the golden chersonese and the way thither-第42部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　heavens　in　no　time；　truly　〃coming　forth　as　a　bridegroom　out　of　his
chamber；　and　rejoicing　as　a　giant　to　run　his　course；〃　and　as　truly
〃There　is　nothing　hid　from　the　heat　thereof；〃　for　hardly　is　he　visible
than　the　heat　becomes　tremendous。　But　tropical　trees　and　flowers；
instead　of　drooping　and　withering　under　the　solar　fury；　rejoice　in　it。

This　morning　was　splendid。　The　great　banana　fronds　under　the　still；
blue　sky　looked　truly　tropical　The　mercury　was　82　degrees　at　7　A。M。　The
〃tiger　mosquitoes；〃　day　torments；　large　mosquitoes　with　striped　legs；　a
loud　metallic　hum；　and　a　plethora　of　venom；　were　in　full　fury　from
daylight。　　Ammonia　does　not　relieve　their　bites　as　it　does　those　of　the
night　mosquitoes；　and　I　am　covered　with　inflamed　and　confluent　lumps　as
large　as　the　half　of　a　bantam's　egg。　But　these　and　other　drawbacks；　I
know　from　experience；　will　soon　be　forgotten；　and　I　shall　remember　only
the　beauty；　the　glory；　and　the　intense　enjoyment　of　this　day。

Quite　early　the　Rajah　Moussa　arrived　in　a　baju　of　rich；　gold…colored
silk；　which　suited　his　swarthy　complexion。　He　sat　in　the　room
pretending　to　look　over　the　Graphic；　but　in　reality　watching　me；　as　I
wrote　to　you；　just　as　I　should　watch　an　ouf。　　At　last　he　asked　how　many
Japanese　I　had　killed！！！！

The　succession　is　here　hereditary　in　the　male　line；　and　this　Rajah
Moussa　is　the　Sultan's　eldest　son。　The　Sultan　receives　2；000　pounds　a
year　out　of　the　revenue；　and　this　Rajah　960　pounds。

The　Resident　arrived　at　nine；　wearing　a　very　fine　dress　sword；　and　gold
epaulettes　on　his　linen　coat；　and　under　a　broiling　sun　we　all　walked
through　a　cleared　part　of　the　jungle；　through　palms　and　bananas；　to　the
reception　at　the　Sultan's；　which　was　the　〃motive〃　of　our　visit。　The
Sultan；　Abdulsamat；　has　three　houses　in　a　beautiful　situation；　at　the
end　of　a　beautiful　valley。　They　are　in　the　purest　style　of　Malay
architecture；　and　not　a　Western　idea　appears　anywhere。　The　wood　of
which　they　are　built　is　a　rich　brown　red。　The　roofs　are　very　high　and
steep；　but　somewhat　curved。　The　architecture　is　simple；　appropriate；
and　beautiful　The　dwelling　consists　of　the　Sultan's　house；　a　broad；
open　passage；　and　then　the　women's　house　or　harem。　　At　the　end　of　the
above　passage　is　the　audience…hall；　and　the　front　entrance　to　the
Sultan's　house　is　through　a　large　porch　which　forms　a　convenient
reception　room　on　occasions　like　that　of　yesterday。

From　this　back　passage　or　court　a　ladder；　with　rungs　about　two　feet
apart；　leads　into　the　Sultan's　house；　and　a　step…ladder　into　the
women's　house。　Two　small　boys；　entirely　naked；　were　incongruous　objects
sitting　at　the　foot　of　the　ladder。　Here　we　waited　for　him；　two　files　of
policemen　being　drawn　up　as　a　guard　of　honor。　He　came　out　of　the
women's　house　very　actively；　shook　hands　with　each　of　us　（obnoxious
custom！）；　and　passed　through　the　lines　of　police　round　to　the　other
side　of　his　house　into　the　porch；　the　floor　of　which　was　covered　with
fine　matting　nearly　concealed　by　handsome　Persian　rugs。

The　Sultan　sat　on　a　high…backed；　carved　chair　or　throne。　　All　the　other
chairs　were　plain。　The　Resident　sat　on　his　right；　I　on　his　left；　and　on
my　left　the　Rajah　Moussa；　with　other　sons　of　the　sultan；　and　some
native　princes。　Mr。　　Syers　acted　as　interpreter。　Outside　there　were
double　lines　of　military　police；　and　the　bright　adjacent　slopes　were
covered　with　the　Sultan's　followers　and　other　Malays。　The　balcony　of
the　audience…hall；　which　has　a　handsome　balustrade；　was　full　of　Malay
followers　in　bright　reds　and　cool　white。　It　was　all　beautiful；　and　the
palms　rustled　in　the　soft　air；　and　bright　birds　and　butterflies　flew
overhead；　rejoicing　in　mere　existence。

