the notch on the ax and on being found out-第18节

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amidst　the　roots　of　a　giant　parasite　plant；　the　leaves　and　blossoms
of　which　climbed　up　the　sides　of　the　cave　with　its　antediluvian
relics。　　The　gleam　was　the　gleam　of　gold；　and　on　removing　the　loose
earth　round　the　roots　of　the　plant；　we　came　on　　No；　I　will　not；　I
dare　not；　describe　it。　　The　gold　digger　would　cast　it　aside；　the
naturalist　would　pause　not　to　heed　it；　and　did　I　describe　it；　and
chemistry　deign　to　subject　it　to　analysis；　could　chemistry　alone
detach　or　discover　its　boasted　virtues？

Its　particles；　indeed；　are　very　minute；　not　seeming　readily　to
crystallize　with　each　other；　each　in　itself　of　uniform　shape　and
size；　spherical　as　the　egg　which　contains　the　germ　of　life；　and
small　as　the　egg　from　which　the　life　of　an　insect　may　quicken。

But　Margrave's　keen　eye　caught　sight　of　the　atoms　upcast　by　the
light　of　the　moon。　　He　exclaimed　to　me；　〃Found！　　I　shall　live！〃
And　then；　as　he　gathered　up　the　grains　with　tremulous　hands；　he
called　out　to　the　Veiled　Woman；　hitherto　still　seated　motionless　on
the　crag。　　At　his　word　she　rose　and　went　to　the　place　hard　by；
where　the　fuel　was　piled；　busying　herself　there。　　I　had　no　leisure
to　heed　her。　　I　continued　my　search　in　the　soft　and　yielding　soil
that　time　and　the　decay　of　vegetable　life　had　accumulated　over　the
pre…Adamite　strata　on　which　the　arch　of　the　cave　rested　its　mighty
keystone。

When　we　had　collected　of　these　particles　about　thrice　as　much　as　a
man　might　hold　in　his　hand；　we　seemed　to　have　exhausted　their　bed。
We　continued　still　to　find　gold；　but　no　more　of　the　delicate
substance　to　which；　in　our　sight；　gold　was　as　dross。

〃Enough；〃　then　said　Margrave；　reluctantly　desisting。　　〃What　we　have
gained　already　will　suffice　for　a　life　thrice　as　long　as　legend
attributes　to　Haroun。　　I　shall　liveI　shall　live　through　the
centuries。〃

〃Forget　not　that　I　claim　my　share。〃

〃Your　shareyours！　　Trueyour　half　of　my　life！　　It　is　true。〃　　He
paused　with　a　low；　ironical；　malignant　laugh；　and　then　added；　as　he
rose　and　turned　away；　〃But　the　work　is　yet　to　be　done。〃


VI


While　we　had　thus　labored　and　found；　Ayesha　had　placed　the　fuel
where　the　moonlight　fell　fullest　on　the　sward　of　the　tablelanda
part　of　it　already　piled　as　for　a　fire；　the　rest　of　it　heaped
confusedly　close　at　hand；　and　by　the　pile　she　had　placed　the
coffer。　　And；　there　she　stood；　her　arms　folded　under　her　mantle；
her　dark　image　seeming　darker　still　as　the　moonlight　whitened　all
the　ground　from　which　the　image　rose　motionless。　　Margrave　opened
his　coffer；　the　Veiled　Woman　did　not　aid　him；　and　I　watched　in
silence；　while　he　as　silently　made　his　weird　and　wizard…like
preparations。


VII


On　the　ground　a　wide　circle　was　traced　by　a　small　rod；　tipped
apparently　with　sponge　saturated　with　some　combustible　naphtha…like
fluid；　so　that　a　pale；　lambent　flame　followed　the　course　of　the　rod
as　Margrave　guided　it；　burning　up　the　herbage　over　which　it　played；
and　leaving　a　distinct　ring；　like　that　which；　in　our　lovely　native
fable　talk；　we　call　the　〃Fairy's　ring；〃　but　yet　more　visible
because　marked　in　phosphorescent　light。　　On　the　ring　thus　formed
were　placed　twelve　small　lamps；　fed　with　the　fluid　from　the　same
vessel；　and　lighted　by　the　same　rod。　　The　light　emitted　by　the
lamps　was　more　vivid　and　brilliant　than　that　which　circled　round
the　ring。

