the darrow enigma-第11章

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bright　moonlit　nights；　with　the　sea　and　the　city　below　me；　the
〃Tower　of　Silence〃　in　the　Parsees'　burial　plot　ablaze　with　reflected
glory；　the　majestic　banyan　over　me　rustling　gently　in　the　soft　sea
breeze；　while　Lona　nestled　close　beside　me；　…　the　exquisite　perfume
of　the　luxuriant　garden　less　welcome　than　the　delicious　fragrance
of　her　breath；　…　hours　fraught　with　years　of　bliss　would　pass　as　if
but　pulse…beats。　　In　the　world　of　love　the　heart　is　the　only　true
timepiece。　　On　one　or　two　occasions　Lona　had　thought　she　had　been
followed　when　coming　to　meet　me；　and　she　began　to　conceive　a　strange
dislike　for　a　little　cavelike　recess　in　the　rocks　just　back　of　the
tree　by　which　we　sat。　　I　tried　on　one　occasion　to　reassure　her　by
telling　her　it　was　so　shallow　that；　with　the　moonlight　streaming
into　it；　I　could　see　clear　to　the　back　wall；　and　arose　to　enter　it
to　convince　her　there　was　no　one　there；　but　she　clung　to　me　in
terror；　saying：　〃Don't　go！　　Don't　leave　me！　　I　was　foolish　to
mention　it。　　I　cannot　account　for　my　fear；　…　and　yet；　do　you　know；〃
she　continued　in　a　low；　frightened　tone；　〃there　is　a　shaft　at　the
back　of　the　cave　that　has；　they　say；　no　bottom；　but　goes　down；
　…　down；　…　down；　　…　hundreds　of　feet　to　the　sea？〃　　It　is　useless；
as　you　know　only　too　well；　to　strive　to　reason　down　a　presentiment；
and　so；　instead；　I　sought　to　make　use　of　her　fear　in　the
accomplishment　of　my　dearest　wish。　　〃Why　need　we；〃　I　urged；　〃come
here；　why　longer　continue　these　clandestine　meetings？　　Let　us　be
brave；　darling；　in　our　loves。　　Your　people　have　chosen　another
husband　for　you；　…　my　people　another　wife　for　me；　but　we　are　both
quite　able　to　choose　for　ourselves。　　We　have　done　so；　and　it　is
our　most　sacred　duty　to　adhere　to　and　consummate　that　choice。　　Let
us；　I　beseech　you；　do　so　without　further　delay。　　Dearest；　meet　me
here　to…morrow　night　prepared　for　a　journey。　　We　will　take　the
late　train　for　Matheron　Station；　where　I　have　friends　who　can　be
trusted。　　We　will　be　married　immediately　upon　our　arrival；　and
can　communicate　by　post　with　our　respective　families；　remaining
away　from　them　until　they　are　glad　to　welcome　us　with　open　arms。〃

She　raised　some　few　objections　to　my　plan　and　expressed　some
misgivings；　but　she　loved　me　and　I　was　able　to　reason　away　the
one　and　kiss　away　the　other；　and　with　our　souls　upon　our　lips　we
parted　for　the　night。　　The　last　thing　I　had　said　to　her；　…　I
remember　it　as　if　it　all　happened　yesterday；　…　was：　〃Think　of
it；　dear　heart；　there　will　be　no　more　such　partings　between　us
after　to…night！〃　and　she　had　replied　by　silently　nestling　closer
to　me　and　twining　her　arms　about　my　neck。　　And　so　we　parted　on
that　never…to…be…forgotten　night　more　than　a　score　of　years
ago。

The　twenty…four　hours　intervening　between　this　parting　and　our
next　meeting　may　be　passed　over　in　silence；　as　nothing　occurred
during　that　time　at　all　essential　to　the　purpose　this　narrative
subserves。　　The　longed…for　time　came　at　last　and；　with　a　depth　of
happiness　I　had　never　known　before　…　a　peace　passing　all
understanding　…　I　set　out　for　Malabar　Hill。　　The　night　was　perfect
and　the　moonlight　so　bright　I　could　distinctly　see　the　air…roots
of　our　trysting　tree　when　more　than　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away。　　I
thought　at　the　time　how　this　tree；　with　its　crown　of　luxuriant
foliage　and　its　writhing　roots；　might　well　pass　for　some　gigantic
Medusa…head　with　its　streaming　serpent…hair。　　As　I　neared　the　tree
Lona　stepped　from　behind　it　and　awaited　my　approach。　　She　was　even
more　impatient　than　I；　I　thought；　and　my　heart　beat　more　wildly
than　ever。　　〃Sweet　saint；　have　I　kept　you　waiting？〃　I　asked；　as
I　came　within　speaking　distance　of　her。　　She　stood　motionless
against　the　tree　and　apparently　did　not　hear　me。　　I　waited　till　I
was　within　ten　feet　of　her　and　repeated　the　question；　but；　although
she　fixed　her　unfathomable　eyes　full　upon　mine；　she　made　no　reply；
and　gave　no　evidence　of　having　heard　me。　　I　stood　as　if　petrified。
A　nameless　dread　was　settling　upon　me；　paralysing　my　faculties。
She　had　always　before　sprung　forward　at　sight　of　me　and　thrown
herself　with　a　bewitching　little　pirouette　into　my　arms；　now　she
stood　coldly　aloof；　silent　and　motionless；　on　this；　our　wedding
night！　　I　waited　for　some　word　of　explanation；　but　none　came。　　The
suspense　became　unbearable　…　I　could　endure　it　no　longer！

