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！
nigh achieved through such dread； fleeting back to the earth from
which its material was drawn to give bloom； indeedbut to herbs；
joy indeedbut to insects！
And now； in the flash of the sun； slowly wound up the slopes that
led to the circle； the same barbaric procession which had sunk into
the valley under the ray of the moon。 The armed men came first；
stalwart and tall； their vests brave with crimson and golden lace；
their weapons gayly gleaming with holiday silver。 After them； the
Black Litter。 As they came to the place； Ayesha； not raising her
head； spoke to them in her own Eastern tongue。 A wail was her
answer。 The armed men bounded forward； and the bearers left the
litter。
All gathered round the dead form with the face concealed under the
Black Veil； all knelt； and all wept。 Far in the distance； at the
foot of the blue mountains； a crowd of the savage natives had risen
up as if from the earth； they stood motionless leaning on their
clubs and spears； and looking toward the spot on which we were
strangely thus brought into the landscape； as if they too； the wild
dwellers on the verge which Humanity guards from the Brute； were
among the mourners for the mysterious Child of mysterious Nature！
And still； in the herbage； hummed the small insects； and still；
from the cavern； laughed the great kingfisher。 I said to Ayesha；
〃Farewell！ your love mourns the dead； mine calls me to the living。
You are now with your own people； they may console yousay if I
can assist。〃
〃There is no consolation for me！ What mourner can be consoled if
the dead die forever？ Nothing for him is left but a grave； that
grave shall be in the land where the song of Ayesha first lulled
him to sleep。 Thou assist MEthou； the wise man of Europe！ From
me ask assistance。 What road wilt thou take to thy home？〃
〃There is but one road known to me through the maze of the
solitudethat which we took to this upland。〃
〃On that road Death lurks； and awaits thee！ Blind dupe； couldst
thou think that if the grand secret of life had been won； he whose
head rests on my lap would have yielded thee one petty drop of the
essence which had filched from his store of life but a moment？ Me；
who so loved and so cherished himme he would have doomed to the
pitiless cord of my servant； the Strangler； if my death could have
lengthened a hairbreadth the span of his being。 But what matters
to me his crime or his madness？ I loved him； I loved him！〃
She bowed her veiled head lower and lower； perhaps under the veil
her lips kissed the lips of the dead。 Then she said whisperingly：
〃Juma the Strangler； whose word never failed to his master； whose
prey never slipped from his snare； waits thy step on the road to
thy home！ But thy death cannot now profit the dead； the beloved。
And thou hast had pity for him who took but thine aid to design thy
destruction。 His life is lost； thine is saved！〃
She spoke no more in the tongue that I could interpret。 She spoke；
in the language unknown； a few murmured words to her swarthy
attendants； then the armed men； still weeping； rose； and made a
dumb sign to me to go with them。 I understood by the sign that
Ayesha had told them to guard me on my way； but she gave no reply
to my parting thanks。
XI
I descended into the valley； the armed men followed。 The path； on
that side of the water course not reached by the flames； wound
through meadows still green； or amidst groves still unscathed。 As
a turning in the way brought in front of my sight the place I had
left behind； I beheld the black litter creeping down the descent；
with its curtains closed； and the Veiled Woman walking by its side。
But soon the funeral procession was lost to my eyes； and the
thoughts that it roused were erased。 The waves in man's brain are
like those of the sea； rushing on； rushing over the wrecks of the
vessels that rode on their surface； to sink； after storm； in their
deeps。 One thought cast forth into the future now mastered all in
the past： 〃Was Lilian living still？〃 Absorbed in the gloom of that
thought； hurried on by the goad that my heart； in its tortured
impatience； gave to my footstep； I outstripped the slow stride of
the armed men； and； midway between the place I had left and the
home which I sped to； came； far in advance of my guards； into the
thicket in which the Bushmen had started up in my path on the night
