the darrow enigma-第13节
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interest you； but rather to acquaint you with certain occurrences
which I now deem it wise you should know。 Time only intensified our
love for each other； and for several months all went well。 One
serious obstacle to our union presented itself； … that of caste。
Her people； Lona said； would never permit her to marry outside her
own station in life； besides which there was another ground upon
which we might be equally sure of their opposition。 They had already
chosen for her and she was betrothed to Rama Ragobah。 It is of this
man that I have chiefly to speak。 By birth he was of the same Vaisya
caste as Lona。 Early in life his lot had fallen among fakirs and
he had acquired all their secrets。 This did not satisfy his
ambitions； for he wished to be numbered among the rishis or adepts；
and subjected himself to the most horrible asceticism to qualify
himself for adeptship。 His indifference to physical pain was truly
marvellous。 He had rolled his naked body to the Ganges over
hundreds of miles of burning sands！ He had held his hands clinched
until the nails had worn through the palm and out at the back of the
hand。 He had at one time maintained for weeks a slow fire upon the
top of his head； keeping the skin burned to the skull。
When he came wooing Lona； his rigid asceticism had much relaxed； but
he would still seek to amuse her by driving knives into his body
until she would sicken at the blood； a condition of affairs which；
she said； afforded him great enjoyment。 Ragobah was a man of
gigantic build and immense physical strength。 His features were
heavy and forbidding。 You are familiar with pictures of Nana Sahib。
If I had not known this fiend to have died while beset in a swamp；
I should have mistaken Ragobah for him。 It was to such a being that
Lona was betrothed in spite of the loathing her parents knew she
felt for him。 She told me all this one night at our accustomed
tryst on Malabar Hill。 We had chosen to meet here on account of
the beauty of the place and the seclusion it offered。 There； on
bright moonlit nights； with the sea and the city below me； the
〃Tower of Silence〃 in the Parsees' burial plot ablaze with reflected
glory； the majestic banyan over me rustling gently in the soft sea
breeze； while Lona nestled close beside me； … the exquisite perfume
of the luxuriant garden less welcome than the delicious fragrance
of her breath； … hours fraught with years of bliss would pass as if
but pulse…beats。 In the world of love the heart is the only true
timepiece。 On one or two occasions Lona had thought she had been
followed when coming to meet me； and she began to conceive a strange
dislike for a little cavelike recess in the rocks just back of the
tree by which we sat。 I tried on one occasion to reassure her by
telling her it was so shallow that； with the moonlight streaming
into it； I could see clear to the back wall； and arose to enter it
to convince her there was no one there； but she clung to me in
terror； saying： 〃Don't go！ Don't leave me！ I was foolish to
mention it。 I cannot account for my fear； … and yet； do you know；〃
she continued in a low； frightened tone； 〃there is a shaft at the
back of the cave that has； they say； no bottom； but goes down；
… down； … down； … hundreds of feet to the sea？〃 It is useless；
as you know only too well； to strive to reason down a presentiment；
and so； instead； I sought to make use of her fear in the
accomplishment of my dearest wish。 〃Why need we；〃 I urged； 〃come
here； why longer continue these clandestine meetings？ Let us be
brave； darling； in our loves。 Your people have chosen another
husband for you； … my people another wife for me； but we are both
quite able to choose for ourselves。 We have done so； and it is
our most sacred duty to adhere to and consummate that choice。 Let
us； I beseech you； do so without further delay。 Dearest； meet me
here to…morrow night prepared for a journey。 We will take the
late train for Matheron Station； where I have friends who can be
trusted。 We will be married immediately upon our arrival； and
can communicate by post with our respective families； remaining
away from them until they are glad to welcome us with open arms。〃
She raised some few objections to my plan and expressed some
misgivings； but she loved me and I was able to reason away the
one and kiss away the other； and with our souls upon our lips we
parted for the night。 The last thing I had said to her； … I
remember it as if it all happened yesterday； … was： 〃Think of
