An Emperor's Decree.

Fair Play, Volume I, Issue 9, 30 December 1893, Page 20

An Emperor's Decree.

BY EDWARD S. VAN ZILE.

Chapter ll — continued. A wild shout of acclaim shook the air. Standing the guests drank the toast in a way which proved that they loved the prince and were glad of his advancement. Hamassar’s face flushed as he heard the mighty cheer and met the glances of affection which fell upon him from all sides. As Ramek saw the fever in the prince’s eye and noted the trembling of his jeweled hand he smiled maliciously and seemed to gain a few pounds of flesh. After the guests were again seated and quiet had been restored Prince Hamassar began, in a trembling voice, his reply to Ramek's speech. He was much affected by conflicting emotions, and at first his words were feeb'.y put. “It is hard to express the inner feelings of the heart at such a time as this,” he said. “The warm words of my

friend, the wise and courtly Ramek, and your approval of his praise have filled me with a joy I cannot now display.” Here he paused and seemed to feel the disturbing influence caused by the gaze- of 400 eyes. The crisis unnerved him, and, seizing a tumbler of wine, he drained it to the lees. It was a fatal step. “My friends,” he began again; “there is nobody so —so beautiful as my be-be-betrothed. lam proud —proud of her—hie. No man—” here he braced himselfa little —“uo man ever won so wonderful—or no wonder so —so wonderful— Well, what 1 mean to say is that she is won-wonderful. See? Now, I want you to observe that she has the most —hie— beautiful hair and eyes, and her figure—her fig-fig-ure runs up into the millions. See? —liic. Fnrther-furthermore, 1 am not ug-ugly myself. 1 tell you—hie—my friends, I have the hand-handsomest nose in the world. See? There is no nose so firm in outline, so del-delicately tapered, so overwhelm-overwhelmirrgly impressive as mine. See? Now, I say, do you see?—hie.”

By this time the palace was in an uproar. It was bad enough that Hamassar was drunk, but the guests realized with horror that in his boastfulness their host had placed his head in peril. The emperor’s decree made his speech a capital offense, and 60 open a defiance of the law could not be overlooked.

Oared for by servants, Hamassar was led away to his sleeping apartments, and the guests dispersed. In groups they sauntered through the grounds, inhaling the cooling breeze which wandered down from the mountains. The moon in all her glory shed a soft radiance over the deeping city and helped to quiet the excited mood of Hamassar’s friends. An hour later the city was wide awake discussing the details of Hamassar’s folly, and wondering what would be. the outcome of it aIL

Ramek, after seeing that Hamassar was safely guarded, hurried to the palace of tho emperor, craved admission to his lord, and related to the startled king the story of the night. The emperor could not believe his ears. Hamassar, noted for humility, had boasted in public? It could not be. There must be some mistake. But other guests, near to the king in rank, had followed Ramek to the palace and confirmed his tale.

“Let not the princess know of this till morning,” said the broken hearted king to his attendants. “You tell me, Ramek, that Hamassar’s house is surrounded by a guard?” “It is, my king.” “At daylight, then, see to it that he is taken to the prison. And let every guest at this most dreary feast hold himself in readiness to testify before me. Now leave me to my sleep.” But sleep came not to the Icing, and in the morning his face had aged ten years. One man, however, looked younger than his wont as the sun came up and threw the gaunt shadow of Ramek across the pavement of the prison vard. H.-» had grown youthful by degrees as he saw Hamassar still dull from the fumes of wine dragged from his bed and hauled through the streets to a cell. His face had grown fuller every moment as lie paced the courtyard and reflected on the plight of his ruined rival. “Surely,” he soliloquized, “there is no escape for this drunken braggart. The emperor cannot afford to let his law be trampled on by one so high in place. Well have my plans turned out. Hamassar was an easier victim than I had hoped to find him. I knew not that drugged wine would so quickly turn a wise and modest man into a boastful fool. But enough of this. I must go home and rest.”'

When Hamassar x’egained his senses he looked about him in surprise. His head ached, his face was pale and beneath his eyes dark shadows lay. Even his handsome nose was redder than should be the model for the world. “Where am I?” he exclaimed. In his mind was a confused image of a banquet hall and dancing lights and strains of merry music to which familiar faces seemed to nod in time.

“In prison, sir.” a negro said, coming to his couch.

“In prison? What mean you, slave? 1, Hamassar, confined in a cell? It cannot be. L dream.”