If　Abdulsamat　were　not　Sultan；　I　should　pick　him　out　as　the　most
prepossessing　Malay　that　I　have　seen。　He　is　an　elderly　man；　with
iron…gray　hair；　a　high　and　prominent　brow；　large；　prominent；　dark；
eyes；　a　well…formed　nose；　and　a　good　mouth。　The　face　is　bright；　kindly；
and　fairly　intelligent。　　He　is　about　the　middle　height。　His　dress
became　him　well；　and　he　looked　comfortable　in　it　though　he　had　not　worn
it　before。　It　was　a　rich；　black　velvet　baju　or　jacket；　something　like　a
loose　hussar　jacket；　braided；　frogged；　and　slashed　with　gold；　trousers
with　a　broad　gold　strip　on　the　outside；　a　rich　silk　sarong　in　checks
and　shades　of　red；　and　a　Malay　printed　silk　handkerchief　knotted　round
his　head；　forming　a　sort　of　peak。　No　Mohammedan　can　wear　a　hat　with　a
rim　or　stiff　crown；　or　of　any　kind　which　would　prevent　him　from　bowing
his　forehead　to　the　earth　in　worship。

The　Resident　read　the　proceedings　of　the　council　of　the　day　before；　and
the　Sultan　confirmed　them。　The　nominal　approval　of　measures　initiated
by　the　Resident　and　agreed　to　in　council；　and　the　signing　of
death…warrants；　are　among　the　few　prerogatives　which　〃his　Highness〃
retains。　Then　a　petition　for　a　pension　from　Rajah　Brean　was　read；　the
Rajah；　a　slovenly…looking　man；　being　present。　The　petition　was　refused；
and　the　Sultan；　in　refusing　it；　spoke　some　very　strong　words　about
idleness；　which　seems　a　great　failing　of　Rajah　Brean's　but　it　has　my
strong　sympathy；　for

　　　　　〃Why
　　　　　Should　life　all　labor　be？
　　　　　There　is　no　joy　but　calm；
　　　　　Why　should　we　only　toil；　the　roof　and　crown　of　things？〃

During　the　reception　a　richly…dressed　attendant　sat　on　the　floor　with
an　iron　tube　like　an　Italian　iron　in　his　hand；　in　which　he　slowly
worked　an　arrangement　which　might　be　supposed　to　be　a　heater　up　and
down。　I　thought　that　he　might　be　preparing　betel…nut；　but　Mr。　Douglas
said　that　he　was　working　a　charm　for　the　Sultan's　safety；　and　it　was
believed　that　if　he　paused　some　harm　would　happen。　Another　attendant；
yet　more　richly　dressed；　carried　a　white　scarf　fringed　and　embroidered
with　gold　over　one　shoulder；　and　two　vases　of　solid　gold；　with　their
surfaces　wrought　by　exquisite　workmanship　into　flowers　nearly　as
delicate　as　filigree　work。　One　of　these　contained　betel…nut；　and　the
other　sirih　leaves。　Meanwhile　the　police；　with　their　bayonets　flashing
in　the　sun；　and　the　swarthy；　richly…costumed　throng　on　the　palm…shaded
slopes；　were　a　beautiful　sight。　The　most　interesting　figure　to　me　was
that　of　the　reforming　heir；　the　bigoted　Moslem　in　his　gold…colored
baju；　with　his　swarthy　face；　singular　and　almost　sinister　expression；
and　his　total　lack　of　all　Western　fripperies　of　dress。　I　think　that
there　may　be　trouble　when　he　comes　to　the　throne；　at　least　if　the
present　arrangements　continue。　　He　does　not　look　like　a　man　who　would
be　content　to　be　a　mere　registrar　of　the　edicts　of　〃a　dog　of　an
infidel。〃

