The Usurper

"Come, liberating fire!" cried the Prince; "come and allay the devouring fires of my soul! Extinguish, if you can, the inextinguishable flame of my love."

He took from his bosom a crumpled paper, and unfolding it, raised it to his lips; then read it for the last time by the lurid light of the conflagration.

"One day these flowers hung their heads to die. They let fall their luminous soul like a diamond. Then the two drops of dew met at last, and were mingled in the stream."

The heat was intolerable. The paper suddenly blazed up in the Prince's fingers. He gasped for breath; he felt that he was dying.

"My beloved," he cried, "I go before! Do not make me wait too long at the tryst!"

Like the huge petals of a fiery flower, the flames shut in the last floor; they spread to the roof. The two monstrous goldfish writhed on the ridge-pole as if suddenly endowed with life; then they melted, and flowed down in two incandescent streams. Soon the entire edifice fell in with a terrible crash, and an immense sheaf of sparks and flame streamed up to heaven.

1

Lord of the kingdom. This is the same title as Tycoon, but the latter was not created till 1854.

2

Six hours after noon.

3

Six o'clock in the morning.

4

Noble officer in the service of a daimio or prince.

5

Temple at Kioto containing 33,333 idols.

6

These fish actually exist, and are valued at an immense sum, many placing it as high as a million dollars.

7

Constellation of the Scorpion.

8

Royal residence.

9

That is to say, the capital.

10

The two latter quatrains are translated from Tsourai-Iouki, one of the most famous poets of Japan.

11

An illustrious Japanese poet, author of the verses entitled "The Willow."

12

That is, incognito.

13

A sort of guitar.

14

Twelve to fifteen dollars.

15

June 2, 1615.