the notch on the ax and on being found out-第21节

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it　vanished　from　my　sight　behind　her　black　veil。

I　knelt　beside　her；　murmuring　some　trite　words　of　comfort；　but　she
heeded　me　not；　rocking　herself　to　and　fro　as　the　mother　who　cradles
a　child　to　sleep。　　Soon　the　fast…flickering　sparkles　of　the　lost
elixir　died　out　on　the　grass；　and　with　their　last　sportive　diamond…
like　tremble　of　light；　up；　in　all　the　suddenness　of　Australian　day；
rose　the　sun；　lifting　himself　royally　above　the　mountain　tops；　and
fronting　the　meaner　blaze　of　the　forest　as　a　young　king　fronts　his
rebels。　　And　as　there；　where　the　bush　fires　had　ravaged；　all　was　a
desert；　so　there；　where　their　fury　had　not　spread；　all　was　a
garden。　　Afar；　at　the　foot　of　the　mountains；　the　fugitive　herds
were　grazing；　the　cranes；　flocking　back　to　the　pools；　renewed　the
strange　grace　of　their　gambols；　and　the　great　kingfisher；　whose
laugh；　half　in　mirth；　half　in　mockery；　leads　the　choir　that　welcome
the　mornwhich　in　Europe　is　nightalighted　bold　on　the　roof　of
the　cavern；　whose　floors　were　still　white　with　the　bones　of　races；
extinct　beforeso　helpless　through　instincts；　so　royal　through
Soulrose　MAN！

But　there；　on　the　ground　where　the　dazzling　elixir　had　wasted　its
virtuesthere　the　herbage　already　had　a　freshness　of　verdure
which；　amid　the　duller　sward　round　it；　was　like　an　oasis　of　green
in　a　desert。　　And；　there；　wild　flowers；　whose　chill　hues　the　eye
would　have　scarcely　distinguished　the　day　before；　now　glittered
forth　in　blooms　of　unfamiliar　beauty。　　Toward　that　spot　were
attracted　myriads　of　happy　insects；　whose　hum　of　intense　joy　was
musically　loud。　　But　the　form　of　the　life…seeking　sorcerer　lay
rigid　and　stark；　blind　to　the　bloom　of　the　wild　flowers；　deaf　to
the　glee　of　the　insectsone　hand　still　resting　heavily　on　the　rim
of　the　emptied　caldron；　and　the　face　still　hid　behind　the　Black
Veil。　　What！　the　wondrous　elixir；　sought　with　such　hope　and　well…
nigh　achieved　through　such　dread；　fleeting　back　to　the　earth　from
which　its　material　was　drawn　to　give　bloom；　indeedbut　to　herbs；
joy　indeedbut　to　insects！

And　now；　in　the　flash　of　the　sun；　slowly　wound　up　the　slopes　that
led　to　the　circle；　the　same　barbaric　procession　which　had　sunk　into
the　valley　under　the　ray　of　the　moon。　　The　armed　men　came　first；
stalwart　and　tall；　their　vests　brave　with　crimson　and　golden　lace；
their　weapons　gayly　gleaming　with　holiday　silver。　　After　them；　the
Black　Litter。　　As　they　came　to　the　place；　Ayesha；　not　raising　her
head；　spoke　to　them　in　her　own　Eastern　tongue。　　A　wail　was　her
answer。　　The　armed　men　bounded　forward；　and　the　bearers　left　the
litter。

All　gathered　round　the　dead　form　with　the　face　concealed　under　the
Black　Veil；　all　knelt；　and　all　wept。　　Far　in　the　distance；　at　the
foot　of　the　blue　mountains；　a　crowd　of　the　savage　natives　had　risen
up　as　if　from　the　earth；　they　stood　motionless　leaning　on　their
clubs　and　spears；　and　looking　toward　the　spot　on　which　we　were
strangely　thus　brought　into　the　landscape；　as　if　they　too；　the　wild
dwellers　on　the　verge　which　Humanity　guards　from　the　Brute；　were
among　the　mourners　for　the　mysterious　Child　of　mysterious　Nature！
And　still；　in　the　herbage；　hummed　the　small　insects；　and　still；
from　the　cavern；　laughed　the　great　kingfisher。　　I　said　to　Ayesha；
〃Farewell！　your　love　mourns　the　dead；　mine　calls　me　to　the　living。
You　are　now　with　your　own　people；　they　may　console　yousay　if　I
can　assist。〃

