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！
through it myself？ Was I not going through it afresh
even then； although her sweet and passionate gaze was
not for me？ Yes； alas； I was！ Alas； that I should have
to confess that at that very moment I was rent by mad
and furious jealousy。 I could have flown at him； shame
upon me！ The woman had confounded and almost destroyed
my moral sense； as she was bound to confound all who
looked upon her superhuman loveliness。 ButI do not
quite know how I got the better of myself； and once
more turned to see the climax of the tragedy。
〃Oh； great Heaven！〃 gasped Leo； 〃art thou a woman？〃
〃A woman in truthin very truth…and thine own spouse；
Kallikrates！〃 she answered； stretching out her rounded
ivory arms towards him； and smiling； ah； so sweetly！
He looked and looked； and slowly I perceived that he
was drawing nearer to her。 Suddenly his eye fell upon
the corpse of poor Ustane； and he shuddered and
stopped。
〃How can I？〃 he said； hoarsely。 〃Thou art a murderess；
she loved me。〃
Observe； he was already forgetting that he had loved
her。
〃It is naught；〃 she murmured； and her voice sounded
sweet as the night wind passing through the trees。 〃It
is naught at all。 If I have sinned； let my beauty
answer for my sin。 If I have sinned； it is for love of
thee； let my sin； therefore； be put away and
forgotten；〃 and once more she stretched out her arms
and whispered 〃Come；〃 and then in another few seconds
it was over。 I saw him struggleI saw him even turn
to fly； but her eyes drew him more strongly than iron
bonds； and the magic of her beauty and concentrated
will and passion entered into him and overpowered him…
…ay； even there； in the presence of the body of the
woman who had loved him well enough to die for him。 It
sounds horrible and wicked enough； but he cannot be
blamed too much； and be sure his sin will find him
out。 The temptress who drew him into evil was more
than human； and her beauty was greater than the
loveliness of the daughters of men。
I looked up again； and now her perfect form lay in his
arms； and her lips were pressed against his own； and
thus； with the corpse of his dead love for an altar；
did Leo Vincey plight his troth to her red…handed
murderessplight it forever and a day。 For those who
sell themselves into a like dominion； paying down the
price of their own honor； and throwing their soul into
the balance to sink the scale to the level of their
lusts； can hope for no deliverance here or hereafter。
As they have sown； so shall they reap and reap； even
when the poppy flowers of passion have withered in
their hands； and their harvest is but bitter tares；
garnered in satiety。
Suddenly； with a snakelike motion； she seemed to slip
from his embrace； and then again broke out into her
low laugh of triumphant mockery。
〃Did I not tell thee that within a little space thou
wouldst creep to my knee； oh Kallikrates？ And surely
the space has not been a great one！〃
Leo groaned in shame and misery； for though he was
overcome and stricken down he was not so lost as to be
unaware of the depth of the degradation to which he
had sunk。 On the contrary； his better nature rose up
in arms against his fallen self； as I saw clearly
enough later on。
Ayesha laughed again； and then quickly veiled herself；
and made a sign to the girl mute； who had been
watching the whole scene with curious； startled eyes。
The girl left； and presently returned； followed by two
male mutes； to whom the queen made another sign。
Thereon they all three seized the body of poor Ustane
by the arms； and dragged it heavily down the cavern
and away through the curtains at the end。 Leo watched
it for a little while； and then covered his eyes with
his hand； and it too； to my excited fancy； seemed to
watch us as it went。
〃There passes the dead past；〃 said Ayesha； solemnly；
as the curtains shook and fell back into their places；
when the ghastly procession had vanished behind them。
And then； with one of those extraordinary transitions
of which I have already spoken； she again threw off
her veil； and broke out； after the ancient and poetic
fashion of the dwellers in Arabia； into a paean of
triumph； or epithalamium； which； wild and beautiful as
it was； is exceedingly difficult to render into
English； and ought by rights to be sung to the music
of a cantata； rather than written and read。 It was
divided into two parts…one descriptive or definitive；
and the other personal； and； as nearly as I can
