classic mystery and detective stories-第13章

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and；　thus　laden；　hurried　back　to　the　hut。　　I　found　Margrave　in　the

room　below；　seated　on　his　mysterious　coffer；　leaning　his　face　on

his　hand。　　When　I　entered；　he　looked　up；　and　said：



〃You　have　neglected　me。　　My　strength　is　waning。　　Give　me　more　of

the　cordial；　for　we　have　work　before　us　tonight；　and　I　need

support。〃



He　took　for　granted　my　assent　to　his　wild　experiment；　and　he　was

right。



I　administered　the　cordial。　　I　placed　food　before　him；　and　this

time　he　did　not　eat　with　repugnance。　　I　poured　out　wine；　and　he

drank　it　sparingly；　but　with　ready　compliance；　saying；　〃In　perfect

health；　I　looked　upon　wine　as　poison；　now　it　is　like　a　foretaste　of

the　glorious　elixir。〃



After　he　had　thus　recruited　himself；　he　seemed　to　acquire　an　energy

that　startlingly　contrasted　with　his　languor　the　day　before；　the

effort　of　breathing　was　scarcely　perceptible；　the　color　came　back

to　his　cheeks；　his　bended　frame　rose　elastic　and　erect。



〃If　I　understood　you　rightly；〃　said　I；　〃the　experiment　you　ask　me

to　aid　can　be　accomplished　in　a　single　night？〃



〃In　a　single　nightthis　night。〃



〃Command　me。　　Why　not　begin　at　once？　　What　apparatus　or　chemical

agencies　do　you　need？〃



〃Ah！〃　said　Margrave。　　〃Formerly；　how　I　was　misled！　　Formerly；　how

my　conjectures　blundered！　　I　thought；　when　I　asked　you　to　give　a

month　to　the　experiment　I　wish　to　make；　that　I　should　need　the

subtlest　skill　of　the　chemist。　　I　then　believed；　with　Van　Helmont；

that　the　principle　of　life　is　a　gas；　and　that　the　secret　was　but　in

the　mode　by　which　the　gas　might　be　rightly　administered。　　But　now；

all　that　I　need　is　contained　in　this　coffer；　save　one　very　simple

materialfuel　sufficient　for　a　steady　fire　for　six　hours。　　I　see

even　that　is　at　hand；　piled　up　in　your　outhouse。　　And　now　for　the

substance　itselfto　that　you　must　guide　me。〃



〃Explain。〃



〃Near　this　very　spot　is　there　not　goldin　mines　yet　undiscovered

and　gold　of　the　purest　metal？〃



〃There　is。　　What　then？　　Do　you；　with　the　alchemists；　blend　in　one

discovery；　gold　and　life？〃



〃No。　　But　it　is　only　where　the　chemistry　of　earth　or　of　man

produces　gold；　that　the　substance　from　which　the　great　pabulum　of

life　is　extracted　by　ferment　can　be　found。　　Possibly；　in　the

attempts　at　that　transmutation　of　metals；　which　I　think　your　own

great　chemist；　Sir　Humphry　Davy；　allowed　might　be　possible；　but

held　not　to　be　worth　the　cost　of　the　processpossibly；　in　those

attempts；　some　scanty　grains　of　this　substance　were　found　by　the

alchemists；　in　the　crucible；　with　grains　of　the　metal　as　niggardly

yielded　by　pitiful　mimicry　of　Nature's　stupendous　laboratory；　and

from　such　grains　enough　of　the　essence　might；　perhaps；　have　been

drawn　forth；　to　add　a　few　years　of　existence　to　some　feeble

graybeardgranting；　what　rests　on　no　proofs；　that　some　of　the

alchemists　reached　an　age　rarely　given　to　man。　　But　it　is　not　in

the　miserly　crucible；　it　is　in　the　matrix　of　Nature　herself；　that

we　must　seek　in　prolific　abundance　Nature's　grand　principlelife。

As　the　loadstone　is　rife　with　the　magnetic　virtue；　as　amber

contains　the　electric；　so　in　this　substance；　to　which　we　yet　want　a

name；　is　found　the　bright　life…giving　fluid。　　In　the　old　gold　mines

of　Asia　and　Europe　the　substance　exists；　but　can　rarely　be　met

with。　　The　soil　for　its　nutriment　may　there　be　well　nigh　exhausted。

It　is　here；　where　Nature　herself　is　all　vital　with　youth；　that　the

nutriment　of　youth　must　be　sought。　　Near　this　spot　is　gold；　guide

me　to　it。〃



〃You　cannot　come　with　me。　　The　place　which　I　know　as　auriferous　is

some　miles　distant；　the　way　rugged。　　You　cannot　walk　to　it。　　It　is

true　I　have　horses；　but〃



〃Do　you　think　I　have　come　this　distance　and　not　foreseen　and

forestalled　all　that　I　want　for　my　object？　　Trouble　yourself　not

with　conjectures　how　I　can　arrive　at　the　place。　　I　have　provided

the　means　to　arrive　at　and　leave　it。　　My　litter　and　its　bearers　are

in　reach　of　my　call。　　Give　me　your　arm　to　the　rising　ground；　fifty

yards　from　your　door。〃



I　obeyed　mechanically；　stifling　all　surprise。　　I　had　made　my