it； dear heart； there will be no more such partings between us
after to…night！〃 and she had replied by silently nestling closer
to me and twining her arms about my neck。 And so we parted on
that never…to…be…forgotten night more than a score of years
ago。
The twenty…four hours intervening between this parting and our
next meeting may be passed over in silence； as nothing occurred
during that time at all essential to the purpose this narrative
subserves。 The longed…for time came at last and； with a depth of
happiness I had never known before … a peace passing all
understanding … I set out for Malabar Hill。 The night was perfect
and the moonlight so bright I could distinctly see the air…roots
of our trysting tree when more than a quarter of a mile away。 I
thought at the time how this tree； with its crown of luxuriant
foliage and its writhing roots； might well pass for some gigantic
Medusa…head with its streaming serpent…hair。 As I neared the tree
Lona stepped from behind it and awaited my approach。 She was even
more impatient than I； I thought； and my heart beat more wildly
than ever。 〃Sweet saint； have I kept you waiting？〃 I asked； as
I came within speaking distance of her。 She stood motionless
against the tree and apparently did not hear me。 I waited till I
was within ten feet of her and repeated the question； but； although
she fixed her unfathomable eyes full upon mine； she made no reply；
and gave no evidence of having heard me。 I stood as if petrified。
A nameless dread was settling upon me； paralysing my faculties。
She had always before sprung forward at sight of me and thrown
herself with a bewitching little pirouette into my arms； now she
stood coldly aloof； silent and motionless； on this； our wedding
night！ I waited for some word of explanation； but none came。 The
suspense became unbearable … I could endure it no longer！
〃For God's sake； what has happened？ 〃I cried； rushing forward to
seize her in my arms。 She raised her right hand above her head
and； as I had almost reached her； threw something full in my face！
Instinctively I struck at it with my walking…stick； and it fell
in the grass at my feet； … it was a young Indian cobra … Naja
tripudians … a serpent of the deadliest sort。 I did not pause to
reason how this sweet angel had been so quickly changed into a
venomous fiend； although the thought that somehow she had been led
to think me false to her； and that this act was the swift vengeance
of her hot Eastern blood； flashed momentarily through my mind； … all
that could be explained as soon as I had her nestling in my arms。
I reached forward to embrace her； but she struck me in the face and
fled！ For an instant my heart stood still。 It seemed to me it
would never start； but it soon began to throb again like a thing
of lead； and the blood it pumped was cold； for the winter had
closed in upon it。 The elasticity of my life； that ineffable
resiliency of the soul which makes us more than beasts of burden；
was gone forever。 An automaton； informed only with the material
life； remained； … the spirit followed that fleeting figure down
the hill。 More than twenty years have passed and still the
unrewarded chase continues！
But it is to facts I have to call your attention； rather than to
their effects。 A flutter of white muslin in the moonlit distance
was all that was visible of the retreating girl when I started
mechanically； and without any particular purpose in view； in pursuit
of her。 My path lay by the banyan tree under which we had so often
sat； but every air…root seemed changed to a writhing serpent。 As I
threaded my way among them； a man stepped from behind the trunk
and disputed my passage。 His gigantic form was silhouetted against
the mass of rock forming the entrance to the little cave。 The bright
moonlight did what it could to illumine that sinister face。 It was
Rama Ragobah！ For fully a minute we stood silently face to face；
each expecting the assault of the other。 It was Ragobah who spoke
first。 〃She is mine； body and soul； and the English cur may find
a mate in his own kennel！〃 He bent toward me and hissed these words
in my very face。 His hot breath seemed to poison me。 It made me
beside myself。 I knew he meant to take advantage of his physical
superiority and attack me； by the narrow watch he kept upon the
heavy walking…stick I still carried in my right hand。 He had
expected I would attempt to strike with this； but my constant
practice at boxing had made my fists the more natural weapon。 I
was so enraged I did not notice he was too close to use my stick to
advantage。 I simply acted without any thought whatever。 His
