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She
by H。 Ryder Haggard
CHAPTER I
MY VISITOR
THERE are some events of which each circumstance and
surrounding detail seems to be graven on the memory in
such fashion that we cannot forget it； and so it is
with the scene that I am about to describe。 It rises
as clearly before my mind at this moment as though it
had happened yesterday。
It was in this very month something over twenty years
ago that I； Ludwig Horace Holly； was sitting one night
in my rooms at Cambridge； grinding away at some
mathematical work； I forget what。 I was to go up for
my fellowship within a week； and was expected by my
tutor and my college generally to distinguish myself。
At last； wearied out； I flung my book down； and； going
to the mantelpiece； took down a pipe and filled it。
There was a candle burning on the mantelpiece； and a
long； narrow glass at the back of it； and as I was in
the act of lighting the pipe I caught sight of my own
countenance in the glass and paused to reflect。 The
lighted match burned away till it scorched my fingers
forcing me to drop it； but still stood and I stared at
myself in the and reflected。
〃Well；〃 I said aloud； at last； 〃it is to be hoped that
I shall be able to do something with the inside of my
head； for I shall certainly never do anything by the
help of the outside。〃
This remark will doubtless strike anybody who reads it
as being slightly obscure； but I was in reality
alluding to my physical deficiencies。 Most men of
twenty…two are endowed at any rate with some share of
the comeliness of youth； but to me even this was
denied。 Short； thick…set； and deep…chested almost to
deformity； with long； sinewy arms； heavy features；
deep…set gray eyes； a low brow half overgrown with a
mop of thick black hair； like a deserted clearing on
which the forest had once more begun to encroach； such
was my appearance nearly a quarter of a century ago；
and such； with some modification； is it to this day。
Like Cain； I was brandedbranded by nature with the
stamp of abnormal ugliness； as I was gifted by nature
with iron and abnormal strength and considerable
intellectual powers。 So ugly was I that the spruce
young men of my college； though they were proud enough
of my feats of endurance and physical prowess； did not
even care to be seen walking with me。 Was it wonderful
that I was misanthropic and sullen？ Was it wonderful
that I brooded and worked alone； and had no friends
at least； only one？ I was set apart by Nature to live
alone； and draw comfort from her breast； and hers
only。 Women hated the sight of me。 Only a week before
I had heard one call me a 〃monster〃 when she thought I
was out of hearing； and say that I had converted her
to the monkey theory。 Once； indeed； a woman pretended
to care for me； and I lavished all the pent…up
affection of my nature upon her。 Then money that was
to have come to me went elsewhere； and she discarded
me。 I pleaded with her as I have never pleaded with
any living creature before or since； for I was caught
by her sweet face； and loved her； and in the end by
way of answer she took me to the glass； and stood side
by side with me； and looked into it。
〃Now；〃 she said； 〃if I am Beauty； who are you？〃 That
was when I was only twenty。
And so I stood and stared； and felt a sort of grim
satisfaction in the sense of my own loneliness； for I
had neither father； nor mother； nor brother； and as I
did so there came a knock at my door。
I listened before I went to open it； for it was nearly
twelve o'clock at night； and I was in no mood to admit
any stranger。 I had but one friend in the college； or；
indeed； in the world…perhaps it was he。
Just then the person outside the door coughed； and I
hastened to open it； for I knew the cough。
A tall man of about thirty； with the remains of great
personal beauty； came hurrying in； staggering beneath
the weight of a massive iron box which he carried by a
handle with his right hand。 He placed the box upon the
table； and then fell into an awful fit。 of coughing。
He coughed and coughed till his face became quite
purple； and at last he sank into a chair and began to
spit up blood。 I poured out some whiskey into a
tumbler； and gave it to him。 He drank it； and seemed
better； though his better was very bad indeed。
〃Why did you keep me standing there in the cold？〃 he
asked； pettishly。 〃You know the draughts are death to
me。〃
〃I did not know who it was；〃 I answered。 〃You are a
late visitor。〃
