the notch on the ax and on being found out-第20节

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all　the　strength　left　me　this　night　will　die　down；　like　the　lamps
in　the　circle；　unless　the　elixir　restore　it。　　Bold　friend；　spurn
that　sorceress　away。　　Hours　yet　ere　those　flames　can　assail　us！　　A
few　minutes　more；　and　life　to　your　Lilian　and　me！〃

Thus　having　said；　Margrave　turned　from　us；　and　cast　into　the
caldron　the　last　essence　yet　left　in　his　empty　coffer。

Ayesha　silently　drew　her　black　veil　over　her　face；　and　turned；　with
the　being　she　loved；　from　the　terror　he　scorned；　to　share　in　the
hope　that　he　cherished。

Thus　left　alone；　with　my　reason　disinthralled；　disenchanted；　I
surveyed　more　calmly　the　extent　of　the　actual　peril　with　which　we
were　threatened；　and　the　peril　seemed　less；　so　surveyed。

It　is　true　all　the　Bush…land　behind；　almost　up　to　the　bed　of　the
creek；　was　on　fire；　but　the　grasses；　through　which　the　flame　spread
so　rapidly；　ceased　at　the　opposite　marge　of　the　creek。　　Watery
pools　were　still；　at　intervals；　left　in　the　bed　of　the　creek；
shining　tremulous；　like　waves　of　fire；　in　the　glare　reflected　from
the　burning　land；　and　even　where　the　water　failed；　the　stony　course
of　the　exhausted　rivulet　was　a　barrier　against　the　march　of　the
conflagration。　　Thus；　unless　the　wind；　now　still；　should　rise；　and
waft　some　sparks　to　the　parched　combustible　herbage　immediately
around　us；　we　were　saved　from　the　fire；　and　our　work　might　yet　be
achieved。

I　whispered　to　Ayesha　the　conclusion　to　which　I　came。

〃Thinkest　thou；〃　she　answered　without　raising　her　mournful　head；
〃that　the　Agencies　of　Nature　are　the　movements　of　chance？　　The
Spirits　I　invoked　to　his　aid　are　leagued　with　the　hosts　that
assail。　　A　mightier　than　I　am　has　doomed　him！〃

Scarcely　had　she　uttered　these　words　before　Margrave　exclaimed；
〃Behold　how　the　Rose　of　the　alchemist's　dream　enlarges　its　blooms
from　the　folds　of　its　petals！　　I　shall　live；　I　shall　live！〃

I　looked；　and　the　liquid　which　glowed　in　the　caldron　had　now　taken
a　splendor　that　mocked　all　comparisons　borrowed　from　the　luster　of
gems。　　In　its　prevalent　color　it　had；　indeed；　the　dazzle　and　flash
of　the　ruby；　but　out　from　the　mass　of　the　molten　red；　broke
coruscations　of　all　prismal　hues；　shooting；　shifting；　in　a　play
that　made　the　wavelets　themselves　seem　living　things；　sensible　of
their　joy。　　No　longer　was　there　scum　or　film　upon　the　surface；　only
ever　and　anon　a　light；　rosy　vapor　floating　up；　and　quick　lost　in
the　haggard；　heavy；　sulphurous　air；　hot　with　the　conflagration
rushing　toward　us　from　behind。　　And　these　coruscations　formed；　on
the　surface　of　the　molten　ruby；　literally　the　shape　of　a　rose；　its
leaves　made　distinct　in　their　outlines　by　sparks　of　emerald　and
diamond　and　sapphire。

Even　while　gazing　on　this　animated　liquid　luster；　a　buoyant　delight
seemed　infused　into　my　senses；　all　terrors　conceived　before　were
annulled；　the　phantoms；　whose　armies　had　filled　the　wide　spaces　in
front；　were　forgotten；　the　crash　of　the　forest　behind　was　unheard。
In　the　reflection　of　that　glory；　Margrave's　wan　cheek　seemed
already　restored　to　the　radiance　it　wore　when　I　saw　it　first　in　the
framework　of　blooms。

