+ side of the little table ,he+eon .y boo/ and la.0 ,e+e, stood a .an in a bla-/ d+ess. He ,as loo/in1 ea+nestly u0on .e, but ,hen I +etu+ned his 1a>e he see.ed to +et+eat f+o. .e a little. I ,onde+ed ho, he -ould ha2e ente+ed so noiselessly and a00+oa-hed so nea+ .e ,ithout sound.
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The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Chapter &I
*Ha2e you any ,ishC* said the .an in a -lea+, but 2e+y lo, 2oi-e. I loo/ed at hi. in su+0+ise. He ,as a no2i-e, it see.ed, by his d+ess3 yet he s0o/e as thou1h he -ould 1+atify .y ,ish 99 and that, too, ,ithout the tone of a .e+e se+2ant. *I ha2e 4ust ta/en food,* I ans,e+ed. *I ha2e no ,ish 99 but fo+ f+eedo. f+o. this +oo..* *That,* he ans,e+ed ?uietly, *is soon 1+atified. #ollo, .e.* I sta+ed in astonish.ent. This no2i-e .ust /no, .y 0osition 99 .ust /no, of A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB)s ,ill ,ith +e1a+d to .e. %a+e be thus defy hi.C * o,* I ans,e+ed3 *the hi1h 0+iests ha2e i.0+isoned .e he+e3 if I a. found es-a0in1 I shall be 0unished<* *Co.e<* ,as all his ans,e+. And as he s0o/e he +aised one hand -o..andin1ly. As in 0hysi-al 0ain I -+ied aloud3 ,hy, I -ould not +eali>e. Iet .y sense see.ed to be that I ,as held as by a 2i-e 99 that so.e intole+able 0o,e+ 1+as0ed .y f+a.e and shoo/ it. A se-ond afte+ I stood beside .y .yste+ious 2isito+, .y hand ti1ht -las0ed in his. *Loo/ not ba-/<* he -+ied. *Co.e ,ith .e.* And I follo,ed hi.. Iet, at the doo+ I desi+ed to tu+n .y head to loo/3 and by ,hat see.ed a 1+eat effo+t, I did so. Little .a+2el that he bade .e not loo/ ba-/< Little .a+2el that he st+o2e to hu++y .e f+o. the +oo., fo+ ,hen .y eyes had on-e tu+ned I +e.ained s0ellbound, 1a>in1 99 +esistin1 his i+on 1+as0. I sa, .yself 99 o+ +athe+ .y un-ons-ious fo+. 99 and then fo+ the fi+st ti.e, I unde+stood that .y -o.0anion ,as no deni>en of ea+th 99 that I had a1ain ente+ed the land of shado,s. 5ut this ,onde+ ,as ,holly s,allo,ed u0 in a la+1e+ one 99 one suffi-ient to .a/e .e st+on1 a1ainst the effo+t of .y -o.0anion to d+a, .e f+o. the +oo.. Leanin1 o2e+ the -ou-h 99 standin1 behind it and bendin1 fo+,a+d, in that deli-ious d+oo0in1 attitude in ,hi-h I had fi+st seen he+ ,hen she stoo0ed to d+in/ the ,ate+ 99 I sa, the Lily Gueen. And I hea+d he+ s0ea/. He+ 2oi-e -a.e to .e li/e the d+o00in1 of ,ate+ 99 li/e the s0+ay of a fountain.
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*Wa/e, slee0e+ 99 d+ea. no .o+e, no+ +e.ain ,ithin this a--u+sed s0ell.* *Lady (6idya, s0i+itual intelli1en-e) , I obey,* I .u+.u+ed, ,ithin .yself, and instantly a .ist see.ed to en,+a0 .e. I ,as but di.ly -ons-ious 99 yet I /ne, that, in obedien-e to the ,ish of the beautiful ?ueen I ,as endea2o+in1 to +etu+n to .y natu+al state. I su--eeded by de1+ees, and o0ened .y eyes ,ea+ily and hea2ily, to behold a desolate e.0ty +oo.. The no2i-e had left .e 99 of that I ,as 1lad 99 but, alas< the Lady of the Lotus (6idya, s0i+itual intelli1en-e) of the Lotus had left .e also. The +oo. see.ed e.0ty indeed, and .y hea+t ,as hea2y as I loo/ed a+ound .e. I felt the s,eet Lady of the #lo,e+ .o+e as a beautiful .othe+ in .y -hildish hea+t, than as a ?ueen. I yea+ned fo+ he+ soft 0+esen-e. 5ut it ,as not the+e. I /ne, only too ,ell that she ,as not in the +oo. hidden f+o. .e. I felt he+ absen-e ,ith .y soul as ,ell as 0e+-ei2ed it ,ith .y eyes. I +aised .yself lan1uidly enou1h, fo+, indeed, this last st+u11le had out9,ea+ied .e, and ,ent to the -o+ne+ behind .y -ou-h ,he+e .y dea+ flo,e+ ,as hid. I d+e, ba-/ the -u+tain a little ,ay, to loo/ at .y t+easu+e. Alas< it ,as al+eady d+oo0in1 its lo2ely head< I s0+an1 fo+,a+d to assu+e .yself that I had indeed 1i2en it ,ate+. Ies, its ste. ,as dee0ly 0lun1ed in its lo,e+ ele.ent. Iet the flo,e+ d+oo0ed li/e a dead thin1, and the ste. bent ine+tly o2e+ the ed1e of the 2essel. *My flo,e+,* I -+ied, /neelin1 do,n beside it, *a+t thou too 1oneC 99 a. I ?uite aloneC* I too/ the lan1uid flo,e+9fo+. f+o. the 2essel and 0la-ed it u0on .y b+east, ,ithin .y +obe. And then ,holly dis-onsolate fo+ the .o.ent, I flun1 .yself a1ain u0on .y -ou-h and -losed .y eyes, endea2o+in1 to .a/e the. da+/ and 2isionless. Ho,C 99 ,ho /no,s the ,ay to hide 2isions f+o. the inne+ eye, that eye ,hi-h has the te++ible 1ift of si1ht ,hi-h no da+/ness -an blindC I did not, then at all e2ents. The ni1ht had des-ended on the ea+th, ,hen I a+oused .yself f+o. .y lon1 and silent +est. It ,as .oonli1ht ,ithout, and a sil2e+y st+ea/ of li1ht ente+ed at the hi1h ,indo, and st+ea.ed into .y +oo.. Within that st+ea/ of li1ht -a.e the he. of a ,hite 1a+.ent3 a he. 1old9e.b+oide+ed. I /ne, the e.b+oide+y 99 I +aised .y eyes slo,ly, fo+ I e=0e-ted to +e-o1ni>e A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB, as indeed I did. He stood 4ust ,ithin the di. shado,3 but his bea+in1 ,as not easily -onfused ,ith that of anothe+ .an e2en if his fa-e ,e+e unseen. I lay 0e+fe-tly still3 yet he see.ed i..ediately to /no, that I ,as a,a/e. *Rise,* he said. I +ose, and stood beside .y -ou-h, ,ith ,ide eyes of fea+ fi=ed u0on hi.. *%+in/ that ,hi-h is beside you,* he said. I loo/ed and sa, a -u0 full of +ed li?uid. I d+an/ it, blindly ho0in1 it .i1ht 1i2e .e st+en1th to bea+ ,hate2e+ o+deal the silent hou+s of this ni1ht .i1ht be destined to b+in1 u0on .e. *Co.e,* he said3 and I follo,ed hi. to the doo+. I half un-ons-iously -ast a 1lan-e u0 "a1e :8

to the ,indo,, in the thou1ht that 0e+-han-e f+esh ai+ and f+eedo. lay befo+e .e. !uddenly I felt .yself blinded 99 ?ui-/ly I 0ut .y hand to .y eyes3 a soft substan-e ,as bound o2e+ the.. I ,as silent ,ith the silen-e of ,onde+ and of fea+3 I felt .yself su00o+ted and led on,a+d -a+efully. I shudde+ed as I thou1ht that it .ust be the a+. of A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB ,hi-h u0held .e, but I sub.itted to the -onta-t, /no,in1 that I ,as 0o,e+less to +esist it. We .o2ed on,a+ds slo,ly3 I ,as -ons-ious of lea2in1 .y o,n +oo. and of t+a2e+sin1 so.e distan-e beyond it, but ho, fa+ o+ in ,hat di+e-tion I ,as unable to 1uess, be,ilde+ed as I ,as by .y blindfold state. We 0aused in utte+ silen-e3 the a+. a+ound .e ,as +e.o2ed, and I felt the banda1e ta/en f+o. .y eyes. They o0ened u0on a da+/ness so -o.0lete that I +aised .y hand to assu+e .yself that the /e+-hief ,as not still u0on the.. o 99 they ,e+e f+ee 99 they ,e+e o0en 99 yet they 1a>ed u0on nothin1 but a blan/ ,all of dee0 and total da+/ness. My head ,as full of 0ain and di>>iness 99 the fu.es of the st+on1 sy+u0 that I had d+un/ see.ed to ha2e filled it ,ith -onfusion. I +e.ained .otionless, ho0in1 to +e-o2e+ .yself and +eali>e .y 0osition. While I ,aited, I suddenly be-a.e -ons-ious of a ne, 0+esen-e -lose beside .e. I did not sh+in/ f+o. it. I see.ed to /no, it to be beautiful, to be f+iendly and 1lo+ious. I ,as th+illed ,ith a yea+nin1, an indes-+ibable sense of leanin1 in s0i+it to,a+ds the un/no,n 0+esen-e. A.id the silen-e suddenly -a.e lo,, s,eet s0ee-h -lose to .ine ea+. *Tell A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an la,. One 0+iest alone .ay ente+ the holy of holies, and no .o+e.* atu+eB that he disobeys the
I +e-o1ni>ed the li?uid ,ate+9li/e 2oi-e of the Lily Gueen. Althou1h I ,as una,a+e of the 0+iest)s 0+esen-e I unhesitatin1ly obeyed .y ?ueen. *One 0+iest alone .ay ente+ the holy of holies,* I said, *and no .o+e. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB bein1 he+e the la, is disobeyed.* *I de.and to hea+ the utte+an-e of the ?ueen* -a.e the +e0ly in the sole.n tones of A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB. *Tell hi.,* said that othe+ 2oi-e ,hi-h th+illed .y soul and .ade .y f+a.e 2ib+ate, *that had I been able to +e2eal .yself in his 0+esen-e I had not ,aited fo+ you.* I +e0eated he+ ,o+ds. The+e ,as no ans,e+, but I hea+d a .o2e.ent 99 footste0s 99 and a doo+ -losed softly. I..ediately a soft hand tou-hed .e. I ,as si.ultaneously -ons-ious of the tou-h, and of a faint "a1e ::

li1ht u0on .y -hest. I felt in a se-ond that the hand ,as 0ut ,ithin .y d+ess to d+a, fo+th the ,ithe+ed lily ,hi-h I had hid the+e. 5ut I did not atte.0t to hinde+ this, fo+, loo/in1 u0 as a li1ht att+a-ted .y eyes, I beheld standin1 befo+e .e the Lily Gueen. My ?ueen as in .y boyish hea+t I had be1un to -all he+, I sa, di.ly and as en2elo0ed in a shado,y .ist, but yet 0lainly enou1h to .a/e .e +e4oi-e in he+ nea+ 0+esen-e. And as I loo/ed I sa, that she held -lose to he+ boso. the ,ithe+ed flo,e+ ,hi-h she had ta/en f+o. .ine. And I sa,, ,onde+in1ly, that it faded yet .o+e, 1+e, di..e+, and ,holly 2anished. Iet I did not +e1+et it, fo+, as it died a,ay, she 1+e, .o+e b+i1ht and distin-t to .y si1ht. When the flo,e+ had ,holly disa00ea+ed she stood beside .e, -lea+ and distin-t, illu.inated by he+ o,n +adian-e. *#ea+ no lon1e+,* she said, *they -annot ha+. thee, fo+ thou hast ente+ed ,ithin .y at.os0he+e. And thou1h they ha2e 0la-ed thee in the 2e+y dun1eon of 2i-e and falsehood, ha2e no fea+, but obse+2e all thin1s, and +e.e.be+ ,hat thine eyes 0e+-ei2e.* The da+/ness a00ea+ed to be-o.e illu.ined by he+ -onfident and 1+a-ious ,o+ds. I 1+e, bold, and full of st+en1th. !he held out he+ hand and tou-hed .e 1ently. The tou-h filled .e ,ith a fi+e that e=-elled any ,a+.th I had e2e+ e=0e+ien-ed. *The +oyal flo,e+ of E1y0t d,ells u0on the sa-+ed ,ate+s, ,hi-h in thei+ 0u+ity and 0ea-e fitly fo+. its ete+nal +estin190la-e. I a. the s0i+it of the flo,e+3 I a. sustained u0on the ,ate+s of t+uth, and .y life is fo+.ed of the b+eath of the hea2ens, ,hi-h is lo2e. 5ut the de1+adation of .y ea+thly +estin190la-e, o2e+ ,hi-h .y ,in1s of lo2e yet b+ood, is d+i2in1 f+o. it the li1ht of hea2en ,hi-h is ,isdo.. ot lon1 -an the s0i+it of the +oyal lotus li2e in da+/ness3 the flo,e+ d+oo0s and dies if the sun be ,ithd+a,n f+o. it. Re.e.be+ these ,o+ds, -hild, 1+a2e the. u0on you+ hea+t, fo+ as you+ .ind be-o.es -a0able of 1+as0in1 the., they ,ill enli1hten you in .any thin1s.* *Tell .e,* I said, *,hen .ay I a1ain 2isit the liliesC Will you not ta/e .e the+e in to9.o++o,)s sunshineC o, it is ni1ht, and I a. ti+ed3 .ay I not slee0 at you+ feet, and to9.o++o, be ,ith you in the 1a+denC* *"oo+ -hild,* she said, stoo0in1 to,a+ds .e so that he+ b+eath fanned .e, and it ,as s,eet li/e the s-ent of ,ild flo,e+s, *ho, ha+dly ha2e they ta=ed thee< Rest he+e in .y a+.s, fo+ thou a+t to be .y see+, and the enli1htene+ of .y lo2ed land. !t+en1th and health .ust d,ell u0on thy b+o, li/e 4e,els. I ,ill 1ua+d thee3 slee0, -hild.* I lay do,n at he+ biddin1, and thou1h I /ne, that I ,as u0on a -old, ha+d floo+, I felt that .y head +ested u0on an a+. soft and full of .a1neti- soothin13 and I fell into dee0, d+ea.less, undistu+bed slu.be+. The+e ,as ,+it in A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an 2olu.e of +e-o+ds but one ,o+d that ni1ht, 99 *6ain.* atu+eB)s se-+et
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The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Chapter &II
A ,hite flo,e+ ,as in .y hand ,hen I a,o/e. Its beauty filled .y hea+t ,ith 1ladness, I loo/ed on it and ,as +ef+eshed and -ontent, as thou1h I had sle0t in .y .othe+)s a+.s, and this ,as he+ /iss on .y li0s, fo+ I held the flo,e+, a half9blo,n lotus9blosso., -lose to .y .outh. I did not ,onde+ at fi+st ho, I had obtained it, I only loo/ed u0on its beauty and ,as ha00y, fo+ it .ade .e /no, that .y ?ueen, .y one f+iend, did indeed 1ua+d .e. !uddenly I sa, so.e one ente+ the +oo., yet she did not so .u-h ente+ it, as see. to -o.e out of the shado,. I lay, as no, I sa,, on the -ou-h in the +oo. to ,hi-h A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB had b+ou1ht .e. I ,as s-a+-ely a,a+e of ho,, o+ in ,hat 0la-e, I had s0ent the da+/ hou+s of the ni1ht, but I felt that it ,as in his a+.s I had been -a++ied ba-/ to .y -ou-h. I ,as 1lad to be the+e a1ain and I ,as 1lad to see this -hild that a00+oa-hed .e. !he ,as youn1e+ than .yself, and b+i1ht as the sunshine. !he -a.e nea+ to .e, and then 0aused3 I 0ut out .y hand to he+. *Ji2e .e the flo,e+,* she said. I hesitated, fo+ the 0ossession of the flo,e+ .ade .e ha00y, but I -ould not +efuse he+, fo+ she s.iled, and none ,ithin the te.0le had s.iled on .e till no,. I 1a2e he+ .y blosso.. *Ah<* she -+ied, *the+e is ,ate+ on its lea2es<* and she flun1 it a,ay f+o. he+ as if in dis1ust. I sta+ted f+o. .y -ou-h in an1+y haste to +es-ue .y t+easu+e. Instantly the -hild snat-hed it u0 a1ain and fled f+o. .e ,ith a -+y of lau1hte+. I follo,ed he+ at .y ut.ost s0eed. I ,as only a boy, and li/e a boy I -hased he+, fo+ I ,as an1+y, and dete+.ined she should not ,in. We s0ed th+ou1h 1+eat +oo.s ,he+ein ,e sa, no one, the -hild da+tin1 th+ou1h the 1+eat -u+tains, and I follo,in1 ,ith the s,iftness of a lad of the -ount+y. 5ut suddenly I -a.e a1ainst ,hat see.ed to .e a ,all of solid stone. Ho, ,as it she -ould ha2e eluded .eC fo+ I ,as -lose on he+ footste0s. I tu+ned ba-/ in a 0assion of +a1e that .ade .e blind, but I ,as silen-ed and st+i-/en into ?uiet, fo+ the 0+iest A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB stood befo+e .e. Had I done ,+on1C It -ould not be, fo+ he ,as s.ilin1. *Co.e ,ith .e,* he said3 and s0o/e so 1ently that I did not fea+ to follo, hi.. He o0ened a doo+, and I sa, befo+e .y eyes a 1a+den full of flo,e+s, a s?ua+e 1a+den en-losed in hed1es, thi-/ly -o2e+ed too ,ith flo,e+s, and this 1a+den ,as full of -hild+en all +unnin1 hithe+ and thithe+ as s,iftly as 0ossible, in the int+i-a-ies of so.e 1a.e I did not unde+stand. The+e ,e+e so .any, and they .o2ed so s,iftly, that at fi+st I ,as be,ilde+ed, but suddenly I sa, the -hild a.on1 the. ,ho had ta/en .y flo,e+. !he ,o+e it on he+ d+ess, and she s.iled in .o-/e+y as she sa, .e. I 0lun1ed into the -+o,d i..ediately, and see.ed, thou1h I /ne, not ho,, at on-e to obey the la,s of the 1a.e o+ dan-e. I s-a+-e /ne, ,hi-h it ,as, fo+ thou1h I .o2ed +i1htly a.on1 the., I -ould not tell ,hat ob4e-t they had in 0u+suit. I follo,ed, and -hased the fi1u+e of the 1i+l. Althou1h I did not su--eed in a00+oa-hin1 he+, so s,ift ,as she, yet I 1+e, ?ui-/ly to en4oy the .otion, the e=-ite.ent, the .e++y fa-es, and lau1hin1 2oi-es. The s-ent of the innu.e+able flo,e+s filled .e ,ith deli1ht, and I be-a.e 0assionately desi+ous to 0ossess .yself of so.e of the.. I fo+1ot the lotus blosso. in thin/in1 of these othe+s, and yet I hu++ied on in the .a>e of the dan-e, 0+o.isin1 .yself a 1+eat -luste+ of flo,e+s ,hen the dan-e -eased3 at that .o.ent I did not "a1e :@

