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！
that which thou dost find too deep to understand；
even： now shall it be given to thee； and to thee also；
O my Holly。 Bear each one of you a lamp； and follow
after me whither I shall lead you。〃
Without stopping to thinkindeed； speaking for
myself； I had almost abandoned the function in
circumstances under which to think seemed to be
absolutely useless； since thought fell； hourly；
helpless against a black wall of wonderwe took the
lamps and followed her。 Going to the end of her
〃boudoir；〃 she raised a curtain and revealed a little
stair of the sort that was so common in these dim
caves of Ko^r。 As we hurried down the stair I observed
that the steps were worn in the centre to such an
extent that some of them had been reduced from seven
and a half inches； at which I guessed their original
height； to about three and a halt。 Now； all the other
steps that I had seen in the caves had been
practically unworn； as was to be expected； seeing that
the only traffic which ever passed upon them was that
of those who bore a fresh burden to the tomb。
Therefore this fact struck my notice with that curious
force with which little things do strike us when our
minds are absolutely overwhelmed by a sudden rush of
powerful sensations； beaten flat； as it were； like a
sea beneath the first burst of a hurricane； so that
every little object on the surface starts into an
unnatural prominence。
At the bottom of the staircase I stood and stared at
the worn steps； and Ayesha； turning； saw me。
〃Wonders thou whose are the feet that have worn away
the rock； my Holly？〃 she asked。 〃They are mineeven
mine own light feet！ I can remember when these stairs
were fresh and level； but for two thousand years and
more have I gone down hither day by day； and see； my
sandals have worn out the solid rock！〃
I made no answer； but I do not think that anything
that I had heard or seen brought home to my limited
understanding so clear a sense of this being's
overwhelming antiquity as that hard rock hollowed out
by her soft； white feet。 How many millions of times
must she have passed up and down that stair to bring
about such a result？
The stair led to a tunnel； and a few paces down the
tunnel was one of the usual curtain…hung doorways； a
glance at which told me that it was the same where I
had been a witness of that terrible scene by the
leaping flame。 I recognized the pattern of the
curtain； and the sight of it brought the whole event
vividly before my eyes； and made me tremble even at
its memory。 Ayesha entered the tomb （for it was a
tomb）； and we followed herI； for one； rejoicing that
the mystery of the place was about to be cleared up；
and yet afraid to face its solution。
CHAPTER XXI
THE DEAD AND LIVING MEET
〃SEE now the place where I have slept for these two
thousand years；〃 said Ayesha； taking the lamp from
Leo's hand and holding it above her head。 Its rays
fell upon a little hollow in the floor； where I had
seen the leaping flame； but the fire was out now。 They
fell upon the white form stretched there beneath its
wrappings upon its bed of stone； upon the fretted
carving of the tomb； and upon another shelf of stone
opposite the one on which the body lay； and separated
from it by the breadth of the cave。
〃Here；〃 went on Ayesha； laying her hand upon the rock…
…〃here have I slept night by night for all these
generations； with but a cloak to cover me。 It did not
become me that I should lie soft when my spouse
yonder；〃 and she pointed to the rigid form； 〃lay stiff
in death。 Here night by night have I slept in his cold
companytill； thou seest； this thick slab； like the
stairs down which we passed； has worn thin with the
tossing of my formso faithful have I been to thee
even in thy space of sleep； Kallikrates。 And now； mine
own； thou shalt see a wonderful thingliving； thou
shalt behold thyself deadfor well have I tended thee
during all these years； Kallikrates。 Art thou
prepared？〃
We made no answer； but gazed at each other with
frightened eyes； the whole scene was so dreadful and
so solemn。 Ayesha advanced； and laid her hand upon the
corner of the shroud； and once more spoke。
〃Be not affrighted；〃 she said； 〃though the thing seem
wonderful to theeall we who live have thus lived
before； nor is the very shape that holds us a stranger
to the sun！ Only we know it not； because memory writes
no record； and earth hath gathered in the earth she
lent us； for none have saved our glory from the grave。