that Lilian had watched for my coming。 The earth at my feet was
rife with creeping plants and many…colored flowers； the sky
overhead was half hid by motionless pines。 Suddenly； whether
crawling out from the herbage or dropping down from the trees； by
my side stood the white…robed and skeleton formAyesha's attendant
the Strangler。
I sprang from him shuddering； then halted and faced him。 The
hideous creature crept toward me； cringing and fawning； making
signs of humble goodwill and servile obeisance。 Again I recoiled
wrathfully； loathingly； turned my face homeward； and fled on。 I
thought I had baffled his chase； when； just at the mouth of the
thicket； he dropped from a bough in my path close behind me。
Before I could turn； some dark muffling substance fell between my
sight and the sun； and I felt a fierce strain at my throat。 But
the words of Ayesha had warned me； with one rapid hand I seized the
noose before it could tighten too closely； with the other I tore
the bandage away from my eyes； and； wheeling round on the dastardly
foe； struck him down with one spurn of my foot。 His hand； as he
fell； relaxed its hold on the noose； I freed my throat from the
knot； and sprang from the copse into the broad sunlit plain。 I saw
no more of the armed men or the Strangler。 Panting and breathless；
I paused at last before the fence； fragrant with blossoms； that
divided my home from the solitude。
The windows of Lilian's room were darkened； all within the house
seemed still。
Darkened and silenced home； with the light and sounds of the jocund
day all around it。 Was there yet hope in the Universe for me？ All
to which I had trusted Hope had broken down； the anchors I had
forged for her hold in the beds of the ocean； her stay from the
drifts of the storm； had snapped like the reeds which pierce the
side that leans on the barb of their points； and confides in the
strength of their stems。 No hope in the baffled resources of
recognized knowledge！ No hope in the daring adventures of Mind
into regions unknown； vain alike the calm lore of the practiced
physician； and the magical arts of the fated Enchanter！ I had fled
from the commonplace teachings of Nature； to explore in her
Shadowland marvels at variance with reason。 Made brave by the
grandeur of love； I had opposed without quailing the stride of the
Demon； and my hope； when fruition seemed nearest； had been trodden
into dust by the hoofs of the beast！ And yet； all the while； I had
scorned； as a dream； more wild than the word of a sorcerer； the
hope that the old man and the child； the wise and the ignorant；
took from their souls as inborn。 Man and fiend had alike failed a
mind； not ignoble； not skill…less； not abjectly craven； alike
failed a heart not feeble and selfish； not dead to the hero's
devotion； willing to shed every drop of its blood for a something
more dear than an animal's life for itself！ What remainedwhat
remained for man's hope？man's mind and man's heart thus
exhausting their all with no other result but despair！ What
remained but the mystery of mysteries； so clear to the sunrise of
childhood； the sunset of age； only dimmed by the clouds which
collect round the noon of our manhood？ Where yet was Hope found？
In the soul； in its every…day impulse to supplicate comfort and
light； from the Giver of soul； wherever the heart is afflicted； the
mind is obscured。
Then the words of Ayesha rushed over me： 〃What mourner can be
consoled； if the dead die forever？〃 Through every pulse of my
frame throbbed that dread question； all Nature around seemed to
murmur it。 And suddenly； as by a flash from heaven； the grand
truth in Faber's grand reasoning shone on me； and lighted up all；
within and without。 Man alone； of all earthly creatures； asks；
〃Can the dead die forever？〃 and the instinct that urges the
question is God's answer to man。 No instinct is given in vain。
And born with the instinct of soul is the instinct that leads the
soul from the seen to the unseen； from time to eternity； from the
torrent that foams toward the Ocean of Death； to the source of its
stream； far aloft from the Ocean。
〃Know thyself；〃 said the Pythian of old。 〃That precept descended
from Heaven。〃 Know thyself！ Is that maxim wise？ If so； know thy
soul。 But never yet did man come to the thorough conviction of
soul but what he acknowledged the sovereign necessity of prayer。
In my awe； in my rapture； all my thoughts seemed enlarged and
illumed and exalted。