fea+ A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB o+ his dis0leasu+e, e2en if this 1a+den ,e+e his. Then suddenly I hea+d a shout of a hund+ed 1ay -hild+en)s 2oi-es. *He has ,on it< He has ,on it<* It ,as a ball, a 1olden ball, and li1ht, so li1ht, that I -ould th+o, it fa+, fa+ u0 in the s/y3 yet it al,ays +etu+n to .y u0lifted hands. I had found it at .y feet ,hen I hea+d the othe+s shout, and i..ediately I /ne, the ball ,as .ine. o,, I sa, the+e ,as no one nea+ .e but the -hild, ,ho had ta/en .y lotus flo,e+. It ,as not on he+ d+ess no,, and I had fo+1otten it. 5ut she ,as s.ilin1, and I lau1hed to see he+. I th+e, he+ the ball, and she th+e, it ba-/ to .e, f+o. one end of the 1a+den to the othe+. !uddenly a bell +an1 out -lea+ and loud in the ai+. *Co.e,* she said3 *it is s-hool9ti.e, -o.e.* !he -au1ht .y hand and th+e, the ball a,ay. I loo/ed lon1in1ly afte+ it. *That ,as .ine,* I said. *It is no use no,,* she ans,e+ed. *Iou .ust 1ain anothe+ 0+i>e.* We +an a,ay, hand in hand, th+ou1h anothe+ 1a+den into a 1+eat +oo. ,hi-h I had not seen befo+e. The -hild+en ,ith ,ho. I had 0layed ,e+e he+e and a 1+eat .any .o+e. The ai+ ,as hea2y and s,eet in this +oo.. I ,as not ti+ed, fo+ I had but 4ust +isen f+o. .y lon1 slee0 and the .o+nin1 ,as yet f+esh, but no, that I ente+ed this +oo. I felt ,ea+y and .y head bu+ned. 6e+y soon I fell aslee0, hea+in1 the -hild+en)s 2oi-es +ound .e. When I a,o/e it ,as to hea+ a shout li/e that in the 1a+den. *He has ,on it< He has ,on it<* I stood u0on a /ind of th+one 99 a lofty seat of .a+ble. And I -ould hea+ .y o,n 2oi-e in the ai+. I had been s0ea/in1. The -hild+en ,e+e +ound .e, but they ,e+e -luste+ed u0on and about the .a+ble seat. I +e.e.be+ed that the -hild ,ho b+ou1ht .e he+e had said the tea-he+ stood u0on this th+one. Why then ,e+e ,e, the -hild+en he+eC I loo/ed, and lo, I sa, that the +oo. ,as full of 0+iests< They stood in the 0la-e of the tau1ht. They stood silent, i..o2able. A1ain I hea+d the -hild+en -+y, *He has ,on it< He has ,on it<* I s0+an1 f+o. the th+one in a sudden f+en>y, I /ne, not ,hy. As I stood u0on the 1+ound I loo/ed and sa, that the -hild+en ,e+e 1one. I -ould not see any one of the. but the -hild ,ho had b+ou1ht .e he+e. !he ,as standin1 on the th+one, and she lau1hed and -la00ed he+ hands ,ith 1lee. I ,onde+ed ,hat it ,as that 0leased he+, and loo/in1 do,n I sa, that I stood in a -i+-le of ,hite +obed 0+iests ,ho had 0+ost+ated the.sel2es until thei+ fo+eheads tou-hed the 1+ound. What did this .eanC I -ould not 1uess, and stood still in te++o+, ,hen suddenly the -hild -+ied out as if in ans,e+ to .y thou1ht, *They ,o+shi0 you<* My ,onde+ at he+ ,o+ds ,as not 1+eate+ than anothe+ ,onde+ ,hi-h fell on .e. #o+ I unde+stood that I alone hea+d he+ 2oi-e. "a1e :E
The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Chapter &III
I ,as ta/en ba-/ to .y o,n +oo., and the+e the youn1 0+iests b+ou1ht .e food. I ,as hun1+y, fo+ I had not b+o/en .y fast, and I found the food e=?uisite. The youn1 0+iests ,ho b+ou1ht it to .e fell on one /nee ,hen they offe+ed it3 I loo/ed ,onde+in1ly at the., fo+ I -ould not 1uess ,hy they should do so. Many of the. -a.e ,ith f+uits and +i-h sy+u0 and deli-ate s,eet.eats, su-h as I had ne2e+ seen, and ,ith flo,e+s. J+eat -luste+s of flo,e+s ,e+e b+ou1ht and 0la-ed nea+ .e, and bushes -o2e+ed ,ith blosso.s ,e+e 0ut a1ainst the ,all. I -+ied out ,ith 0leasu+e to see the., and as I -+ied out I sa, A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB standin1 ,ithin the shado, of the -u+tain. His eyes ,e+e on .e, -old odd s.iles. Iet I did not fea+ hi. no,3 I ,as full of a ne, s0i+it of 0leasu+e, ,hi-h .ade .e bold. I ,ent f+o. flo,e+ to flo,e+, /issin1 the blosso.s. Thei+ s-ent filled all the +oo. ,ith its +i-hness. I ,as 1lad and 0+oud, fo+ I felt as if I need no lon1e+ be af+aid of this -old 0+iest, ,ho stood .otionless as thou1h -ut in .a+ble. This sensation of fea+lessness lifted a ,ei1ht of a1ony f+o. .y -hildish soul. He tu+ned and 2anished, and as he 0assed unde+ the -u+tain I sa, the -hild at .y side. *!ee,* she said, *I b+ou1ht you these flo,e+s.* *Iou<* I e=-lai.ed. *Ies, I told the. you lo2ed flo,e+s. And these a+e st+on1 and s,eet3 they 1+o, in the ea+th. A+e you ti+ed, o+ shall ,e 1o out and 0layC %o you /no, that 1a+den is ou+ o,n and the ball is the+eC !o.e one too/ it ba-/ fo+ you.* *Tell .e,* I said, *,hy the 0+iests /neel to .e to9day. *%o you not /no,C* she said, loo/in1 at .e -u+iously. *It is be-ause you tau1ht f+o. the th+one today, and s0o/e ,ise ,o+ds they unde+stood, but ,e -ould not. 5ut ,e sa, you had ,on a 1+eat 0+i>e. Iou ,ill ,in all the 0+i>es.* I sat do,n u0on .y -ou-h, and held .y head ,ith .y hands and loo/ed at he+ in ,onde+. *5ut ho, -ould I do that and not /no, itC* I de.anded. *Iou ,ill be 1+eat ,hen you do not st+u11le, ,hen you do not /no, it you ,ill ,in all the 0+i>es. If you a+e ?uiet and ha00y you ,ill be ,o+shi00ed by all these 0+iests, e2en the .ost s0lendid.* I ,as du.b ,ith ,onde+ fo+ a .o.ent, then I said 99 "a1e :F

*Iou a+e 2e+y little. Ho, -an you /no, all thisC* *The flo,e+s told .e,* she said ,ith a lau1h. *They a+e you+ f+iends. 5ut it is all t+ue. ,ith .e.* o, -o.e and 0lay
* ot yet,* I said. And indeed I felt .y head ,as hot and hea2y, and .y hea+t filled ,ith ,onde+ I -ould not unde+stand he+ ,o+ds. *It is i.0ossible I -an ha2e tau1ht f+o. the th+one,* I e=-lai.ed. *Iou did< and the hi1h 0+iests bo,ed thei+ a,ful fa-es befo+e you. #o+ you told the. ho, to 0e+fo+. so.e st+an1e -e+e.ony ,he+e you ,ould be in the .idst.* *I<* *Ies, fo+ you told the. of ,hat should be you+ d+ess, and ho, to 0+e0a+e it, and ,hat ,o+ds to utte+, as they 0la-ed it on you.* I ,at-hed he+ ,ith 0assionate inte+est. *Can you tell .e .o+eC* I -+ied, ,hen she -eased. *Iou a+e to li2e a.on1 ea+th9fed flo,e+s, and to dan-e ,ith the -hild+en often. Oh, the+e ,e+e .any thin1s. 5ut of the -e+e.ony I -annot +e.e.be+. 5ut you ,ill soon see, fo+ it is to be to9ni1ht.* I sta+ted f+o. .y -ou-h in a sudden f+en>y of fea+. *%o not be af+aid,* she said, ,ith a lau1h. *#o+ I a. to be ,ith you. That .a/es .e 1lad, fo+ I belon1 to the te.0le, yet ha2e I ne2e+ been ad.itted to one of the sa-+ed -e+e.onies.* *Iou belon1 to the te.0le< 5ut they -annot hea+ you+ 2oi-e<* *!o.eti.es they -annot see .e<* she said, lau1hin1, *only A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB -an al,ays see .e, fo+ I a. his. 5ut I -annot tal/ to hi.. I li/e you be-ause I -an tal/ to you. Co.e, let us 1o out and 0lay. The flo,e+s in the 1a+den a+e as s,eet as these, and the ball is the+e. Co.e.* !he too/ .y hand and ,ent ?uietly a,ay. I let he+ lead .e, fo+ I ,as lost in thou1ht. 5ut outside the ai+ ,as so +i-h and s,eet, the flo,e+s so b+i1ht, the sun so ,a+., that soon I fo+1ot .y thou1hts in ha00iness. "a1e :'
The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Chapter I'
It ,as ni1ht. I ,as slee0y and -ontent, fo+ I had been ha00y and a.used, +unnin1 hithe+ and thithe+ in the s,eet9s-ented ai+. All the e2enin1 I had sle0t on .y -ou-h a.on1 the flo,e+s that .ade .y +oo. f+a1+ant, and I d+ea.ed st+an1e d+ea.s in ,hi-h ea-h flo,e+ be-a.e a lau1hin1 fa-e, and .y ea+s ,e+e full of the sound of .a1i- 2oi-es. I a,o/e suddenly and fan-ied I .ust be still d+ea.in1, fo+ the .oonli1ht -a.e into .y +oo. and fell u0on the beautiful blosso.s. And I thou1ht ,ith ,onde+ of the si.0le ho.e I had been +ea+ed in. Ho, ha2e I e2e+ endu+ed itC #o+ no, it I see.ed to .e that beauty ,as life. I ,as 2e+y ha00y. As I lay d+ea.ily loo/in1 at the .oonli1ht, the doo+ in the -o++ido+ ,as suddenly o0ened f+o. ,ithout. The -o++ido+ ,as full of li1ht, su-h b+illiant li1ht that the .oonli1ht see.ed li/e da+/ness, and I ,as blinded. Then a nu.be+ of neo0hytes ente+ed .y +oo., b+in1in1 ,ith the. so.e thin1s that I -ould not see, be-ause of the st+on1 li1ht. Then they ,ent a,ay and -losed the doo+, lea2in1 .e alone in the .oonli1ht, ,ith t,o tall, ,hite9+obed, .otionless fo+.s. I /ne, ,ho ,as ,ith .e thou1h I da+ed not loo/ 99 it ,as A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB and $a.en 5a/a Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB. At fi+st I t+e.bled, but suddenly I sa, the -hild 1lide fo+th f+o. the shado,, he+ fin1e+ on he+ li0s and a s.ile on he+ fa-e. *%o not be af+aid,* she said. *They a+e 1oin1 to 0ut on you the beautiful +obe you told the. to 0+e0a+e.* I +ose f+o. .y -ou-h and loo/ed at the 0+iests. I ,as no lon1e+ af+aid. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB stood .otionless, his eyes fi=ed on .e. The othe+ a00+oa-hed .e, holdin1 in his hands a ,hite +obe. It ,as of fine linen and -o2e+ed ,ith +i-h 1old e.b+oide+y, ,hi-h I sa, fo+.ed -ha+a-te+s I -ould not unde+stood. It ,as .o+e beautiful than A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB)s +obe and I had ne2e+ seen anythin1 so beautiful as that ,hen I ente+ed the te.0le. I ,as 0leased, and held out .y hand fo+ the +obe. $a.en Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddess AA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an natu+eB -a.e -lose to .e, and ,hen I flun1 aside the one I ,o+e, 0ut this u0on .e ,ith his o,n hands. It ,as stee0ed ,ith a subtle 0e+fu.e, ,hi-h I inhaled ,ith deli1ht. This see.ed to .e a +oyal +obe< $a.en Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddess AA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an natu+eB ad2an-ed to the doo+ and o0ened it. The b+illiant li1ht st+ea.ed in full u0on .e. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB +e.ained standin1 .otionless, his eyes fi=ed on .e.
"a1e :H

The -hild loo/ed u0on .e ,ith ad.i+ation and -la00ed he+ hands in deli1ht. Then she held out one hand and too/ .ine. *Co.e,* she said. I yielded, and to1ethe+ ,e ,ent into the -o++ido+, A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB -lose behind us. The s-ene ,e ente+ed sta+tled .e, and I 0aused. The 1+eat -o++ido+ ,as full of 0+iests, sa2e 4ust ,he+e I stood, -lose to the doo+ of the holy of holies. He+e a la+1e s0a-e ,as left, and in this s0a-e stood a -ou-h -o2e+ed ,ith sil/en d+a0e+y, e.b+oide+ed ,ith 1old, in -ha+a-te+s +ese.blin1 those u0on .y d+ess. About the -ou-h ,as a ban/ o+ hed1e of s,eet s.ellin1 flo,e+s, and all a+ound the 1+ound ,as st+e,n ,ith 0lu-/ed blosso.s. I sh+an/ f+o. the 1+eat -+o,d of .otionless ,hite9+obed 0+iests, ,hose eyes ,e+e fi=ed on .e, but the beautiful -olo+s 0leased .e. *This -ou-h is fo+ us,* said the -hild, and led .e to it. o one else s0o/e o+ .o2ed, and I obeyed he+. We ad2an-ed, and u0on the -ou-h found ou+ 1olden ball ,ith ,hi-h ,e had 0layed in the 1a+den. I loo/ed in a sudden ,onde+ to see if A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB ,at-hed us. He stood by the doo+ of the holy of holies3 his eyes ,e+e on .e. $a.en Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddess AA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an natu+eB stood nea+e+ to us, and he ,as 1a>in1 at the -losed doo+ of the san-tua+y, and his li0s ,e+e .o2in1 as if he ,e+e +e0eatin1 ,o+ds. o one see.ed an1+y ,ith us, so I loo/ed ba-/ at the -hild. !he snat-hed u0 the ball and s0+an1 to one end of the 1+eat -ou-h3 I -ould not +esist he+ 1aiety3 I s0+an1 to the othe+ end of the -ou-h, and lau1hed too. !he flun1 .e the ball3 I -au1ht it in .y hands, but befo+e I -ould th+o, it ba-/ to he+, the -o++ido+ ,as 0lun1ed into -o.0lete 0+ofound da+/ness. #o+ a .o.ent .y b+eath died a,ay in the sudden a1ony of fea+, but suddenly I found that I -ould see the -hild, and that she ,as lau1hin1. I flun1 he+ the ball, and she -au1ht it, and lau1hed a1ain. I loo/ed a+ound, and sa, that all else ,as bla-/ da+/ness. I thou1ht of the a,ful fi1u+e I had seen befo+e in the da+/ness, and I .ust ha2e -+ied aloud ,ith fea+ but fo+ the -hild. !he -a.e to .e and 0ut he+ hand in .ine. *A+e you af+aidC* she said3 *I a. not. And you need not fea+. They ,ould not ha+. you, fo+ they ,o+shi0 you<* While she s0o/e, I hea+d .usi- 99 1ay, ,onde+ful .usi- 99 that .ade .y hea+t beat fast and .y feet lon1 to dan-e. A .o.ent late+ and I sa, the li1ht -o.e +ound the san-tua+y doo+, and the doo+ o0en. Was that a,ful fi1u+e -o.in1 fo+thC My li.bs shoo/ at the thou1ht, but yet I did not lose all -ou+a1e as befo+e. The -hild)s 0+esen-e and the 1ay .usi- /e0t f+o. .e the ho++o+ of solitude. The -hild +ose, holdin1 .y hand in he+s. We a00+oa-hed the san-tua+y doo+. I ,as un,illin1, yet I -ould not +esist the 1uidan-e ,hi-h led .e on. We ente+ed the doo+, and as ,e did so the .usi- -eased. All ,as still a1ain. 5ut the+e ,as a faint li1ht ,ithin the san-tua+y ,hi-h see.ed to -o.e f+o. the fa+ end of the -ha.be+. The -hild led .e to,a+ds this li1ht. !he ,as ,ith .e, and I ,as not af+aid. At the end of the -ha.be+ ,as a s.all inne+ +oo., o+ +e-ess, -ut, as I -ould see, in the +o-/. I -ould see this, fo+ the+e ,as enou1h li1ht he+e. A ,o.an sat on a lo, seat, he+ head bent o2e+ a 1+eat boo/, ,hi-h she held o0en on he+ /nee. My eyes ,e+e +i2eted to he+ instantly, and I -ould not +e.o2e the.. I /ne, he+, and the hea+t ,ithin .e shudde+ed at the thou1ht that she ,ould +aise he+ head, and I should see he+ fa-e. !uddenly I /ne, .y -o.0anion the -hild, ,as 1one. I did not loo/ to see, fo+ .y eyes ,e+e held by a su0+e.e fas-ination, but I felt .y hand had no ans,e+in1 -las0. I /ne, he+ 0+esen-e ,as 1one. "a1e ;(

