A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder James De Mille
A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder James De Mille
A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder James De Mille
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up--no, not even if they could <strong>in</strong>crease my wealth a thousand-fold,<br />
and sentence me to live a hundred seasons. I can bear their utmost<br />
<strong>in</strong>flictions of wealth, power, magnificence; I could even bear be<strong>in</strong>g<br />
condemned to live forever <strong>in</strong> the light. Oh, my friend, it is the<br />
conviction of right and the support of conscience that strengthens one<br />
to bear the greatest evils that man can <strong>in</strong>flict."<br />
From these words it was evident to me that Layelah was a true child of<br />
the Kosek<strong>in</strong>; for though she was of advanced sentiments she still used<br />
the language of her people, and spoke of the punishments of the law as<br />
though they were punishments <strong>in</strong> reality. Now, to me and to Almah these<br />
so-called punishments seemed rewards.<br />
It was impossible for me to avoid feel<strong>in</strong>g a very strong regard for<br />
this enthusiastic and beautiful girl; all the more, <strong>in</strong>deed, because<br />
she ev<strong>in</strong>ced such an undisguised admiration for me. She evidently<br />
considered me some superior be<strong>in</strong>g, from some superior race; and<br />
although my broken and faulty way of speak<strong>in</strong>g the language was<br />
someth<strong>in</strong>g of a trial, still she seemed to consider every word I<br />
uttered as a maxim of the highest wisdom. The tritest of truths, the<br />
commonest of platitudes, the most familiar of proverbs or old saws<br />
current among us were eagerly seized by Layelah, and accepted as<br />
truths almost div<strong>in</strong>e--as new doctr<strong>in</strong>es for the guidance of the human<br />
race. These she would discuss with me; she would put them <strong>in</strong>to better<br />
and more strik<strong>in</strong>g language, and ask for my op<strong>in</strong>ion. Then she would<br />
write them down.<br />
For the Kosek<strong>in</strong> knew the art of writ<strong>in</strong>g. They had an alphabet of their<br />
own, which was at once simple and very scientific. There were no<br />
vowels, but only consonant sounds, the vowels be<strong>in</strong>g supplied <strong>in</strong><br />
read<strong>in</strong>g, just as if one should write the words fthr or dghtr, and<br />
read them father and daughter. Their letters were as follows: P, K, T,<br />
B, G, D, F, Ch, Th, M, L, N, S, H, R. There were also three others,<br />
which have no equivalents <strong>in</strong> English.<br />
It soon became evident to me that Layelah had a complete ascendancy<br />
over her father; that she was not only the Malca of the amir, but<br />
the presid<strong>in</strong>g spirit and the chief adm<strong>in</strong>istrative genius of the whole<br />
nation of the Kosek<strong>in</strong>. She seemed to be a new Semiramis--one who might<br />
revolutionize an empire and <strong>in</strong>troduce a new order of th<strong>in</strong>gs. Such,<br />
<strong>in</strong>deed, was her high ambition, and she pla<strong>in</strong>ly avowed it to me; but