The King in Yellow

by Robert W. Chambers

  THE STUDIO

  He smiled, saying, "Seek her throughout the world."

  I said, "Why tell me of the world? My world is here, between these wallsand the sheet of glass above; here among gilded flagons and dull jewelledarms, tarnished frames and canvasses, black chests and high-backedchairs, quaintly carved and stained in blue and gold."

  "For whom do you wait?" he said, and I answered, "When she comes I shallknow her."

  On my hearth a tongue of flame whispered secrets to the whitening ashes.In the street below I heard footsteps, a voice, and a song.

  "For whom then do you wait?" he said, and I answered, "I shall know her."

  Footsteps, a voice, and a song in the street below, and I knew the songbut neither the steps nor the voice.

  "Fool!" he cried, "the song is the same, the voice and steps have butchanged with years!"

  On the hearth a tongue of flame whispered above the whitening ashes:"Wait no more; they have passed, the steps and the voice in the streetbelow."

  Then he smiled, saying, "For whom do you wait? Seek her throughout theworld!"

  I answered, "My world is here, between these walls and the sheet of glassabove; here among gilded flagons and dull jewelled arms, tarnished framesand canvasses, black chests and high-backed chairs, quaintly carved andstained in blue and gold."