classic mystery and detective stories-第15章

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reality　of　that　realm　which　is　open　to　magicever　hint　that　some

means　less　familiar　than　furnace　and　bellows　are　essential　to　him

who　explores　the　elixir　of　life。　　He　who　once　quaffs　that　elixir；

obtains　in　his　very　veins　the　bright　fluid　by　which　he　transmits

the　force　of　his　will　to　agencies　dormant　in　Nature；　to　giants

unseen　in　the　space。　　And　here；　as　he　passes　the　boundary　which

divides　his　allotted　and　normal　mortality　from　the　regions　and

races　that　magic　alone　can　explore；　so；　here；　he　breaks　down　the

safeguard　between　himself　and　the　tribes　that　are　hostile。　　Is　it

not　ever　thus　between　man　and　man？　　Let　a　race　the　most　gentle　and

timid　and　civilized　dwell　on　one　side　a　river　or　mountain；　and

another　have　home　in　the　region　beyond；　each；　if　it　pass　not　the

intervening　barrier；　may　with　each　live　in　peace。　　But　if　ambitious

adventurers　scale　the　mountain；　or　cross　the　river；　with　design　to

subdue　and　enslave　the　population　they　boldly　invade；　then　all　the

invaded　arise　in　wrath　and　defiancethe　neighbors　are　changed　into

foes。　　And　therefore　this　processby　which　a　simple　though　rare

material　of　Nature　is　made　to　yield　to　a　mortal　the　boon　of　a　life

which　brings；　with　its　glorious　resistance　to　Time；　desires　and

faculties　to　subject　to　its　service　beings　that　dwell　in　the　earth

and　the　air　and　the　deephas　ever　been　one　of　the　same　peril　which

an　invader　must　brave　when　he　crosses　the　bounds　of　his　nation。　　By

this　key　alone　you　unlock　all　the　cells　of　the　alchemist's　lore；　by

this　alone　understand　how　a　labor；　which　a　chemist's　crudest

apprentice　could　perform；　has　baffled　the　giant　fathers　of　all　your

dwarfed　children　of　science。　　Nature；　that　stores　this　priceless

boon；　seems　to　shrink　from　conceding　it　to　manthe　invisible

tribes　that　abhor　him　oppose　themselves　to　the　gain　that　might　give

them　a　master。　　The　duller　of　those　who　were　the　life…seekers　of

old　would　have　told　you　how　some　chance；　trivial；　unlooked…for；

foiled　their　grand　hope　at　the　very　point　of　fruition；　some　doltish

mistake；　some　improvident　oversight；　a　defect　in　the　sulphur；　a

wild　overflow　in　the　quicksilver；　or　a　flaw　in　the　bellows；　or　a

pupil　who　failed　to　replenish　the　fuel；　by　falling　asleep　by　the

furnace。　　The　invisible　foes　seldom　vouchsafe　to　make　themselves

visible　where　they　can　frustrate　the　bungler　as　they　mock　at　his

toils　from　their　ambush。　　But　the　mightier　adventurers；　equally

foiled　in　despite　of　their　patience　and　skill；　would　have　said；

'Not　with　us　rests　the　fault；　we　neglected　no　caution；　we　failed

from　no　oversight。　　But　out　from　the　caldron　dread　faces　arose；　and

the　specters　or　demons　dismayed　and　baffled　us。'　　Such；　then；　is

the　danger　which　seems　so　appalling　to　a　son　of　the　East；　as　it

seemed　to　a　seer　in　the　dark　age　of　Europe。　　But　we　can　deride　all

its　threats；　you　and　I。　　For　myself；　I　own　frankly　I　take　all　the

safety　that　the　charms　and　resources　of　magic　bestow。　　You；　for

your　safety；　have　the　cultured　and　disciplined　reason　which　reduces

all　fantasies　to　nervous　impressions；　and　I　rely　on　the　courage　of

one　who　has　questioned；　unquailing；　the　Luminous　Shadow；　and

wrested　from　the　hand　of　the　magician　himself　the　wand　which

concentered　the　wonders　of　will！〃



To　this　strange　and　long　discourse　I　listened　without　interruption；

and　now　quietly　answered：



〃I　do　not　merit　the　trust　you　affect　in　my　courage；　but　I　am　now　on

my　guard　against　the　cheats　of　the　fancy；　and　the　fumes　of　a　vapor

can　scarcely　bewilder　the　brain　in　the　open　air　of　this　mountain