〃Yes； and I verily believe it is my last visit；〃 he
answered； with a ghastly attempt at a smile。 〃I am
done for； Holly； I am done for。 I do not believe that
I shall see to…morrow！〃
〃Nonsense！〃 I said。 〃Let me go for a doctor。〃
He waved me back imperiously with his hand。 〃It is
sober sense； but I want no doctors。 I have studied
medicine； and I know all about it。 No doctors can help
me。 My last hour has come！ For a year past I have only
lived by a miracle。 Now listen to me as you never
listened to anybody before； for you will not have the
opportunity of getting me to repeat my words。 We have
been friends for two years； now tell me how much do
you know about me？〃
〃I know that you are rich； and have had a fancy to
come to college long after the age that most men leave
it。 I know that you have been married； and that your
wife died； and that you have been the best； indeed
almost the only friend I ever had。〃
〃Did you know that I have a son？〃
〃No。〃
〃I have。 He is five years old。 He cost me his mother's
life； and I have never been able to bear to look upon
his face in consequence。 Holly； if you will accept the
trust； I am going to leave you that boy's sole
guardian。〃
I sprang almost out of my chair。
〃Me！〃 I said。
〃Yes； you。 I have not studied you for two years for
nothing。 I have known for some time that I could not
last； and since I realized the fact I have been
searching for some one to whom I could confide the boy
and this；〃 and he tapped the iron box。 〃You are the
man； Holly； for； like a rugged tree； you are hard and
sound at core。 Listen； the boy will be the only
representative of one of the most ancient families in
the world； that is； so far as families can be traced。
You will laugh at me when I say it； but one day it
will be proved to you beyond a doubt； that my sixty…
fifth or sixty…sixth lineal ancestor was an Egyptian
priest of Isis； though he was himself of Grecian
extraction； and was called Kallikrates。 His father was
one of the Greek mercenaries raised by Hak…Hor； a
Mendesian Pharaoh of the twenty…ninth dynasty； and his
grandfather； I believe； was that very Kallikrates
mentioned by Herodotus。 In or about the year 339
before Christ； just at the time of the final fall of
the Pharaohs； this Kallikrates （the priest） broke his
vows of celibacy and fled from Egypt with a princess
of royal blood who had fallen in love with him； and
was finally wrecked upon the coast of Africa；
somewhere； as I believe； in the neighbourhood of where
Delagoa Bay now is； or rather to the north of it； he
and his wife being saved； and all the remainder of
their company destroyed in one way or another。 Here
they endured great hardships； but were at last
entertained by the mighty queen of a savage people； a
white woman of peculiar loveliness； who； under
circumstances which I cannot enter into； but which you
will one day learnt if you live； from the contents of
the box； finally murdered my ancestor； Kallikrates。
His wife； however； escaped； how I know not； to Athens；
bearing a child with her； whom she named Tisisthenes；
or the Mighty Avenger。 Five hundred years or more
afterwards the family migrated to Rome under
circumstances of which no trace remains； and here；
probably with the idea of preserving the idea of
vengeance which we find set out in the name of
Tisisthenes； they appear to have pretty regularly
assumed the cognomen of Vindex； or Avenger。 Here； too；
they remained for another five centuries or more； till
about 770 A。D。； when Charlemagne invaded Lombardy；
where they were then settled； whereon the head of the
family seems to have attached himself to the great
Emperor； and to have returned with him across the
Alps； and finally to have settled in Brittany。 Eight
generations later his lineal representative crossed to
England in the reign of Edward the Confessor； and in
the time of William the Conqueror was advanced to
great honor and power。 From that time till the present
day I can trace my descent without a break。 Not that
the Vinceysfor that was the final corruption of the
name after its bearers took root in English soilhave
been particularly distinguishedthey never came much
to the fore。 Sometimes they were soldiers； sometimes
merchants； but on the whole they have preserved a dead
level of respectability； and a still deader level of
mediocrity。 From the time of Charles II。 till the
beginning of the present century they were merchants。
About 1790 my grandfather made a considerable fortune
out of brewing； and ret