I ,aited, standin1 still as one of those fi1u+es -a+2ed in the a2enue of the te.0le. At last she lifted he+ head and loo/ed at .e. My blood shi2e+ed and 1+e, -old. It see.ed to .yself that I f+o>e, fo+ those eyes -ut li/e steel, yet I -ould not +esist o+ tu+n a,ay, o+ e2en hide .y eyes f+o. that a,ful si1ht. *Iou ha2e -o.e to .e to lea+n. Well, I ,ill tea-h you,* she said, and he+ 2oi-e sounded lo, and s,eet li/e the soft tones of a .usi-al inst+u.ent. *Iou lo2e beautiful thin1s and flo,e+s. Iou ,ill be a 1+eat a+tist if you li2e fo+ beauty alone, but you .ust be .o+e than that.* !he held out he+ hand to .e, and, a1ainst .y ,ill, I lifted .ine, and 1a2e it he+ but she ba+ely tou-hed it3 at the tou-h .y hand ,as suddenly full of +oses, and all the 0la-e ,as filled ,ith thei+ s-ent. !he lau1hed, and the sound ,as .usi-al3 I su00ose .y fa-e 0leased he+. *Co.e no,,* she said, *and stand nea+e+ .e, fo+ you no lon1e+ fea+ .e.* With .y eyes u0on the +oses, I a00+oa-hed he+3 they held .y si1ht, and I did not fea+ he+ ,hen I did not see he+ fa-e. !he 0ut he+ a+. +ound .e and d+e, .e -lose to he+ side. !uddenly I sa, that the da+/ +obe she ,o+e ,as no 1a+.ent of linen o+ -loth 99 it ,as ali2e 99 it ,as a d+a0e+y of -oilin1 sna/e, ,ho -lun1 about he+ and .ade folds that had see.ed to .e li/e soft han1in1 d+a0e+ies ,hen I stood a little a,ay f+o. he+. o, te++o+ o2e+-a.e .e3 I t+ied to s-+ea. but -ould not, I t+ied to fly f+o. he+ but -ould not. !he lau1hed a1ain but this ti.e he+ lau1h ,as ha+sh. 5ut ,hile I loo/ed all ,as -han1ed, and he+ +obe ,as da+/ 99 da+/ still but not ali2e. I stood b+eathless, ,onde+in1 in -old ,ith fea+ 99 he+ a+. ,as still about .e< !he +aised he+ othe+ hand and 0la-ed it on .y fo+ehead. Then fea+ left .e alto1ethe+3 I see.ed ha00y and ?uiet. My eyes ,e+e shut, althou1h I sa,3 I ,as -ons-ious, yet I did not desi+e to .o2e. !he +ose, and liftin1 .e in he+ a+.s, 0la-ed .e on the lo, stone seat ,he+e she had he+self been sittin1. My head fell ba-/ a1ainst the ,all of +o-/ behind .e. I ,as du.b and still, but I -ould see. !he +ose u0 to he+ full hei1ht and st+et-hed he+ a+.s aloft abo2e he+ head, and a1ain I sa, the se+0ents. They ,e+e 2i1o+ous and full of life. They ,e+e not only he+ d+ess but they ,e+e about he+ head. I -ould not tell if they ,e+e he+ hai+ o+ if they ,e+e in it. !he -las0ed he+ hands hi1h abo2e he+ head, and the te++ible -+eatu+es hun1 ,+eathin1 f+o. he+ a+.s. 5ut I ,as not af+aid. #ea+ see.ed to ha2e left .e fo+e2e+. !uddenly I be-a.e a,a+e that the+e ,as anothe+ 0+esen-e in the san-tua+y. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB ,as the+e, standin1 at the doo+ of the inne+ -a2e+n. I loo/ed in ,onde+ at his fa-e, it ,as so still3 the eyes ,e+e unseein1. Then I /ne, suddenly that they ,e+e in 2e+y fa-t unseein13 that this fi1u+e, this li1ht, I .yself, ,e+e all in2isible to hi.. !he tu+ned to .e, o+ leaned to,a+ds .e, so that I sa, he+ fa-e, and he+ eyes ,e+e on .ine3 othe+,ise she did not .o2e. Those eyes that -ut li/e steel no lon1e+ filled .e ,ith te++o+, but they held .e ,ith a 1+as0 as of so.e i+on inst+u.ent. While I ,at-hed he+, suddenly I sa, the se+0ents -han1e and 2anish3 "a1e ;&

they be-a.e lon1 sinuous folds of so.e soft 1+ay 1lea.in1 1a+.ent, and thei+ hands and te++ible eyes -han1ed into sta++y 1+ou0s of +oses. And a +i-h st+on1 s-ent of +oses filled the san-tua+y. Then I sa, A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB s.ile. *My Gueen is he+e,* he said. *Iou+ Gueen is he+e,* I said, and did not /no, I had s0o/en till I hea+d .y o,n 2oi-e. *!he ,aits to /no, you+ desi+e.* *Tell .e,* he said, * ,hat is he+ +obeC* I ans,e+ed, *It shines and 1lea.s, and on he+ shoulde+s a+e +oses.* *I do not desi+e 0leasu+e,* he said3 *.y soul is si-/ of it. 5ut I de.and 0o,e+.* Until no, he+ eyes fi=ed on .ine had told .e ,hat to s0ea/3 but no, I hea+d he+ 2oi-e a1ain. *In the te.0leC* And I +e0eated he+ ,o+ds, un-ons-ious that I did so till I -au1ht the e-ho of .y 2oi-e. * o,* ans,e+ed A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB -onte.0tuously. *I .ust 1o outside these ,alls, and .i= ,ith .en and ,o+/ .y ,ill a.on1 the.. I de.and the 0o,e+ to do this. It ,as 0+o.ised to .e3 that 0+o.ise has not been fulfilled.* *5e-ause you la-/ed the -ou+a1e and the st+en1th to -o.0el its fulfill.ent.* *I la-/ those no lon1e+,* ans,e+ed A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB, and fo+ the fi+st ti.e I sa, his fa-e fla.e ,ith 0assion. *Then utte+ the fatal ,o+ds,* she said. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB)s fa-e -han1ed. He stood still fo+ so.e .o.ents, and his fa-e 1+e, -olde+ and .o+e stony than any -a+2en fo+.. *I +enoun-e .y hu.anity,* he said at last, utte+in1 the ,o+ds slo,ly, so that they a00ea+ed to 0ause and +est u0on the ai+.
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*It is ,ell,* she said. *5ut you -annot stand alone. Iou .ust b+in1 .e othe+s +eady li/e you+self to b+a2e all and /no, all. I .ust ha2e t,el2e s,o+n se+2ants. Jet .e these, and you shall ha2e you+ desi+e.* *A+e they to be .y e?ualsC* de.anded A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB. *In desi+e and in -ou+a1e, yes3 in 0o,e+, no3 be-ause ea-h ,ill ha2e a diffe+ent desi+e3 thus ,ill thei+ se+2i-e be a--e0table to .e.* A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB 0aused a .o.ent. Then he said, *I obey .y Gueen. 5ut I .ust be aided in so diffi-ult a tas/. Ho, shall I te.0t the.C* At these ,o+ds she flun1 out he+ a+.s, o0enin1 and shuttin1 he+ hands ,ith a st+an1e 1estu+e, ,hi-h I -ould not unde+stand. He+ eyes 1lea.ed li/e hot -oals, and then 1+e, -old and dull. *I ,ill di+e-t you,* she ans,e+ed. *5e faithful to .y o+de+s and you need not fea+. Only obey .e and you shall su--eed. Iou ha2e e2e+y ele.ent ,ithin this te.0le. The+e a+e ten 0+iests +eady to ou+ hand. They a+e full of hun1e+. I ,ill satisfy the.. Iou I ,ill satisfy ,hen you+ -ou+a1e and steadfastness is 0+o2ed 99 not until then fo+ you de.and .u-h .o+e than these othe+s.* *And ,ho shall be the one to -o.0lete the nu.be+C* as/ed A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB. !he tu+ned he+ eyes a1ain u0on .e. *This -hild,* she ans,e+ed. *He is .ine 99 .y -hosen and fa2o+ite se+2ant. I ,ill tea-h hi.D and th+ou1h hi. I ,ill tea-h you.*
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The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Chapter '
*Tell $a.en 5a/a Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB, that I /no, his hea+t)s desi+e, and that he shall ha2e it, but that he .ust fi+st 0+onoun-e the fatal ,o+ds.* A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an tu+ned a,ay. He silently left the san-tua+y. atu+eB bo,ed his head and
I ,as a1ain alone ,ith he+. !he a00+oa-hed .e and fastened he+ te++ible eyes on .ine. While I 1a>ed at he+ she 2anished f+o. befo+e .e, and in he+ 0la-e ,as a 1olden li1ht ,hi-h 1+adually sha0ed itself into a fo+. .o+e beautiful than any I had e2e+ seen. It ,as a t+ee full of folia1e that hun1 soft li/e hai+ +athe+ than lea2es, and on ea-h b+an-h ,as a .ultitude of flo,e+s 1+o,in1 in thi-/ -luste+s, and a.on1 the flo,e+s ,e+e a nu.be+ of bi+ds all 1olden and 1ay ,ith b+illiant -olo+s, and they da+ted hithe+ and thithe+ a.on1 the 1lo,in1 blosso.s, till .y eyes 1+e, da>>led, and I -+ied aloud, *Oh 1i2e .e one of these little bi+ds fo+ .y o,n that it .ay -o.e to .e and nestle as it does in those flo,e+s.* *Iou shall ha2e a hund+ed of the., and they ,ill so lo2e you they ,ill /iss you+ .outh and ta/e food f+o. you+ li0s. 5y9and9by you shall ha2e a 1a+den in ,hi-h a t+ee li/e this shall 1+o,, and all the bi+ds of the ai+ ,ill lo2e you. 5ut fi+st you .ust do .y biddin1. !0ea/ to $a.en Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddess AA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an natu+eB and bid hi. ente+ the san-tua+y.* *Ente+,* I said, *the 0+iest $a.en 5a/a Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB shall ente+.* He -a.e and stood ,ithin the doo+,ay of the inne+ -a2e+n. The t+ee had 2anished, and I sa, befo+e .e the da+/ fi1u+e ,ith its shinin1 flo,in1 +obes and -+uel eyes3 they ,e+e fi=ed on the 0+iest. *Tell hi.,* she said slo,ly, *that his hea+t)s hun1e+ shall be satisfied. He desi+es lo2e 99 he shall ha2e it. The 0+iests of the te.0le ha2e tu+ned -old fa-es to,a+ds hi., and he feels that thei+ hea+ts a+e as stone. He ,ants to see the. on thei+ /nees a+ound hi., ado+in1 hi., ,illin1 sla2es. He shall ha2e it3 fo+ he shall ta/e u0on hi. this on-e, ,hi-h until no, has been .ine. He shall 1+atify thei+ hea+t)s lust, and in +etu+n they ,ill 0ut hi. alone u0on a 0edestal abo2e all but .yself. Is the b+ibe 1+eat enou1hC* !he said these ,o+ds in a tone of intense -onte.0t, and I -ould +ead in he+ te++ible fa-e that she des0ised hi. fo+ the na++o, li.it of his a.bition. 5ut the stin1 left the ,o+ds as I +e0eated the..
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$a.en Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddess AA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an natu+eB bo,ed his head, and a st+an1e 1lo, of e=ultation -a.e u0on his fa-e. *It is,* he said. *Then 0+onoun-e the fatal ,o+ds<* $a.en 5a/a Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB fell u0on his /nees and Run1 his hands hi1h abo2e his head. The loo/ in his fa-e -han1ed to one of a1ony. *#+o. hen-efo+,a+d, thou1h all .en lo2e .e, I lo2e no .an<* The da+/ fi1u+e s,e0t to,a+ds hi. and tou-hed his head ,ith he+ hand. *Iou a+e .ine,* she said, and tu+ned a,ay, a s.ile that ,as da+/ and -old li/e a no+the+n f+ost u0on he+ fa-e. !he 1a2e .e the idea of a tea-he+ and a 1uide ,ith $a.en Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddess AA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an natu+eB3 to A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB she had +athe+ s0o/en as a ?ueen .i1ht to he+ -hief fa2o+ite, one ,ho. she 2alues and fea+s at on-e3 one ,ho has st+en1th. * o,, -hild, the+e is ,o+/ to do,* she said, a00+oa-hin1 .e. *This boo/ has ,+itten in it the hea+ts of the 0+iests ,ho shall be .y se+2ants. Thou a+t ,ea+y and .ust +est, fo+ I ,ill not that they in4u+e thee. Thou .ust 1+o, to a st+on1 .an ,o+thy of .y fa2o+. 5ut -a++y the boo/ ,ith thee in thy a+.s3 and as soon as thou shalt ,a/e in the ea+ly .o+n $a.en Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddess AA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an natu+eB shall -o.e to thee, and thou shalt +ead to hi. the fi+st 0a1e of this 2olu.e. When he has su--eeded in a--o.0lishin1 the fi+st tas/, then he shall a1ain -o.e to thee at ea+ly .o+n and thou shalt +ead to hi. the se-ond3 and in this ,ay the boo/ ,ill be finished. Tell hi. this3 and bid hi. not des0ai+ at any ti.e, be-ause of diffi-ulties. With ea-h diffi-ulty su+.ounted his 0o,e+ ,ill in-+ease, and ,hen all is done he ,ill stand su0+e.e.* I +e0eated these ,o+ds to $a.en Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddess AA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an natu+eB. He ,as standin1 no, at the doo+,ay, his hands -las0ed in f+ont of hi., and his head d+oo0ed lo,, so that I -ould not see his fa-e. 5ut as I -eased, he +aised his head and said, *I obey.* His fa-e ,o+e still the st+an1e 1lea. ,hi-h I had seen on it befo+e. *5id hi. 1o,* she said, *and he is to send A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB hithe+.* When I +e0eated this, he ?uietly ,ithd+e,3 and I -ould see by his .o2e.ents that the 0la-e to his eyes "a1e ;@

,as all da+/ness. A .o.ent late+ and A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB stood in the doo+,ay. !he a00+oa-hed hi. and laid he+ hand u0on his fo+ehead. I..ediately I sa, a -+o,n the+e3 and A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB s.iled. *It shall be you+s,* she said. *!ay this to A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB3 it is the 1+eatest -+o,n but one u0on the ea+th3 and that 1+eate+ one he ,ould not ,ea+. o, bid hi. -a++y thee in his a+.s and lay thee on thy -ou-h. 5ut thou -las0 ti1ht the boo/.* While I ,as +e0eatin1 he+ ,o+ds, she -a.e to .e and tou-hed .y fo+ehead. A dee0 deli-ious lan1uo+ -a.e u0on .e, and I thou1ht the ,o+ds faded on .y li0s. 5ut I -ould not say the. a1ain3 all had 2anished. I ,as aslee0.
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The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Chapter 'I
When I a,o/e it ,as b+oad dayli1ht3 and I felt that I had sle0t a lon1 dee0 slee0. My +oo. ,as li/e a 1a+den it ,as so full of flo,e+s. My eyes ,ande+ed a+ound the. in 0leasu+e, but 0+esently li1hted on an ob4e-t ,hi-h /e0t the. fi=ed. It ,as a /neelin1 fi1u+e in the .idst of the +oo.3 a 0+iest ,hose head ,as bo,ed lo,3 but I /ne, it ,as $a.en 5a/a Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB. I .o2ed, and at the sli1ht sound I .ade he +aised his head and loo/ed to,a+ds .e. In .o2in1, I found that the boo/ lay beside .e o0en. My eyes be-a.e fastened to the 0a1e. I sa, ,o+ds that shone, and un-ons-iously I +ead the. aloud. I -eased at last, be-ause no .o+e ,as ,+it in 0lain lan1ua1e, but all ,as hie+o1ly0hi-s. $a.en 5a/a Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB sta+ted to his feet. I loo/ed at hi., and sa, his fa-e ,as all ali1ht ,ith ,hat see.ed li/e ,ild e=ultation. *He shall /iss .y feet to day,* he -+ied out. Then obse+2in1 .y ,onde+in1 1a>e, he said, *Ha2e you +ead allC* *All that I -an unde+stand,* I ans,e+ed. *The +est is in st+an1e -ha+a-te+s that I do not /no,.* He tu+ned instantly and left .y -ha.be+. I loo/ed ba-/ at the 0a1e of the boo/ ,hi-h I had +ead to see ,hat ,e+e the ,o+ds ,hi-h had so st+an1ely e=-ited hi.. They ,e+e no, no lon1e+ intelli1ible to .e 99 they too ,e+e ,+it in hie+o1ly0hi-s 99 and I 1a>ed at the. in des0ai+, fo+ no, I found I -ould +e.e.be+ no ,o+d of ,hat I had +ead. I 1+e, ,ea+y ,ith 0u>>lin1 o2e+ this st+an1e thin1, and at last I fell aslee0 a1ain .y head u0on the o0en 0a1es of the .ysti- boo/. I did not +ouse f+o. the dee0 d+ea.less slee0 in ,hi-h I ,as, until a sound sta+tled .e. T,o youn1 0+iests ,e+e in .y +oo.3 they -a++ied -a/es and .il/, and fell u0on thei+ /nees to offe+ .e the food. I ,as af+aid, o+ I should ha2e lau1hed to see the. thus /neelin1 to .e, a boy of the -ount+y. When I had eaten they left .e, but I ,as not lon1 alone. The -u+tain lifted, and at the si1ht of one ,ho ente+ed, I s0+an1 to .y feet and lau1hed ,ith 0leasu+e. It ,as !eboua AintuitionB , the 1a+dene+. *Ho, is it you ha2e -o.e to .eC* I as/ed. *I thou1ht indeed I ,as ne2e+ to see you a1ain.* *A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an *A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an a00+oa-hed hi. and 0+essed his a+. bet,een .y hands. atu+eB sent .e he+e,* he said. atu+eB<* I -+ied in a.a>e.ent. I
*Oh yes, I a. +eal,* he ans,e+ed. *They -annot .a/e a 0hanto. of .e. %o not doubt ,hen you see .e it is I .yself.*
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He s0o/e an1+ily and +ou1hly, and fo+ a .o.ent I ,as af+aid, but not fo+ lon1. The st+an1e s.ile -a.e on his u1ly fa-e. *Iou a+e to -o.e ,ith .e into the 1a+den* he said, and held out his da+/ la+1e hand. I 0ut .ine in it, and to1ethe+ ,e left .y +oo. and ,ent ?ui-/ly a,ay th+ou1h the la+1e e.0ty -ha.be+s and lon1 0assa1es of the te.0le till ,e +ea-hed that na++o, i+on 1ate,ay th+ou1h ,hi-h I had fi+st seen !eboua)sAintuitionB fa-e. As then so no,, the 1a+den shone beyond, a 2ision of 1+eenness and li1ht and -olo+. *Oh< I a. 1lad to -o.e ba-/ he+e,* I said. *Iou -a.e fi+st to ,o+/3 you ,e+e to be the d+ud1e fo+ .e,* said !eboua AintuitionB , 0+oudly. * o, all)s -han1ed. Iou a+e to 0lay, not ,o+/, and I a. to t+eat you li/e a little 0+in-e. Well< ha2e they s0oiled thee yet, I ,onde+, -hildC Would)st li/e to batheC* *5ut ,he+e,* I said, *in ,hat ,ate+sC I ,ould lo2e to 0lun1e in and s,i. in so.e ,ate+ that ,as -ool and dee0.* *Thou -anst s,i.C and thou lo2est the ,ate+C Well, -o.e ,ith .e and I ,ill sho, thee dee0 ,ate+ that ,ill be -ool indeed. Co.e thou ,ith .e<* He ,al/ed on and I had to hu++y to /ee0 0a-e ,ith hi.. He .utte+ed to hi.self as he ,ent, but I -ould not unde+stand his ,o+ds. Indeed, I did not listen fo+ I ,as thin/in1 of ho, 1lo+ious the 0lun1e into -ool ,ate+ ,ould be on this ,a+. lan1uid .o+nin1. We -a.e to a 0la-e ,he+e the+e ,as a ,ide, dee0 0ool, into ,hi-h ,ate+ -a.e d+o00in1, d+o00in1, in a ?ui-/ s,ift sho,e+ f+o. so.e 0la-e abo2e. *The+e is ,ate+ fo+ thee,* said !eboua AintuitionB , *and no flo,e+s a+e the+e fo+ thee to hu+t.* I stood on the b+in/ in the ,a+. sunli1ht and flun1 .y ,hite +obe f+o. .e. Then ,ith one instant of 0ause to loo/ a+ound and thin/ ho, s,eet the sun ,as, I 0lun1ed into the ,ate+. Ah< indeed, it ,as -old< My b+eath ,as al.ost 1one ,ith the sudden -hill, but I st+u-/ out and be1an to s,i., and soon be1an to 1lo+y in the sense of /een +ef+esh.ent. I felt st+on1 and ea1e+, he+e in the s,eet f+esh ,ate+s. o lon1e+ lan1uid as a.id the f+a1+ant odo+s of the te.0le, o+ the +i-h s-ents of the flo,e+s in .y -ha.be+. I ,as so ha00y, I ,anted to stay a lon1 ,hile he+e in the ,ate+ .id the sun3 so 0+esently I -eased s,i..in1 and let .yself float idly, and, -losed .y eyes that the sunli1ht should not blind .e. !uddenly I felt so.ethin1 so st+an1e, I 1+e, b+eathless, yet it ,as so 1entle it did not te++ify .e. It ,as a /iss u0on .y .outh. I o0ened .y eyes. The+e, beside .e, lyin1 u0on the su+fa-e of the ,ate+, ,as .y o,n Gueen, the Lily Gueen, the Lady of the Lotus (6idya, s0i+itual intelli1en-e) of the Lotus. I utte+ed a "a1e ;'

