CHAPTER XIII

THE JESTER’S SWORD

Because he was born in Mars’ month, which is ruled by that red war-god, they gave him the name of a red star—­Aldebaran; the red star that is the eye of Taurus.  And because he was born in Mars’ month, the bloodstone became his signet, sure token that undaunted courage would be the jewel of his soul.

Now all his brothers were as stalwart and as straight of limb as he, and each one’s horoscope held signs foretelling valorous deeds.  But Aldebaran’s so far out-blazed them all, with comet’s trail and planets in most favourable conjunction, that from his first year it was known the Sword of Conquest should be his.  This sword had passed from sire to son all down a line of kings.  Not to the oldest one always, as did the throne, though now and then the lot fell so, but to the one to whom the signs all pointed as being worthiest to wield it.

So from the cradle it was destined for Aldebaran, and from the cradle it was his greatest teacher.  His old nurse fed him with such tales of it, that even in his play the thought of such an heritage urged him to greater ventures than his mates dared take.  Many a night he knelt beside his casement, gazing through the darkness at the red eye of Taurus, whispering to himself the words the old astrologers had written, “As Aldebaran the star shines in the heavens, so Aldebaran the man shall shine among his fellows.”

Day after day the great ambition grew within him, bone of his bone and strength of his sinew, until it was as much a part of him as the strong heart beating in his breast.  But only to one did he give voice to it, to the maiden Vesta, who had always shared his play; Now it chanced that she, too, bore the name of a star, and when he told her what the astrologers had written, she repeated the words of her own destiny: 

“As Vesta the star keeps watch in the heavens above the hearths of mortals, so Vesta the maiden shall keep eternal vigil beside the heart of him who of all men is the bravest.”

When Aldebaran heard that he swore by the bloodstone on his finger that when the time was ripe for him to wield the sword he would show the world a far greater courage than it had ever known before.  And Vesta smiling, promised by that same token to keep vigil by one fire only, the fire that she had kindled in his heart.

One by one his elder brothers grew up and went out into the world to win their fortunes, and like a restless steed that frets against the rein, impatient to be off, he chafed against delay and longed to follow.  For now the ambition that had grown with his growth had come to be more than bone of his bone and strength of his sinew.  It was an all-consuming desire which coursed through him even as his heart’s blood; for with the years had come an added reason for the keeping of his youthful vow.  Only in that way could Vesta’s destiny be linked with his.