〃There　is　no　consolation　for　me！　　What　mourner　can　be　consoled　if
the　dead　die　forever？　　Nothing　for　him　is　left　but　a　grave；　that
grave　shall　be　in　the　land　where　the　song　of　Ayesha　first　lulled
him　to　sleep。　　Thou　assist　MEthou；　the　wise　man　of　Europe！　　From
me　ask　assistance。　　What　road　wilt　thou　take　to　thy　home？〃

〃There　is　but　one　road　known　to　me　through　the　maze　of　the
solitudethat　which　we　took　to　this　upland。〃

〃On　that　road　Death　lurks；　and　awaits　thee！　　Blind　dupe；　couldst
thou　think　that　if　the　grand　secret　of　life　had　been　won；　he　whose
head　rests　on　my　lap　would　have　yielded　thee　one　petty　drop　of　the
essence　which　had　filched　from　his　store　of　life　but　a　moment？　　Me；
who　so　loved　and　so　cherished　himme　he　would　have　doomed　to　the
pitiless　cord　of　my　servant；　the　Strangler；　if　my　death　could　have
lengthened　a　hairbreadth　the　span　of　his　being。　　But　what　matters
to　me　his　crime　or　his　madness？　　I　loved　him；　I　loved　him！〃

She　bowed　her　veiled　head　lower　and　lower；　perhaps　under　the　veil
her　lips　kissed　the　lips　of　the　dead。　　Then　she　said　whisperingly：

〃Juma　the　Strangler；　whose　word　never　failed　to　his　master；　whose
prey　never　slipped　from　his　snare；　waits　thy　step　on　the　road　to
thy　home！　　But　thy　death　cannot　now　profit　the　dead；　the　beloved。
And　thou　hast　had　pity　for　him　who　took　but　thine　aid　to　design　thy
destruction。　　His　life　is　lost；　thine　is　saved！〃

She　spoke　no　more　in　the　tongue　that　I　could　interpret。　　She　spoke；
in　the　language　unknown；　a　few　murmured　words　to　her　swarthy
attendants；　then　the　armed　men；　still　weeping；　rose；　and　made　a
dumb　sign　to　me　to　go　with　them。　　I　understood　by　the　sign　that
Ayesha　had　told　them　to　guard　me　on　my　way；　but　she　gave　no　reply
to　my　parting　thanks。


XI


I　descended　into　the　valley；　the　armed　men　followed。　　The　path；　on
that　side　of　the　water　course　not　reached　by　the　flames；　wound
through　meadows　still　green；　or　amidst　groves　still　unscathed。　　As
a　turning　in　the　way　brought　in　front　of　my　sight　the　place　I　had
left　behind；　I　beheld　the　black　litter　creeping　down　the　descent；
with　its　curtains　closed；　and　the　Veiled　Woman　walking　by　its　side。
But　soon　the　funeral　procession　was　lost　to　my　eyes；　and　the
thoughts　that　it　roused　were　erased。　　The　waves　in　man's　brain　are
like　those　of　the　sea；　rushing　on；　rushing　over　the　wrecks　of　the
vessels　that　rode　on　their　surface；　to　sink；　after　storm；　in　their
deeps。　　One　thought　cast　forth　into　the　future　now　mastered　all　in
the　past：　〃Was　Lilian　living　still？〃　　Absorbed　in　the　gloom　of　that
thought；　hurried　on　by　the　goad　that　my　heart；　in　its　tortured
impatience；　gave　to　my　footstep；　I　outstripped　the　slow　stride　of
the　armed　men；　and；　midway　between　the　place　I　had　left　and　the
home　which　I　sped　to；　came；　far　in　advance　of　my　guards；　into　the
thicket　in　which　the　Bushmen　had　started　up　in　my　path　on　the　night
that　Lilian　had　watched　for　my　coming。　　The　earth　at　my　feet　was
rife　with　creeping　plants　and　many…colored　flowers；　the　sky
overhead　was　half　hid　by　motionless　pines。　　Suddenly；　whether
crawling　out　from　the　herbage　or　dropping　down　from　the　trees；　by
my　side　stood　the　white…robed　and　skeleton　formAyesha's　attendant
the　Strangler。

