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would certainly have given a kiss for her splendid
behavior in saving my dear boy's life at the risk of
her own。 But Ustane was not the sort of young person
with whom one would care to take liberties unless one
were perfectly certain that they would not be
misunderstood； so I repressed my inclinations。 Then；
bruised and battered； but with a sense of safety in my
breast to which I had for some days been a stranger； I
crept off to my own little sepulchre； not forgetting
before I laid down in it to thank Providence from the
bottom of my heart that it was not a sepulchre indeed；
as； were it not for a merciful combination of events
that I can only attribute to its protection； it would
certainly have been for me that night。 Few men have
been nearer their end and yet escaped it than we were
on that dreadful day。
I am a bad sleeper at the best of times； and my dreams
that night； when at last I got to rest； were not of
the pleasantest。 The awful vision of poor Mahomed
struggling to escape the red…hot pot would haunt them；
and then in the background； as it were； a veiled form
was always hovering； which； from time to time； seemed
to draw the coverings from its body； revealing now the
perfect shape of a lovely blooming woman； and now
again the white bones of a grinning skeleton； and
which； as it veiled and unveiled； uttered the
mysterious and apparently meaningless sentence：
〃That which is alive hath known death； and that which
is dead yet can never die； for in the Circle of the
Spirit life is naught and death is naught。 Yea； all
things live forever； though at times they sleep and
are forgotten。〃
The morning came at last； but when it came I found
that I was too stiff and sore to rise。 About seven Job
arrived； limping terribly； and with his face the color
of a rotten apple； and told me that Leo had slept
fairly； but was very weak。 Two hours afterwards
Billali （Job called him 〃Billy…goat；〃 to which indeed
his white beard gave him some resemblance； or more
familiarly 〃Billy〃） came too； bearing a lamp in his
hand； his towering form reaching nearly to the roof of
the little chamber。 I pretended to be asleep； and
through the cracks of my eyelids watched his sardonic
but handsome old face。 He fixed his hawk…like eyes
upon me； and stroked his glorious white beard； which；
by the way； would have been worth a hundred a year to
any London barber as an advertisement。
〃Ah！〃 I heard him mutter （Billali had a habit of
muttering to himself）； 〃he is uglyugly as the other
is beautifula very Baboon； it was a good name。 But I
like the man。 Strange now； at my age； that I should
like a man。 What says the proverb'Mistrust all men；
and slay him whom thou mistrustest overmuch； and as
for women； flee from them； for they are evil； and in
the end will destroy thee。' It is a good proverb；
especially the last part of it； I think it must have
come down from the ancients。 Nevertheless I like this
Baboon； and I wonder where they taught him his tricks；
and I trust that _i_ She _i_ will not bewitch him。
Poor Baboon！ he must be wearied after that fight。 I
will go； lest I should awake him。〃
I waited till he had turned and was nearly through the
entrance； walking softly on tiptoe； and then I called
after him。
〃My father；〃 I said； 〃is it thou？〃
〃Yes； my son； it is I； but let me not disturb thee。 I
did but come to see how thou didst fare； and to tell
thee that those who； would have slain thee； my Baboon；
are by now well on their road to _i_ She _i_ 。 _i_ She
_i_ said that ye also were to come at once； but I fear
ye cannot yet。〃
〃Nay；〃 I said； 〃not till we have recovered a little；
but have me borne out into the daylight； I pray thee；
my father。 I love not this place。〃
〃Ah； no；〃 he answered； 〃it hath a sad air。 I remember
when I was a boy I found the body of a fair woman
lying where thou liest now； yes； on that very bench。
She was so beautiful that I was wont to creep in
hither with a lamp and gaze upon her。 Had it not been
for her cold hands； almost could I think that she
slept and would one day awake； so fair and peaceful
was she in her robes of white。 White was she； too； and
her hair was yellow and lay down her almost to the
feet。 There are many such still in the tombs at the
place where _i_ She _i_ is for those who set them
there had a way I know naught of； whereby to keep
their beloved out of the crumbling hand of Decay； even
when Death had slain them。 Ay； day by day I came
hither； and gazed on her till at last； laugh not at
