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〃I slept not well； O Ayesha！〃 I answered with perfect
truth； and with an inward fear that perhaps she knew
how I had passed the heart of the night。
〃So；〃 she said； with a little laugh； 〃I； too； have。
not slept well。 Lest night I had dreams； and； methinks
that thou didst call them to me； O Holly。〃
〃Of what didst thou dream； Ayesha？〃 I asked；
indifferently。
〃I dreamed；〃 she answered； quickly； 〃of one I hate and
one I love；〃 and then； as though to turn the
conversation； she addressed the captain of her guard
in Arabic： 〃Let the men be brought before me。〃
The captain bowed low； for the guard and her
attendants did not prostrate themselves； but had
remained standing； and departed with his underlings
down a passage to the right。
Then came a silence。 _i_ She _i_ leaned her swathed
head upon her hand and appeared to be lost in thought；
while the multitude before her continued to grovel
upon their stomachs； only screwing their heads round a
little so as to get a view of us with one eye。 It
seemed that their queen so rarely appeared in public
that they were willing to undergo this inconvenience；
and even graver risks； to have the opportunity of
looking on her； or rather on her garments； for no
living man there except myself had ever seen her face。
At last we caught sight of the waving of lights； and
heard the tramp of men coming along the passage； and
in filed the guard； and with them the survivors of our
would…be murderers to the number of twenty or more； on
whose countenances the natural expression of
sullenness struggled with the terror that evidently
filled their savage hearts。 They were ranged in front
of the dais； and would have cast themselves down on
the floor of the cave like the spectators； but _i_ She
_i_ stopped them。
〃Nay；〃 she said； in her softest voice； I pray you
stand。 Perchance time will soon be when ye shall weary
of being stretched out；〃 she laughed； melodiously。 I
saw a cringe of terror run along the of the poor；
doomed wretches； wicked villains as they were； I felt
for them。 Some minutes； perhaps two or three； passed
before anything occurred； during which _i_ She _i_
apppeared from the movement of her head； of course； we
could not see her face； to be slowly and carefully
examining each delinquent。 At last she spoke；
addressing herself to me； in a quiet and deliberate
tone。
〃Dost thou； O my guest； who art known in thine own
country by the name of the Prickly Tree； recognize
these men？〃
〃Ay； O queen； nearly all of them；〃 I said； and I saw
them glower at me as I said it。
〃Then tell to me； and this great company； the tale
whereof I have heard。〃
Thus adjured； I； in as few words as I could； related
the history of the cannibal feast； and of the
attempted torture of our poor servant。 The narrative
was received in perfect silence； both by the accused
and by the audience； and also by _i_ She _i_ herself。
When I had done； Ayesha called upon Billali by name；
and； lifting his head from the ground； but without
rising； the old man confirmed my story。 No further
evidence was taken。
〃Ye have heard；〃 said _i_ She _i_ ； at length； in a
cold； clear voice； very different from her usual
tonesindeed； it was one of the most remarkable
things about this extraordinary creature that her
voice had the power of suiting itself in a wonderful
manner to the mood of the moment。 〃What have ye to
say； ye rebellions children； why vengeance should not
be done upon you？〃
For some time there was no answer； but at last one of
the men； a fine； broad…chested fellow； well on in
middle life； with deep…graven features and an eye like
a hawk's； spoke； and said that the orders that they
had received were not to harm the white men； nothing
was said of their black servant； so； egged on thereto
by a woman who was now dead； they proceeded to try to
hot…pot him after the ancient and honorable custom of
their country； with a view of eating him in due
course。 As for the attack upon ourselves； it was made
in an access of sudden fury； and they deeply regretted
it。 He ended by humbly praying that mercy might be
extended to them； or； at least； that they might be
banished into the swamps； to live or die as it might
chance； but I saw it written on his face that he had
but little hope of mercy。
Then came a pause； and the most intense silence
reigned over the whole scene； which； illuminated as it
was by the flicker of the lamps striking out broad
patterns of light and shadow upon the rocky walls； was
