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way and that without a cause； yet behind them is the
great wind sweeping on its path whither it listeth。 So
is it with me； O Holly。 My moods and changes are the
little clouds； and fitfully these seem。 to turn； but
behind them ever blows the great wind of my purpose。
Nay； the men must die； and die as I have said。〃 Then；
suddenly turning to the captain of the guard…〃As my
word is； so be it！〃
CHAPTER X
THE TOMBS OF KO^R
AFTER the prisoners had been removed； Ayesha waved her
hand； and the spectators turned round； and began to
crawl off down the cave like a scattered flock of
sheep。 When they were a fair distance from the dais；
however； they rose and walked away； leaving the queen
and myself alone； with the exception of the mutes and
the few remaining guards； most of whom had departed
with the doomed men。 Thinking this a good opportunity；
I asked _i_ She _i_ to come and see Leo； telling her
of his serious condition； but she would not； saying
that he certainly would not die before the night； as
people never died of that sort of fever except at
nightfall or dawn。 Also she said that it would be
better to let the sickness spend its course as much as
possible before she cured it。 Accordingly； I was
rising to leave； when she bade me follow her； as she
would talk with me； and show me the wonders of the
caves。
I was too much involved in the web of her fatal
fascinations to say her no； even if I had wished；
which I did not。 _i_ She _i_ rose from her chair； and；
making some signs to the mutes； descended from the
dais。 Thereon four of the girls took lamps； and ranged
themselves two in front and two behind us； but the
others went away； as also did the guards。
〃Now；〃 she said； 〃wouldst thou see some of the wonders
of this place； O Holly？ Look upon this great cave。
Sawest thou ever the like？ Yet was it； and many more
like it； hollowed by the hands of the dead race that
once lived here in the city on the plain。 A great and
a wonderful people must？ they have been； those men of
Ko^r； but； like the Egyptians； they thought more of
the dead than of the living。 How many men； thinkest
thou； working for how many years； did it need to the
hollowing out this cave and all the。 galleries
thereof？〃
〃Tens of thousands；〃 I answered。
〃So； O Holly。 This people was an old people before the
Egyptians were。 A little can I read of their
inscriptions； having found the key theretoand； see
thou here； this was one of the last of the caves that
they hollowed；〃 and； turning to the rock behind her；
she motioned the mutes to hold up the lamps。 Carven
over the dais was the figure of an old man seated in a
chair； with an ivory rod in his hand。 It struck me at
once that his features were exceedingly like those of
the man who was represented as being embalmed in the
chamber where we took our meals。 Beneath the chair；
which； by the way； was shaped exactly like the one in
which Ayesha had sat to give judgment； was a short
inscription in the extraordinary characters of which I
have already spoken； but which I do not remember
sufficient of to illustrate。 It looked more like
Chinese writing than any other that I am acquainted
with。 This inscription Ayesha proceeded； with some
difficulty and hesitation； to read aloud and
translate。 It ran as follows：
〃In the year four thousand two hundred and ninety…nine
from the founding of the City of imperial Ko^r was
this cave （or burial…place） completed by Tisno； King
of Kar； the people thereoy and their slaves having
labored thereat for three generations； to be a tomb
for their citizens of rank who shall come after。 May
the blessing of the heaven above the heaven rest upon
their work； and make the sleep of Tisno； the mighty
monarch； the likeness of whose features is graven
above； a sound and happy sleep till the day of
awakening； and also the sleep o！ his servants； and of
those of his race who； rising up after him； shall yet
lay their heads as low。〃
〃'Thou seest； O Holly；〃 she said； 〃this people founded
the city； of which the ruins yet cumber the plain
yonder； four thousand years before this cave was
finished。 Yet； when first mine eyes be held it two
thousand years ago； was it even as it is now。 Judge；
therefore； how old must that city have been！ And now；
follow thou me； and I will show thee after what
fashion this great people fell when the time was come
for it to fall；〃 and she led the way down to the
centre of the cave； stopping at a spot where a round
