按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
down upon my bed； and began to gather my scattered
wits； and reflect upon what I had seen and heard。 But
the more I reflected the less I could make of it。 Was
I mad； or drunk； or dreaming； or was I merely the
victim of a gigantic and most elaborate hoax？ How was
it possible that I； a rational man； not unacquainted
with the leading scientific facts of our history； and
hitherto an absolute and utter disbeliever in all the
hocus…pocus that in Europe goes by the name of the
supernatural； could believe that I had； within the
last few minutes； been engaged in conversation with a
woman two thousand and odd years old？ The thing was
contrary to the experience of human nature； and
absolutely and utterly impossible。 It must be a hoax；
and yet； if it were a hoax； what was I to make of it？
What； too； was to be said of the figures on the water；
of the woman's extraordinary acquaintance with the
remote past； and； her ignorance； or apparent
ignorance； of any subsequent history？ What； too； of
her wonderful and awful loveliness？ This； at any rate；
was a patent fact； and beyond the experience of the
world。 No merely mortal woman could shine with such a
supernatural radiance。 About that she had； at any
rate； been in the rightit was not safe for any man
to look upon such beauty。 I was a hardened vessel in
such matters； having； with the exception of one
painful experience of my green and tender youth； put
the softer sex （I sometimes think that this is a
misnomer） almost entirely out of my thoughts。 But now；
to my intense horror； I _i_ knew _i_ that I could
never put away the vision of those glorious eyes； and；
alas！ the very _i_ diablerie _i_ of the woman； while
it horrified and repelled； attracted in even a greater
degree。 A person with the experience of two thousand
years at her back； with the command of such tremendous
powers and the knowledge of a mystery that could hold
off death； was certainly worth falling in love with；
if ever woman was。 But； alas！ it was not a question of
whether or not she was worth it； for； so far as I
could judge； not being versed in such matters； I； a
fellow of my college； noted for what my acquaintances
are pleased to call my misogyny； and a respectable man
now well on in middle life； had fallen absolutely and
hopelessly in love with this white sorceress。
Nonsense； it must be nonsense！ She had warned me
fairly； and I had refused to take the warning。 Curses
on the fatal curiosity that is ever prompting man to
draw the veil from woman； and curses on the natural
impulse that begets it！ It is the cause of halfay；
and more than half； of our misfortunes。 Why cannot man
be content to live alone and be happy； and let the
women live alone and be happy too？ but perhaps they
would not be happy； and I am not sure that we should
either。 Here was a nice state of affairs。 I； at my
age； to fall a victim to this modern Circe！ But then
she was not modern； at least she said not。 She was
almost as ancient as the original Circe。
I tore my hair； and jumped up from my couch； feeling
that if I did not do something I should go off my
head。 What did she mean about the scarabaeus too？ It
was Leo's scarabaeus； and had come out of the old
coffer that Vincey had left in my rooms nearly one…
and…twenty years before。 Could it be； after all； that
the whole story was true； and the writing on the sherd
was not a forgery； or the invention of some crack
brained； long…forgotten individual？ And if so； could
it be that _i_ Leo _i_ was the man that _i_ She _i_
was waiting forthe dead man who was to be born
again？ Impossible again！ The whole thing was
gibberish！ Who ever heard of a man being born again？
But if it were possible that a woman could exist for
two thousand years； this might be possible also
anything might be possible。 I myself might； for aught
I knew； be a reincarnation of some other forgotten
self； or perhaps the last of a long line of ancestral
selves。 Well； _i_ vive la guerre！ _i_ why not？ Only；
unfortunately； I had no recollection of these previous
conditions。 The idea was so absurd to me that I burst
out laughing； and； addressing the sculptured picture
of a grim…looking warrior on the cave wall； called out
to him aloud； 〃Who knows； Old fellow？perhaps I was
your contemporary。 By Jove！ perhaps I was you and you
are I；〃 and then I laughed again at my own folly； and
the sound of my laughter rang dismally along the
vaulted roof； as though the ghost of the warrior had
uttered the ghost of a laugh。