land。　　I　believe　in　no　races　like　those　which　you　tell　me　lie

viewless　in　space；　as　do　gases。　　I　believe　not　in　magic；　I　ask　not

its　aids；　and　I　dread　not　its　terrors。　　For　the　rest；　I　am

confident　of　one　mournful　couragethe　courage　that　comes　from

despair。　　I　submit　to　your　guidance；　whatever　it　be；　as　a　sufferer

whom　colleges　doom　to　the　grave　submits　to　the　quack　who　says；

'Take　my　specific　and　live！'　　My　life　is　naught　in　itself；　my　life

lives　in　another。　　You　and　I　are　both　brave　from　despair；　you　would

turn　death　from　yourselfI　would　turn　death　from　one　I　love　more

than　myself。　　Both　know　how　little　aid　we　can　win　from　the

colleges；　and　both；　therefore；　turn　to　the　promises　most

audaciously　cheering。　　Dervish　or　magician；　alchemist　or　phantom；

what　care　you　and　I？　　And　if　they　fail　us；　what　then？　　They　cannot

fail　us　more　than　the　colleges　do！〃





V





The　gold　has　been　gained　with　an　easy　labor。　　I　knew　where　to　seek

for　it；　whether　under　the　turf　or　in　the　bed　of　the　creek。　　But

Margrave's　eyes；　hungrily　gazing　round　every　spot　from　which　the

ore　was　disburied；　could　not　detect　the　substance　of　which　he　alone

knew　the　outward　appearance。　　I　had　begun　to　believe　that；　even　in

the　description　given　to　him　of　this　material；　he　had　been

credulously　duped；　and　that　no　such　material　existed；　when；　coming

back　from　the　bed　of　the　watercourse；　I　saw　a　faint；　yellow　gleam

amidst　the　roots　of　a　giant　parasite　plant；　the　leaves　and　blossoms

of　which　climbed　up　the　sides　of　the　cave　with　its　antediluvian

relics。　　The　gleam　was　the　gleam　of　gold；　and　on　removing　the　loose

earth　round　the　roots　of　the　plant；　we　came　on　　No；　I　will　not；　I

dare　not；　describe　it。　　The　gold　digger　would　cast　it　aside；　the

naturalist　would　pause　not　to　heed　it；　and　did　I　describe　it；　and

chemistry　deign　to　subject　it　to　analysis；　could　chemistry　alone

detach　or　discover　its　boasted　virtues？



Its　particles；　indeed；　are　very　minute；　not　seeming　readily　to

crystallize　with　each　other；　each　in　itself　of　uniform　shape　and

size；　spherical　as　the　egg　which　contains　the　germ　of　life；　and

small　as　the　egg　from　which　the　life　of　an　insect　may　quicken。



But　Margrave's　keen　eye　caught　sight　of　the　atoms　upcast　by　the

light　of　the　moon。　　He　exclaimed　to　me；　〃Found！　　I　shall　live！〃

And　then；　as　he　gathered　up　the　grains　with　tremulous　hands；　he

called　out　to　the　Veiled　Woman；　hitherto　still　seated　motionless　on

the　crag。　　At　his　word　she　rose　and　went　to　the　place　hard　by；

where　the　fuel　was　piled；　busying　herself　there。　　I　had　no　leisure

to　heed　her。　　I　continued　my　search　in　the　soft　and　yielding　soil

that　time　and　the　decay　of　vegetable　life　had　accumulated　over　the

pre…Adamite　strata　on　which　the　arch　of　the　cave　rested　its　mighty

keystone。



When　we　had　collected　of　these　particles　about　thrice　as　much　as　a

man　might　hold　in　his　hand；　we　seemed　to　have　exhausted　their　bed。

We　continued　still　to　find　gold；　but　no　more　of　the　delicate

substance　to　which；　in　our　sight；　gold　was　as　dross。



〃Enough；〃　then　said　Margrave；　reluctantly　desisting。　　〃What　we　have

gained　already　will　suffice　for　a　life　thrice　as　long　as　legend

attributes　to　Haroun。　　I　shall　liveI　shall　live　through　the

centuries。〃



〃Forget　not　that　I　claim　my　share。〃



〃Your　shareyours！　　Trueyour　half　of　my　life！　　It　is　true。〃　　He

paused　with　a　low；　ironical；　malignant　laugh；　and　then　added；　as　he

rose　and　turned　away；　〃But　the　work　is　yet　to　be　done。〃





VI





While　we　had　thus　labored　and　found；　Ayesha　had　placed　the　fuel

where　the　moonlight　fell　fullest　on　the　sward　of　the　tablelanda

part　of　it　already　piled　as　for　a　fire；　the　rest　of　it　heaped

