Now

In His Glory

there came unto Solomon a certain Persian who sought to confound him, saying, "O Magnificent, if I am an untruthful man, and I say I lie, am I not in so saying telling the truth, though I say I lie?"

Solomon answered him, saying, "If you say I lie, and in so saying tell the truth, you lie; but if you say I lie and in so saying tell a lie, you tell the truth." And men from the uttermost parts of the earth were gathered in the hall of Solomon the king and listened to the wisdom of Solomon, and glorified him exceedingly. But Solomon welcomed not their praise, for he had heard the like these many years. And Solomon withdrew, weary at heart, followed by the elders in robes of crimson, and three-score valiant men in armor of burnished Ophir gold.

And when evening had come Solomon feasted in the great banquet-hall with columns of balsam wood and floors of crystal. Wide tables were spread for the king's guests, and across the great chamber was a wondrous raised table for Solomon and the great men of the kingdom, cunningly fashioned of rare woods from Guzarete and Tharsish. With the king there entered Solomon's officers and his guests.

And black slaves of Ethiopia hurried about, bearing great smoking quarters of antelope, huge fishes from distant waters, transparent jars glowing with the ruby wine within. There were peacocks in wondrous dishes of gold, their plumage flashing and their heads sparkling with gems. Torches flared with the colors of amethyst, sapphire and emerald as slaves tossed rare aromatics on the flame. Ethiopes passed ceaselessly over the crystal floor, sprinkling it with perfumes and with spirits of wine, that the hall might be cool and filled with fragrance.

Solomon the king sat at the great raised table, where it had been his pleasure to put at his right hand Zabud, son of Nathan, principal officer and king's friend, and on his left Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, captain of the host. But this night Chumis, ambassa

dor general of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to Solomon, sat on the king's right hand. And Zabud sat on the king's left hand, with the elders of the kingdom on either side.

Then did Chumis speak unto Solomon, saying, "O Lord O King, I am come, as thou knowest, of Pharaoh, King of Egypt, to make affinity between the two greatest monarchs of the world. May they remain so! And now, O Magnificent, since that this covenant has been sealed, I make known the desire of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, that his daughter find favor in the eyes of Solomon, and that Solomon take her to wife. Thus, O Radiant One, may there be friendship eternal between thee and Pharaoh, and an increase in thy kingdom, for the daughter of Pharaoh brings with her the city and territory of Gezer."

And Solomon agreed, since her dowry was good and since if she proved unpleasing she might quietly be set aside. So he put the matter from his mind, and drank purple wine from chalices all frosty with cold. And he ate of fruits that had been brought over many seas from far countries. And black slaves brought rinds of fruits delicately spiced and heaped with snow that ran with honey. But Solomon was mortally weary of all, though he kept a cheerful countenance for his guests' sake. And the hall rang with feasting and delight.

And there came dancing girls weaving in and out among the throng, laughing and tossing flowers. Ethiopes juggled daggers, whirling madly. Tumblers somersaulted in the air, breathing fire through their mouths and noses. Laughter drowned out hoarse cries of "Wine! More wine!"

And suddenly, there was silence. Each man felt impelled by some unseen force to turn toward the great door, where stood a dwarf clothed all in red. And its countenance was yellow and shrunken, like a skull. It was the ancient Chang Fu, brought from lands on the eastern edge of the earth to be the wizard of Solomon's court. Each man looked into the eyes of the enchanter and knew in his heart that the wizard was looking only at him, and that they two were alone together. And Chang Fu took mysterious powders and cast them into a brazier of coals. And there arose a great cloud of gleaming smoke, flashing with a thousand brilliant and everlasting colors.

The home-sick Egyptian soldier saw his father's house, set in the grain-fields near the Nile. A little boat was rocking gently on the river, and the mountains were blue in the distance. The grain was nodding in the breeze. His little brothers and sisters were playing in the grass, and his father, stretched lazily on a bench, laughed with them. His mother was coming from the door with a dish of hot spice-cakes. He cried out their names, and ran faster up the path.