The　Sultan　has　a　〃godown〃　containing　great　treasures；　concerning　which
he　leads　an　anxious　lifehoards　of　diamonds　and　rubies；　and　priceless
damascened　krises；　with　scabbards　of　pure　gold　wrought　into　marvelous
devices　and　incrusted　with　precious　stones。　On　Mr。　Douglas's　suggestion
（as　I　understood）　he　sent　a　kris　with　an　elaborate　gold　scabbard　to　the
Governor；　saying：　〃It　is　not　from　the　Sultan　to　the　Governor；　_but　from
a　friend　to　a　friend_。〃　He　seems　anxious　for　Selangor　to　〃get　on。〃　He
is　making　a　road　at　Langat　at　his　own　expense；　and　acting；　doubtless；
under　British　advice；　has　very　cordially　agreed　that　the　odious　system
of　debt　slavery　shall　be　quietly　dropped　from　among　the　institutions　of
Selangor。

When　this　audience　was　over　I　asked　to　be　allowed　to　visit　the　Sultana；
and；　with　Mrs。　Ferney　as　interpreter；　went　to　the　harem；　accompanied　by
the　Rajah　Moussa。　It　is　a　beautiful　house；　of　one　very　large；　lofty
room；　part　of　which　is　divided　into　apartments　by　heavy　silk　curtains。
One　end　of　it　is　occupied　by　a　high　dais　covered　with　fine　mats；　below
which　is　another　dais　covered　with　Persian　carpets。　On　this　the　Sultana
received　us；　the　Rajah　Moussa；　who　is　not　her　son；　and　ourselves
sitting　on　chairs。　If　I　understood　rightly　that　this　prince　is　not　her
son；　I　do　not　see　how　it　is　that　he　can　go　into　the　women's　apartments。
Two　guards　sat　on　the　floor　just　within　the　door；　and　numbers　of　women；
some　of　them　in　white　veils；　followers　of　the　Sultana；　sat　in　rows　also
on　the　floor。

It　must　be　confessed　that　the　〃light　of　the　harem〃　is　not　beautiful。
She　looks　nearly　middle…aged。　She　is　short　and　fat；　with　a　flat　nose；
open　wide　nostrils；　thick　lips；　and　filed　teeth；　much　blackened　by
betel…nut　chewing。　Her　expression　is　pleasant；　and　her　manner　is
prepossessing。　　She　wore　a　rich；　striped；　red　silk　sarong；　and　a　very
short；　green　silk　kabaya　with　diamond　clasps；　but　I　saw　very　little　of
her　dress　or　herself；　because　she　was　almost　enveloped　in　a　pure　white
veil　of　a　fine　woolen　material　spangled　with　gold　stars；　and　she
concealed　so　much　of　her　face　with　it；　in　consequence　of　the　presence
of　the　Rajah　Moussa；　that　I　only　rarely　got　a　glimpse　of　the
magnificent　diamond　solitaires　in　her　ears。　Our　conversation　was　not
brilliant；　and　the　Sultana　looked　to　me　as　if　she　had　attained　nirvana；
and　had　〃neither　ideas　nor　the　consciousness　of　the　absence　of　ideas。〃
We　returned　and　took　leave　of　the　Sultan；　and　after　we　left　I　caught　a
glimpse　of　him　lounging　at　ease　in　a　white　shirt　and　red　sarong；　all
his　gorgeousness　having　disappeared。

After　we　returned　to　the　bungalow　the　Sultan　sent　me　a　gift。　Eight
attendants　dressed　in　pure　white　came　into　the　room　in　single　file；　and
each　bowing　to　the　earth；　sat　down　a　brass　salver；　with　its　contents
covered　with　a　pure　white　cloth。　Again　bowing；　they　uncovered　them；　and
displayed　the　fruitage　of　the　tropics。　There　were　young　cocoa…nuts；
gold…colored　bananas　of　the　kind　which　the　Sultan　eats；　papayas；　and
clusters　of　a　species　of　jambu；　a　pear…shaped　fruit；　beautiful　to　look
at；　each　fruit　looking　as　if　made　of　some　transparent；　polished　white
wax　with　a　pink　flush　on　one　side。　The　Rajah　Moussa　also　arrived　and
took　coffee；　and　the　verandas　were　filled　with　his　followers。　Every
Rajah　goes　about　attended；　and　seems　to　be　esteemed　according　to　the
size　of　his　following。

We　left　this　remote　and　beautiful　place　at　noon；　and　after　a　delightful
cruise　of　five　hours　down　the　Jugra；　and　among　islands　floating　on　a
waveless　sea；　we　reached　dreary；　decayed　Klang　in　the　evening。

I。　L。　B。



LETTER　X