-+y of 4oy. I..ediately all 0leasu+e ,hi-h I had had sin-e last I sa, he+ 2anished f+o. .y .ind. !he ,as .y Gueen, .y beautiful f+iend3 ,hen she ,as the+e I had none othe+ in all the ,o+ld. *Child, thou a+t -o.e to .e a1ain* she said, *but soon thou ,ilt lea2e .e3 and ho, -an I aid thee if thou fo+1ettest .e utte+lyC* I .ade no ans,e+, fo+ I ,as asha.ed. I -ould ha+dly belie2e that I had indeed fo+1otten and yet I /ne, that it ,as t+ue. *The ,ate+s thou liest in no,,* she said, *-o.e f+o. that 0la-e ,he+e .y flo,e+s, the lotus blosso.s, d,ell in thei+ 1lo+y. Thou ,ouldst die ,e+t thou to lie thus in the ,ate+ ,he+e they d,ell. 5ut this that d+o0s f+o. the. has but little of thei+ life in it, and has 1i2en u0 its o,n to the.. When thou .ust 0lun1e into the ,ate+ of the lotus tan/, then thou ,ilt be st+on1 as the ea1le and ea1e+ as the youn1 life of the ne,bo+n. My -hild, be thou st+on13 listen not to the flatte+y ,hi-h -onfuses thee3 listen only to the t+uth I /ee0 in the sunli1ht, dea+ -hild, and let not the 0hanto.s delude thee3 fo+ the+e is the life of li2es a,aitin1 thee, the 0u+e flo,e+ of /no,led1e and lo2e is +eady fo+ thee to 0lu-/. Wouldst thou be a tool, a .e+e inst+u.ent in the hands of those ,ho desi+e only fo+ the.sel2esC o< a-?ui+e /no,led1e and 1+o, st+on13 then shalt thou be a 1i2e+ of sunshine to the ,o+ld. Co.e, .y -hild, 1i2e .e thine hand3 +ise in -onfiden-e, fo+ this ,ate+ ,ill su00o+t thee3 +ise and /neel u0on it and d+in/ of the sunshine3 +ise and /neel u0on it, and add+ess thyself to the li1ht of all life, that it .ay illu.ine thee.* I +ose, holdin1 he+ hand. I /nelt beside he+. I +ose a1ain and ,ith he+ stood u0on the ,ate+ 99 and then I /ne, no .o+e. *Wouldst thou be a tool, a .e+e inst+u.ent in the hands of those ,ho desi+e only fo+ the.sel2esC a-?ui+e /no,led1e and 1+o, st+on13 then shalt thou be a 1i2e+ of sunshine to the ,o+ld.* o<
These ,o+ds see.ed ,his0e+ed in .y ea+ as I a,o/e3 I +e0eated the. o2e+ and o2e+, and +e.e.be+ed e2e+y se0a+ate ,o+d +i1htly. 5ut they ,e+e 2a1ue and un.eanin1 to .e3 I had fan-ied I unde+stood the. ,hen fi+st I hea+d the., but no, they sounded to .e as the 1ood ,o+ds of the 0+ea-he+ sound to the dan-e+s at the festi2als. KKKKKKK I ,as a -hild ,hen these ,o+ds ,e+e b+eathed into .y ea+ 99 a lad, hel0less be-ause i1no+ant and full of youth. Th+ou1h the yea+s of .y 1+o,th, the -+y to .y soul f+o. the Lily Gueen +an1 di.ly and ,ithout .eanin1 in the obs-u+e +e1ions of .y b+ain. They ,e+e to .e as the son1 of the 0+iest to the babe that hea+s but its .usi-. Iet I ne2e+ fo+1ot the.. My life ,as 1i2en u0 to the .en ,ho held .e in bonda1e, in s0i+it and in body3 fette+s lay hea2y on .y una,a/ened soul. While .y body yielded dully to the 1uidan-e of its .aste+s, I ,as a sla2e, yet /ne, that f+eedo. e=isted beneath the f+ee s/y< 5ut, thou1h I obeyed blindly, and 1a2e all .y st+en1th and 0o,e+s to the base uses of the dese-+ated te.0le, in .y hea+t I held fast the .e.o+y of the beautiful ?ueen and in .y .ind he+ ,o+ds ,e+e ,+itten in fi+e that ,ould not "a1e ;H

die. Iet as I 1+e, to .an)s statu+e, .y soul si-/ened ,ithin .e. These ,o+ds ,hi-h li2ed li/e a sta+ in .y soul -ast a st+an1e li1ht u0on .y ,+et-hed life. And as .y .ind de2elo0ed I +e-o1ni>ed this, and a hea2y ,ea+iness, as of death o+ des0ai+, shut a,ay f+o. .e all the beauty of the ,o+ld. #+o. a 1ay -hild, a ha00y -+eatu+e of sunshine, I 1+e, into a sad youth, ,hose eyes ,e+e la+1e and hea2y ,ith tea+s, and ,hose si-/ hea+t held hidden ,ithin it .any se-+ets, but half unde+stood, of sha.e and sin and so++o,. !o.eti.es, ,hen I ,ande+ed th+ou1h the 1a+den I 1a>ed into the still ,ate+ of the lily tan/ and 0+ayed to see a1ain the 2ision. 5ut it -a.e not I had lost the inno-en-e of -hildhood, and had not yet ,on the st+en1th of the .an.
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The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) BOOK "O Chapter I
I ,as in the 1a+den of the te.0le, lyin1 beneath a ,ide t+ee that -ast dee0 shade u0on the 1+ass. I had been 2e+y ,ea+y, fo+ all the ni1ht befo+e I had been in the san-tua+y, s0ea/in1 the .essa1es of the da+/ s0i+it to he+ 0+iests. I sle0t a little in the ,a+. ai+ and a,o/e st+an1ely full of sadness. I felt that .y youth had 1one, yet I had ne2e+ en4oyed its fi+e. On ea-h side of .e ,as a youn1 0+iest. One ,as fannin1 .e ,ith a b+oad leaf that he .ust ha2e 0lu-/ed f+o. the t+ee abo2e. The othe+, leanin1 on one hand u0on the 1+ass, +e1a+ded .e ea+nestly. His eyes ,e+e la+1e and da+/ and 0leasant, li/e the eyes of a /indly ani.al. I had often ad.i+ed his beauty, and I ,as 1lad to see hi. at .y side. *Iou ha2e been too .u-h ,ithin doo+s. !ee no,,* he said, ,hen he sa, .y eyes o0en ,ea+ily, and 1a>e into his fa-e. *They shall not /ill thee ,ith the -e+e.onies of the te.0le, e2en if thou a+t the only one that -an 1i2e the. life. Wilt -o.e into the to,n ,ith us, and taste so.ethin1 diffe+ent f+o. the ai+ of the te.0leC* *5ut ,e -annot,* I said. *Cannot,* said Malen -onte.0tuously. *%o you su00ose ,e a+e 0+isone+s he+eC* *5ut e2en if ,e -an find a ,ay out the 0eo0le ,ill /no, us. The 0+iests do not 1o a.on1 the 0eo0le.* *The 0eo0le ,ill not /no, us,* said Malen ,ith a .e++y lau1h. *A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB has 1i2en us libe+ty. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB has 1i2en us 0o,e+. Co.e, if thou ,ilt 99 ,e a+e 1oin1.* The t,o +ose and held out thei+ hands to hel0 .e to +ise3 but I ,as no lon1e+ ,ea/. I s0+an1 to .y feet, and a++an1ed .y ,hite 1a+.ent. *A+e ,e to ,ea+ these +obesC* I as/ed. *Ies, yes, but none ,ill /no, us. We shall a00ea+ as be11a+s, o+ as 0+in-es3 ,hat ,e ,ill3 A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB has 1i2en us 0o,e+. Co.e<* I ,as as deli1hted as they at this 0+os0e-t of ad2entu+e. We +an a-+oss the 1a+den till ,e -a.e to a na++o, 1ate in the ,all. Malen tou-hed it, and easily 0ushed it o0en. We ,e+e outside the te.0le. My -o.0anions, lau1hin1 and tal/in1 as ,e ,ent, +an a-+oss the 0lain to the -ity. I +an too, and listened3 "a1e @&

but I unde+stood little of ,hat they said. E2idently they /ne, the -ity, ,hi-h to .e ,as only a na.e. T+ue, I had ,al/ed th+ou1h it ,ith .y .othe+, a ba+efoot -ount+y lad. 5ut no,, it see.ed, I ,as to ente+ houses, and .i= ,ith 1+eat and +i-h 0eo0le. I felt af+aid at the thou1ht. We hu++ied on until ,e ente+ed one of the busiest st+eets. It ,as -+o,ded ,ith 1ay 0eo0le in beautiful d+esses, and all the sho0s see.ed to sell only 4e,el+y. Then ,e tu+ned th+ou1h a 1+eat 1ate,ay, into a -ou+tya+d, and f+o. that 0assed into a .a+ble hall ,he+e a 1+eat fountain 0layed, and la+1e flo,e+in1 sh+ubs th+e, out a st+on1 s-ent. A ,ide .a+ble stai+,ay ,ent out of this hall, and ,e i..ediately -o..en-ed to -li.b it. And ,hen ,e +ea-hed the to0 Malen o0ened a doo+, and ,e ente+ed a +oo. all hun1 ,ith 1olden ta0est+y, and ,he+e ,e+e a nu.be+ of 0eo0le ,hose d+esses and 4e,els da>>led .e. They ,e+e seated +ound a table d+in/in1 ,ine and eatin1 s,eet.eats. The ai+ ,as full of tal/ and lau1hte+, and hea2y ,ith 0e+fu.e. Th+ee 2e+y lo2ely ,o.en +ose and ,el-o.ed us, ea-h ta/in1 one of us by the hand, and 1i2in1 us a 0la-e beside he+. In a .o.ent ,e see.ed to be of the 0a+ty, and to .in1le ou+ lau1hte+ ,ith thei+s, as thou1h ,e had sat out all the feast. I /no, not ,hethe+ it ,as the s-ented ,ine I d+an/ o+ the .a1itou-h of the beautiful hand that often tou-hed .ine, as it lay u0on the e.b+oide+ed table9-o2e+ 99 but .y head 1+e, li1ht and st+an1e, and I tal/ed of thin1s I did not /no, anythin1 about till no,, and lau1hed at sayin1s that an hou+ befo+e ,ould ha2e see.ed dull to .e, be-ause of .y ,ant of unde+standin1. !he ,ho sat ne=t .e 0+essed he+ hand in .ine. I tu+ned to loo/ at he+3 she ,as leanin1 to,a+ds .e3 he+ fa-e ,as b+illiant ,ith youth and beauty. He+ +i-h d+ess had .ade .e feel a -hild beside he+, but no, I sa, that she ,as youn1, youn1e+ than .yself, yet she ,as of su-h +i-h fo+. and +adiant lo2eliness that thou1h a -hild in yea+s she ,as a ,o.an in -ha+.. As I 1a>ed into he+ tende+ eyes, it see.ed to .e that I /ne, he+ ,ell, that he+ -ha+. ,as fa.ilia+, and the st+on1e+ fo+ its fa.ilia+ity. !he s0o/e .any ,o+ds that at fi+st I ha+dly unde+stood, indeed s-a+-ely hea+d. 5ut 1+adually, as I listened, I 1+e, to unde+stand. !he told .e of he+ lon1in1 fo+ .e in .y absen-e, of he+ lo2e fo+ .e, and of he+ ,ea+iness of all othe+s on the ea+th. *The +oo. see.ed da+/ and silent till you -a.e,* she said. *The ban?uet had no .i+th in it. The othe+s lau1hed, but thei+ lau1hte+ sounded as sobs in .y ea+s 99 the sobs of those in to+.ent. Is it fo+ .e, ,ho a. so youn1 and st+on1 and full of lo2e, to be so sadC o 99 no, it is not fo+ .e. Ah, lo2e+, husband, lea2e .e not a1ain alone. !tay by .y side, and .y 0assion ,ill .a/e thee st+on1 to fulfill thy destiny.* I +ose f+o. .y seat suddenly, holdin1 he+ hand -las0ed ti1ht in .ine. *It is t+ue,* I -+ied in a loud 2oi-e. *I ha2e done ill to ne1le-t that ,hi-h is the 1lo+y of life. I -onfess it, that thy beauty, ,hi-h indeed is .ine, had been blotted f+o. .y .ind. 5ut no, I see thee ,ith .ine eyes I ,onde+ I -ould e2e+ ha2e seen beauty in au1ht else in hea2en o+ ea+th.* !uddenly, ,hile I s0o/e, the+e ,as a .o2e.ent a.on1 the sta+tled 1uests. With ,onde+ful +a0idity, they left the table and ,e+e at on-e 1one f+o. the +oo.. Only the t,o youn1 0+iests +e.ained. Thei+ eyes ,e+e fi=ed on .e. They see.ed 1+a2e, se+ious, distu+bed. They +ose slo,ly. *Iou ,ill not +etu+n to the te.0leC* said Malen. My ans,e+ ,as a 1estu+e of i.0atien-e. *%o you fo+1et,* he de.anded, *that ,e ,e+e but to loo/ at the follies of the -ity, that ,e .i1ht /no, of ,hat -lay .en a+e .adeC Iou /no, that "a1e @8

the initiated 0+iests .ust +etain thei+ 0u+ity. What of you, the see+ of the te.0leC E2en I, ,ho a. but a no2i-e, da+e not yield the fie+-e lon1in1 fo+ libe+ty that fills .y soul. Ah, to be f+ee< to be a -hild of the -ity, to /no, the .eanin1 of life< 5ut I da+e not. Else a. I less than nothin1, I should ha2e no 0la-e in the te.0le, no 0la-e in the ,o+ld. Ho, then ,ill it be ,ith thee, the see+C Ho, a+e ,e to ans,e+ to A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB fo+ theeC* I .ade no ans,e+. 5ut she ,ho sat beside .e +ose and ad2an-ed to,a+ds hi.. !he too/ a 4e,el f+o. he+ ne-/, and 0ut it in his hand. *Ji2e hi. this,* she said, *and he ,ill as/ no .o+e.*
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The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Chapter II

#+o. this hou+ the+e is a ti.e of ,hi-h I -annot 1i2e so -a+eful an a--ount as of the othe+ days of .y life. It is blu++ed and 2eiled by the si.ila+ity of the e.otions th+ou1h ,hi-h I 0assed. Indeed, they .e+1ed to1ethe+ and be-a.e one and the sa.e. I d+an/ dee0 of 0leasu+e ea-h day3 ea-h hou+ it see.ed to .e that .y beautiful -o.0anion 1+e, .o+e beautiful, so that I 1a>ed u0on he+ fa-e in ,onde+. !he led .e th+ou1h the +oo.s of ou+ 0ala-e, and I -ould not stay to see thei+ s0lendo+, be-ause al,ays beyond ,e+e -ha.be+s yet .o+e s0lendid. With he+ I ,ande+ed th+ou1h the 1a+dens, ,he+e the f+a1+ant flo,e+s 1+e, in a 0+ofusion ea-h as I had ne2e+ seen in any othe+ 0la-e. 5eyond the 1a+dens ,e+e .eado,s3 in the sho+t, s,eet 1+ass 1+e, .any ,ild flo,e+s, and lilies blosso.ed in the st+ea. that +an th+ou1h the fields. He+e the -ity .aidens -a.e at e2enin1, so.e to fet-h ,ate+, so.e to bathe in the st+ea. and sit afte+,a+ds u0on its ban/, and tal/ and lau1h and sin1 until the ni1ht ,as half s0ent. Thei+ 1lea.in1 fo+.s and s,eet 2oi-es .ade the e2enin1s doubly beautiful, and I ,ould lin1e+ a.on1 the. unde+ the sta+s, and ,ould often ha2e stayed until the da,n the 0lay.ate of the. all, but only ,his0e+in1 ,o+ds of lo2e to those ,ho ,e+e .ost beautiful. And then, as they, sin1in1 in lo, 2oi-es, left .e, she .y o,n .ost beautiful ,ent ,ith .e ba-/ to the 0ala-e, ,he+ein ,e li2ed a.id the -ity, yet a0a+t f+o. it. #o+ ,e ,e+e ha00y as ,e+e none else ,ithin that -ity. I -annot tell ho, lon1 0assed thus. Only I /no, that one day I lay ,ithin .y o,n -ha.be+, and she the .ost beautiful san1 s,eet lo, son1s ,hile he+ head lay u0on .y a+., ,hen in a .o.ent the son1 ,as hushed u0on he+ li0s and she lay 0ale and still. I hea+d, in the silen-e, a slo,, soft footfall on the stai+s. The doo+ ,as o0ened, and A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB the hi1h 0+iest stood .otionless ,ithin it. He 1a>ed at .e one .o.ent ,ith his te++ible eyes, that ,e+e -old as thou1h they ,e+e 4e,els3 the+e ,as a s.ile u0on his fa-e, but that s.ile st+u-/ .e ,ith fea+, and I t+e.bled. *Co.e,* he said. I a+ose unhesitatin1ly. I /ne, that I .ust obey. I loo/ed not ba-/ until I hea+d a s,ift .o2e.ent and a sob3 then I tu+ned. 5ut she, the .ost beautiful, ,as 1one. Had she fled f+o. befo+e this une=0e-ted a00ea+an-e in ou+ -ha.be+C I -ould not stay to see, o+ 1o to -o.fo+t he+. I /ne, that I .ust follo, A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB3 I felt as I had ne2e+ felt befo+e, that he ,as .y .aste+. As I -a.e to the doo+,ay, I sa, a-+oss the th+eshold a sna/e that +ea+ed its head at .y a00+oa-h. I s0+an1 ba-/ ,ith a -+y of ho++o+. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB s.iled. *%o not fea+,* he said. *This is a fa2o+ite of thy ?ueen and ,ill do he+ -hosen se+2ant no ha+.. Co.e<* At his -o..and I felt -o.0elled to follo,3 I da+ed not disobey. I 0assed the sna/e ,ith a2e+ted eyes, and as I +ea-hed the stai+,ay I hea+d its hiss of an1e+.
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A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB ,ent th+ou1h the 1a+dens to the .eado,s beyond. It ,as e2enin1, and al+eady the sta+s ,e+e 1lea.in1 in the s/y and the eyes of the .aidens shone as they sat in 1+ou0s by the side of the st+ea.. 5ut they did not sin1 as ,as thei+ habit. In the .idst of the st+ea. ,as a boat, and in it t,o oa+s.en. I +e-o1ni>ed the youn1 0+iests ,ho had -o.e ,ith .e to the -ity. Thei+ eyes ,e+e do,n-ast, and they did not +aise the. e2en at .y a00+oa-h. I unde+stood as I 0assed by the 1i+ls that they had +e-o1ni>ed old a-?uaintan-es and .e++y -o.0anions in those t,o youn1 0+iests, and ,e+e a.a>ed and full of ,onde+ to see the. in this d+ess, and of su-h -han1ed de.eano+. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an follo,ed hi.3 and then ,e +o,ed silently to,a+ds the te.0le. atu+eB ente+ed the boat3 I
I had ne2e+ seen the ent+an-e to the te.0le f+o. the ,ate+. I had hea+d ,hen I ,as in the -ity ,ith .y .othe+ that this ent+an-e used to be often used, but no, it ,as +ese+2ed only fo+ festi2als, so that I ,as .u-h a.a>ed to ente+ by this ,ay. I ,as .o+e a.a>ed to find all the sa-+ed 0+e-in-t full of boats de-o+ated ,ith flo,e+s and o--u0ied, by ,hite9+obed 0+iests, ,ho sat ,ith thei+ eyes do,n-ast. 5ut I soon sa, that today ,as a festi2al. This te.0le< It see.ed a hund+ed yea+s sin-e I had d,elled ,ithin it. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB hi.self loo/ed st+an1e and unfa.ilia+ to .e. Was I indeed 1+o,n .u-h olde+C I -ould not tell, fo+ I found no .i++o+ in ,hi-h to see .y fa-e, and I found no f+iend to as/. Only this I /ne,, that -o.0a+ed ,ith the youth ,ho +an f+o. the 1a+den of the te.0le, ea1e+ fo+ ad2entu+e, I ,as no, a .an. And I /ne, .y .anhood had, -o.e to .e not in 1lo+y, but in sha.e. I ,as a sla2e. A dee0 1loo. settled on .y soul as ,e ente+ed the te.0le. The boat ,as d+a,n u0 to so.e ,ide ,hite .a+ble ste0s, ,hi-h ,e+e ,ithin the ,alls of the te.0le and beneath its +oof. I had ne2e+ /no,n the 1+eat +i2e+ ,as so nea+. When ,e had +ea-hed the to0 of the ste0s, A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB o0ened a doo+, and lo< ,e ,e+e i..ediately at the ent+an-e of the holy of holies. Only a fe, faint to+-hes, held by silent 0+iests, lit the 1+eat -o++ido+. It ,as but dus/ outside, on the +i2e+3 he+e it ,as li/e dee0 ni1ht. At a si1n f+o. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB the to+-hes ,e+e e=tin1uished. 5ut all li1ht ,as not 1one< fo+ +ound the doo+ of the san-tua+y 1lea.ed that st+an1e li1ht ,hi-h on-e had so te++ified .e. It did not te++ify .e no,. I /ne, ,hat I had to do3 and, unhesitatin1ly and ,ithout fea+, I did it. I ad2an-ed, o0ened the doo+, and ente+ed. Within stood the da+/ fi1u+e, ,hose +obes 1lea.ed and ,hose eyes ,e+e -old and te++ible. !he s.iled and 0ut out he+ hand and laid it u0on .ine. I shudde+ed at the tou-h, it ,as so -old. *Tell A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB,* she said, *that I a. -o.in1. That I ,ill be beside you in the boat. That he is to stand in the .idst ,ith us, and .y othe+ se+2ants to su++ound us. And that then if all is done as I o+de+, I ,ill ,o+/ a ,onde+ befo+e all the 0+iests and befo+e the 0eo0le. And this I ,ill do be-ause I a. ,ell 0leased ,ith .y se+2ants, and be-ause I desi+e the. to ha2e 0o,e+ and ,ealth.* I said he+ ,o+ds a1ain, and ,hen I had -eased A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ "a1e @@