He lay back upon the couch and slept again. CHAPTER HL In solemn council the highest court was met. The emperor, looking old and worn, gazed down upon a vast, impatient throng, while near him his weeping daughter sought in vain to find Hamassar through her tears. The audience hall was packed, for Hamassar's case had made great noise, and from the distant corners of the land the people came to hear l. is fate. Perhaps they all had hopes that il the emperor gave him pardon the harsli

decree would be revoked, and once agaiu their nimble tougues might chatter of themselves Men from the mountains and men from-the plains, quiet villagers and noisy herdsmen, nobles high in rank and beggars from the streets jostled each other in the shadow of the throne. Never before had so large a crowd attended a session of the court. The Princess Bru was a handsome woman, dark haired, dark eyed and tali Her face, clean cut, was somewhat proud, but her smile, though sad today, told of a kindly heart. All hearts went out to her as she dried her tears and looked about her nervously ‘Poor child,” the women said, and the men felt that Prince Hamassar had full excuse for having lost his heart, whatever might yet happen to his head.

Ramek alone of all that vast assern blage felt a savage satisfaction at the plight of the woman he thought tie •loved. The sorrow in her face testified that Hamassar had her heart, and Ramek rejoiced that lie had made her suffer His evil face wore a bitter smile as he looked about him and saw in the eyes of all naught but love and pity for the girl. At length Hamassar, closely guarded nnd with his wrists enchained, was led before the throne. He had grown old in anight. His head he carried proudly and when he made obeisance to the king did so with a princely grace that made the strangers friends to him at once. There was silence for a time. Then slowly the emperor arose and in a voice of sorrow said:

“Hamassar, erstwhile prince and onr prospective son, you are charged with disobedience of our will. Our late decree, ’tis said, your foolish tongue has boldly held as naught. If this be true your head is forfeit to the state.” . A great sigh, as though the wind murmured in a forest, arose from the crowd, and the princess, broken hearted, sobbed aloud.

Then one by one the guests .at the prince’s feast told in subdued tones the story of his fall; how he had boasted of his bride and dubbed his nose unrivaled. As witness after witness wove about the neck of the accused a chain of iron the thin face of Ramek shone with demoniac joy, while the emperor’s countenance grew constantly more grave. The maidens surrounding the Princess Bru fanned her constantly, as though in fear that she would faint. Hamassar kept his eyes upon the floor and seemed determined to conquer all emotion.

At length sufficient testimony had been laid before the king to establish the guilt of the accused. The crowd, pressing forward to catch every word, murmured among themselves and there was an echo of pity in their tones. For doubtless most of them knew that wine when taken in excess plays strange pranks with-men. And to them all it. seemed as though Hamassaris words had not been greatly out of place, for the beauty of the princess dazzled them 'al i and they, had to, acknowledge that Hamassar’s nose was a work of art.

Such lenient thoughts as these entered not the emperor’s head. He sat buried in contemplation for a while after tne last witness had stepped 'aside. “Hamassar," said the king, “the evidence in all its details lies before me. What have you to say before 1 tell your doom?”

‘Most gracious lord,” in firm and manly voice the prince replied, “the honesty of these, my friends, 1 cannot well impeach, for what they say they say unwillingly. But in very truth l remember nothing of the boastful words they charge me with. Your clemency I ask not, but let me say that never in my conscious thoughts have 1 had wish to disobey your very wise decree.” The fearless manner of the prince impressed the throng, and a murmur of applause caused a smile to cross the face of the Princess Bru. For a moment even the emperor looked less stern. But it was only for a moment. His brow again darkened and he communed in silence with himself. There was not a. sound in the hall. Every one knew that life or death hung upon the next words of the king, and Ramek gazed eagerly at the stern face upon which all eyes were turned. “Your words, Hamassar,” said the emperor at length, “are doubtless true, but they alter not the sentence that must come. In your own home, before two .hundred guests, you break the letter and the spirit of our law. Your crime, if 1 forgive you, would corrupt the land, and once again the egotist and braggart would meet us at every turn. My word would be but wind to my people, and they would call their king a man of straw. The law must be enforced. 1 and my child have loved you well, and your sad fate has filled our hearts with gloom. But though a father, lam also a king. I must be firm, although 1 long to grant you mercy.” He paused here, and there were those who thought they heard him sob. “Hamassar, your sentence I pronounce. Before to-mor-row’s sun has set behind the hills your head must fall. May the deities that love our land be kind to you.”