As　I　gazed；　thus　enchanted；　a　cold　hand　touched　my　own。

〃Hush！〃　whispered　Ayesha；　from　the　black　veil；　against　which　the
rays　of　the　caldron　fell　blunt；　and　absorbed　into　Dark。　　〃Behind
us；　the　light　of　the　circle　is　extinct；　but　there；　we　are　guarded
from　all　save　the　brutal　and　soulless　destroyers。　　But；　before！
but；　before！see；　two　of　the　lamps　have　died　out！see　the　blank
of　the　gap　in　the　ring！　　Guard　that　breachthere　the　demons　will
enter。〃

〃Not　a　drop　is　there　left　in　this　vessel　by　which　to　replenish　the
lamps　on　the　ring。〃

〃Advance；　then；　thou　hast　still　the　light　of　the　soul；　and　the
demons　may　recoil　before　a　soul　that　is　dauntless　and　guiltless。
If　not；　Three　are　lost！as　it　is；　One　is　doomed。〃

Thus　adjured；　silently；　involuntarily；　I　passed　from　the　Veiled
Woman's　side；　over　the　sear　lines　on　the　turf　which　had　been　traced
by　the　triangles　of　light　long　since　extinguished；　and　toward　the
verge　of　the　circle。　　As　I　advanced；　overhead　rushed　a　dark　cloud
of　wingsbirds　dislodged　from　the　forest　on　fire；　and　screaming；
in　dissonant　terror；　as　they　flew　toward　the　farthermost　mountains；
close　by　my　feet　hissed　and　glided　the　snakes；　driven　forth　from
their　blazing　coverts；　and　glancing　through　the　ring；　unscared　by
its　waning　lamps；　all　undulating　by　me；　bright…eyed；　and　hissing；
all　made　innocuous　by　feareven　the　terrible　Death…adder；　which　I
trampled　on　as　I　halted　at　the　verge　of　the　circle；　did　not　turn　to
bite；　but　crept　harmless　away。　　I　halted　at　the　gap　between　the　two
dead　lamps；　and　bowed　my　head　to　look　again　into　the　crystal
vessel。　　Were　there；　indeed；　no　lingering　drops　yet　left；　if　but　to
recruit　the　lamps　for　some　priceless　minutes　more？　　As　I　thus
stood；　right　into　the　gap　between　the　two　dead　lamps　strode　a
gigantic　Foot。　　All　the　rest　of　the　form　was　unseen；　only；　as
volume　after　volume　of　smoke　poured　on　from　the　burning　land
behind；　it　seemed　as　if　one　great　column　of　vapor；　eddying　round；
settled　itself　aloft　from　the　circle；　and　that　out　from　that　column
strode　the　giant　Foot。　　And；　as　strode　the　Foot；　so　with　it　came；
like　the　sound　of　its　tread；　a　roll　of　muttered　thunder。

I　recoiled；　with　a　cry　that　rang　loud　through　the　lurid　air。

〃Courage！〃　said　the　voice　of　Ayesha。　　〃Trembling　soul；　yield　not　an
inch　to　the　demon！〃

At　the　charm；　the　wonderful　charm；　in　the　tone　of　the　Veiled
Woman's　voice；　my　will　seemed　to　take　a　force　more　sublime　than　its
own。　　I　folded　my　arms　on　my　breast；　and　stood　as　if　rooted　to　the
spot；　confronting　the　column　of　smoke　and　the　stride　of　the　giant
Foot。　　And　the　Foot　halted；　mute。

Again；　in　the　momentary　hush　of　that　suspense；　I　heard　a　voiceit
was　Margrave's。

〃The　last　hour　expiresthe　work　is　accomplished！　　Come！　come！　　Aid
me　to　take　the　caldron　from　the　fire；　and；　quick！or　a　drop　may　be
wasted　in　vaporthe　Elixir　of　Life　from　the　caldron！〃