side of hu.an atu+eB)s 2oi-e -a.e out of the da+/ness.
*The Gueen is ,el-o.ed< The Gueen shall be obeyed.* A .o.ent late+ and the to+-hes ,e+e a1ain lit. I sa, that they ,e+e ten in nu.be+, -a++ied by ten 0+iests, ,ho all ,o+e ,hite +obes dee0ly e.b+oide+ed in 1old, as ,as that of A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB. A.on1 the. ,as Ha.en 5a/a Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB. His fa-e loo/ed st+an1e to .e. It ,as as the fa-e of an e-stati-. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB o0ened the doo+ ,hi-h ad.itted us to the +i2e+ ste0s. A diffe+ent boat ,as .oo+ed he+e no,. It ,as la+1e, ,ith a ,ide des/ su++ounded by 2ases, in ,hi-h bu+ned so.ethin1 st+on1ly f+a1+ant. Within these 2ases a -i+-le ,as d+a,n in -+i.son and .in1led ,ith that a fi1u+e ,hi-h I -ould not unde+stand. At the sides of the boat, belo, this +aised de-/, sat the +o,e+s 99 ,hite9+obed 0+iests. All ,e+e still and .ute, ,aitin1 ,ith do,n-ast eyes. The boat ,as hun1 ,ith thi-/ 1a+lands of flo,e+s, .assed to1ethe+ till they see.ed li/e 1+eat +o0es. A la.0 ,as bu+nin1 at ea-h end. We ente+ed the boat. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB ,ent fi+st and stood in the .idst of the -i+-le. I too/ .y 0la-e at his side. 5et,een us, -lea+ly 2isible to .y eyes, ,as the fi1u+e. !he shed a li1ht li/e that ,hi-h illu.ined the san-tua+y, only less b+illiant. 5ut I sa, that none 0e+-ei2ed he+ 0+esen-e but .yself. The ten 0+iests ente+ed the boat also, and 0la-ed the.sel2es ,ithin the -+i.son -i+-le, thus -o.0letely en-losin1 us. Then the boat slo,ly s,un1 f+o. the ste0s. I sa, that a nu.be+ of boats ,e+e befo+e and behind us, all hun1 ,ith flo,e+s and la.0s, all filled ,ith ,hite9+obed 0+iests. !ilently the 0+o-ession shot out u0on the boso. of the sa-+ed +i2e+ and ad2an-ed to,a+ds the -ity. When ,e ,e+e at last outside the te.0le, I hea+d a dee0 .u+.u+ +ise and fill the ai+. It ,as so lon1 and dee0, it .ade .e t+e.ble ,ith ,onde+ but it distu+bed none else, and soon I sa, its .eanin1. As .y eyes 1+e, a--usto.ed to the sta+li1ht, I sa, that all the fields on ea-h side of the +i2e+ ,e+e full of a su+1in1, s,ayin1, .ass of fo+.s. A 2ast .ultitude of 0eo0le -+o,ded at the ,ate+)s ed1e, and filled the fields as fa+ as I -ould see. This ,as a 1+eat festi2al, and I had not /no,n it. I ,onde+ed a ,hile3 but soon I +e.e.be+ed that I had, indeed, hea+d it s0o/en of, but I had been so satu+ated ,ith the i..ediate 0leasu+es about .e that I had not heeded. "e+ha0s, had I +e.ained in the -ity till no,, I should ha2e .in1led in the -+o,d3 but no, I ,as isolated f+o. the -+o,d, and, as it see.ed to .e, f+o. all that ,as hu.an. I stood silent and i..o2able as A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB hi.self. Iet, .y soul ,as to+n ,ith a des0ai+ I -ould not unde+stand, and -+ushed by a ho++o+ of the un/no,n ,hi-h ,as yet to -o.e.
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The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Chapter III
As the boats 1lided do,n the +i2e+, suddenly the dee0 silen-e ,as b+o/en by a bu+st of son1. It -a.e f+o. the 0+iests ,ho +o,ed. #+o. e2e+y boat the hy.n +ushed fo+th in a 2olu.e of sound, and I -ould see by the 1+eat .o2e.ent, 2isible e2en in the di.ness, that the 0eo0le fell u0on thei+ /nees. 5ut they ,e+e silent3 they ado+ed and listened ,hile the 0+iests) 2oi-es +an1 out u0on the ai+. When the son1 -eased, the+e ,as a silen-e that ,as not b+o/en fo+ so.e .inutes. The 0eo0le +e.ained .otionless, /neelin1, silent. 5ut on a sudden they flun1 the.sel2es 0+ost+ate u0on the 1+ound, and I ,ould hea+ the si1h, the lon1 b+eath of a,e that -a.e f+o. the .ultitudeD fo+ the 0+iests had bu+st out ane,, ,ith a -+y of .elodious t+iu.0h, and the ,o+ds they utte+ed in so loud and st+on1 a 2oi-e ,e+e these 99 *The 1oddess (A2idya9the da+/ side of hu.an natu+e) is ,ith us< !he is in ou+ .idst< #all do,n O 0eo0le, and ,o+shi0<* At this .o.ent the fi1u+e ,hi-h stood bet,een .e and the 0+iest A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB tu+ned and s.iled into .y fa-e. * o, .y -hosen se+2ant,* she said, *I .ust as/ you+ se+2i-e. I ha2e 0aid you befo+ehand that you .i1ht not hesitate. 5ut do not fea+. Iou shall be 0aid a1ain and that doubly. Ji2e .e you+ hands. "la-e you+ li0s u0on .y fo+ehead, and fea+ not, .o2e not, utte+ no -+y, ,hatsoe2e+ faintness, ,hatsoe2e+ t+e.o+ -o.e u0on thee. Thy life ,ill be-o.e .ine. I shall d+a, it f+o. theeD but I shall +etu+n it. Is it not 0+e-iousC %o not fea+.* I obeyed he+ ,ithout hesitation yet ,ith d+ead uni.a1inable. 5ut I -ould not +esist he+ ,ill I /ne, .yself he+ sla2e. He+ -old hands -las0ed .ine, and instantly it see.ed that they ,e+e no lon1e+ soft, but had be-o.e +i2ets of steel, ,hi-h held .e fast and ,e+e ine=o+able. I.0elled by .y sense of hel0lessness, I da+ed the 1litte+ of these te++ible eyes, and d+e, -lose to he+. I lon1ed fo+ death to +elease .e, but I -ould ho0e fo+ no othe+ hel0. I 0la-ed .y li0s u0on he+ fo+ehead. The 2a0o+ f+o. the la.0s and 2essels had filled .y b+ain ,ith a st+an1e slee0iness, and I ,as dull and hea2y. 5ut no,, as .y li0s tou-hed he+ fo+ehead, ,hi-h sea+-hed the., I /ne, not ,hethe+ ,ith -old o+ heat, a f+en>ied sense of 4oy, of li1htness, of al.ost insane deli1ht filled .e. I /ne, .yself no lon1e+3 I ,as s,ayed and do.inated by a su+1in1 sea of e.otions ,hi-h ,e+e not .y o,n. They s,e0t th+ou1h .e, and thei+ +ush a00ea+ed to ,ash a,ay .y indi2iduality utte+ly, and, as it then see.ed, fo+ e2e+. Iet I ,as not un-ons-ious3 .y -ons-iousness 1+e, .o.ently .o+e intense and a,a/e. Then in one st+an1e se-ond, I fo+1ot the lost indi2iduality 99 I /ne, that I ,as li2in1 in the b+ain, in the hea+t, in the essen-e of that bein1 ,ho had so utte+ly do.inated .e. A ,ild -+y, instantly hushed, +an1 out f+o. the 0eo0le. They sa, thei+ 1oddess. And I, loo/in1 do,n sa, at .y feet the see.in1ly dead fo+. of a youn1 0+iest, +obed in ,hite 1a+.ents, 1old9e.b+oide+ed. I 0aused fo+ one instant, in .y 4oy of 0o,e+ to ,onde+, Was he deadC
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The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Chapter I&
I -ould see the 1+eat .ultitude ,hi-h ,as on ea-h side -lea+ly3 a li1ht fell u0on the. ,hi-h they did not 0e+-ei2e. It ,as not the sta+li1ht by ,hi-h they sa,, but a b+illian-e that -a.e not f+o. the hea2ens but f+o. .y eyes. I sa, thei+ hea+ts 99 I sa, not thei+ bodies but the.sel2es. I +e-o1ni>ed .y se+2ants, and .y soul lifted itself as I 0e+-ei2ed that nea+ly all of this .ultitude ,e+e +eady to se+2e .e. Mine ,as a ,o+thy a+.y3 they ,ould obey, not f+o. duty but desi+e. I sa, in ea-h hea+t ,hat ,as its hun1e+, and I /ne, that I -ould feed it. One lon1 .o.ent I +e.ained 2isible3 then I left .y -hosen se+2ants. I bade the. d+a, nea+ to the sho+e3 fo+ no, that I ,as no lon1e+ intent u0on .a/in1 .yself seen by these dull eyes of .en, I -ould s0ea/ to and tou-h those ,ho. I -hose. The st+on1 life of the youn1 0+iest ,as enou1h to feed the la.0 of 0hysi-al 0o,e+ fo+ so.e ti.e if I did not use it too s,iftly. I ste00ed u0on the sho+e, and .o2ed a.on1 the 0eo0le, s0ea/in1 into the ea+ of ea-h the se-+et of his hea+t 99 .o+e, I told hi. ho, to obtain that ,hi-h he only thou1ht of silently. o .an o+ ,o.an ,as ,ithout so.e lon1in1 ,hi-h sha.e ,ould ha2e held the. fo+e2e+ f+o. utte+in1 e2en to a -onfesso+. 5ut I sa, it, and .ade it no lon1e+ a thin1 of sha.e, and sho,ed ho, s.all an effo+t of ,ill, ho, sli1ht a /no,led1e ,as needed fo+ the fi+st ste0 in self91+atifi-ation. All th+ou1h the th+on1 I ,ent, hithe+ and thithe+, and as I 0assed I left a .addened and i.0assioned -+o,d behind .e. At len1th the into=i-ation ,hi-h .y 0+esen-e 0+odu-ed -ould no lon1e+ be held in -he-/. With one 2oi-e the 0eo0le bu+st out into a ,ild son1 that th+illed .y blood, and .ade it bu+n ,ithin .e. Ha2e I not hea+d this son1 unde+ othe+ s/ies, sun1 in the 2oi-es and lan1ua1es of all 0eo0lesC Ha2e I not hea+d it f+o. 0eo0les ,ho a+e lon1 sin-e e=tin-t and fo+1ottenC !hall I not hea+ it f+o. 0eo0les ,hose d,ellin190la-es a+e not yet -+eatedC It is .y son1< It 1i2es .e life< Utte+ed silently in one hea+t, it is the -+y of the uns0o/en 0assion the hidden .adness of self. When it -o.es f+o. the th+oat of the .ultitude, sha.e is 1one and -on-eal.ent at an end. Then it is the f+en>ied utte+an-e of the o+1an, the out-+y of the de2otees of 0leasu+e. My ,o+/ ,as done. I had lit a 1+eat fi+e ,hi-h +a1ed on li/e the fi+e in the fo+est. I tu+ned ba-/ to the sa-+ed boat ,he+e it a,aited .e. Motionless they stood the+e, ,aitin1 .y +etu+n those .y -hosen se+2ants, the hi1h 0+iests of the te.0le. Ah, .y .i1hty ones in 0assion< $in1s in lust< Mona+-hs in desi+e< And the youn1 0+iest 99 ,as he still the+eC !till loo/in1 li/e one deadC Ies, he lay .otionless, 0allid, in the .idst of the -i+-le fo+.ed by the hi1h 0+iests, lyin1 at the feet of A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB, ,ho stood he+e alone. As this thou1ht -a.e to .e, I see.ed suddenly to ,ithd+a, .yself in so.e .yste+ious ,ay f+o. the sea of 0assion in ,hi-h I had been sub.e+1ed. I /ne, .yself a1ain 99 that I ,as not the 1oddess (A2idya9the da+/ side of hu.an natu+e) , but had been only abso+bed by he+, su-/ed u0 into he+ e.b+a-in1 0e+sonality. o, I ,as a1ain se0a+ated f+o. he+. 5ut I did not +etu+n to that 0ale sha0e ,hi-h so lifelessly lay u0on the de-/ of the sa-+ed boat. I ,as in the te.0le3 I ,as in da+/ness3 yet I /ne, that I ,as in the holy of holies.
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A li1ht -a.e in the da+/ness. I loo/ed, and, lo< the inne+ -a2e ,as full of li1htD and ,ithin it stood the Lady of the Lotus (6idya, s0i+itual intelli1en-e) of the Lotus. I ,as at the doo+ of the inne+ -a2e, -lose to he+, ,ithin the 1lan-e of he+ eyes. I t+ied to es-a0e 99 I t+ied to tu+n 99 I -ould not. I t+e.bled as I had ne2e+ t+e.bled befo+e e2en ,ith ho++o+ o+ d+ead. #o+ she stood silently, he+ eyes u0on .e. And I sa, that they ,e+e full of a 1+eat an1e+. And she ,ho had been to .e a tende+ f+iend, 1entle as a /ind .othe+, no, stood in he+ .a4esty befo+e .e, and I /ne, that I had an1e+ed a 1od the .ost to be d+eaded of all that a+e /no,n to .en. *Was it fo+ this, O !ensa Athe hu.an soulB < belo2ed of the 1ods< that thou ,e+t bo+nC Was it fo+ this that thine eyes ,e+e o0ened and thy senses .ade -lea+ to 0e+-ei2eC Thou /no,est it ,as not3 yet those seein1 eyes and those s,ift senses ha2e at last se+2ed thei+ .aste+, and sho,n thee ,ho and ,hat it is thou hast been se+2in1. Wilt thou se+2e he+ al,aysC o, that thou a+t a .an, -hoose< A+t thou fallen so lo, that thou ,ilt be a sla2e fo+e2e+C Jo, then< I ha2e -o.e to -leanse .y san-tua+y. I ,ill endu+e no lon1e+. It shall be silent, and the 0eo0le shall not /no, that any 1od e=ist, +athe+ than that they shall be lied to by false li0s, and te.0ted by the da+/ness. Jo< one shall ente+ he+e a1ain. I -lose the doo+< The san-tua+y is du.b, and /no,s no 2oi-e. I sit he+e alone and silent3 yea, th+ou1h the a1es I ,ill d,ell he+e ,ithout s0ee-h, and the 0eo0le shall say I a. dead. 5e it so< In the a1es to -o.e .y -hild+en ,ill +ise a1ain and the da+/ness shall b+ea/. Oh< Thou hast -hosen< #all< Thy estate is lost. Lea2e .e to .y silen-e<* !he +aised he+ hand ,ith a 1estu+e that bade .e lea2e he+. It ,as so i.0e+ati2e, so +oyal, that I -ould not disobey. I tu+ned, I d+oo0ed .y head, I ,ent ,ith sad ste0s to the oute+ doo+ of the san-tua+y. Iet I -ould not o0en it3 I -ould not 0ass out3 I -ould ad2an-e no fu+the+. My hea+t tu+ned si-/ ,ithin .e and held .e ba-/. I fell on .y /nees and -+ied out in a 2oi-e of a1ony, *Mothe+< Gueen and Mothe+<* A .o.ent 0assed in an a,ful silen-e, I ,aited, I /ne, not fo+ ,hat. My soul ,as hun1+y and des0e+ate. An a,ful .e.o+y -a.e to .e in the da+/ness and silen-e. I sa, in the 0ast not only 0leasu+e, but deeds. I sa, that I had done these blindly, a--e0tin1 the stu0efa-tion of .y soul as .en a--e0t the dulness of ,ine. And I had done the ,o+/ 1i2en .e to do in a stu0o+, thin/in1 not of it, but of the +e,a+ds, of ea-h 0leasu+e that ,as to -o.e. I had been the .outh0ie-e, the o+a-le of he+, that bla-/ soul, ,ho. no, I had seen and ,ho. no, I /ne,. The 0ast 1+e, so te++ible, so 0+esent, so fie+-e in its denun-iation that a1ain I -+ied out in the da+/ness, *Mothe+< !a2e .e<* A tou-h -a.e on .y hand and on .y fa-e. I hea+d a 2oi-e in .y ea+ and in .y hea+t, *Thou a+t sa2ed. 5e st+on1.* And the li1ht -a.e u0on .y eyes, but I -ould not see, fo+ a +ain of tea+s ,ashed f+o. the. the f+i1htful 2isions they had seen.
"a1e @H
The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Chapter &
I ,as no lon1e+ in the san-tua+y. I felt the ai+ on .y fa-e. I o0ened .y eyes and sa, the s/y abo2e .e, and the shinin1 sta+s in its de0th. I ,as lyin1 0+ost+ate, and I felt st+an1ely ,ea+y. Iet I ,as +oused by the sound of a thousand 2oi-es, ,hose -+ies and son1s st+u-/ on .y ea+s. What -ould this beC I +aised .yself. I ,as in the .idst of the -i+-le of 0+iests, of the ten hi1h90+iests. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB stood beside .e3 he ,as ,at-hin1 .e. My eyes fi=ed on his fa-e, and I -ould not loo/ a,ay. "itiless, hea+tless, soulless< Had I fea+ed hi.C This i.a1e, this unhu.an bein1C I fea+ed hi. no lon1e+. I loo/ed +ound at the 0+iests ,ho su++ounded .e. I +ead thei+ fa-es3 they ,e+e abso+bed, self9-ons-ious. Ea-h and all ,e+e bitten and eaten by one dee0 desi+e, one hun1e+ fo+ 1+atifi-ation ,hi-h he -he+ished li/e a se+0ent, ne=t his hea+t. I -ould no lon1e+ fea+ these .en. I had seen the li1ht. I ,as st+on1. I +ose to .y feet. I loo/ed +ound at the .ultitudes ,ho -+o,ded the ban/s of the +i2e+, beneath the -lea+ s/y. I unde+stood then the st+an1e 2oi-es I had hea+d. The 0eo0le ,e+e .ad3 so.e ,ith ,ine, so.e ,ith lo2e, so.e ,ith absolute f+en>y. u.be+s of s.all boats had -+o,ded the ,ate+3 the 0eo0le had -o.e in these to .a/e offe+in1s to the 1oddess (A2idya9the da+/ side of hu.an natu+e) ,ho. they ado+ed, and ,ho. to9ni1ht they had seen and hea+d, and felt. The sa-+ed boat on ,hi-h I stood ,as ,ei1hted and hea0ed ,ith the offe+in1s the 0eo0le had flun1 into it, standin1 u0 in thei+ lo, 2essels, thei+ +afts, by the side of ou+s. Jold and sil2e+, 4e,els, and 2essels of 1old set ,ith shinin1 stones. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB loo/ed at these thin1s, and I sa, the s.ile on his li0s. These +i-hes .i1ht feed the te.0le, but fo+ hi.self it ,as 2e+y diffe+ent 4e,els he desi+ed and ,o+/ed fo+. My soul s0o/e suddenly una,a+es. I -ould loo/ on and be silent no lon1e+. I s0o/e in a loud 2oi-e, and -o..anded the 0eo0le to hea+ .e, and i..ediately the+e ,as a stillness ,hi-h 1+e, till it s0+ead o2e+ the .ultitude. *Listen to .e, you that a+e ,o+shi00e+s he+e, of the 1oddess (A2idya9the da+/ side of hu.an natu+e) . What 1oddess is it you ,o+shi0C Can you not tell by the ,o+ds she ,his0e+s into you+ hea+tsC Loo/ ,ithin and if she has sea+ed you ,ith the fie+-e heat of 0assion /no, she is no t+ue 1od< #o+ the+e is no t+uth sa2e in ,isdo.. Listen and I ,ill s0ea/ to you ,o+ds that ha2e been utte+ed in the san-tua+y, and b+eathed by the s0i+it of li1ht, ou+ Gueen Mothe+. $no, that in 2i+tue, in t+ue thou1hts, in t+ue deeds, only -an you find 0ea-e. Is this da+/ o+1an a fit su++oundin1 fo+ the 1oddess (A2idya9the da+/ side of hu.an natu+e) of t+uthC A+e you he+ ,o+shi00e+s, ,ho a+e d+un/ ,ith ,ine and 0assion he+e beneath the o0en s/yC Iou ,ith ,ild ,o+ds of i.0iety and f+en>ied son1s on you+ li0s, and thou1hts of sha.e at you+ hea+ts, +eady to s0+in1 boldly into deedsC o< do,n on you+ /nees, and lift you+ hands to hea2en and as/ that benefi-ent s0i+it, ou+ ?ueen of ,isdo., ,ho b+oods o2e+ you ,ith ,ide ,in1s of lo2e, to fo+1i2e you+ sha.elessness, to hel0 you in a ne, effo+t. Hea+ .e. I ,ill 0+ay to he+, fo+ I see he+ in he+ s0lendo+. !0ea/ to he+ the ,o+ds I utte+, and she shall su+ely listen fo+ she lo2es you e2en thou1h you offend 99 * A bu+st of .elody, a nu.be+ of st+on1 2oi-es sin1in1, d+o,ned .y 2oi-e. The 0+iests had bu+st out into son1 ,ith the +i-h .usi- of a hy.n. The 0eo0le, s,ayed by .y 2oi-e and ,o+ds, had in .asses fallen u0on thei+ /nees. o,, into=i-ated by the .usi-, they san1 the hy.n ,ith fe+2o+, and the 2olu.e of sound +ose .a4esti-ally into the s/y. A st+on1 s,eet s-ent ente+ed .y nost+ils. I tu+ned f+o. it ,ith disli/e, but al+eady it had done its ,o+/. I felt .y b+ain s,oon. "a1e E(

