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！
coming。 And thou hast come； and none can stand between
thee and me； and of a truth now for death I will give
thee lifenot life eternal； for that none can give；
but life and youth that shall endure for thousands
upon thousands of years； and with it pomp and power
and wealth； and all things that are good and
beautiful； such as have been to no man before thee；
nor shall be to any man who comes after。 And now one
thing more； and thou shalt rest and make ready for the
day of thy new birth。 Thou seest this body； which was
thine own。 For all these centuries it hath been my
cold comfort and my companion； but now I need it no
more； for I have thy living presence； and it can but
serve to stir up memories of that which I would fain
forget。 Let it therefore go back to the dust from
which I held it。
〃Behold！ I have prepared against this happy hour！〃 and
going to the other shelf or stone ledge； which； she
said； had served her for a bed； she took from it a
large vitrified double…handed vase； the mouth of which
was tied up with a bladder。 This she loosed； and then；
having bent down and gently kissed the white forehead
of the dead man； she undid the vase； and sprinkled its
contents carefully over the form； taking； I observed；
the greatest precautions against any drop of it
touching us or herself； and then poured out what
remained of the liquid upon the chest and head。
Instantly a dense vapor arose； and the cave was filled
with choking fumes that prevented us from seeing
anything while the deadly acid （for I presume it was
some tremendous preparation of that sort） did its
work。 From the spot where the body lay came a fierce
fizzing and cracking sound； which ceased； however；
before the fumes had cleared away。 At last they were
all gone； except a little cloud that still hung over
the corpse。 In a couple of minutes more this too had
vanished； and； wonderful as it may seem； it is a fact
that on the stone bench that had supported the mortal
remains of the ancient Kallikrates for so many
centuries there was now nothing to be seen but a few
handfuls of smoking white powder。 The acid had utterly
destroyed the body； and even in places eaten into the
stone。 Ayesha stooped down； and； taking a handful of
this powder in her grasp； threw it into the air；
saying at the same time； in a voice of calm solemnity…
…
〃Dust to dust！ the past to the past！ the dead to the
dead！ Kallikrates is dead； and is born again！〃
The ashes floated noiselessly to the rocky floor； and
we stood in awed silence and watched them fall； too
overcome for words。
〃Now leave me；〃 she said； 〃and sleep if ye may。 I must
watch and think； for to…morrow night we go hence； and
the time is long since I trod the path that we must
follow。〃
Accordingly we bowed； and left her。 As we passed to
our own apartment I peeped into Job's sleeping…place
to see how he fared； for he had gone away just before
our interview with the murdered Ustane； quite
prostrated by the terrors of the Amahagger festivity。
He as sleeping soundly； good honest fellow that he
was； and I rejoiced to think that his nerves； which；
like those of most uneducated people； were far from
strong； had been spared the closing scenes of this
dreadful day。 Then。 we entered our own chamber； and
here at last poor Leo； who； ever since he had looked
upon that frozen image of his living self； had been in
a state not far removed from stupefaction； burst out
into a torrent of grief。 Now that he was no longer in
the presence of the dread _i_ She _i_ ； his sense of
the awfulness of all that had happened； and more
especially of the wicked murder of Ustane； who was
bound to him by ties so close； broke upon him like a
storm； and lashed him into an agony of remorse and
terror which was painful to witness。 He cursed
himselfhe cursed the hour when we had first seen the
writing on the sherd； which was being so mysteriously
verified； and bitterly he cursed his own weakness。
Ayesha he dared not cursewho dared speak evil of
such a woman； whose consciousness； for aught we knew；
was watching us at the very moment？
〃What am I to do； old fellow？〃 he groaned； resting his
head against my shoulder in the extremity of his
grief。 〃I let her be killednot that I could help
that； but within five minutes I was kissing her
murderess over her body。 I am a degraded brute； but I
cannot resist that〃 （and here his voice sank）〃that
awful sorceress。 I know I shall do it again to…morrow；
I know that I am in her power for always； if I never
