ousidehecouldseehehugedomeofhecahedral,loominglikeabubbleoverheshadowyhouses,andhewearyseninelspacingupanddownonhemisyerracebyheriverfaraway,inanorchard,anighingalewassingingafainperfumeofjasminecamehroughheopenwindowhebrushedhisbrowncurlsbackfromhisforehead,andakingupalue,lehisfingerssrayacrosshecordshisheavyeyelidsdrooped,andasrangenguorcameoverhimneverbeforehadhefelsokeenly,orwihsuchexquisiejoy,hemagicandhemyseryofbeauifulhings

whenmidnighsoundedfromheclockowerheouchedabell,andhispageseneredanddisrobedhimwihmuchceremony,pouringrosewaeroverhishands,andsrewingflowersonhispillowafewmomensaferhaheyhadlefheroom,hefellasleep

andasheslephedreamedadream,andhiswashisdream

hehoughhahewassandinginalong,lowaic,amidshewhirandcerofmanyloomshemeagredaylighpeeredinhroughhegraedwindows,andshowedhimhegaunfiguresofheweaversbendingoverheircasespale,sicklylookingchildrenwerecrouchedonhehugecrossbeamsasheshulesdashedhroughhewarpheylifedupheheavybaens,andwhenheshulessoppedheylehebaensfallandpressedhehreadsogeherheirfaceswerepinchedwihfamine,andheirhinhandsshookandrembledsomehaggardwomenwereseaedaaablesewingahorribleodourfilledhepceheairwasfoulandheavy,andhewallsdrippedandsreamedwihdamp

heyoungkingwenoverooneofheweavers,andsoodbyhimandwachedhim

andheweaverlookedahimangrily,andsaid,“whyarhouwachingme?arhouaspyseonusbyourmaser?”

“whoishymaser?”askedheyoungking

“ourmaser!”criedheweaver,bierly“heisamanlikemyselfindeed,hereisbuhisdifferencebeweenus—hahewearsfinecloheswhileigoinrags,andhawhileiamweakfromhungerhesuffersnoalilefromoverfeeding”

“hendisfree,”saidheyoungking,“andhouarnoman’ssve”

“inwar,”answeredheweaver,“hesrongmakesvesofheweak,andinpeaceherichmakesvesofhepoorwemusworkolive,andheygiveussuchmeanwageshawedieweoilforhemalldaylong,andheyheapupgoldinheircoffers,andourchildrenfadeawaybeforeheirime,andhefacesofhosewelovebecomehardandevilwereadouhegrapes,andanoherdrinkshewinewesowhecorn,andourownboardisempywehavechains,houghnoeyebeholdshem;andaresves,houghmencallusfree”

“isisowihall?”heasked

“iissowihall,”answeredheweaver,“wihheyoungaswellaswihheold,wihhewomenaswellaswihhemen,wihhelilechildrenaswellaswihhosewhoaresrickeninyearshemerchansgrindusdown,andwemusneedsdoheirbiddinghepriesridesbyandellshisbeads,andnomanhascareofushroughoursunlessnescreepspoverywihherhungryeyes,andsinwihhissoddenfacefollowsclosebehindhermiserywakesusinhemorning,andshamesiswihusanighbuwhaarehesehingsohee?houarnooneofushyfaceisoohappy”andheurnedawayscowling,andhrewheshuleacrossheloom,andheyoungkingsawhaiwashreadedwihahreadofgold