*He is in an e-stasy,* said $a.en 5a/a Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB. *He is .ad,* I hea+d utte+ed in anothe+ 2oi-e 99 a 2oi-e so -old, so en+a1ed, I ha+dly +e-o1ni>ed it. Iet I /ne, it ,as A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB ,ho s0o/e. I st+o2e to ans,e+ hi., fo+ I ,as ins0i+ed in all I did by a ne, and st+an1e -ou+a1e, and I /ne, nothin1 of fea+. 5ut al+eady the stu0efyin1 2a0o+ had done its ,o+/. I ,as du.b, as in slee03 .y head 1+e, hea2y. In a fe, se-onds I ,as aslee0.
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The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Chapter &I
When I a,o/e I ,as in .y old -ha.be+ in the te.0le3 the one in ,hi-h .y fi+st boyish te++o+s -a.e to .e. I ,as 2e+y ti+ed3 so ti+ed that the fi+st sensation I e=0e+ien-ed ,as that of intole+able ,ea+iness, ,hi-h nu.bed all .y body. I lay still a little ,hile, thin/in1 only of .y dis-o.fo+t. Then suddenly the e2ents of yeste+day -a.e into .y .e.o+y. It ,as li/e the +isin1 of the sun. I had found he+ a1ain, .y Gueen Mothe+, and she had ta/en .e ba-/ to he+ 0+ote-tion. I +ose, fo+1ettin1 .y 0ain and ,ea+iness. It ,as 4ust da,n and th+ou1h the hi1h ,indo, the faint 1+ay li1ht -a.e softly into .y +oo.. It ,as b+illiant ,ith +i-h .ate+ial and +i-h e.b+oide+y3 full of st+an1e and beautiful thin1s ,hi-h .ade it see. li/e a -ha.be+ fo+ a 0+in-e. 5ut fo+ its 0e-ulia+ sha0e and the hi1h ,indo,, it -ould ha+dly ha2e been +e-o1ni>ed as the +oo. ,hi-h in .y -hildhood had been .ade a 1a+den of flo,e+s fo+ .y 0leasu+e. The ai+ ,ithin see.ed to .e hea2y and dull3 I lon1ed to be outside, in the ai+, s,eet ,ith the ne,ness of .o+nin13 fo+ I felt that I too needed to be ne,9.ade and st+on1 ,ith the st+en1th of youth. And he+e the 0e+fu.ed at.os0he+e, the hea2y d+a0e+ies and ,ei1ht of lu=u+y, o00+essed .e. I lifted the -u+tain and -+ossed the 1+eat +oo. ,hi-h ,as ne=t .ine. It ,as e.0ty and silent3 so ,as the ,ide -o++ido+. I ,ent softly on th+ou1h the lon1 -o++ido+s, till I +ea-hed that in ,hi-h the 1ate o0ened to the 1a+den. Th+ou1h the i+on 1+atin1 I -ould see the 1lea. of the 1+ass as I a00+oa-hed it. Ah, that beautiful 1a+den< Oh, to bathe in that s,eet ,ate+ of the lily tan/< 5ut the i+on doo+ ,as fast lo-/ed3 I -ould but loo/ th+ou1h all the 1+ass and s/y and flo,e+s, and d+in/ the s,eet ai+ in th+ou1h the na++o, o0enin1s. !uddenly I sa, !eboua AintuitionB a00+oa-hin1 do,n one of the 1a+den ,al/s. He -a.e st+ai1ht to the i+on doo+ ,ithin ,hi-h I stood. *!eboua AintuitionB <* I -+ied. *Ah, thou a+t he+e,* he said, s0ea/in1 in his +ou1h tones. *The .an and the -hild a+e ali/e. 5ut no lon1e+ .ay !eboua AintuitionB be thy f+iend. I ha2e failed, and I .ay not t+y a1ain. I an1e+ed both .y .aste+s ,hen you ,e+e a -hild3 I -ould not hold you fast fo+ eithe+. 5e it so3 you .ust no, stand alone.* *Can you not o0en the 1ateC* ,as all .y ans,e+. * o,* he said3 *and I doubt if it ,ill e2e+ be o0ened fo+ thee a1ain. What .atte+s itC A+t thou not the "a1e E8

fa2o+ite 0+iest of the te.0le, the da+lin1, the -he+ished oneC* * o,* I ans,e+ed, *I a. that no lon1e+. They al+eady say I a. .ad. They ,ill say it a1ain to9day.* !eboua AintuitionB loo/ed at .e ea+nestly. *They ,ill /ill you<* he said in a lo, 2oi-e full of tende+ness and 0ity. *They -annot,* I ans,e+ed, s.ilin1. *My Gueen ,ill 0+ote-t .e. I .ust li2e till I ha2e s0o/en all she ,ishes. Then I -a+e not.* !eboua AintuitionB +aised his hand f+o. ,he+e it had +e.ained hidden in the folds of his bla-/ d+ess. He held in it a bud of the lotus flo,e+ that lay in a 1+een leaf ,hi-h see.ed its bed. *Ta/e it,* he said. *It is fo+ thee3 it s0ea/s a lan1ua1e that thou ,ilt unde+stand. Ta/e it, and .ay 1ood 1o ,ith thee. I that a. du.b, sa2e in -o..on s0ee-h, yet a. ,o+thy to be a .essen1e+. That .a/es .e 1lad. 5ut thou .ayst +e4oi-e, fo+ thou -anst hea+ and s0ea/, lea+n and tea-h.* I..ediately he ,as 1one3 ,hile he had been s0ea/in1 he had 0ushed the flo,e+ to .e th+ou1h one of the na++o, o0enin1s of the 1+atin1. I d+e, it to,a+ds .e -a+efully. I held it no, in .y hands3 I ,as -ontent. I needed nothin1 else. I ,ent ba-/ to .y +oo. and sat do,n holdin1 the flo,e+ in .y hand. It ,as the sa.e thin1 o2e+ a1ain as ,hen I had, lon1 a1o, a .e+e -hild, sat in this sa.e -ha.be+, holdin1 a lily and 1a>in1 into its -ent+e. I had a f+iend, a 1uide3 a union ,ith that unseen Mothe+ of J+a-e. 5ut no, I /ne, the 2alue of ,hat I held3 then I did not. Was it 0ossible that it ,ould be a1ain ta/en f+o. .e so easilyC !u+ely no. #o+ I -ould unde+stand its lan1ua1e no,. Then it s0o/e to .e of nothin1 sa2e its o,n beauty3 no, it o0ened .y eyes, and I sa,3 it unsealed .y ea+s, and I hea+d. A -i+-le ,as +ound .e3 su-h as had su++ounded .e ,hen I had tau1ht, un/no,in1ly, in the te.0le. These ,e+e 0+iests, ,hite9+obed, as those had been ,ho /nelt and ,o+shi00ed .e. 5ut these did not /neel3 they stood and 1a>ed do,n u0on .e ,ith 0+ofound eyes of 0ity and lo2e. !o.e ,e+e old .en stately and st+on13 so.e ,e+e youn1 and slende+, ,ith fa-es of f+esh li1ht. I loo/ed +ound in a,e, and t+e.bled ,ith ho0e and 4oy. I /ne,, ,ithout any ,o+ds to tell .e, ,hat b+othe+hood this ,as. These ,e+e .y 0+ede-esso+s, the 0+iests of the san-tua+y, the see+s, the -hosen se+2ants of the Lily Gueen. I sa, that they had su--eeded ea-h to ea-h, /ee0in1 sa-+edly the 1ua+dianshi0 of the holy of holies sin-e fi+st it ,as sha0ed out of the 1+eat +o-/, a1ainst ,hi-h the te.0le +ested.
"a1e E:

*A+t +eady to lea+nC* said one to .e 99 one ,hose b+eath see.ed to .e to be d+a,n f+o. lon19fo+1otten a1es. *I a. +eady,* I said3 and /nelt u0on the 1+ound in the -ent+e of that st+an1e, holy -i+-le. My body fell, yet .y s0i+it see.ed to soa+. Thou1h I /nelt, I /ne, I ,as held u0 in soul by those ,ho su++ounded .e. Hen-efo+th they ,e+e .y b+ethe+en. *!it thou the+e,* he said, 0ointin1 to .y -ou-h, *and I ,ill tal/ ,ith thee.* I +ose, and tu+nin1 to 1o to the -ou-h, sa, that I ,as alone ,ith this one ,ho s0o/e to .e. The othe+s had left us. He -a.e and sat beside .e, and be1an to s0ea/. He 0ou+ed into .y hea+t the ,isdo. of the dead a1es3 ,isdo. ,hi-h li2es fo+e2e+, and is youn1 ,hen the +a-e of its ea+ly dis-i0les is no lon1e+ e2en a .e.o+y. My hea+t 1+e, 1+een ,ith the f+eshness of this an-ient /no,led1e and t+uth. Th+ou1hout that day he sat beside .e and tau1ht. At ni1ht he tou-hed .y fo+ehead ,ith his hands and left .e. As I lay do,n to slee0, I +e-olle-ted that I had seen none but .y tea-he+ sin-e yeste+day, no+ had I tasted food. Iet I ,as not ,ea+y ,ith lea+nin1, no+ ,as I faint. I laid .y flo,e+ beside .e, and sle0t ?uietly. When I a,o/e I sta+ted u0, fan-yin1 so.e one tou-hed .y flo,e+. 5ut I ,as alone, and .y flo,e+ ,as safe. A table stood nea+ the hea2y -u+tain ,hi-h se0a+ated .y +oo. f+o. the ne=t3 on this table stood food3 .il/ and -a/es. All yeste+day I had not eatenD I ,as 1lad no, of the food. I 0ut .y flo,e+ ,ithin .y d+ess, and ,ent to the table. I d+an/ the .il/ and ate the -a/es3 and then ,ith ne, st+en1th in .e, I tu+ned to 1o to .y -ou-h, and the+e .editate ea+nestly on ,hat I had lea+ned yeste+day, fo+ I /ne, that these ,e+e 1olden seeds ,hi-h .ust bea+ f+uits of 1lo+y. 5ut I stood still and .y hea+t san/ ,ithin .e3 fo+ a1ain I ,as su++ounded by the beautiful -i+-le. He ,ho had tau1ht .e yeste+day, loo/ed at .e and s.iled, but he did not s0ea/. Anothe+ a00+oa-hed .e, too/ .y hand and led .e to the -ou-h, and I ,as alone ,ith hi.. Alone, yet not alone, and ne2e+ to be any lon1e+ alone, fo+ he too/ .y hea+t and soul, and sho,ed the. to .e in thei+ na/edness, unsoftened by any fan-ied san-tity. He too/ .y 0ast, and sho,ed it to .e in its si.0le, da+/, unbeautiful 0o2e+ty3 that 0ast ,hi-h .i1ht ha2e been so +i-h. Until no,, it see.ed to .e I had been li2in1 in un-ons-iousness. o,, I ,as 1uided th+ou1h .y o,n life a1ain and bidden +e1a+d it ,ith -lea+ 2ision. The -ha.be+s I 0assed th+ou1h ,e+e da+/ and d+ea+y3 so.e of the. ,e+e full of ho++o+s. #o+ no, I sa, that I had been ,on by the .a1i- ,hi-h I .yself had inte+0+eted to $a.en 5a/a Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB. Li/e the othe+s, I had e=isted fo+ desi+e and its satisfa-tion. And stee0ed in the 4oys of 0leasu+e, of beauty, I had been as one into=i-ated, and I /ne, not all that I did. Re.e.be+in1 .y 0ast, I sa, the .eanin1 of !eboua AintuitionB )s ,o+ds, ,hi-h at the ti.e I ha+dly unde+stood. I had indeed been the da+lin1 of the te.0le, fo+ ,hen .y body ,as stee0ed in 0leasu+e, and silen-ed in the di. slee0 of satiety, .y li0s and 2oi-e had be-o.e do-ile to the ,ill of that da+/ .ist+ess. Th+ou1h .y 0hysi-al 0o,e+s she .ade /no,n he+ ,ishes, and obtained the se+2i-e of those sla2es ,ho had ba+te+ed thei+ all fo+ the sa/e of 1+atifi-ation. 5y he+ fie+-e and te++ible "a1e E;