resolve；　and　admitted　no　thought　that　could　shake　it。



When　we　reached　the　summit　of　the　grassy　hillock；　which　sloped　from

the　road　that　led　to　the　seaport；　Margrave；　after　pausing　to

recover　breath；　lifted　up　his　voice；　in　a　key；　not　loud；　but　shrill

and　slow　and　prolonged；　half　cry　and　half　chant；　like　the

nighthawk's。　　Through　the　airso　limpid　and　still；　bringing　near

far　objects；　far　soundsthe　voice　pierced　its　way；　artfully

pausing；　till　wave　after　wave　of　the　atmosphere　bore　and

transmitted　it　on。



In　a　few　minutes　the　call　seemed　re…echoed；　so　exactly；　so

cheerily；　that　for　the　moment　I　thought　that　the　note　was　the

mimicry　of　the　shy　mocking　lyre　bird；　which　mimics　so　merrily　all

that　it　hears　in　its　coverts；　from　the　whir　of　the　locust　to　the

howl　of　the　wild　dog。



〃What　king；〃　said　the　mystical　charmer；　and　as　he　spoke　he

carelessly　rested　his　hand　on　my　shoulder；　so　that　I　trembled　to

feel　that　this　dread　son　of　Nature；　Godless　and　soulless；　who　had

beenand；　my　heart　whispered；　who　still　could　bemy　bane　and　mind

darkener；　leaned　upon　me　for　support；　as　the　spoiled　younger…born

on　his　brother〃what　king；〃　said　this　cynical　mocker；　with　his

beautiful　boyish　face〃what　king　in　your　civilized　Europe　has　the

sway　of　a　chief　of　the　East？　　What　link　is　so　strong　between　mortal

and　mortal　as　that　between　lord　and　slave？　　I　transport　you　poor

fools　from　the　land　of　their　birth；　they　preserve　here　their　old

habitsobedience　and　awe。　　They　would　wait　till　they　starved　in

the　solitudewait　to　hearken　and　answer　my　call。　　And　I；　who　thus

rule　them；　or　charm　themI　use　and　despise　them。　　They　know　that；

and　yet　serve　me！　　Between　you　and　me；　my　philosopher；　there　is　but

one　thing　worth　living　forlife　for　oneself。〃



Is　it　age；　is　it　youth；　that　thus　shocks　all　my　sense；　in　my　solemn

completeness　of　man？　　Perhaps；　in　great　capitals；　young　men　of

pleasure　will　answer；　〃It　is　youth；　and　we　think　what　he　says！〃

Young　friends；　I　do　not　believe　you。





II





Along　the　grass　track　I　saw　now；　under　the　moon；　just　risen；　a

strange　processionnever　seen　before　in　Australian　pastures。　　It

moved　on；　noiselessly　but　quickly。　　We　descended　the　hillock；　and

met　it　on　the　way；　a　sable　litter；　borne　by　four　men；　in　unfamiliar

Eastern　garments；　two　other　servitors；　more　bravely　dressed；　with

yataghans　and　silver…hilted　pistols　in　their　belts；　preceded　this

somber　equipage。　　Perhaps　Margrave　divined　the　disdainful　thought

that　passed　through　my　mind；　vaguely　and　half…unconsciously；　for　he

said　with　a　hollow；　bitter　laugh　that　had　replaced　the　lively　peal

of　his　once　melodious　mirth：



〃A　little　leisure　and　a　little　gold；　and　your　raw　colonist；　too；

will　have　the　tastes　of　a　pasha。〃



I　made　no　answer。　　I　had　ceased　to　care　who　and　what　was　my

tempter。　　To　me　his　whole　being　was　resolved　into　one　problem：　had

he　a　secret　by　which　death　could　be　turned　from　Lilian？



But　now；　as　the　litter　halted；　from　the　long；　dark　shadow　which　it

cast　upon　the　turf；　the　figure　of　a　woman　emerged　and　stood　before

us。　　The　outlines　of　her　shape　were　lost　in　the　loose　folds　of　a

black　mantle；　and　the　features　of　her　face　were　hidden　by　a　black

veil；　except　only　the　dark…bright；　solemn　eyes。　　Her　stature　was

lofty；　her　bearing　majestic；　whether　in　movement　or　repose。



Margrave　accosted　her　in　some　language　unknown　to　me。　　She　replied

in　what　seemed　to　me　the　same　tongue。　　The　tones　of　her　voice　were

sweet；　but　inexpressibly　mournful。　　The　words　that　they　uttered

appeared　intended　to　warn；　or　deprecate；　or　dissuade；　but　they

called　to　Margrave's　brow　a　lowering　frown；　and　drew　from　his　lips

a　burst　of　unmistakable　anger。　　The　woman　rejoined；　in　the　same

melancholy　music　of　voice。　　And　Margrave　then；　leaning　his　arm　upon

her　shoulder；　as　he　had　leaned　it　on　mine；　drew　her　away　from　the

group　into　a　neighboring　copse　of　the　flowering　eucalyptimystic

trees；　never　changing　the　hues　of　their　pale…green　leaves；　ever

shifting　the　tints　of　their　ash…gray；　shedding　bark。　　For　some

moments　I　gazed　on　the　two　human　forms；　dimly　seen　by　the　glinting

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？