A dread silence followed these fateful words. Hamassar’s face was white, but his lips trembled not at all. Suddenly upon the startle'd air arose a shriek and, rushing forward, the Princess Bru sprang up the stairway to the throne. Throwing her white arms about her father’s neck she cried: “Oh, spare himl Spare him! Save him for my sake!” ‘Silence, my child,” the emperor sternly cried, though his hand touched her shoulder lovingly. “Remember you are the daughter of a king. Guards, remove the prisoner.” “Most gracious lord,” exclaimed a white haired man pushing his way through the throng, “permit me a word before the prisoner departs.” “Speak,” said the emperor curtly, “but see to it that your words are few and to the point.”. i Stepping forward until he stood in full view of the crowd, the old man r ' 1 :

“That his head is forfeit to the state! according to the ruling of our king is I true. 1 heard them and l know. But! in our courts the spirit, not the letter, I of the law is held to be the highest guid-j ance for our use. Now, let us look at Prince Hamassar’s case. The witnesses have shown that in an egotistic way he ' boasted of his nose. He spoke not of his head, nor claimed that any feature ■but his nose was worthy of all praise. .What follows? The letter of the law demands that he shall lose his head. But this punishment is too severe. The decree was laid down not to oppress our land, but to make our people modest. Therefore 1 say that its spirit will be carried out in full if Prince Hamassar’s nose is severed from his face. Let him lose that of which he bragged, and if, in the future, he shall vaunt the beauty of his ears, or call his hands unrivaled, let further mutilation be his fate. This is strict justice, and mercy and reason here go hand in hand. ”

i A roar of applause resounded through the palace as the old man’s clever speech came to a sudden end. The emperoi looked pleased and seemed to reflect that a nose is not essential to a son-in-law The Princess Bru clapped her fair hands delightedly, and even Hamassar seemed to lay aside for a moment his studied and phlegmatic pose. “Old man, you have spoken well,” the emperor said. “Your reasoning is most profound. 1 hereby revoke the sentence just pronounced and decree that” “Most gracious king,” broke in Ramek, rushing forward, “grant me a moment before you take another step.” “What means this noise, wise Ramek?” the emperor cried. “You were not won' to be a rattlepate.” “Nor am I making foolish interruptioi now, my lord; but as a subject some l times useful to the states 1 crave your notice to a word or two.”

“Go on, then, and be quick.” “Permit me, then, to say that vi his argument my aged friend has broken brilliantly. He is skillful in the law and his persuasive voice went to my inmost soul. But bear in mind, my king, that this especial case will serve for precedent, and as the late decree is now interpreted so shall its influence for all time be felt. Now, mark you! According to the counselor who just now spoke it is sufficient for the law that he who disobeys it should lose that of which he boasted. Hamassar then forfeits to the state his nose. But wo must bear in mind that he also showed in word and manner, l quote from the decree, overweening satisfaction in his betrothed. Recording, therefore, to our friend’s interpretation Hamassar'3 nose and your own daughter, gracious king, must be cut off. There is no middle course. If the spirit of the law demands the sacrifice of Prince Hamassar’s nose it cries out also for the blood of the Princess Bru. I put the matter plainly, for this is a crisis when to mince words wonld be criminal. I feel that the death of Hamassar wonld be a na

ItJonal calamity. I have always loved .him well and have rejoiced in his ndJvancement. But the life of one man .only is not here at stake. If the law be {construed in a loose and careless way there is no telling how cruel its application may yet become. By holding to the letter of this stern decree all danger Is avoided, and a precedent here set for many generations yet unborn. Let Hamassar rise to a joyous contemplation of the fact that in his death he will confer upon posterity a great and lasting boon. I thank you much, O king, for granting me this time, and hope that you will understand my heart. I tun striving to protect tho welfare of our laud, if 1 have erred your own great wisdom will surely set me right.” Ramek ceased, and as his voice in jeering echoes died away a shudder passed over the assemblage. For his words, though harsh, were wise, and all who heard them knew tho prince must die. The Princess Bru sobbed painfully and the emperor’s face was grave. He found himself in a strange dilemma. He might save the prince by cutting off his nose and beheading the Princess Bru, but, with his daughter dead, Hamassar could not bd hid son-in-law. On the other hand, if he killed Hamassar of course he could not wed him to his daughter. Whichever way ho played the game he lost. The throng before him, deeply moved, seemed to gaze np at him in pity, and the silence in the hall proved that his subjects felt deeply the misfortune of their king. After a time ho spoke. “This is a weighty matter,” he said gloomily, “and not to bo decided in a trice. I must ponder it at length. Hamassar, 1 remand you to prison for u week. At the end of that time your doom shall be announced. Gentlemen, the court adjourns.”

To bo continued.