as strange as any I ever saw； even in that unholy
land。 Upon the ground before the dais were stretched
scores of the corpselike forms of the spectators； till
at last the long lines of them were lost in the gloomy
background。 Before this outstretched audience were the
knots of evil…doers； trying to cover up their natural
terrors with a brave appearance of unconcern。 On the
right and left stood the silent guards； robed in white
and armed with great spears and daggers； and men and
women mutes watching with hard； curious eyes。 Then；
seated in her barbaric chair above them all； with
myself at her feet； was the veiled white woman； whose
loveliness and awesome power seemed to visibly shine
about her like a halo； or rather like the glow from
some unseen light。 Never have I seen her veiled shape
look more terrible than it did in that space； while
she gathered herself up for vengeance。
At last it came。
〃Dogs and serpents；〃 _i_ She _i_ began； in a low voice
that gradually gathered power as she went on till the
place rang with it。 〃Eaters of human flesh； two things
have ye done。 First； ye have attacked these strangers；
being white men； and would have slain their servant；
and for that alone death is your reward。 But that is
not all。 Ye have dared to disobey me。 Did I not send
my word unto you by Billali； my servant； and the
father of your household？ Did I not bid you to
hospitably entertain these strangers； whom now ye have
striven to slay； and whom； had not they been brave and
strong beyond the strength of men； ye would cruelly
have murdered？ Hath it not been taught to you from
childhood that the law of _i_ She _i_ is an ever…fixed
law； and that he who breaketh it by so much as one jot
or tittle shall perish？ And is not my lightest word a
law？ Have not your fathers taught you this； I say；
while as yet ye were but children？ Do ye not know that
as well might ye bid these great caves to fall upon
you； or the sun to cease its journeying； as to hope to
turn me from my courses； or make my word light or
heavy； according to your minds？ Well do ye know it； ye
wicked ones。 But ye are all evilevil to the core
the wickedness bubbles up in you like a fountain in
the spring…time。 Were it not for me； generations since
had ye ceased to be； for of your own evil way had ye
destroyed each other。 And now； because ye have done
this thing； because ye have striven to put these men；
my guests； to death； and yet more because ye have
dared to disobey my word； this is the doom that I doom
you to。 That ye be taken to the cave of torture； and
given over to the tormentors； and that on the going
down of to…morrow's sun those of you who yet remain
alive be slain； even as ye would have slain the
servant of this my guest。〃
_i_ She _i_ ceased； and a faint murmur of horror ran
round the cave。 As for the victims； as soon as they
realized the full hideousness of their doom； their
stoicism forsook them； and they flung themselves down
upon the ground； and wept and implored for mercy in a
way that was dreadful to behold。 I； too； turned to
Ayesha； and begged her to spare them； or at least to
mete out their fate in some less awful way。 But she
was hard as adamant about it。
〃My Holly；〃 she said； again speaking in Greek； which；
to tell the truth； although I have always been
considered a better scholar of that language than most
men； I found it rather difficult to follow； chiefly
because of the change in the fall of the accent。
Ayesha； of course； talked with the accent of her
contemporaries； whereas we have only tradition and the
modern accent to guide us as to the exact
pronunciation〃My Holly； it cannot be。 Were I to show
mercy to those wolves； your lives would not be safe
among this people for a day。 Thou knowest them not。
They are tigers to lap blood； and even now they hunger
for your lives。 How thinkest thou that I rule this
people？ I have but a regiment of guards to do my
bidding； therefore it is not by force。 It is by
terror。 My empire is of the imagination。 Once in a
generation mayhap I do as I have done but now； and
slay a score by torture。 Believe not that I would be
cruel； or take vengeance on anything so low。 What can
it profit me to be avenged on such as these？ Those who
live long； my Holly； have no passions； save where they
have interests。 Though I may seem to slay in wrath； or
because my mood is crossed； it is not so。 Thou hast
seen how in the heavens the little clouds blow this
way and that without a cause； yet behind them is the
great wind sweeping on its path wh