new burlesques(新讽刺诗)-第23节
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retentive and your archaeological comparison so accurate。 But see！ the
ladies are retiring。 Let us follow。〃
IV
The intoxication produced by the performance of the Princess
naturally had its reaction。 The British moral soul； startled out of its
hypocrisy the night before； demanded the bitter beer of self…consciousness
and remorse the next morning。 The ladies were now openly shocked at
what they had secretly envied。 Lady Pyle was； however； propitiated by
the doctor's assurance that the Princess was a friend of Lady Fitz…Fulke；
who had promised to lend her youthful age and aristocratic prestige to the
return ball which the Princess had determined to give at her own home。
〃Still； I think the Princess open to criticism；〃 said Sir Midas oracularly。
〃Damn all criticism and critics！〃 burst out McFeckless； with the noble
frankness of a passionate and yet unfettered soul。 Sir Midas； who
employed critics in his business； as he did other base and ignoble slaves；
drew up himself and his paunch and walked away。
The Chevalier cast a superb look at McFeckless。 〃Voila！ Regard
me well！ I shall seek out this Princess when she is with herself！ Alone；
comprenez？ I shall seek her at her hotel in the Egyptian Hall！ Ha！ ha！
I shall seek Zut…Ski！ Zut！〃 And he made that rapid yet graceful motion
of his palm against his thigh known only to the true Parisian。
〃It's a rum hole where she lives； and nobody gets a sight of her；〃 said
Flossy。 〃It's like a beastly family vault； don't you know； outside； and
there's a kind of nigger doorkeeper that vises you and chucks you out if
you haven't the straight tip。 I'll show you the way； if you like。〃
〃Allons； en avant！〃 said the Chevalier gayly。 〃I precipitate myself
there on the instant。〃
〃Remember！〃 hissed McFeckless； grasping his arm； 〃you shall account
to me！〃
〃Bien！〃 said the Chevalier； shaking him off lightly。 〃All a…r…r… right。〃
Then； in that incomparable baritone； which had so often enthralled
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thousands； he moved away； trolling the first verse of the Princess's own
faint； sweet； sad song of the 〃Lotus Lily；〃 that thrilled McFeckless even
through the Chevalier's marked French accent：
〃Oh； a hard zing to get is ze Lotus Lillee！ She lif in ze
swampin ze watair chillee； She make your foot wetand you
look so sillee； But you buy her for sixpence in Piccadillee！〃
In half an hour the two men reached the remote suburb where the
Princess lived； a gloomy； windowless building。 Pausing under a low
archway over which in Egyptian characters appeared the faded legend；
〃Sta Ged Oor；〃 they found a Nubian slave blocking the dim entrance。
〃I leave you here；〃 said Flossy hurriedly； 〃as even I left once before
only then I was lightly assisted by his sandaled foot；〃 he added； rubbing
himself thoughtfully。 〃But better luck to you。〃
As his companion retreated swiftly； the Chevalier turned to the slave
and would have passed in； but the man stopped him。 〃Got a pass； boss？〃
〃No；〃 said the Chevalier。
The man looked at him keenly。 〃Oh； I see！ one of de profesh。〃
The Chevalier nodded haughtily。 The man preceded him by devious；
narrow ways and dark staircases； coming abruptly upon a small apartment
where the Princess sat on a low divan。 A single lamp inclosed in an
ominous wire cage flared above her。 Strange things lay about the floor
and shelves； and from another door he could see hideous masks； frightful
heads； and disproportionate faces。 He shuddered slightly； but recovered
himself and fell on his knees before her。 〃I lofe you；〃 he said madly。 〃I
have always lofed you！〃
〃For how long？〃 she asked； with a strange smile。
He covertly consulted his shirt cuff。 〃For tree tousand fife hundred
and sixty…two years；〃 he said rapidly。
She looked at him disdainfully。 〃The doctor has been putting you up
to that！ It won't wash！ I don't refer to your shirt cuff；〃 she added with
deep satire。
〃Adorable one！〃 he broke out passionately； attempting to embrace her；
〃I have come to take you。〃 Without moving； she touched a knob in the
wall。 A trap…door beyond him sank； and out of the bowels of the earth
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leaped three indescribable demons。 Then； rising； she took a cake of
chalk from the table and； drawing a mystic half circle on the floor；
returned to the divan； lit a cigarette； and leaning comfortably back； said in
a low； monotonous voice； 〃Advance one foot within that magic line； and
on that head； although it wore a crown； I launch the curse of Rome。〃
〃Ionly wanted to take youwith a kodak；〃 he said； with a light laugh
to conceal his confusion； as he produced the instrument from his coat…tail
pocket。
〃Not with that cheap box；〃 she said； rising with magnificent disdain。
〃Come again with a decent instrumentand perhaps〃 Then； lightly
humming in a pure contralto； 〃I've been photographed like thisI've been
photographed like that；〃 she summoned the slave to conduct him back； and
vanished through a canvas screen； which nevertheless seemed to the dazed
Chevalier to be the stony front of the pyramids。
V
〃And you saw her？〃 said the doctor in French。
〃Yes； but the three…thousand…year gag did not work！ She spotted you；
cher ami； on the instant。 And she wouldn't let me take her with my
kodak。〃
The doctor looked grave。 〃I see；〃 he mused thoughtfully。 〃You must
have my camera； a larger one and more bulky perhaps to carry； but she
will not object to that；she who has stood for full lengths。 I will give you
some private instructions。〃
〃But； cher doctor； this previous…existence ideaat what do you arrive？〃
〃There is much to say for it；〃 said the doctor oracularly。 〃It has
survived in the belief of all ages。 Who can tell？ That some men in a
previous existence may have been goats or apes；〃 continued the doctor；
looking at him curiously； 〃does not seem improbable！ From the time of
Pythagoras we have known that； but that the individual as an individual
ego has been remanded or projected； has harked back or anticipated
himself； is； we may say； with our powers of apperception；that is； the
perception that we are perceiving； is〃
But the Chevalier had fled。 〃No matter；〃 said the doctor； 〃I will see
McFeckless。〃 He did。 He found him gloomy； distraught； baleful。 He
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felt his pulse。 〃The mixture as before；〃 he said briefly； 〃and a little
innocent diversion。 There is an Aunt Sally on the esplanadetwo throws
for a penny。 It will do you good。 Think no more of this woman！
Listen；I wish you well； your family have always been good patients of
mine。 Marry some good Scotch girl； I know one with fifty thousand
pounds。 Let the Princess go！〃
〃To himnever！ I will marry her！ Yet；〃 he murmured softly to
himself； 〃feefty thousand pun' is nae small sum。 Aye！ Not that I care
for sillerbut feefty thousand pun'！ Eh； sirs！〃
VI
Dr。 Haustus knew that the Chevalier had again visited the Princess；
although he had kept the visit a secret；and indeed was himself invisible
for a day or two afterwards。 At last the doctor's curiosity induced him to
visit the Chevalier's apartment。 Entering； he was surprisedeven in that
Land of Mysteryto find the room profoundly dark； smelling of Eastern
drugs； and the Chevalier sitting before a large plate of glass which he was
examining by the aid of a lurid ruby lamp；the only light in the weird
gloom。 His face was pale and distraught； his locks