Next I bethought me that I had not been to see how Leo
was； so； taking up one of the lamps which was burning
at my bedside； I slipped off my shoes and crept down
the passage to the entrance of his sleeping…cave。 The
draught of the night air was lifting his curtain to
and fro gently； as though spirit hands were drawing
and redrawing it。 I slid into the vault like
apartment； and looked round。 There was a light by
which I could see that Leo was lying on the couch；
tossing restlessly in his fever； but asleep。 At his
side； half…lying on the floor； half…leaning against
the stone couch； was Ustane。 She held his hand in one
of hers； but she too was dozing； and the two made a
pretty； or rather a pathetic； picture。 Poor Leo！ his
cheek was burning red； there were dark shadows beneath
his eyes； and his breath came heavily。 He was very；
very ill； and again the horrible fear seized me that
he might die； and I be left alone in the world。 And
yet if he lived he would perhaps be my rival with
Ayesha； even if he were not the man； what chance
should I； middle…aged and hideous； have against his
bright youth and beauty？ Well； thank Heaven！ my sense
of right was not dead。 _i_ She _i_ had not killed that
yet； and； as I stood there； I prayed to the Almighty
in my heart that my boy； my more than son； might live…
…ay； even if he proved to be the man。
Then I went back as softly as I had come； but still I
could not sleep； the sight and thought of dear Leo
lying there so ill had but added fuel to the fire of
my unrest。 My wearied body and overstrained mind
awakened all my imagination into preternatural
activity。 Ideas； visions； almost inspirations； floated
before it with startling vividness。 Most of them were
grotesque enough； some were ghastly； some recalled
thoughts and sensations that had for years been buried
in the _i_ de'bris _i_ of my past life。 But behind and
above them all hovered the shape of that awful woman；
and through them gleamed the memory of her entrancing
loveliness。 Up and down the cave I strodeup and
down。
Suddenly I observed； what I had not noticed before；
that there was a narrow aperture in the rocky wall。 I
took up the lamp and examined it； the aperture led to
a passage。 Now； I was still sufficiently sensible to
remember that it is not pleasant； in such a situation
as ours was； to have passages running into one's bed…
chamber from no one knows where。 If there are
passages； people can come up them； they can come up
when one is asleep。 Partly to see where it went to；
and partly from a restless desire to be doing
something； I followed the passage。 It led to a stone
stair； which I descended； the stair ended in another
passage； or rather tunnel； also hewn out of the bed…
rock； and running； so far as I could judge； exactly
beneath the gallery that led to the entrance of our
rooms； and across the great central cave。 I went on
down it： it was as silent as the grave； but still；
drawn by some sensation or attraction that I cannot
describe； I followed on； my stockinged feet falling
without noise on the smooth and rocky floor。 When I
had traversed some fifty yards of space； I came to
another passage running at right angles； and here an
awful thing happened to me： the sharp draught caught
my lamp and extinguished it； leaving me in utter
darkness in the bowels of that mysterious place。 I
took a couple of strides forward so as to clear the
bisecting tunnel； being terribly afraid lest I should
turn up it in the dark if once I got confused as to
the direction； and then paused to think。 What was I to
do？ I had no match； it seemed awful to attempt that
long journey back through the utter gloom； and yet I
could not stand there all night； and； if I did；
probably it would not help me much； for in the bowels
of the rock it would be as dark at midday as at
midnight。 I looked back over my shouldernot a sight
or a sound。 I peered forward down the darkness：
surely； far away； I saw something like the faint glow
of fire。 Perhaps it was a cave where I could get a
lightat any rate； it was worth investigating。 Slowly
and painfully I crept along the tunnel； keeping my
hand against its wall； and feeling at every step with
my foot before I put it down； fearing lest I should
fall into some pit。 Thirty pacesthere was a light； a
broad light that came and went； shining through
curtains！ Fifty pacesit was close at hand！ Sixty
oh； great heaven！
I was at the curtains； and they did not hang close； so
I could see clearly into the little cavern beyond
them。 It had all the ap