classic mystery and detective stories-第16章

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



I　took　the　crystal　vessel　from　his　hand。



〃The　vessel　is　small；〃　said　I；　〃and　what　is　yet　left　of　its

contents　is　but　scanty；　whether　its　drops　suffice　to　replenish　the

lights　I　cannot　guessI　can　but　obey　your　instructions。　　But；　more

important　by　far　than　the　light　to　the　lamps　and　the　circle；　which

in　Asia　or　Africa　might　scare　away　the　wild　beasts　unknown　to　this

landmore　important　than　light　to　a　lamp　is　the　strength　to　your

frame；　weak　magician！　　What　will　support　you　through　six　weary

hours　of　night　watch？〃



〃Hope；〃　answered　Margrave；　with　a　ray　of　his　old　dazzling　style。

〃Hope！　　I　shall　liveI　shall　live　through　the　centuries！〃





VIII





One　hour　passed　away；　the　fagots　under　the　caldron　burned　clear　in

the　sullen；　sultry　air。　　The　materials　within　began　to　seethe；　and

their　color；　at　first　dull　and　turbid；　changed　into　a　pale…rose

hue；　from　time　to　time　the　Veiled　Woman　replenished　the　fire；　after

she　had　done　so　reseating　herself　close　by　the　pyre；　with　her　head

bowed　over　her　knees；　and　her　face　hid　under　her　veil。



The　lights　in　the　lamps　and　along　the　ring　and　the　triangles　now

began　to　pale。　　I　resupplied　their　nutriment　from　the　crystal

vessel。　　As　yet　nothing　strange　startled　my　eye　or　my　ear　beyond

the　rim　of　the　circlenothing　audible；　save；　at　a　distance；　the

musical　wheel…like　click　of　the　locusts；　and；　farther　still；　in　the

forest；　the　howl　of　the　wild　dogs　that　never　bark；　nothing　visible；

but　the　trees　and　the　mountain　range　girding　the　plains　silvered　by

the　moon；　and　the　arch　of　the　cavern；　the　flush　of　wild　blooms　on

its　sides；　and　the　gleam　of　dry　bones　on　its　floor；　where　the

moonlight　shot　into　the　gloom。



The　second　hour　passed　like　the　first。　　I　had　taken　my　stand　by　the

side　of　Margrave；　watching　with　him　the　process　at　work　in　the

caldron；　when　I　felt　the　ground　slightly　vibrate　beneath　my　feet；

and　looking　up；　it　seemed　as　if　all　the　plains　beyond　the　circle

were　heaving　like　the　swell　of　the　sea；　and　as　if　in　the　air　itself

there　was　a　perceptible　tremor。



I　placed　my　hand　on　Margrave's　shoulder　and　whispered；　〃To　me　earth

and　air　seem　to　vibrate。　　Do　they　seem　to　vibrate　to　you？〃



〃I　know　not；　I　care　not；〃　he　answered　impetuously。　　〃The　essence　is

bursting　the　shell　that　confined　it。　　Here　are　my　air　and　my　earth！

Trouble　me　not。　　Look　to　the　circlefeed　the　lamps　if　they　fail！〃



I　passed　by　the　Veiled　Woman　as　I　walked　toward　a　place　in　the　ring

in　which　the　flame　was　waning　dim；　and　I　whispered　to　her　the　same

question　which　I　had　whispered　to　Margrave。　　She　looked　slowly

around　and　answered；　〃So　is　it　before　the　Invisible　make　themselves

visible！　　Did　I　not　bid　him　forbear？〃　　Her　head　again　drooped　on

her　breast；　and　her　watch　was　again　fixed　on　the　fire。



I　advanced　to　the　circle　and　stooped　to　replenish　the　light　where

it　waned。　　As　I　did　so；　on　my　arm；　which　stretched　somewhat　beyond

the　line　of　the　ring；　I　felt　a　shock　like　that　of　electricity。　　The

arm　fell　to　my　side　numbed　and　nerveless；　and　from　my　hand　dropped；

but　within　the　ring；　the　vessel　that　contained　the　fluid。

Recovering　my　surprise　or　my　stun；　hastily　with　the　other　hand　I

caught　up　the　vessel；　but　some　of　the　scanty　liquid　was　already

spilled　on　the　sward；　and　I　saw　with　a　thrill　of　dismay；　that

contrasted　indeed　the　tranquil　indifference　with　which　I　had　first

undertaken　my　charge；　how　small　a　supply　was　now　left。



I　went　back　to　Margrave；　and　told　him　of　the　shock；　and　of　its

consequence　in　the　waste　of　the　liquid。