me； stranger； for I was but a silly lad； I learned to
love that dead form； that shell which once had held a
life that no more is。 I would creep up to her and kiss
her cold face； and wonder how many men had lived and
died since she was； and who had loved her and embraced
her in the days that long had passed away。 And； my
Baboon； I think I learned wisdom from that dead one；
for of a truth it taught me of the littleness of life；
and the length of death； and how all things that are
under the sun go down one path； and are forever
forgotten。 And so I mused； and it seemed to me that
wisdom flowed into me from the dead； till one day my
mother； a watchful woman； but hasty minded； seeing I
was changed； followed me； and saw the beautiful white
one； and feared that I was bewitched； as； indeed； I
was。 So half in dread； and half in anger； she took the
lamp； and； standing the dead woman up against the wall
there； set fire to her hair； and she burned fiercely；
even down to the feet； for those who are thus kept
burn excellently well。
〃See； my son； there on the roof is yet the smoke of
her burning。〃
I looked up doubtfully； and there； sure enough； on the
roof of the sepulchre was a peculiarly unctuous and
sooty mark； three feet or more across。 Doubtless it
had in the course of years been rubbed off the sides
of the little cave； but on the roof it remained； and
there was no mistaking its appearance。
〃She burned；〃 he went on in a meditative way； 〃even to
the feet； but the feet I came back and saved； cutting
the burned bone from them； and hid them under the
stone bench there； wrapped up in a piece of linen。
Surely； I remember it as though it were but yesterday。
Perchance they are there if none have found them； even
to this hour。 Of truth I have not entered this chamber
from that time to this very day。 Stay； I will look；
and； kneeling down； he groped about with his long arm
in the recess under the。 stone bench。 Presently his
face brightened； and with an exclamation he pulled
something forth that was caked in dust； which he shook
on to the floor。 It was covered with the remains of a
rotting rag； which he undid； and revealed to my
astonished gaze a beautifully shaped and almost white
woman's foot； looking as fresh and firm as though it
had but now been placed there。
〃Thou seest； my son； the Baboon；〃 he said； in a sad
voice； 〃I spake the truth to thee； for here is yet one
foot remaining。 Take it； my son； and gaze upon it。〃
I took this cold fragment of…mortality in my hand and
looked at it in the light of the lamp with feelings
which I cannot describe； so mixed up were they between
astonishment； fear； and fascination。 It was light；
much lighter I should say than it had been in the
living state； and the flesh to all appearance was
still flesh； though about it there clung a faintly
aromatic odor。 For the rest it was not shrunk or
shriveled； or even black and unsightly； like the flesh
of Egyptian mummies； but plump and fair； and； except
where it had been slightly burned； perfect as on the
day of deatha very triumph of embalming。
Poor little foot！ I set it down upon the stone bench
where it had lain for so many thousand years； and
wondered whose was the beauty that it had upborne
through the pomp and pageantry of a forgotten
civilizationfirst as a merry child's； then as a
blushing maid's； and lastly as a perfect woman's。
Through what halls of Life had its soft step echoed；
and in the end； with what courage had it trodden down
the dusty ways of Death！ To whose side had it stolen
in the hush of night when the black slave slept upon
the marble floor； and who had listened for its
stealing？ Shapely little foot！ Well might it have been
set upon the proud neck of a conqueror bent at last to
woman's beauty； and well might the lips of nobles and
of kings have been pressed upon its jewelled
whiteness。
I wrapped up this relic of the past in the remnants of
the old linen rag which had evidently formed a portion
of its owner's grave…clothes； for it was partially
burned； and put it away in my Gladstone bag； which I
had bought at the Army and Navy Storesa strange
combination； I thought。 Then with Billali's help I
staggered off to see Leo。 I found him dreadfully
bruised； worse even than myself； perhaps owing to the
excessive whiteness of his skin； and faint and weak
with the loss of blood from the flesh wound in his
side； but for all that cheerful as a cricket； and
asking for some breakfast。 Job and Ustane got him on
to the bottom； or rather the s