insi1ht into the da+/ -a2e+ns of .en)s souls, she sa, thei+ needs, and ,ith .y s0ee-h she sho,ed the. ho, to obtain that ,hi-h they lon1ed fo+. As I sat the+e, du.b and a.a>ed at the 2isions ,hi-h 0assed th+ou1h .y a,a/ened .e.o+y, I sa, .yself fi+st, a .e+e -hild, lulled f+o. te++o+ and ala+. by 0leasu+e. I sa, .yself ,ithin the te.0le, in its inne+ san-tua+y, a -+eatu+e hel0less, a tool, a .e+e inst+u.ent 0layed u0on .e+-ilessly. I sa, .yself late+, a youth f+esh and beautiful, lyin1 un-ons-ious on the de-/ of the sa-+ed boat, +isin1 in the f+en>y of un-ons-iousness, and utte+in1 st+an1e ,o+ds. I sa, .yself late+, 1+o,n 0ale and faint, yet al,ays the ,illin1 inst+u.ent, althou1h the soul ,as be1innin1 to sti+ and ,ea+y the body ,ith its st+u11le3 and no, I sa, that the soul had a,a/ened, had tou-hed its .othe+, the ?ueen of li1ht, and -ould ne2e+ a1ain be silen-ed. The ni1ht -a.e, and .y tea-he+ left .e. one else had -o.e to .y -ha.be+3 no food had been b+ou1ht to .e sin-e the ea+ly .o+nin1. I ,as faint ,ith the te++ible si1hts ,hi-h I had seen in this sho+t day. I dete+.ined to 1o in sea+-h of the food I needed. I lifted the hea2y -u+tain that -o2e+ed the a+-h,ay, ,hi-h led into the 1+eat +oo. beyond. A doo+ ,as the+e 99 a .assi2e doo+ 99 su-h as .i1ht -lose the 0o+tal of a dun1eon. Then I unde+stood I ,as a 0+isone+, and no, that I had +e-o2e+ed f+o. .y ,ea/ness and e=-ite.ent, I ,as to ha2e no food. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB had seen that .y s0i+it had a,a/ened3 he had dete+.ined to /ill it ,ithin .e, and 0+ese+2e the .e+e b+o/en body fo+ his 0u+0ose. I lay do,n u0on .y -ou-h, and fell aslee0 ,ith the d+oo0in1 lily9bud u0on .y li0s. When I a,o/e, one stood beside .e ,ho. I /ne, to be .y ne, tea-he+. I had .et his s.ile ,hen I had seen the beautiful -i+-le a+ound .e. I s0+an1 u0 1ladly3 f+o. hi. I loo/ed, fo+ en-ou+a1e.ent. He -a.e and sat beside .e, and too/ .y hand in his. And then I /ne, that his s.ile ,as the li1ht of a 1+eat 0ea-e. He had died in this -ha.be+ 99 died fo+ the t+uth. He -alled .e b+othe+, and suddenly I be-a.e a,a+e that the +oses of .y life had blo,n and fallen and 0assed a,ay fo+e2e+. I had to li2e fo+ the t+uth in the li1ht of the 0u+e s0i+it, and no suffe+in1 .ust .a/e .e af+aid, and f+o. the .o.ent that his hand tou-hed .ine, I /ne, that no suffe+in1 -ould .a/e .e af+aid. Until no,, 0ain had al,ays blinded .e ,ith te++o+, but no, I /ne, that I -ould .eet and 1+as0 it ,ith st+on1 hands unte++ified. I san/ to slee0 that ni1ht in an e-stasy3 I /ne, not ,hethe+ I ,a/ed o+ d+ea.ed3 but I /ne, that this .y b+othe+, ,hose 0hysi-al life had been to+n f+o. hi. in the lon1 a1es 0ast, had 0ou+ed the st+en1th of his fie+y soul into .ine, and that I -ould ne2e+ lose it a1ain.
"a1e E@
The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Chapter &II
On the .o++o, ,hen .y eyes o0ened .y bed ,as su++ounded by the beautiful -i+-le. They +e1a+ded .e ,ith 1+a2e loo/s3 I sa, no s.ile on any fa-e3 but the infinite tende+ness ,hi-h I felt f+o. the. 1a2e .e st+en1th. I +ose and /nelt beside .y -ou-h, fo+ I sa, that so.e 1+eat .o.ent ,as a00+oa-hin1. The youn1est and the b+i1htest of the. all left the -i+-le and a00+oa-hed .e. He /nelt beside .e and -las0ed .y hands, holdin1 ,ithin the. the faded lotus blosso. ,hi-h lay u0on .y 0illo,. I loo/ed u0 99 the othe+s ,e+e 1one. I +e1a+ded .y -o.0anion. He ,as silent3 his eyes ,e+e fi=ed on .e. Ho, youn1 he ,as and beautiful< Ea+th had left no soil on his s0i+it. I /ne, that its stain .ust be on .ine until in the -ou+se of a1es I had ,ashed it -lean a1ain. I felt a fea+ of this .y -o.0anion, he ,as so ,hite and s0otless. As ,e +e.ained thus in silen-e a soft 2oi-e fell on .y ea+. *Loo/ not u0 yet,* ,his0e+ed he ,ho /nelt at .y side. *T,in sta+s of the e2enin1, thou the last of the lon1 line of see+s ,ho ha2e .ade the ,isdo. of the Te.0le and -+o,ned the 1+eatness of E1y0t ,ith 1lo+y< The ni1ht is at hand, and the da+/ness .ust fall and hide the ea+th f+o. the beauty of the hea2ens abo2e it. Iet the t+uth shall be left ,ith .y 0eo0le, the i1no+ant -hild+en of ea+th. And it is fo+ you to lea2e behind you a bu+nin1 li1ht, a +e-o+d fo+ all ti.e ,hi-h .en shall loo/ at and ,onde+ at in a1es hen-e. The +e-o+d of you+ li2es, and of the t+uth ,hi-h ins0i+ed you, shall 1o to othe+ +a-es, in othe+ 0a+ts of the di. ea+th, to a 0eo0le ,ho ha2e only hea+d of the li1ht, ,ho ha2e ne2e+ seen it. 5e st+on1, fo+ you+ ,o+/ is 1+eat. Thou, .y -hild of the sno,y soul, thou hadst not st+en1th to battle alone ,ith the 1+o,in1 da+/ness3 but no,, 1i2e of thy faith and 0u+ity to this one, ,hose ,in1s a+e s.i+-hed ,ith stains of the ea+th, but ,ho has 1athe+ed f+o. that da+/ -onta-t st+en1th fo+ the -o.in1 battle. #i1ht thou to the last fo+ thy Gueen Mothe+. !0ea/ to .y 0eo0le, and tell the. of the 1+eat t+uths3 tell the. that the soul li2es and is blessed, unless they d+o,n it in de1+adation3 tell the. the+e is f+eedo. and 0ea-e fo+ all ,ho ,ill f+ee the.sel2es f+o. desi+es3 tell the. to loo/ to .e and find +est in .y lo2e3 tell the. the+e is the lotus9bloo. in e2e+y hu.an soul, and that it ,ill o0en ,ide to the li1ht unless they 0oison its +oots3 tell the. to li2e in inno-en-e and see/ afte+ t+uth, and I ,ill -o.e and ,al/ in thei+ .idst, and sho, the. the ,ay into that 0la-e of 0ea-e ,he+e all is beauty and all a+e -ontent. Tell the. I lo2e .y -hild+en and ,ould -o.e and d,ell in thei+ ho.es and b+in1 that -ontent ,hi-h is .o+e than any 0+os0e+ity, e2en unto these thei+ hea+ths of the ea+th. Tell the. this in a 2oi-e li/e a t+u.0et9-all, ,hi-h -annot be .isunde+stood. !a2e those ,ho ,ill hea+, and .a/e .y te.0le on-e .o+e a d,ellin1 fo+ the !0i+it of T+uth. The te.0le .ust fall, but it shall not fall in ini?uity. E1y0t .ust de-ay3 but it shall not de-ay in i1no+an-e. It shall hea+ a 2oi-e it -annot fo+1et3 and the ,o+ds ,hi-h that 2oi-e utte+s shall be the hidden hei+loo. of a1es, and shall a1ain be s0o/en unde+ anothe+ s/y, and he+ald the da,n ,hi-h .ust b+ea/ th+ou1h the lon1 bla-/ness. Thou, .y youn1est, thou ,ho a+t both st+on1 and ,ea/, 0+e0a+e< The st+u11le is at hand3 do not flin-h. One duty is thine3 to tea-h the 0eo0le. %o not fea+ that ,isdo. shall fail thy ton1ue. I, ,ho a. Wisdo., ,ill s0ea/ in thy 2oi-e. I, ,ho a. Wisdo., ,ill be at thy side. Loo/ u0, .y -hild, and 1athe+ st+en1th.*
"a1e EE

I +aised .y eyes, and as I did so felt the ti1htened 1+as0 of the hand of .y -o.0anion ,ho /nelt at .y side. I unde+stood that he desi+ed to 1i2e .e -ou+a1e to fa-e the blindin1 1lo+y ,hi-h ,as befo+e .y eyes. !he stood befo+e us, and I sa, he+ as the flo,e+ sees the sun ,hi-h feeds it. I sa, he+ ,ithout dis1uise o+ 2eil. The fai+ ,o.an ,ho had soothed .y boyish tea+s ,as lost in the 1od, the 1lo+y of ,hose 0+esen-e filled .y soul ,ith a bu+nin1 that see.ed to .e li/e death. Iet I li2ed3 I sa,3 I unde+stood.
"a1e EF
The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Chapter &III
The beautiful youn1 0+iest +ose and stood beside .e, ,hile I still 1a>ed u0on the 1lo+y. *Hea+ .e, .y b+othe+,* he said. *The+e a+e th+ee t+uths ,hi-h a+e absolute, and ,hi-h -annot be lost, but yet .ay +e.ain silent fo+ la-/ of s0ee-h. *The soul of .an is i..o+tal, and its futu+e is the futu+e of a thin1 ,hose 1+o,th and s0lendo+ has no li.it. *The 0+in-i0le ,hi-h 1i2es life d,ells in us, and ,ithout us, is undyin1 and ete+nally benefi-ent, is not hea+d o+ seen o+ s.elt, but is 0e+-ei2ed by the .an ,ho desi+es 0e+-e0tion. *Ea-h .an is his o,n absolute la,1i2e+, the dis0ense+ of 1lo+y o+ 1loo. to hi.self3 the de-+ee+ of his life, his +e,a+d, his 0unish.ent. *These t+uths, ,hi-h a+e as 1+eat as is life itself, a+e as si.0le as the si.0lest .ind of .an. #eed the hun1+y ,ith the.. #a+e,ell. It is sundo,n. They ,ill -o.e fo+ you3 be thou +eady.* He ,as 1one. 5ut the 1lo+y did not fade f+o. befo+e .y eyes. I sa, the t+uth. I sa, the li1ht. I +e.ained, holdin1 the 2ision ,ith .y 0assionate +e1a+d. !o.e one tou-hed .e. I ,as a,a/ened and sti++ed i..ediately by a sudden sta+tlin1 sense that the hou+ of battle had -o.e. I +ose and loo/ed +ound. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB stood beside .e. He loo/ed 2e+y se+ious3 his fa-e ,as less -old than ,as usual3 the+e ,as a fi+e in his eyes su-h as I had ne2e+ seen the+e befo+e. *!ensa Athe hu.an soulB ,* he said in a lo, 2oi-e, 2e+y -lea+, that see.ed li/e a /nife, *a+t thou 0+e0a+edC To9ni1ht is the last ni1ht of the J+eat #esti2al. I need you+ se+2i-e. When last you ,e+e ,ith us you ,e+e .ad3 you+ b+ain ,as f+en>ied ,ith the follies of you+ o,n -on-eit. I de.and you+ obedien-e no,, as you ha2e hithe+to 1i2en it, and to9ni1ht you a+e needed, fo+ a 1+eat .i+a-le has to be ,o+/ed. Iou .ust be 0assi2e, else you ,ill suffe+. The Ten ha2e dete+.ined that, unless you a+e obedient as hithe+to, you .ust die. Iou a+e too ,ell 2e+sed in all ,e /no, to li2e, unless you a+e one of us. Iou+ -hoi-e lies 0lain befo+e you. Ma/e it ?ui-/ly.* *It is .ade,* I ans,e+ed. He loo/ed at .e 2e+y ea+nestly. I +ead his thou1ht, and sa, that he had e=0e-ted to find .e sad ,ith solitude, si-/ ,ith the lon1 fast, and b+o/en in s0i+it. Instead, I stood e+e-t, une=hausted, filled ,ith "a1e E'

fea+lessness3 I felt that the li1ht ,as in .y soul, that the 1+eat a+.y of the 1lo+ious ones stool behind .e. *I ha2e no fea+ of death,* I ans,e+ed3 *and I ,ill no lon1e+ be the tool of .en ,ho a+e /illin1 the +oyal +eli1ion of E1y0t, the 1+eat and only +eli1ion of t+uth, fo+ the benefit of thei+ o,n a.bitions and desi+es. I ha2e seen and unde+stood you+ .i+a-les and the tea-hin1s ,hi-h you 1i2e to the 0eo0le3 I ,ill aid you no lon1e+ I ha2e said.* A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB stood silent, +e1a+din1 .e. His fa-e 1+e, ,hite+ and .o+e +i1id, as thou1h -ut in .a+ble. I +e.e.be+ed his ,o+ds that ni1ht in the inne+ san-tua+y, ,hen he said, *I +enoun-e .y hu.anity.* I sa, it ,as so, that the +enun-iation ,as -o.0lete. I -ould loo/ fo+ no .e+-y3 I had to deal not ,ith .an but ,ith a sha0e ani.ated by a do.inant and absolutely selfish ,ill. Afte+ a .o.ent)s 0ause he s0o/e, 2e+y -al.ly 99 *5e it so. The Ten shall hea+ you+ ,o+ds and ans,e+ the.3 you ha2e a +i1ht to be 0+esent at thei+ delibe+ations3 you a+e you+self as hi1h in the te.0le as I .yself. It ,ill be a t+ial of st+en1th a1ainst st+en1th, of ,ill a1ainst ,ill. I ,a+n you that you ,ill suffe+.* He tu+ned a,ay and left .e, .o2in1 ,ith that slo, and stately ste0 ,hi-h had so fas-inated .e ,hen a -hild. I sat do,n u0on .y -ou-h and ,aited. I ,as not af+aid3 but I -ould not thin/ o+ +efle-t. I ,as -ons-ious that a .o.ent ,as at hand ,hi-h ,ould need all .y st+en1th3 and I +e.ained ,ithout .otion and ,ithout thou1ht, +ese+2in1 all the fo+-e I 0ossessed. A sta+ +ose in f+ont of .e, a 1lea.in1 sta+, ,hi-h see.ed to .e sha0ed li/e the full9blo,n lotus flo,e+. E=-ited and da>>led, I +ose and s0+an1 to,a+ds it. It .o2ed f+o. .e 99 I ,ould not lose it, but follo,ed ea1e+ly. It 0assed th+ou1h the doo+,ay of .y +oo. into the -o++ido+3 I found that the doo+ o0ened at .y tou-h. I did not stay to ,onde+ ,hy it ,as unlo-/ed, but follo,ed the sta+ and its li1ht, ,hi-h .o.ently 1+e, -lea+e+, and its sha0e 1+e, .o+e defined3 I sa, the 0etals of the +oyal ,hite flo,e+, and f+o. its yello, -ent+e st+ea.ed the li1ht that led .e. !,iftly and ea1e+ly I ,ent do,n the ,ide di. -o++ido+. The 1+eat doo+ of the te.0le ,as o0en and the sta+ 0assed th+ou1h it into the oute+ ai+. I too ,ent out of the te.0le doo+, and found .yself in the a2enue of st+an1e statues. !uddenly I be-a.e a,a+e that the+e ,as a 0+esen-e at the oute+ 1ate ,hi-h -alled .e. I fled do,n the lon1 a2enue ,ith feet that /ne, not ,hithe+ they led .e3 yet I /ne, that I .ust 1o. The 1+eat 1ates ,e+e lo-/ed3 but, so -lose to the. that I felt as thou1h I ,e+e in the .idst of it, ,as a 1+eat -+o,d, a .ass of 0eo0le. They ,e+e a,aitin1 the 1+eat -e+e.ony, the final 1lo+y of the festi2al, ,hi-h to9ni1ht ,as to ta/e 0la-e at the 0o+tals of the te.0le itself. I loo/ed u0 and sa, the Gueen Mothe+ standin1 beside .e. !he had, in he+ hand a fla.in1 to+-h, and I /ne, that its li1ht had fo+.ed the sta+ ,hi-h 1uided .e hithe+. !he it ,as, then, the li1ht of life, ,ho had led .e. !he s.iled and ,as, in an "a1e EH