rock had been let into a kind of large manhole in the
flooring； accurately filling it just as the iron
plates fill the spaces in the London pavements down
which the coals are thrown。 〃Thou seest；〃 she said。
〃Tell me； what is it？〃
〃Nay； I know not；〃 I answered； whereon she crossed to
the left…hand side of the cave （looking towards the
entrance） and signed to the mutes to hold up the
lamps。 On the wall was something painted with a red
pigment in similar characters to those hewn beneath
the sculpture of Tisno； King of Ko^r。 This inscription
she proceeded to translate to me； the pigment still
being quite fresh enough to show the form of the
letters。 It ran as follows：
〃'I； Junis； a priest of the Great Temple of Ko^r；
write this upon the rock of the burying…place in the
year four thousand eight hundred and three from the
founding of Ko^r。 Ko^r is fallen！ No more shall the
mighty feast in her halls； no more shall she rule the
world； and her navies go out to commerce with the
world。 Ko^r is fallen！ and her mighty works and all
the cities of Ko^r； and all the harbors that she built
and the canals that she made； are for the wolf and the
owl and the wild swan； and the barbarian who comes
after。 Twenty and five moons ago did a cloud settle
upon Ko^r； and the hundred cities of Ko^r； and out of
the cloud came a pestilence that slew people； old and
young； one with another。 One with another turned black
and diedthe young the old； the rich and the poor；
the the woman； the prince and the the pestilence slew
and slew； and not by day or by night； and those who
escaped from the pestilence were slain of the famine。
No longer could the bodies of the children of Ko^r be
preserved according to the ancient rites； because of
the number of the dead； therefore were they hurled
into the great pit beneath the cave through the hole
in the floor of the cave。 Then at last； a remnant of
this the great people； the light of the whole world；
went down to the coast and took ship and sailed
northwards； and now am I； the Priest Junis； who write
this； the last man left alive of this great city of
men； but whether there be any yet left in the other
cities I know not。 This do I write in misery of heart
before I die； because Ko^r the Imperial is no more；
and because there are none to worship in her temple；
and all her palaces are empty； and her princes and her
captains and her traders and her fair women have
passed off the face of the earth。〃
I gave a sigh of astonishmentthe utter desolation
depicted in this rude scrawl was so overpowering。 It
was terrible to think of this solitary survivor of a
mighty people recording its fate before he too went
down into darkness。 What must the old man have felt
as； in ghastly； terrifying solitude； by the light of
one lamp feebly illumining a little space of gloom； he
in a few brief lines daubed the history of his
nation's death upon the cavern wall？ What a subject
for the moralist； or the painter； or indeed for any
one who can think！
〃Doth it not occur to thee； O Holly；〃 said Ayesha；
laying her hand upon my shoulder； 〃that those men who
sailed north may have been the fathers of the first
Egyptians？〃
〃Nay； I know not；〃 I said； 〃it seems that the world is
very old。〃
〃Old？ Yes； it is old。 indeed。 Time after time have
nations； ay； and rich and strong nations； learned in
the arts； been and passed away and been forgotten； so
that no memory of them remains。 This is but one of
several； for Time eats up the works of man； unless；
indeed； he digs in caves like the people of Ko^r； and
then mayhap the sea swallows them； or the earthquake
shakes them in。 Who knows what hath been on the earth；
or what shall be？ There is no new thing under the sun；
as the wise Hebrew wrote long ago。 Yet were not these
people utterly destroyed； as I think。 Some few
remained in the other cities； for their cities were
many。 But the barbarians from the south； or perchance
my people； the Arabs； came down upon them； and took
their women to wife； and the race of the Amahagger
that is now is a bastard brood of the mighty sons of
Ko^r； and behold it dwelleth in the tombs with its
fathers' bones。 But I know not： who can know？ My arts
cannot pierce so far into the blackness of Time's
night。 A great people were they。 They conquered till
none were left to conquer； and then they dwelt at ease
within their rocky mountain walls； with their
manservants and their maid…servants； their minstrels；
their sculptors； and their concubines； and traded and
quarrelled； and ate and hunted and slept and made