saw her again I should never think of anybody else
during all my life； I must follow her as a needle
follows a magnet； I would not go away now if I could；
I could not leave her； my legs would not carry me； but
my mind is still clear enough； and in my mind I hate
herat least； I think so。 It is all so horrible； and
thatthat body！ What can I make of it？ It was me！ I
am sold into bondage； old fellow； and she will take my
soul as the price of herself。〃
Then； for the first time； I told him that I was in a
but very little better position； and I am bound to say
that； notwithstanding his own infatuation； he had the
decency to sympathize with me。 Perhaps he did not
think it worth while being jealous； realizing that he
had no cause so far as the lady was concerned。 I went
on to suggest that we should try to run away； but we
soon rejected the project as futile； and； to be
perfectly honest； I do not believe that either of us
would really have left Ayesha even if some superior
power had suddenly offered to convey us from these
gloomy caves and set us down in Cambridge。 We could no
more have left her than a moth can leave the light
that destroys it。 We were like confirmed opium eaters；
in our moments of reason we well knew the deadly
nature of our pursuit； but we certainly were not
prepared to abandon its terrible delights。
No man who once had seen _i_ She _i_ unveiled； and
heard the music of her voice； and drunk in the bitter
wisdom of her words； would willingly give up the sight
for a whole sea of placid joys。 How much more then was
this likely to be so when； as in Leo's case； to put
myself out of the question； this extraordinary
creature declared her utter and absolute devotion； and
gave what appeared to be proofs of its having lasted
for some two thousand years？
No doubt she was a wicked person； and no doubt she had
murdered Ustane when she stood in her path； but then
she was very faithful； and by a law of nature man is
apt to think but lightly of a woman's crimes；
especially if that woman be beautiful； and the crime
be committed for the love of him。
And then for the rest； when had such a chance ever
come to a man before as that which now lay in Leo's
hand？ True； in uniting himself to this dread woman； he
would place his life under the influence of a
mysterious creature of evil tendencies； but then that
would be likely enough to happen to him in any
ordinary marriage。 On the other hand； however； no
ordinary marriage could bring him such awful beauty
for awful is the only word that can describe itsuch
divine devotion； such wisdom； and command over the
secrets of nature； and the place and power that they
must win； or； lastly； the royal crown of unending
youth； if indeed she could give that。 No； on the
whole； it is not wonderful that though Leo was plunged
in bitter shame and grief； such as any gentleman would
have felt under the circumstances； he was not ready to
entertain the idea of running away from his
extraordinary fortune。
My own opinion is that he would have been mad if he
had done so。 But then I confess that my statement on
the matter must be accepted with qualifications。 I am
in love with Ayesha myself to this day； and I would
rather have been the object of her affection for one
short week than that of any other woman in the world
for a whole lifetime。 And let me add that if anybody
who doubts this statement； and thinks me foolish for
making it； could have seen Ayesha draw her veil and
flash out in beauty on his gaze； his view would
exactly coincide with my own。 Of course I am speaking
of any man。 We never had the advantage of a lady's
opinion of Ayesha； but I think it quite possible that
she would have regarded the queen with dislike； would
have expressed her disapproval in some more or less
pointed manner； and ultimately have got herself
blasted。
For two hours or more Leo and I sat with shaken nerves
and frightened eyes； and talked over the miraculous
events through which we were passing。 It seemed like a
dream or a fairy tale； instead of the solemn； sober
fact。 Who would have believed that the writing on the
potsherd was not only true； but that we should live to
verify its truth； and that we two seekers should find
her who was sought； patiently awaiting our coming in
the tombs of Ko^r？ Who would have thought that in the
person of Leo this mysterious woman should； as she
believed； discover the being whom she awaited from
century to century； and whose former earthly
habitation she had till this very night pr