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！
moonlight through the gaps in the foliage。 Then turning away my
eyes； I saw； standing close at my side； a man whom I had not
noticed before。 His footstep； as it stole to me； had fallen on the
sward without sound。 His dress； though Oriental； differed from
that of his companions； both in shape and colorfitting close to
the breast； leaving the arms bare to the elbow； and of a uniform
ghastly white； as are the cerements of the grave。 His visage was
even darker than those of the Syrians or Arabs behind him； and his
features were those of a bird of prey： the beak of the eagle； but
the eye of the vulture。 His cheeks were hollow； the arms； crossed
on his breast； were long and fleshless。 Yet in that skeleton form
there was a something which conveyed the idea of a serpent's
suppleness and strength； and as the hungry； watchful eyes met my
own startled gaze； I recoiled impulsively with that inward warning
of danger which is conveyed to man； as to inferior animals； in the
very aspect of the creatures that sting or devour。 At my movement
the man inclined his head in the submissive Eastern salutation； and
spoke in his foreign tongue； softly； humbly； fawningly； to judge by
his tone and his gesture。
I moved yet farther away from him with loathing； and now the human
thought flashed upon me： was I； in truth； exposed to no danger in
trusting myself to the mercy of the weird and remorseless master of
those hirelings from the Eastseven men in number； two at least of
them formidably armed； and docile as bloodhounds to the hunter； who
has only to show them their prey？ But fear of man like myself is
not my weakness； where fear found its way to my heart； it was
through the doubts or the fancies in which man like myself
disappeared in the attributes； dark and unknown； which we give to a
fiend or a specter。 And； perhaps； if I could have paused to
analyze my own sensations； the very presence of this escort
creatures of flesh and bloodlessened the dread of my
incomprehensible tempter。 Rather； a hundred times； front and defy
those seven Eastern slavesI； haughty son of the Anglo…Saxon who
conquers all races because he fears no oddsthan have seen again
on the walls of my threshold the luminous； bodiless shadow！
Besides： LilianLilian！ for one chance of saving her life； however
wild and chimerical that chance might be； I would have shrunk not a
foot from the march of an army。
Thus reassured and thus resolved； I advanced； with a smile of
disdain； to meet Margrave and his veiled companion； as they now
came from the moonlit copse。
〃Well；〃 I said to him； with an irony that unconsciously mimicked
his own； 〃have you taken advice with your nurse？ I assume that the
dark form by your side is that of Ayesha！〃*
* Margrave's former nurse and attendant。
The woman looked at me from her sable veil； with her steadfast；
solemn eyes； and said； in English； though with a foreign accent：
〃The nurse born in Asia is but wise through her love； the pale son
of Europe is wise through his art。 The nurse says； 'Forbear！' Do
you say； 'Adventure'？〃
〃Peace！〃 exclaimed Margrave； stamping his foot on the ground。 〃I
take no counsel from either； it is for me to resolve； for you to
obey； and for him to aid。 Night is come； and we waste it； move
on。〃
The woman made no reply； nor did I。 He took my arm and walked back
to the hut。 The barbaric escort followed。 When we reached the
door of the building； Margrave said a few words to the woman and to
the litter bearers。 They entered the hut with us。 Margrave
pointed out to the woman his coffer； to the men the fuel stowed in
the outhouse。 Both were borne away and placed within the litter。
Meanwhile I took from the table； on which it was carelessly thrown；
the light hatchet that I habitually carried with me in my rambles。
〃Do you think that you need that idle weapon？〃 said Margrave。 〃Do
you fear the good faith of my swarthy attendants？〃
〃Nay； take the hatchet yourself； its use is to sever the gold from
the quartz in which we may find it imbedded； or to clear； as this
shovel； which will also be needed； from the slight soil above it；
the ore that the mine in the mountain flings forth； as the sea
casts its waifs on the sands。〃
〃Give me your hand； fellow laborer！〃 said Margrave； joyfully。 〃Ah；
there is no faltering terror in this pulse！ I was not mistaken in
the man。 What rests； but the place and the hour？I shall live； I
shall live！〃
III
Margrave now entered the litter； and the Veiled Woman drew the
black curtains round him。 I walked on； as the guide； some yards in