confusedly　close　at　hand；　and　by　the　pile　she　had　placed　the

coffer。　　And；　there　she　stood；　her　arms　folded　under　her　mantle；

her　dark　image　seeming　darker　still　as　the　moonlight　whitened　all

the　ground　from　which　the　image　rose　motionless。　　Margrave　opened

his　coffer；　the　Veiled　Woman　did　not　aid　him；　and　I　watched　in

silence；　while　he　as　silently　made　his　weird　and　wizard…like

preparations。





VII





On　the　ground　a　wide　circle　was　traced　by　a　small　rod；　tipped

apparently　with　sponge　saturated　with　some　combustible　naphtha…like

fluid；　so　that　a　pale；　lambent　flame　followed　the　course　of　the　rod

as　Margrave　guided　it；　burning　up　the　herbage　over　which　it　played；

and　leaving　a　distinct　ring；　like　that　which；　in　our　lovely　native

fable　talk；　we　call　the　〃Fairy's　ring；〃　but　yet　more　visible

because　marked　in　phosphorescent　light。　　On　the　ring　thus　formed

were　placed　twelve　small　lamps；　fed　with　the　fluid　from　the　same

vessel；　and　lighted　by　the　same　rod。　　The　light　emitted　by　the

lamps　was　more　vivid　and　brilliant　than　that　which　circled　round

the　ring。



Within　the　circumference；　and　immediately　round　the　woodpile；

Margrave　traced　certain　geometrical　figures；　in　whichnot　without

a　shudder；　that　I　overcame　at　once　by　a　strong　effort　of　will　in

murmuring　to　myself　the　name　of　〃Lilian〃I　recognized　the

interlaced　triangles　which　my　own　hand；　in　the　spell　enforced　on　a

sleepwalker；　had　described　on　the　floor　of　the　wizard's　pavilion。

The　figures　were　traced　like　the　circle；　in　flame；　and　at　the　point

of　each　triangle　（four　in　number）　was　placed　a　lamp；　brilliant　as

those　on　the　ring。　　This　task　performed；　the　caldron；　based　on　an

iron　tripod；　was　placed　on　the　woodpile。　　And　then　the　woman；

before　inactive　and　unheeding；　slowly　advanced；　knelt　by　the　pile

and　lighted　it。　　The　dry　wood　crackled　and　the　flame　burst　forth；

licking　the　rims　of　the　caldron　with　tongues　of　fire。



Margrave　flung　into　the　caldron　the　particles　we　had　collected；

poured　over　them　first　a　liquid；　colorless　as　water；　from　the

largest　of　the　vessels　drawn　from　his　coffer；　and　then；　more

sparingly；　drops　from　small　crystal　phials；　like　the　phials　I　had

seen　in　the　hand　of　Philip　Derval。



Having　surmounted　my　first　impulse　of　awe；　I　watched　these

proceedings；　curious　yet　disdainful；　as　one　who　watches　the

mummeries　of　an　enchanter　on　the　stage。



〃If；〃　thought　I；　〃these　are　but　artful　devices　to　inebriate　and

fool　my　own　imagination；　my　imagination　is　on　its　guard；　and　reason

shall　not；　this　time；　sleep　at　her　post！〃



〃And　now；〃　said　Margrave；　〃I　consign　to　you　the　easy　task　by　which

you　are　to　merit　your　share　of　the　elixir。　　It　is　my　task　to　feed

and　replenish　the　caldron；　it　is　Ayesha's　to　feed　the　fire；　which

must　not　for　a　moment　relax　in　its　measured　and　steady　heat。　　Your

task　is　the　lightest　of　all：　it　is　but　to　renew　from　this　vessel

the　fluid　that　burns　in　the　lamps；　and　on　the　ring。　　Observe；　the

contents　of　the　vessel　must　be　thriftily　husbanded；　there　is

enough；　but　not　more　than　enough；　to　sustain　the　light　in　the

lamps；　on　the　lines　traced　round　the　caldron；　and　on　the　farther

ring；　for　six　hours。　　The　compounds　dissolved　in　this　fluid　are

scarceonly　obtainable　in　the　East；　and　even　in　the　East　months

might　have　passed　before　I　could　have　increased　my　supply。　　I　had

no　months　to　waste。　　Replenish；　then；　the　light　only　when　it　begins

to　flicker　or　fade。　　Take　heed；　above　all；　that　no　part　of　the

outer　ringno；　not　an　inchand　no　lamp　of　the　twelve；　that　are　to

its　zodiac　like　stars；　fade　for　one　moment　in　darkness。〃



I　took　the　crystal　vessel　from　his　hand。



〃The　v