〃Beware；〃　said　he；　that　not　a　motion　of　the　arm；　not　an　inch　of　the

foot；　pass　the　verge　of　the　ring；　and　if　the　fluid　be　thus

unhappily　stinted；　reserve　all　that　is　left　for　the　protecting

circle　and　the　twelve　outer　lamps！　　See　how　the　Grand　Work

advances；　how　the　hues　in　the　caldron　are　glowing　blood…red　through

the　film　on　the　surface！



And　now　four　hours　of　the　six　were　gone；　my　arm　had　gradually

recovered　its　strength。　　Neither　the　ring　nor　the　lamps　had　again

required　replenishing；　perhaps　their　light　was　exhausted　less

quickly；　as　it　was　no　longer　to　be　exposed　to　the　rays　of　the

intense　Australian　moon。　　Clouds　had　gathered　over　the　sky；　and

though　the　moon　gleamed　at　times　in　the　gaps　that　they　left　in　blue

air；　her　beam　was　more　hazy　and　dulled。　　The　locusts　no　longer　were

heard　in　the　grass；　nor　the　howl　of　the　dogs　in　the　forest。　　Out　of

the　circle；　the　stillness　was　profound。



And　about　this　time　I　saw　distinctly　in　the　distance　a　vast　Eye。

It　drew　nearer　and　nearer；　seeming　to　move　from　the　ground　at　the

height　of　some　lofty　giant。　　Its　gaze　riveted　mine；　my　blood

curdled　in　the　blaze　from　its　angry　ball；　and　now　as　it　advanced

larger　and　larger；　other　Eyes；　as　if　of　giants　in　its　train；　grew

out　from　the　space　in　its　rearnumbers　on　numbers；　like　the

spearheads　of　some　Eastern　army；　seen　afar　by　pale　warders　of

battlements　doomed　to　the　dust。　　My　voice　long　refused　an　utterance

to　my　awe；　at　length　it　burst　forth　shrill　and　loud：



〃Look；　look！　　Those　terrible　Eyes！　　Legions　on　legions。　　And　hark！

that　tramp　of　numberless　feet；　THEY　are　not　seen；　but　the　hollows

of　earth　echo　the　sound　of　their　march！〃



Margrave；　more　than　ever　intent　on　the　caldron；　in　which；　from　time

to　time；　he　kept　dropping　powders　or　essences　drawn　forth　from　his

coffer；　looked　up；　defyingly；　fiercely：



〃Ye　come；〃　he　said　in　a　low　mutter；　his　once　mighty　voice　sounding

hollow　and　laboring；　but　fearless　and　firm〃ye　comenot　to

conquer；　vain　rebels！ye　whose　dark　chief　I　struck　down　at　my　feet

in　the　tomb　where　my　spell　had　raised　up　the　ghost　of　your　first

human　master；　the　Chaldee！　　Earth　and　air　have　their　armies　still

faithful　to　me；　and　still　I　remember　the　war　song　that　summons　them

up　to　confront　you！　　Ayesha；　Ayesha！　recall　the　wild　troth　that　we

pledged　among　the　roses；　recall　the　dread　bond　by　which　we　united

our　sway　over　hosts　that　yet　own　thee　as　queen；　though　my　scepter

is　broken；　my　diadem　reft　from　my　brows！〃



The　Veiled　Woman　rose　at　this　adjuration。　　Her　veil　now　was

withdrawn；　and　the　blaze　of　the　fire　between　Margrave　and　herself

flushed；　as　with　the　rosy　bloom　of　youth；　the　grand　beauty　of　her

softened　face。　　It　was　seen；　detached；　as　it　were；　from　her　dark…

mantled　form；　seen　through　the　mist　of　the　vapors　which　rose　from

the　caldron；　framing　it　round　like　the　clouds　that　are　yieldingly

pierced　by　the　light　of　the　evening　star。



Through　the　haze　of　the　vapor　came　her　voice；　more　musical；　more

plaintive　than　I　had　heard　it　before；　but　far　softer；　more　tender：

still　in　her　foreign　tongue；　the　words　unknown　to　me；　and　yet　their

sense；　perhaps；　made　intelligible　by　the　love；　which　has　one　common

language　and　one　common　look　to　all　who　have　lovedthe　love

unmistakably　heard　in　the　loving　tone；　unmistakably　seen　in　the

loving　face。



A　moment　or　so　more　and　she　had　come　round　from　the　opposite　side

of　the　fire　pile；　and　bending　over　Margrave's　upturned　brow；　kissed

it　quietly；　solemnly；　and　then　her　countenance　grew　fierce；　her

crest　rose　erect：　it　was　the　lioness　protecting　her　young。　　She

stretched　forth　her　arm　from　the　black　mantle；　athwart　the　pale