remember； ran as follows：
〃Love is like a flower in the desert。
It is like the aloe of Arabia that blooms but once and
dies； it blooms in the salt emptiness of Life； and the
brightness of its beauty is set upon the waste as a
star is set upon a storm。
It hath the sun above that is the spirit； and above it
blows the air of its divinity。
At the echoing of a step； Love blooms； I say； I say
Love blooms； and bends her beauty down to him who
passeth by。
He plucketh it； yea； he plucketh the red cup that is
lull of honey； and beareth it away； away across the
desert； away till the flower be withered； away till
the desert be done。
There is only one perfect flower in the wilderness of
Life。
That flower is Love！
There is only one fixed star in the mists of our
wandering。
That star is Love！
There is only one hope in our despairing night。
That hope is Love！
All else is false。 All else is shadow moving upon
water。 All else is wind and vanity。
Who shall say what is the weight or the measure of
Love？
It is born of the flesh； it dwelleth in the spirit。
From each doth it draw its comfort。
For beauty it is as a star。
Many are its shapes； but all are beautiful； and none
know where the star rose； or the horizon where it
shall set。〃
Then； turning to Leo； and laying her hand upon his
shoulder； she went on in a fuller and more triumphant
tone； speaking in balanced sentences that gradually
grew and swelled from idealized prose into pure and
majestic verse：
〃Long have I loved thee； O my love； yet has my love
not lessened。
Long have I waited for thee； and behold my reward is
at handis here！
Far away I saw thee once； and thou wast taken from me。
Then in a grave sowed I the seed of patience； and
shone upon it with the sun of hope； and watered it
with tears of repentance； and breathed on it with the
breath of my knowledge。 And now lo！ it hath sprung up；
and borne fruit。 Lo！ out of the grave hath it sprung。
Yea； from among the dry bones and ashes of the dead。
I have waited and my reward is with me。
I have overcome Death； and Death brought back to me
him that was dead。
Therefore do I rejoice； for fair is the future。
Green are the paths that we shall tread across the
everlasting meadows。
The hour is at hand。 Night hath fled away into the
valleys。
The dawn kisseth the mountain…tops。
Soft shall we lie； my love； and easy shall we go。
Crowned shall we be with the diadem of Kings。
Worshipping and wonderstruck all peoples of the world；
Blinded； shall fall before our beauty and our might。
From time unto times shall our greatness thunder on；
Rolling like a chariot through the dust of endless
days。
Laughing shall we speed in our victory and pomp；
Laughing like the Daylight as he leaps along the
hills。
Onward； still triumphant to a triumph ever new！
Onward； in our power to a power unattained！
Onward； never weary； clad with splendor for a robe！
Till accomplished be our late； and the night is
rushing down。〃
_i_ She _i_ paused in her strange and most thrilling
allegorical chant； of which I am； unfortunately； only
able to give the burden； and that feebly enough； and
then said；
〃Perchance thou dost not believe my word； Kallikrates…
…perchance thou thinkest that I do delude thee； and
that I have not lived these many years； and that thou
hast not been born again to me。 Nay； look not soput
away that pale cast of doubt； for oh； be sure herein
can error find no foothold！ Sooner shall the suns
forget their course and the swallow miss her nest；
than my soul shall swear a lie and be led astray from
thee； Kallikrates。 Blind me； take away mine eyes； and
let the darkness utterly fence me in； and still mine
ears would catch the tone of thine unforgotten voice；
striking more loud against the portals of my sense
than can the call of brazen…throated clarionsstop up
mine hearing also； and let a thousand touch me on the
brow； and I would name thee out of allyea； rob me of
every sense； and see me stand deaf and blind and dumb；
and with nerves that cannot weigh the value of a
touch； yet would my spirit leap within me like a
quickening child and cry unto my heart； behold
Kallikrates！ behold； thou watcher； the watches of thy
night are ended！ behold； thou who seekest in the night
season； thy morning Star ariseth。〃
_i_ She _i_ paused awhile and then continued；
〃But stay； if thy heart is yet hardened against the
mighty truth and thou dost require a further pledge of
that which thou dost find too deep to understand；
even： now shall it be given to th