Within　the　circumference；　and　immediately　round　the　woodpile；
Margrave　traced　certain　geometrical　figures；　in　whichnot　without
a　shudder；　that　I　overcame　at　once　by　a　strong　effort　of　will　in
murmuring　to　myself　the　name　of　〃Lilian〃I　recognized　the
interlaced　triangles　which　my　own　hand；　in　the　spell　enforced　on　a
sleepwalker；　had　described　on　the　floor　of　the　wizard's　pavilion。
The　figures　were　traced　like　the　circle；　in　flame；　and　at　the　point
of　each　triangle　（four　in　number）　was　placed　a　lamp；　brilliant　as
those　on　the　ring。　　This　task　performed；　the　caldron；　based　on　an
iron　tripod；　was　placed　on　the　woodpile。　　And　then　the　woman；
before　inactive　and　unheeding；　slowly　advanced；　knelt　by　the　pile
and　lighted　it。　　The　dry　wood　crackled　and　the　flame　burst　forth；
licking　the　rims　of　the　caldron　with　tongues　of　fire。

Margrave　flung　into　the　caldron　the　particles　we　had　collected；
poured　over　them　first　a　liquid；　colorless　as　water；　from　the
largest　of　the　vessels　drawn　from　his　coffer；　and　then；　more
sparingly；　drops　from　small　crystal　phials；　like　the　phials　I　had
seen　in　the　hand　of　Philip　Derval。

Having　surmounted　my　first　impulse　of　awe；　I　watched　these
proceedings；　curious　yet　disdainful；　as　one　who　watches　the
mummeries　of　an　enchanter　on　the　stage。

〃If；〃　thought　I；　〃these　are　but　artful　devices　to　inebriate　and
fool　my　own　imagination；　my　imagination　is　on　its　guard；　and　reason
shall　not；　this　time；　sleep　at　her　post！〃

〃And　now；〃　said　Margrave；　〃I　consign　to　you　the　easy　task　by　which
you　are　to　merit　your　share　of　the　elixir。　　It　is　my　task　to　feed
and　replenish　the　caldron；　it　is　Ayesha's　to　feed　the　fire；　which
must　not　for　a　moment　relax　in　its　measured　and　steady　heat。　　Your
task　is　the　lightest　of　all：　it　is　but　to　renew　from　this　vessel
the　fluid　that　burns　in　the　lamps；　and　on　the　ring。　　Observe；　the
contents　of　the　vessel　must　be　thriftily　husbanded；　there　is
enough；　but　not　more　than　enough；　to　sustain　the　light　in　the
lamps；　on　the　lines　traced　round　the　caldron；　and　on　the　farther
ring；　for　six　hours。　　The　compounds　dissolved　in　this　fluid　are
scarceonly　obtainable　in　the　East；　and　even　in　the　East　months
might　have　passed　before　I　could　have　increased　my　supply。　　I　had
no　months　to　waste。　　Replenish；　then；　the　light　only　when　it　begins
to　flicker　or　fade。　　Take　heed；　above　all；　that　no　part　of　the
outer　ringno；　not　an　inchand　no　lamp　of　the　twelve；　that　are　to
its　zodiac　like　stars；　fade　for　one　moment　in　darkness。〃

I　took　the　crystal　vessel　from　his　hand。

〃The　vessel　is　small；〃　said　I；　〃and　what　is　yet　left　of　its
contents　is　but　scanty；　whether　its　drops　suffice　to　replenish　the
lights　I　cannot　guessI　can　but　obey　your　instructions。　　But；　more
important　by　far　than　the　light　to　the　lamps　and　the　circle；　which
in　Asia　or　Africa　might　scare　away　the　wild　beasts　unknown　to　this
landmore　important　than　light　to　a　lamp　is　the　strength　to　your
frame；　weak　magician！　　What　will　support　you　through　six　weary
hours　of　night　watch？〃