instant, 1one3 I ,as alone ,ith .y /no,led1e3 and the 0eo0le, -+o,ded to1ethe+ and 0lun1ed in i1no+an-e, ,aited at the 1ates to be tau1ht of the 0+iests. I +e.e.be+ed the ,o+ds of .y 0+ede-esso+, .y b+othe+, ,ho had 1i2en .e the th+ee t+uths fo+ the 0eo0le. I lifted u0 .y 2oi-e and s0o/e3 .y ,o+ds -a++ied .e on as thou1h they ,e+e ,a2es, and .y e.otion 1+ie2e into a 1+eat sea u0on ,hi-h I ,as lifted3 and as I loo/ed into the ea1e+ eyes and +a0t ,onde+in1 fa-es befo+e .e, I /ne, that the 0eo0le also ,e+e bein1 s,e0t alon1 on that s,ift tide. My hea+t s,elled ,ith the deli1ht of s0ee-h, of 1i2in1 utte+an-e to the 1+eat t+uths ,hi-h had be-o.e .y o,n. At last I be1an to tell the. ho, I had -au1ht fi+e f+o. the to+-h of holiness, and ,as +esol2ed to ente+ u0on a t+ue life of de2otion to ,isdo., and to dis-a+d all the lu=u+y ,hi-h su++ounded the 0+iestly life, and to 0ut aside fo+e2e+ all desi+es but those ,hi-h belon1 to the soul. I -+ied aloud, 0+ayin1 all those ,ho felt the li1ht /indle ,ithin the., to ente+ u0on a si.ila+ 0ath, e2en in the .idst of thei+ life in the -ity o+ on the .ountains. I told the. that it ,as unne-essa+y be-ause .en bou1ht and sold in the st+eets, that they should utte+ly fo+1et and d+o,n the di2ine essen-e ,ithin the.. I bade the. bu+n out by the li1ht of the s0i+it the 1+osse+ desi+es of the flesh ,hi-h held the. ba-/ f+o. the t+ue do-t+ine, and sent the. in th+on1s as de2otees to the sh+ine of the Gueen of %esi+e. I 0aused suddenly ,ith a hea2y sense of ,ea+iness and e=haustion. I be-a.e a,a+e that so.e one stood on ea-h side of .e3 an instant late+, I sa, that I ,as su++ounded. The ten hi1h 0+iests had fo+.ed a -i+-le a+ound .e. $a.en 5a/a Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB stood fa-in1 .e, and fi=ed his eyes on .ine. I -+ied out aloud, standin1 the+e in the .idst of this -i+-le 99 *O, 0eo0le of E1y0t, +e.e.be+ .y ,o+ds< e2e+ a1ain .ay you hea+ the .essen1e+ of the .othe+ of ou+ life, the .othe+ of the Jod of T+uth. !he has s0o/en. Jo to you+ ho.es and ,+ite he+ ,o+ds on tablets, and 1+a2e the. on stones, that 0eo0le yet unbo+n .ay +ead the. and +e0eat the. to you+ -hild+en that they shall /no, of the ,isdo.. Jo, and stay not to ,itness the sa-+ile1e of the te.0le ,hi-h is to9ni1ht to be -o..itted. The 0+iests of the 1oddess dese-+ate he+ te.0le ,ith .adness and lust and +i-h fillin1 of all desi+es. Listen not to thei+ ,o+ds, but 1o to you+ ho.es and as/ of you+ o,n hea+ts thei+ lesson.* My st+en1th ,as 1one. I -ould utte+ no ,o+d .o+e. With d+oo0ed head and ,ea+y li.bs, I obeyed the .ena-in1 -i+-le ,hi-h su++ounded .e, and tu+ned .y ste0s to,a+ds the te.0le. In silen-e ,e .o2ed u0 the a2enue, and ente+ed the doo+,ay. Within it ,e 0aused. $a.en 5a/a Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB tu+ned and loo/ed ba-/ do,n the a2enue.
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*The 0eo0le .u+.u+,* he said. A1ain ,e .o2ed on do,n the 1+eat -o++ido+. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB -a.e out of a doo+,ay, and stood befo+e us. *Is it soC* he said in a st+an1e 2oi-e. He /ne, ,hat had ha00ened by the 1+ou0 he +e1a+ded. *What shall be doneC* said $a.en 5a/a Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB. *He bet+ays the se-+ets of the te.0le, and e=-ites the 0eo0le a1ainst us.* *He ,ill be a 1+eat loss,* said A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB, *but he has be-o.e too dan1e+ous. He .ust die. !0ea/ I ,ell, b+eth+enC* A faint .u+.u+ 0assed +ound .e f+o. li0 to li0. E2e+y 2oi-e ,as ,ith A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB. *The 0eo0le .u+.u+ at the 1ate,* +e0eated $a.en 5a/a Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB. *Jo to the.,* said A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB, *tell the. this is a ni1ht of sa-+ifi-e, and the 1oddess (A2idya9the da+/ side of hu.an natu+e) ,ill he+self s0ea/ ,ith he+ o,n 2oi-e.* $a.en 5a/a Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB left the -i+-le, and A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB i..ediately too/ his 0la-e. I stood .otionless, silent. I di.ly unde+stood that .y fate ,as sealed, but I neithe+ /ne, no+ desi+ed to as/ in ,hat ,ay I ,as to die. I /ne, .yself to be utte+ly hel0less in the hands of the hi1h 0+iests. The+e ,as no a00eal f+o. thei+ autho+ity, and the -+o,d of infe+io+ 0+iests obeyed the. as sla2es. I, one alone, ,as hel0less a.id this -+o,d, and unde+ this absolute autho+ity. I did not fea+ death, and I thou1ht it due to the Gueen Mothe+ that he+ se+2ant should 1o to he+ ,ith all 1ladness. It ,as .y last testi.ony on ea+th to he+ lo2e.
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The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Chapter I'
I ,as ta/en into .y o,n -ha.be+, and the+e left alone. I lay do,n u0on .y -ou-h and fell aslee0, fo+ I ,as 2e+y ,ea+y, and I ,as not af+aid, it see.ed to .e that unde+ .y head ,as the tende+ a+. of the Lady of the Lotus (6idya, s0i+itual intelli1en-e). 5ut .y slee0 ,as sho+t. I ,as 0lun1ed in a dee0 un-ons-iousness, that ,as too s,eet fo+ any d+ea. to ente+, ,hen suddenly I ,as +oused by a 2i2id sense of bein1 no lon1e+ alone. I a,o/e to find .yself in da+/ness and silen-e, but I +e-o1ni>ed the sensation. I /ne, I ,as su++ounded by a 1+eat -+o,d. I ,aited .otionless ,ith ,at-hful eyes fo+ the li1ht, ,onde+in1 ,hat 0+esen-es it ,ould +e2eal to .e. Then I be-a.e a,a+e of so.ethin1 I had ne2e+ felt befo+e. I ,as not un-ons-ious, yet I ,as hel0less as thou1h ,ithout sense o+ /no,led1e. I ,as not .otionless f+o. indiffe+en-e o+ 0ea-efulness. I desi+ed to +ise and de.and that li1ht should be b+ou1ht, but I -ould neithe+ .o2e no+ utte+ any sound. !o.e fie+-e ,ill ,as battlin1 ,ith .ine, so st+on1 that I ,as all but utte+ly .aste+ed, yet I st+u11led and ,ould not yield. I ,as dete+.ined not to be a blind sla2e, o2e+0o,e+ed in the da+/ness by an unseen ad2e+sa+y. It be-a.e te++ible, this fi1ht fo+ su0+e.a-y. It be-a.e so fie+-e that at last I /ne, it ,as a fi1ht fo+ .y life. The 0o,e+ that ,ei1hed .e do,n desi+ed to /ill. What ,as it, ,ho ,as it, that endea2o+ed to d+a, .y b+eath f+o. out .y bodyC At last 99 I -annot tell ho, lon1 this intense silent ,a+fa+e ,as ,a1ed 99 at last the li1ht -a.e flashin1 +ound .e on e2e+y side, as to+-h ,as li1hted f+o. to+-h. I sa, di.ly, fo+ .y si1ht ,as faint. I sa, that I ,as in the 1+eat -o++ido+ befo+e the doo+ of the san-tua+y, lyin1 u0on the -ou-h ,he+e I had 0layed ,ith the st+an1e 0hanto.9-hild ,ho fi+st tau1ht .e 0leasu+e. I lay u0on it outst+et-hed as I had lain on .y o,n -ou-h in slee0. As ,hen it had been used in the -e+e.onial befo+e, so no, it ,as -o2e+ed ,ith +oses 99 la+1e, +i-h, 2olu0tuous, -+i.son and blood9+ed +oses3 thousands lay u0on and about the -ou-h, and thei+ st+on1 0e+fu.e o2e+0o,e+ed .y faint senses. I ,as -lothed st+an1ely in a thin ,hite linen +obe, ,he+eon ,e+e e.b+oide+ies, su-h as until no, I had ne2e+ seen hie+o1ly0hs ,o+/ed in thi-/, da+/, +ed sil/. At .y side ,as a st+ea. of +ed blood, ,hi-h flo,ed f+o. the -ou-h into a beautiful 2essel that stood u0on the 1+ound a.id a hea0 of +oses. I loo/ed at this a ,hile in idle -u+iosity, until on a sudden the /no,led1e -a.e to .e that this ,as .y life)s blood flo,in1 a,ay. I +aised .y eyes, and sa, that I ,as su++ounded by the Ten. Thei+ 1a>e ,as all fi=ed on .e, thei+ -ountenan-es ,e+e i.0la-able. I /ne, then ,hat that te++ible ,ill ,as ,ith ,hi-h I had done battle. It ,as thei+ united +esolution. Was it 0ossible that I alone -ould st+u11le a1ainst this bandC I /ne, not, yet I ,as not -ast do,n. 5y one 1+eat effo+t I +aised .yself on the -ou-h. I ,as al+eady ,ea/ f+o. ,ant of blood, but they -ould no lon1e+ /ee0 .e silent. I +ose to .y feet, and stood u0on the -ou-h, and loo/ed 0ast the. to the -+o,d of 0+iests beyond, and fu+the+ still to the th+on1 of 0eo0le, ,ho ,aited -lose9 0a-/ed at the ent+an-e of the 1+eat -o++ido+, to see the 0+o.ised .i+a-le. I stood one instant, and thou1ht I had 0o,e+ to s0ea/, but I fell ba-/ hel0less in .y ,ea/ness. Iet a dee0, 0+ofound, 2i2id ha00iness filled .y soul, and suddenly I hea+d a .u+.u+ ,hi-h +ose and 1+e, "a1e F8

st+on1e+. *It is the youn1 0+iest that tau1ht at the 1ate< He is 1ood, he shall not die< Let us sa2e hi.<* The 0eo0le had seen .y fa-e and /ne, .e. A 1+eat +ush ,as .ade in the sudden enthusias., and the -+o,d of 0+iests ,as 0+essed to,a+ds the -ou-h, so that the Ten ,e+e unable to +e.ain a+ound it. And as the ,a2e of st+u11le -a.e u0 to,a+ds the holy of holies, .any of the 0+iests +ushed into the 2a-ant s0a-e bet,een the -ou-h and the doo+. And as they 0assed by in the -onfusion and su+0+ise, I sa, that the 2essel ,hi-h held .y life ,as o2e+tu+ned and the +ed blood ,as s0illed at the doo+ of the san-tua+y. The doo+ o0ened3 A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB stood ,ithin it3 he loo/ed .a4esti- in his i.0enet+able -al.. He 1a>ed u0on the su+1in1 -+o,d befo+e hi.. At his -old 1a>e the 0+iests 1+e, -al.e+ and 1athe+ed st+en1th to ,ithstand a little lon1e+ the on+ush of the -+o,d. The Ten d+e, to1ethe+ a1ain and ,ith diffi-ulty +ea-hed .y -ou-h and a1ain fo+.ed a ba++ie+ about it. 5ut they ,e+e too late. Al+eady so.e of the 0eo0le had +ea-hed .y side. I s.iled di.ly into thei+ /indly +ou1h fa-es. Tea+s fell u0on .y fa-e and 0enet+ated .y hea+t3 and then suddenly one -au1ht .y hand and -las0ed and /issed it, and ,etted it ,ith hot tea+s. !u+ely that tou-h th+illed .y blood as did none othe+< Then I hea+d a 2oi-e -+yD *It is .y son 99 it is .y son that is dead. He is /illed. Who ,ill 1i2e .e ba-/ .y sonC It ,as .y .othe+ ,ho /nelt at .y side. I st+ained .y fadin1 si1ht and sa, he+. !he ,as ,o+n and ,ea+y, yet he+ fa-e ,as 1ood. And as I loo/ed I sa, behind he+, o2e+shado,in1 he+, the Lady of the Lotus (6idya, s0i+itual intelli1en-e) of the Lotus, standin1 the+e in the .idst of the 0eo0le< And a 1entle s.ile ,as on he+ .outh. My .othe+ +ose, and I sa, a st+an1e di1nity in he+ fa-e. *They ha2e /illed his body,* she said, *but they ha2e not /illed his soul. That is st+on1, fo+ I sa, it in his eyes as this .o.ent they -losed in death.*
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The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Chapter '
And on .y di. ea+s fell the sound of a 1+eat si1h that -a.e f+o. the hea+t of the 0eo0le. And then I /ne, that .y body did not die in 2ain. 5ut .y soul li2ed. It ,as not only st+on1, it ,as indest+u-tible. It had ,o+/ed out its ti.e of .ise+y in that 0ale fo+.3 it had es-a0ed f+o. the i.0+ison.ent ,hi-h so lon1 had held it fast. 5ut only to +ea,a/en in anothe+, a st+on1, a beautiful and 0u+e te.0le. As the 1+eat su+1in1 -+o,d, d+i2en to fu+y by the +esistan-e of the 0+iests, 0+essed on .ena-in1ly, so.e 2i-ti.s to its +a1e fell a+ound .e. Close to .y lifeless fo+. lay A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB, t+a.0led to death by the en+a1ed 0eo0le, and at .y 2e+y side a1ainst the -ou-h on ,hi-h I lay, Malen died, his b+eath 0+essed out f+o. his beautiful fo+.. As I ho2e+ed the+e in the st+an1e -ons-iousness of soul, I 0e+-ei2ed these tainted s0i+its, da+/ ,ith the lust and a.bition ,hi-h the Gueen of %esi+e had /indled ,ithin the., fo+-ed into that -i+-le of ne-essity f+o. ,hi-h the+e is no es-a0e. A1.ahd Aa se+2ant of the da+/ 1oddessAA2idya9 the da+/ side of hu.an atu+eB)s soul fled ,ith a fie+-e +ush, li/e the da+/ 0assa1e of a bi+d of the ni1ht, and Malen that youn1 0+iest, ,ho had led .e to the -ity, follo,ed hi. s,iftly. He, ,ho obedient to the +ules of his o+de+ had 0+ese+2ed the 0u+ity of the body, ,as bla-/ ,ithin ,ith un1+atified and -easeless desi+e, but his body lay a b+o/en flo,e+, fai+ as a lily ,hen fi+st it o0ens its bloo. on the su+fa-e of the -lea+ ,ate+. I felt that .y Gueen Mothe+ held .e fast in he+ tende+ 1+as0, that I .i1ht not es-a0e f+o. the s-ene of ho++o+. *Retu+n to you+ ,o+/,* she said3 *it is yet unfinished. This is the ne, +obe that you ,ill ,ea+, ,hi-h ,ill be you+ -o2e+in1 ,hile you tea-h .y 0eo0le. This body is sinless, unstained and beautiful, althou1h the soul that inhabited it is lost. 5ut thou a+t .y o,n. To -o.e to .e is to li2e th+ou1h ete+nity in t+uth and /no,led1e. This is thy ne, 1a+.ent.* I found that I ,as yet st+on1, not only in the s0i+it, but in 0hysi-al life. e, 2i1o+ -a.e to .e, .y ,ea+iness ,as fo+1otten. I +ose f+o. the 0la-e, ,he+e but a .inute sin-e I had lain 0+ost+ate and lifeless. I +ose, and standin1 hidden unde+ the eyes of .y Gueen loo/ed in ho++o+ at the s-ene a+ound .e. *Jo, Malen 1o in safety,* she said. *Thou a+t to li2e in the hea+ts of the 0eo0le, thou ,ilt be to the. an i.a1e and sy.bol of the 1lo+y. Thou ,ilt be a1ain a .a+ty+ to .y -ause, one ,ho ,ill fo+e2e+ be +e.e.be+ed ,ith lo2e by the dus/y -hild+en of Che.i. Iet, thou1h thou diest in .y se+2i-e, thou shalt tea-h fo+ a1es to -o.e a.on1 the +uins of this te.0le3 and thou1h thou diest fo+ .e a hund+ed deaths, yet shalt thou li2e to tea-h .y t+uths f+o. the adytu. of the ne, fane that shall a+ise in the distan-e of ti.e.* I hu++ied a,ay, and 0assed unnoti-ed th+ou1h the su+1in1, fu+ious -+o,d. The statues in the a2enue ,e+e th+o,n do,n3 the te.0le 1ates ,e+e b+o/en and dest+oyed. "a1e F;

My soul ,as sad and yea+ned fo+ 0ea-e. I loo/ed ,ith lon1in1 eyes to the ?uiet -ount+y ,he+e .y 0easant .othe+ d,elled3 but she belie2ed he+ son ,as dead. !he ,ould not /no, .e in this ne, sha0e. I tu+ned to,a+ds the -ity, no, dese+ted by the .addened 0eo0le. A ,ild shout f+o. a thousand th+oats to+e the ai+. I 0aused, and loo/in1 ba-/, sa, that the un-he-/ed 2en1ean-e of a 1ene+ation bet+ayed by its tea-he+s, had indeed fallen u0on the 1lo+ious old te.0le. Al+eady it ,as dese-+ated, and its sinful in.ates sa-+ifi-ed. !oon it ,ould be a +uin. I ,ande+ed th+ou1h the e.0ty st+eets of the -ity, and /ne, that he+e ,he+e I had d+un/ of 0leasu+e, I .ust taste the 4oy of the ,o+/e+. He+e .y 2oi-e .ust be hea+d un-easin1ly. The t+uth, lon1 d+i2en f+o. the de1+aded te.0le, .ust find its ho.e in the hea+t of the 0eo0le, in the st+eets of the -ity. Lon1 ti.e .ust 0ass befo+e .y sin should fall f+o. .e, and lea2e .e stainless, 0u+e, 0+e0a+ed fo+ the 0e+fe-t life to,a+ds ,hi-h I labo+. !in-e then, I li2e, -han1e fo+., and li2e a1ain3 yet /no, .yself th+ou1h the lon1 a1es as they 0ass. E1y0t is dead, but he+ s0i+it li2es, and the /no,led1e that ,as he+s is still -he+ished in those souls ,ho ha2e +e.ained t+ue to the 1+and and .yste+ious 0ast. They /no, that out of the 0+ofound blindness and ina+ti-ulateness of an a1e of unbelief shall a+ise the fi+st si1ns of the s0lendo+ of the futu+e. That ,hi-h is to -o.e is 1+ande+, .o+e .a4esti-ally .yste+ious than the 0ast. #o+ as the ,hole life of hu.anity +ises u0,a+d, by slo, and i.0e+-e0tible 0+o1+ess, its tea-he+s d+in/ thei+ life f+o. 0u+e+ founts, and ta/e thei+ .essa1e f+o. the soul of e=isten-e. The -+y has sounded th+ou1h the ,o+ld. The t+uths a+e utte+ed in ,o+ds. Wa/en da+/ souls of the ea+th, ,ho li2e ,ith eyes u0on the 1+ound, +aise those di. eyes and let 0e+-e0tion ente+. Life has in it .o+e than the i.a1ination of .an -an -on-ei2e. !ei>e boldly u0on its .yste+y, and de.and, in the obs-u+e 0la-es of you+ o,n soul, li1ht ,ith ,hi-h to illu.ine those di. +e-esses of indi2iduality to ,hi-h you ha2e been blinded th+ou1h a thousand e=isten-es. Thou1h a land of dus/y fo+.s, E1y0t stands as a ,hite flo,e+ a.on1 othe+ +a-es of the ea+th, and the hie+o1ly0h +eade+s of the old he+eti- ,+itin1s, the 0+ofesso+s, and the thin/e+s of the day ,ill be unable to stain the 0etals of that 1+and lily blosso. of ou+ 0lanet. They do not see the ste. of the lily, and the sunli1ht shinin1 do,n th+ou1h the 0etals. They -an see nothin1 of the +eal blosso., neithe+ -an they disfi1u+e it by .ode+n 1a+denin1, be-ause it is out of thei+ +ea-h. It 1+o,s abo2e the statu+e of .an and its bulb d+in/s dee0 f+o. the +i2e+ of life. It flo,e+s in a ,o+ld of 1+o,th to ,hi-h .an -an only attain in his absolute .o.ents of ins0i+ation ,hen he is indeed .o+e than .an. The+efo+e, thou1h its lofty ste. lifts itself f+o. ou+ ,o+ld, it is not to be beheld o+ ade?uately des-+ibed, sa2e by one ,ho is in t+uth so .u-h abo2e the statu+e of .an that he -an loo/ do,n into the fa-e of the flo,e+, ,he+e2e+ it blosso.s, ,hethe+ in the East o+ the da+/ West. He ,ill the+e +ead the se-+ets of the -ont+ollin1 fo+-es of the 0hysi-al 0lane, and ,ill see, ,+itten ,ithin it, the s-ien-e of .ysti- st+en1th. He ,ill lea+n ho, to e=0ound s0i+itual t+uths and to ente+ into the hi1hest self, and he -an lea+n also ho, to o,n in life fo+ of that hi1he+ self, and yet to +etain life u0on this 0lanet so lon1 as it shall last, if need be3 to +etain life in the 2i1o+ of .anhood, till his enti+e ,o+/ is -o.0leted, and he has tau1ht the th+ee t+uths to all ,ho loo/ fo+ li1ht.
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The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

Cha0te+ 6II Cha0te+ 6III Cha0te+ I7

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Preface

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Prologue

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Chapter II

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.) Chapter II

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

The Idyll of the White Lotus by Mabel Collins (M.C.)

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