Chumis, the Egyptian general, saw himself returning triumphant from a great campaign. In his purple robe of power, he stood proudly in his golden chariot, drawn by superb white Arabians, tall plumes waving above their jewelled heads, their necks decked with fringes of gold with studs of silver. As proud and indifferent as their master they were, though the mob was yelling and screaming with excitement. What were the worms saying? "Chumis for our king!" Well, the fools do show sense now and again.

Thus did every man see the fulfillment of the thing he most desired-all but Solomon, who, knowing the future, had no dreams of happiness to come, as have other men. And Chang Fu the wizard frowned and then smiled when he saw that Solomon was not to be dealt with thus-frowning because there yet remained a point to which his art might not attain, smiling because in Solomon he had found one initiated into the brotherhood of his ancient mystery.

Then Solomon, seeing that all were wrapt in their dreams, withdrew from the banquet-hall and passed quietly to the king's chamber. And he sat at his desk of onyx with his head in his hands, for he was weary of his own being. For the magic of the enchanter had shown him anew that, unlike other men, he had no goal to reach, no path to happiness to pursue. Knowing all things, Solomon found in life no mystery or wonder, and hence no hope.

And he considered his wealth and his power, and thought of the riches that were his. And he lifted his lamp and gazed about him on the king's chamber, with its floors of fragrant sandal wood, covered with rare rugs from Teheran; its walls of mosaic, draped with Assyrian tapestries looped with pearls; its casements

of crystal cunningly threaded with filigree of silver and gold. Moreover, it was filled with rarities from the four corners of the earth, such as no man had dreamed, and was sweet with incense from Genesareth and Cape Garde fan. Though it was but the smallest part of the wealth of Solomon, yet it would have purchased an empire. Then he thought of the queens of his kingdom, were they not his, and were they not precious? They wearied him.

And Solomon's unhappiness increased as he considered these things, and he turned and wrote these words, which have been preserved in the book called Ecclesiastes: Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem, yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labors I had labored to do; and behold all was vanity and vexation of spirit. Better is an handful with quietness; than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.

Then Solomon considered still further and wrote again, and these are the words of Solomon: Behold, I will employ my riches in the service of my people, and will no longer think of myself alone. And I will so labor that my name be repeated with blessings and the memory of it hallowed.

Then he caused these words to be written in letters of gold on a fair parchment, and Solomon kept the scroll by him, and made it his guide.

And it came to pass that as Solomon was sitting on his throne of power one came to him, saying, "O Lord O My King, the watchers have descried a great train of soldiers swiftly drawing nigh the city."

And Solomon answered, "Receive them."

Then came one saying, “O Magnificent, the daughter of Pharaoh is before the gates of the palace."

And he said, "Conduct her to the house which was that of David my father."

But the officers returned, saying, "O Lord O my King, the princess of Egypt answers that she is not to be received as a shipping of grain, but as the daughter of Pharaoh. Wherefore

does she ask that Solomon the king greet her, else she will return to her own country and send up an host against Solomon."

Now the king had no great liking for women, but he wished to retain the dowry of the daughter of Pharaoh. And he arose and went to the gates of the palace, where was drawn up the retinue of the princess, surrounded by great troops of Egyptian soldiers in battle-scarred chariots. And they scowled at Solomon as he stood on the steps of his palace, blazing in the sunlight.

And the king glanced over the chariots and the dromedaries in their trappings of red and silver, but no sign could be descry of the daughter of Pharaoh, until at last he saw a litter of white ivory edged with gold, on the shoulders of four great black Ethiopes. And he sent one to command that the litter be brought to him, but the messenger returned downcast, saying, "O Magnificent, she sayeth nay."

Wherefore was Solomon mightily angered, and he pushed through the crowd so fast that his guard could with difficulty keep apace of him. And when he came up, words of reproach were on his lips, and he rent asunder the curtains of the chair. But lo! His words failed him, as he gazed on her surpassing loveliness. And in her eyes he read secrets which even his wisdom might not fathom. Then did he draw forth his scroll with letters of gold and tear it into pieces exceeding small. And he kissed the daughter of Egypt and breathed into her ear words of love and power. And from that hour he thought only of her.

GEORGE THOMAS WASHINGTON.