front　that　now　again　bent　over　the　caldronstretched　it　toward　the

haunted　and　hollow…sounding　space　beyond；　in　the　gesture　of　one

whose　right　hand　has　the　sway　of　the　scepter。　　And　then　her　voice

stole　on　the　air　in　the　music　of　a　chant；　not　loud　yet　far…

reaching；　so　thrilling；　so　sweet　and　yet　so　solemn　that　I　could　at

once　comprehend　how　legend　united　of　old　the　spell　of　enchantment

with　the　power　of　song。　　All　that　I　recalled　of　the　effects　which；

in　the　former　time；　Margrave's　strange　chants　had　produced　on　the

ear　that　they　ravished　and　the　thoughts　they　confused；　was　but　as

the　wild　bird's　imitative　carol；　compared　to　the　depth　and　the　art

and　the　soul　of　the　singer；　whose　voice　seemed　endowed　with　a　charm

to　inthrall　all　the　tribes　of　creation；　though　the　language　it　used

for　that　charm　might　to　them；　as　to　me；　be　unknown。　　As　the　song

ceased；　I　heard　from　behind　sounds　like　those　I　had　heard　in　the

spaces　before　methe　tramp　of　invisible　feet；　the　whir　of

invisible　wings；　as　if　armies　were　marching　to　aid　against　armies

in　march　to　destroy。



〃Look　not　in　front　nor　around；〃　said　Ayesha。　　〃Look；　like　him；　on

the　caldron　below。　　The　circle　and　the　lamps　are　yet　bright；　I　will

tell　you　when　the　light　again　fails。〃



I　dropped　my　eyes　on　the　caldron。



〃See；〃　whispered　Margrave；　〃the　sparkles　at　last　begin　to　arise；

and　the　rose　hues　to　deepensigns　that　we　near　the　last　process。〃





IX





The　fifth　hour　had　passed　away；　when　Ayesha　said　to　me；　〃Lo！　the

circle　is　fading；　the　lamps　grow　dim。　　Look　now　without　fear　on　the

space　beyond；　the　eyes　that　appalled　thee　are　again　lost　in　air；　as

lightnings　that　fleet　back　into　cloud。〃



I　looked　up；　and　the　specters　had　vanished。　　The　sky　was　tinged

with　sulphurous　hues；　the　red　and　the　black　intermixed。　　I

replenished　the　lamps　and　the　ring　in　front；　thriftily；　heedfully；

but　when　I　came　to　the　sixth　lamp；　not　a　drop　in　the　vessel　that

fed　them　was　left。　　In　a　vague　dismay；　I　now　looked　round　the　half

of　the　wide　circle　in　rear　of　the　two　bended　figures　intent　on　the

caldron。　　All　along　that　disk　the　light　was　already　broken；　here

and　there　flickering　up；　here　and　there　dying　down；　the　six　lamps

in　that　half　of　the　circle　still　twinkled；　but　faintly；　as　stars

shrinking　fast　from　the　dawn　of　day。　　But　it　was　not　the　fading

shine　in　that　half　of　the　magical　ring　which　daunted　my　eye　and

quickened　with　terror　the　pulse　of　my　heart；　the　Bush…land　beyond

was　on　fire。　　From　the　background　of　the　forest　rose　the　flame　and

the　smokethe　smoke；　there；　still　half　smothering　the　flame。　　But

along　the　width　of　the　grasses　and　herbage；　between　the　verge　of

the　forest　and　the　bed　of　the　water　creek　just　below　the　raised

platform　from　which　I　beheld　the　dread　conflagration；　the　fire　was

advancingwave　upon　wave；　clear　and　red　against　the　columns　of

rock　behind；　as　the　rush　of　a　flood　through　the　mists　of　some　Alp

crowned　with　lightnings。



Roused　from　my　stun　at　the　first　sight　of　a　danger　not　foreseen　by

the　mind　I　had　steeled　against　far　rarer　portents　of　Nature；　I

cared　no　more　for　the　lamps　and　the　circle。　　Hurrying　hack　to

Ayesha　I　exclaimed：　〃The　phantoms　have　gone　from　the　spaces　in

front；　but　what　incantation　or　spell　can　arrest　the　red　march　of

the　foe　speeding　on　in　the　rear！　　While　we　gazed　on　the　caldron　of

life；　behind　us；　unheeded；　behold　the　Destroyer！〃



Ayesha　looked　and　made　no　reply；　but；　as　by　involuntary　instinct；

bowed　her　majestic　head；　then　rearing　it　erect；　placed　herself　yet

more　immediately　before　the　wasted　form　of　the　young　magician　（he

still；　bending　over　the　caldr