advance。 The air was still； heavy； and parched with the breath of
the Australasian sirocco。
We passed through the meadow lands； studded with slumbering flocks；
we followed the branch of the creek； which was linked to its source
in the mountains by many a trickling waterfall； we threaded the
gloom of stunted； misshapen trees； gnarled with the stringy bark
which makes one of the signs of the strata that nourish gold； and
at length the moon； now in all her pomp of light； mid…heaven among
her subject stars； gleamed through the fissures of the cave； on
whose floor lay the relics of antediluvian races； and rested in one
flood of silvery splendor upon the hollows of the extinct volcano；
with tufts of dank herbage； and wide spaces of paler sward；
covering the gold belowgold； the dumb symbol of organized
Matter's great mystery； storing in itself； according as Mind； the
informer of Matter； can distinguish its uses； evil and good； bane
and blessing。
Hitherto the Veiled Woman had remained in the rear； with the white…
robed； skeletonlike image that had crept to my side unawares with
its noiseless step。 Thus； in each winding turn of the difficult
path at which the convoy following behind me came into sight； I had
seen； first； the two gayly dressed； armed men； next the black；
bierlike litter； and last the Black…veiled Woman and the White…
robed Skeleton。
But now； as I halted on the tableland； backed by the mountain and
fronting the valley； the woman left her companion； passed by the
litter and the armed men； and paused by my side； at the mouth of
the moonlit cavern。
There for a moment she stood； silent； the procession below mounting
upward laboriously and slow； then she turned to me； and her veil
was withdrawn。
The face on which I gazed was wondrously beautiful； and severely
awful。 There was neither youth nor age； but beauty； mature and
majestic as that of a marble Demeter。
〃Do you believe in that which you seek？〃 she asked in her foreign；
melodious； melancholy accents。
〃I have no belief；〃 was my answer。 〃True science has none。 True
science questions all things； takes nothing upon credit。 It knows
but three states of the minddenial； conviction； and that vast
interval between the two which is not belief but suspense of
judgment。〃
The woman let fall her veil； moved from me； and seated herself on a
crag above that cleft between mountain and creek； to which； when I
had first discovered the gold that the land nourished； the rain
from the clouds had given the rushing life of the cataract； but
which now； in the drought and the hush of the skies； was but a dead
pile of stones。
The litter now ascended the height： its bearers halted； a lean hand
tore the curtains aside； and Margrave descended leaning； this time；
not on the Black…veiled Woman； but on the White…robed Skeleton。
There； as he stood； the moon shone full on his wasted form； on his
face； resolute； cheerful； and proud； despite its hollowed outlines
and sicklied hues。 He raised his head； spoke in the language
unknown to me； and the armed men and the litter bearers grouped
round him； bending low； their eyes fixed on the ground。 The Veiled
Woman rose slowly and came to his side； motioning away； with a mute
sign； the ghastly form on which he leaned； and passing round him
silently； instead； her own sustaining arm。 Margrave spoke again a
few sentences； of which I could not even guess the meaning。 When
he had concluded； the armed men and the litter bearers came nearer
to his feet； knelt down； and kissed his hand。 They then rose； and
took from the bierlike vehicle the coffer and the fuel。 This done；
they lifted again the litter； and again； preceded by the armed men；
the procession descended down the sloping hillside； down into the
valley below。
Margrave now whispered； for some moments； into the ear of the
hideous creature who had made way for the Veiled Woman。 The grim
skeleton bowed his head submissively； and strode noiselessly away
through the long grassesthe slender stems； trampled under his
stealthy feet； relifting themselves as after a passing wind。 And
thus he； too； sank out of sight down into the valley below。 On the
tableland of the hill remained only we threeMargrave； myself； and
the Veiled Woman。
She had reseated herself apart； on the gray crag above the dried
torrent。 He stood at the entrance of the cavern； round the sides
of which clustered parasital plants； with flowers of all colors；
some among them opening their petals and exhaling their fragrance
only in the hours of night； so that； as his form filled up the jaws
of the dull