〃For　God's　sake；　what　has　happened？　　〃I　cried；　rushing　forward　to
seize　her　in　my　arms。　　She　raised　her　right　hand　above　her　head
and；　as　I　had　almost　reached　her；　threw　something　full　in　my　face！
Instinctively　I　struck　at　it　with　my　walking…stick；　and　it　fell
in　the　grass　at　my　feet；　…　it　was　a　young　Indian　cobra　…　Naja
tripudians　…　a　serpent　of　the　deadliest　sort。　　I　did　not　pause　to
reason　how　this　sweet　angel　had　been　so　quickly　changed　into　a
venomous　fiend；　although　the　thought　that　somehow　she　had　been　led
to　think　me　false　to　her；　and　that　this　act　was　the　swift　vengeance
of　her　hot　Eastern　blood；　flashed　momentarily　through　my　mind；　…　all
that　could　be　explained　as　soon　as　I　had　her　nestling　in　my　arms。
I　reached　forward　to　embrace　her；　but　she　struck　me　in　the　face　and
fled！　　For　an　instant　my　heart　stood　still。　　It　seemed　to　me　it
would　never　start；　but　it　soon　began　to　throb　again　like　a　thing
of　lead；　and　the　blood　it　pumped　was　cold；　for　the　winter　had
closed　in　upon　it。　　The　elasticity　of　my　life；　that　ineffable
resiliency　of　the　soul　which　makes　us　more　than　beasts　of　burden；
was　gone　forever。　　An　automaton；　informed　only　with　the　material
life；　remained；　…　the　spirit　followed　that　fleeting　figure　down
the　hill。　　More　than　twenty　years　have　passed　and　still　the
unrewarded　chase　continues！

But　it　is　to　facts　I　have　to　call　your　attention；　rather　than　to
their　effects。　　A　flutter　of　white　muslin　in　the　moonlit　distance
was　all　that　was　visible　of　the　retreating　girl　when　I　started
mechanically；　and　without　any　particular　purpose　in　view；　in　pursuit
of　her。　　My　path　lay　by　the　banyan　tree　under　which　we　had　so　often
sat；　but　every　air…root　seemed　changed　to　a　writhing　serpent。　　As　I
threaded　my　way　among　them；　a　man　stepped　from　behind　the　trunk
and　disputed　my　passage。　　His　gigantic　form　was　silhouetted　against
the　mass　of　rock　forming　the　entrance　to　the　little　cave。　　The　bright
moonlight　did　what　it　could　to　illumine　that　sinister　face。　　It　was
Rama　Ragobah！　　For　fully　a　minute　we　stood　silently　face　to　face；
each　expecting　the　assault　of　the　other。　　It　was　Ragobah　who　spoke
first。　　〃She　is　mine；　body　and　soul；　and　the　English　cur　may　find
a　mate　in　his　own　kennel！〃　　He　bent　toward　me　and　hissed　these　words
in　my　very　face。　　His　hot　breath　seemed　to　poison　me。　　It　made　me
beside　myself。　　I　knew　he　meant　to　take　advantage　of　his　physical
superiority　and　attack　me；　by　the　narrow　watch　he　kept　upon　the
heavy　walking…stick　I　still　carried　in　my　right　hand。　　He　had
expected　I　would　attempt　to　strike　with　this；　but　my　constant
practice　at　boxing　had　made　my　fists　the　more　natural　weapon。　　I
was　so　enraged　I　did　not　notice　he　was　too　close　to　use　my　stick　to
advantage。　　I　simply　acted　without　any　thought　whatever。　　His
attitude　was　such；　as　he　hissed　his　venom　into　my　face；　as　to　enable
me　to　give　him　a　powerful　〃upper　cut〃　under　the　jaw。　　This；　as　I
was　so　much　lighter　than　he；　was　the　most　effective　blow　I　could
deliver；　yet；　although　it　took　him　off　his　feet；　it　did　not　disable
him。　　　I　had　not　succeeded　in　placing　it　as　I　had　intended；　and　it
had　only　the　effect　of　rendering　him　demoniacal。　　In　an　instant　he
was　again　upon　his　feet；　and　unsheathing　a　long　knife。　　I　knew　it
meant　death　for　me　if　he　were　able　to　close　with　me。　　It　was　useless
for　me　to　call　for　help；　for　in　those　days　this　part　of　Malabar　Hill
was　as　deserted　as　a　wilderness。　　Now；　the　very　spot　on　which　we
stood　is　highly　cultivated；　and　forms　a　part　of　the　garden　of　the
Blasehek　villa。　　There；　early　in　the　eighties；　as　the　guest　of　the
hospitable　Herr　Blasehek；　Professor　Ernst　Haeckel　botanised　a　week；
on　his　way　to　Ceylon。　　Now；　in　response　to　a　cry　from　his　intended
victim；　an　assassin　might　be　frustrated　by　assistance　from　a　dozen
bungalows；　but　at　the　time　of　which　I　write；　the　victim；　if　he　were
wise；　saved　his　breath　for　the　struggle　which　he　knew　he　must　make
unaided。