But I； by my arts and by the arts of those dead men of
Ko^r which I have learned； have held thee back； O
Kallikrates； from the dust； that the waxen stamp of
beauty on thy face should ever rest before mine eye。
'Twas a mask that memory might fill； serving to
fashion out thy presence from the past； and give it
strength to wander in the habitations of my thought；
clad in a mummery of life that stayed my appetite with
visions of dead days。
〃Behold now； let the Dead and Living meet！ Across the
gulf of Time they still are one。 Time hath no power
against identity； though sleep the merciful hath
blotted out the tablets of our mind； and with oblivion
sealed the sorrows that else would hound us from life
to life； stuffing the brain with gathered griefs till
it burst in the madness of uttermost despair。 Still
are they one； for the wrappings of our sleep shall
roll away as thunder…clouds before the wind； the
frozen voices of the past shall melt in music like
mountain snows beneath the sun； and the weeping and
the laughter of the lost hours shall be heard once
more most sweetly echoing up the cliffs of
immeasurable time。
〃Ay； the sleep shall roll away； and the voices shall
be heard； when down the completed chain； whereof our
each existence is a link； the lightning of the Spirit
hath passed to work out the purpose of our being；
quickening and fusing those separated days of life；
and shaping them to a staff whereon we may safely lean
as we wend to our appointed fate。
〃Therefore； have no fear； Kallikrates； when thou
living； and but lately bornshalt look upon thine own
departed self； who breathed and died so long ago。 I do
but turn one page in thy Book of Being； and show thee
what is writ thereon。
〃 _i_ Behold _i_ 〃
With a sudden motion she drew the shroud from the cold
form； and let the lamplight play upon it。 I looked；
and then shrank back terrified； since； say what she
might in explanation； the sight was an uncanny one
for her explanations were beyond the grasp of our
finite minds； and when they were stripped from the
mists of vague esoteric philosophy； and brought into
conflict with the cold and horrifying fact； did not do
much to break its force。 For there； stretched upon the
stone bier before us； robed in white and perfectly
preserved； was what appeared to be the body of Leo
Vincey。 I stared from Leo； standing there alive； to
Leo lying there dead； and could see no difference；
except； perhaps； that the body on the bier looked
older。 Feature for feature they were the same； even
down to the crop of little golden curls； which was
Leo's most uncommon beauty。 It even seemed to me； as I
looked； that the expression on the dead man's face
resembled that which I had sometimes seen upon Leo's
when he was plunged into profound sleep。 I can only
sum up the closeness of the resemblance by saying that
I never saw twins so exactly similar as that dead and
living pair。
I turned to see what effect was produced upon Leo by
this sight of his dead self； and found it to be one of
partial stupefaction。 He stood for two or three
minutes staring and said nothing； and when at last he
spoke it was only to ejaculate
〃Cover it up and take me away。〃
〃Nay； wait； Kallikrates；〃 said Ayesha； who； standing
with the lamp raised above her head； flooding with its
light her own rich beauty and the cold wonder of the
death…clothed form upon the bier； resembled an
inspired Sibyl rather than a woman； as she rolled out
her majestic sentences with a grandeur and a freedom
of utterance which I am； alas！ quite unable to
reproduce。
〃Wait； I would show thee something； that no tittle of
my crime may。 be hidden from thee。 Do thou； O Holly；
open the garment on the breast of the dead
Kallikrates； for perchance my lord may fear to touch
himself。〃
I obeyed with trembling hands。 It seemed a desecration
and an unhallowed thing to touch that sleeping image
of the live man by my side。 Presently his broad chest
was bare； and there upon it； right over the heart； was
a wound； evidently inflicted with a spear。
〃Thou seest； Kallikrates；〃 she said。 〃Know then that
it was I who slew thee； in the Place of Life I gave
thee death。 I slew thee because of the Egyptian
Amenartas； whom thou didst love； for by her wiles she
held thy heart； and her I could not smite as but now I
smote the woman； for she was too strong for me。 In my
haste and bitter anger I slew thee； and now for all
these days have I lamented thee； and waited for thy
coming。 And thou hast come； and none can stand between
thee and me； and of a truth