I　sprang　from　him　shuddering；　then　halted　and　faced　him。　　The
hideous　creature　crept　toward　me；　cringing　and　fawning；　making
signs　of　humble　goodwill　and　servile　obeisance。　　Again　I　recoiled
wrathfully；　loathingly；　turned　my　face　homeward；　and　fled　on。　　I
thought　I　had　baffled　his　chase；　when；　just　at　the　mouth　of　the
thicket；　he　dropped　from　a　bough　in　my　path　close　behind　me。
Before　I　could　turn；　some　dark　muffling　substance　fell　between　my
sight　and　the　sun；　and　I　felt　a　fierce　strain　at　my　throat。　　But
the　words　of　Ayesha　had　warned　me；　with　one　rapid　hand　I　seized　the
noose　before　it　could　tighten　too　closely；　with　the　other　I　tore
the　bandage　away　from　my　eyes；　and；　wheeling　round　on　the　dastardly
foe；　struck　him　down　with　one　spurn　of　my　foot。　　His　hand；　as　he
fell；　relaxed　its　hold　on　the　noose；　I　freed　my　throat　from　the
knot；　and　sprang　from　the　copse　into　the　broad　sunlit　plain。　　I　saw
no　more　of　the　armed　men　or　the　Strangler。　　Panting　and　breathless；
I　paused　at　last　before　the　fence；　fragrant　with　blossoms；　that
divided　my　home　from　the　solitude。

The　windows　of　Lilian's　room　were　darkened；　all　within　the　house
seemed　still。

Darkened　and　silenced　home；　with　the　light　and　sounds　of　the　jocund
day　all　around　it。　　Was　there　yet　hope　in　the　Universe　for　me？　　All
to　which　I　had　trusted　Hope　had　broken　down；　the　anchors　I　had
forged　for　her　hold　in　the　beds　of　the　ocean；　her　stay　from　the
drifts　of　the　storm；　had　snapped　like　the　reeds　which　pierce　the
side　that　leans　on　the　barb　of　their　points；　and　confides　in　the
strength　of　their　stems。　　No　hope　in　the　baffled　resources　of
recognized　knowledge！　　No　hope　in　the　daring　adventures　of　Mind
into　regions　unknown；　vain　alike　the　calm　lore　of　the　practiced
physician；　and　the　magical　arts　of　the　fated　Enchanter！　　I　had　fled
from　the　commonplace　teachings　of　Nature；　to　explore　in　her
Shadowland　marvels　at　variance　with　reason。　　Made　brave　by　the
grandeur　of　love；　I　had　opposed　without　quailing　the　stride　of　the
Demon；　and　my　hope；　when　fruition　seemed　nearest；　had　been　trodden
into　dust　by　the　hoofs　of　the　beast！　　And　yet；　all　the　while；　I　had
scorned；　as　a　dream；　more　wild　than　the　word　of　a　sorcerer；　the
hope　that　the　old　man　and　the　child；　the　wise　and　the　ignorant；
took　from　their　souls　as　inborn。　　Man　and　fiend　had　alike　failed　a
mind；　not　ignoble；　not　skill…less；　not　abjectly　craven；　alike
failed　a　heart　not　feeble　and　selfish；　not　dead　to　the　hero's
devotion；　willing　to　shed　every　drop　of　its　blood　for　a　something
more　dear　than　an　animal's　life　for　itself！　　Wha