〃Hope；〃　answered　Margrave；　with　a　ray　of　his　old　dazzling　style。
〃Hope！　　I　shall　liveI　shall　live　through　the　centuries！〃


VIII


One　hour　passed　away；　the　fagots　under　the　caldron　burned　clear　in
the　sullen；　sultry　air。　　The　materials　within　began　to　seethe；　and
their　color；　at　first　dull　and　turbid；　changed　into　a　pale…rose
hue；　from　time　to　time　the　Veiled　Woman　replenished　the　fire；　after
she　had　done　so　reseating　herself　close　by　the　pyre；　with　her　head
bowed　over　her　knees；　and　her　face　hid　under　her　veil。

The　lights　in　the　lamps　and　along　the　ring　and　the　triangles　now
began　to　pale。　　I　resupplied　their　nutriment　from　the　crystal
vessel。　　As　yet　nothing　strange　startled　my　eye　or　my　ear　beyond
the　rim　of　the　circlenothing　audible；　save；　at　a　distance；　the
musical　wheel…like　click　of　the　locusts；　and；　farther　still；　in　the
forest；　the　howl　of　the　wild　dogs　that　never　bark；　nothing　visible；
but　the　trees　and　the　mountain　range　girding　the　plains　silvered　by
the　moon；　and　the　arch　of　the　cavern；　the　flush　of　wild　blooms　on
its　sides；　and　the　gleam　of　dry　bones　on　its　floor；　where　the
moonlight　shot　into　the　gloom。

The　second　hour　passed　like　the　first。　　I　had　taken　my　stand　by　the
side　of　Margrave；　watching　with　him　the　process　at　work　in　the
caldron；　when　I　felt　the　ground　slightly　vibrate　beneath　my　feet；
and　looking　up；　it　seemed　as　if　all　the　plains　beyond　the　circle
were　heaving　like　the　swell　of　the　sea；　and　as　if　in　the　air　itself
there　was　a　perceptible　tremor。

I　placed　my　hand　on　Margrave's　shoulder　and　whispered；　〃To　me　earth
and　air　seem　to　vibrate。　　Do　they　seem　to　vibrate　to　you？〃

〃I　know　not；　I　care　not；〃　he　answered　impetuously。　　〃The　essence　is
bursting　the　shell　that　confined　it。　　Here　are　my　air　and　my　earth！
Trouble　me　not。　　Look　to　the　circlefeed　the　lamps　if　they　fail！〃

I　passed　by　the　Veiled　Woman　as　I　walked　toward　a　place　in　the　ring
in　which　the　flame　was　waning　dim；　and　I　whispered　to　her　the　same
question　which　I　had　whispered　to　Margrave。　　She　looked　slowly
around　and　answered；　〃So　is　it　before　the　Invisible　make　themselves
visible！　　Did　I　not　bid　him　forbear？〃　　Her　head　again　drooped　on
her　breast；　and　her　watch　was　again　fixed　on　the　fire。

I　advanced　to　the　circle　and　stooped　to　replenish　the　light　where
it　waned。　　As　I　did　so；　on　my　arm；　which　stretched　somewhat　beyond
the　line　of　the　ring；　I　felt　a　shock　like　that　of　electricity。　　The
arm　fell　to　my　side　numbed　and　nerveless；　and　from　my　hand　dropped；
but　within　the　ring；　the　vessel　that　contained　the　fluid。
Recovering　my　surprise　or　my　stun；　hastily　with　the　other　hand　I
caught　up　the　vessel；　but　some　of　the　scanty　liquid　was　already
spilled　on　the　sward；　and　I　saw　with　a　thrill　of　dismay；　that
contrasted　indeed　the　tranquil　indifference　with　which　I　had　first
undertaken　my　charge；