Ragobah　paused；　and　coolly　bared　his　right　arm　to　the　elbow。　　There
was　a　studied　deliberation　in　his　movements；　which　said　only　too
plainly：　〃There　is　no　hurry　in　killing　you；　for　you　cannot　escape。〃
I　grasped　my　stick　firmly　as　my　only　hope；　and　awaited　his　onslaught。
　My　early　military　drill　now　stood　me　in　good　stead；　and　to　it　I　owe
my　life。　　Without　the　knowledge　which　I　had　derived　from　the　use　of
the　broadsword；　I　should　have　been　all　but　certain　to　have　attempted
to　strike　him　a　downward　blow　upon　the　head。　　This　is　just　what　he
was　expecting；　and　it　would　have　cost　me　my　life。　　He　would　have　had
only　to　throw　up　his　left　arm　to　catch　the　blow；　while　with　his　right
hand　he　plunged　the　knife　into　my　heart。　　My　experience　had　taught
me　how　much　easier　it　is　to　protect　one's　self　from　a　cutting　blow
than　from　a　thrust；　and　I　determined　to　adopt　this　latter　means　of
assault。　　Ragobah　advanced　upon　me　slowly；　much　as　a　cat　steals　upon
an　unsuspecting　bird。　　I　raised　my　stick　as　if　to　strike　him；　and　he
instinctively　threw　up　his　left　arm；　and　advanced　upon　me。　　My
opportunity　had　come；　I　lowered　the　point　of　my　cane　to　the　level
of　his　face；　and　made　a　vigorous　lunge　forward；　throwing　my　whole
weight　upon　the　thrust。　　As　nearly　as　I　could　tell；　the　point　of　my
stick　caught　him　in　the　socket　of　the　left　eye；　just　as　he　sprang
forward；　and　hurled　him　backward；　blinded　and　stupefied。　　Before
he　had　recovered　sufficiently　to　protect　himself；　I　dealt　him　a　blow
upon　the　head　that　brought　him　quickly　to　the　earth。　　Without
stopping　to　ascertain　whether　or　not　I　had　killed　him；　I　fled
precipitately　to　my　lodgings；　hastily　packed　my　belongings；　and　set
out　for　Matheron　Station　by　the　same　train　I　had　so　fondly　believed
would　convey　Lona　and　me　to　our　nuptial　altar。　　Words　cannot　describe
the　suffering　I　endured　upon　that　journey。　　For　the　first　time　since
my　terrible　desertion　I　had　an　opportunity　to　think；　and　I　did　think；
if　the　pulse　of　an　overwhelming　pain；　perpetually　recurring　like　the
beat　of　a　loaded　wheel；　can　be　called　thought。　　Although　there　is
no　insanity　in　our　family　nearer　than　a　great…uncle；　I　marvel　that
I　retained　my　wits　under　this　terrible　blow。　　I　seriously
contemplated　suicide；　and　probably　should　have　taken　my　life　had　not
my　mental　condition　gradually　undergone　a　change。　　I　was　no　longer
conscious　of　suffering；　nor　of　a　desire　to　end　my　life。　　I　was
simply　indifferent。　　It　was　all　one　to　me　whether　I　lived　or　died。
The　power　of　loving　or　caring　for　anything　or　anybody　had　entirely
left　me；　and　when　I　would　reflect　how　utterly　indifferent　I　was　even
to　my　own　father　and　mother；　I　would　regard　myself　as　an　unnatural
monster。　　I　tried　to　conceal　my　lack　of　affection　by　a　greater
attention　to　their　wishes；　and　it　was　in　this　way　that　I　yielded；
without　remonstrance；　to　those　same　views　regarding　my　marriage；
to　which；　but　a　little　while　before；　I