At　that　cry　I　receded；　and　the　Foot　advanced。

And　at　that　moment；　suddenly；　unawares；　from　behind；　I　was　stricken
down。　　Over　me；　as　I　lay；　swept　a　whirlwind　of　trampling　hoofs　and
glancing　horns。　　The　herds；　in　their　flight　from　the　burning
pastures；　had　rushed　over　the　bed　of　the　water　course；　scaled　the
slopes　of　the　banks。　　Snorting　and　bellowing；　they　plunged　their
blind　way　to　the　mountains。　　One　cry　alone；　more　wild　than　their
own　savage　blare；　pierced　the　reek　through　which　the　Brute
Hurricane　swept。　　At　that　cry　of　wrath　and　despair　I　struggled　to
rise；　again　dashed　to　earth　by　the　hoofs　and　the　horns。　　But　was　it
the　dreamlike　deceit　of　my　reeling　senses；　or　did　I　see　that　giant
Foot　stride　past　through　the　close…serried　ranks　of　the　maddening
herds？　　Did　I　hear；　distinct　through　all　the　huge　uproar　of　animal
terror；　the　roll　of　low　thunder　which　followed　the　stride　of　that
Foot？


X


When　my　sense　had　recovered　its　shock；　and　my　eyes　looked　dizzily
round；　the　charge　of　the　beasts　had　swept　by；　and　of　all　the　wild
tribes　which　had　invaded　the　magical　circle；　the　only　lingerer　was
the　brown　Death…adder；　coiled　close　by　the　spot　where　my　head　had
rested。　　Beside　the　extinguished　lamps　which　the　hoofs　had
confusedly　scattered；　the　fire；　arrested　by　the　water　course；　had
consumed　the　grasses　that　fed　it；　and　there　the　plains　stretched
black　and　desert　as　the　Phlegraean　Field　of　the　Poet's　Hell。　　But
the　fire　still　raged　in　the　forest　beyondwhite　flames；　soaring　up
from　the　trunks　of　the　tallest　trees；　and　forming；　through　the
sullen　dark　of　the　smoke　reck；　innumerable　pillars　of　fire；　like
the　halls　in　the　city　of　fiends。

Gathering　myself　up；　I　turned　my　eyes　from　the　terrible　pomp　of　the
lurid　forest；　and　looked　fearfully　down　on　the　hoof…trampled　sward
for　my　two　companions。

I　saw　the　dark　image　of　Ayesha　still　seated；　still　bending；　as　I
had　seen　it　last。　　I　saw　a　pale　hand　feebly　grasping　the　rim　of　the
magical　caldron；　which　lay；　hurled　down　from　its　tripod　by　the　rush
of　the　beasts；　yards　away　from　the　dim；　fading　embers　of　the
scattered　wood　pyre。　　I　saw　the　faint　writhings　of　a　frail；　wasted
frame；　over　which　the　Veiled　Woman　was　bending。　　I　saw；　as　I　moved
with　bruised　limbs　to　the　place；　close　by　the　lips　of　the　dying
magician；　the　flash　of　the　rubylike　essence　spilled　on　the　sward；
and；　meteor…like；　sparkling　up　from　the　torn　tufts　of　herbage。

I　now　reached　Margrave's　side。　　Bending　over　him　as　the　Veiled
Woman　bent；　and　as　I　sought　gently　to　raise　him；　he　turned　his
face；　fiercely　faltering　out；　〃Touch　me　not；　rob　me　not！　　YOU　share
with　me！　　Never；　never！　　These　glorious　drops　are　all　mine！　　Die
all　else！　　I　will　live；　I　will　live！〃　　Writhing　himself　from　my
pitying　arms；　he　plunged　his　face　amidst　the　beautiful；　playful
flame　of　the　essence；　as　if　to　lap　the　elixir　with　lips　scorched
away　from　its　intolerable　burning。　　Suddenly；　with　a　low　shriek；　he
fell　back；　his　face　upturned　to　mine；　and　on　that　face　unmistakably
reigned　Death。

Then　Ayesha　tenderly；　silently；　drew　the　young　head　to　her　lap；　and
it　vanished　from　my　sight　behind　her　black　veil。

I　knelt　beside　her；　murmuring　some　trite　words　of　comfort；