the notch on the ax and on being found out-第12章

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serpent　transformed　into　man；　preserving　in　the　human　lineaments
the　old　serpent　type；　you　would　have　a　better　idea　of　that
countenance　than　long　descriptions　can　convey：　the　width　and
flatness　of　frontal；　the　tapering　elegance　of　contour　disguising
the　strength　of　the　deadly　jaw；　the　long；　large；　terrible　eye；
glittering　and　green　as　the　emerald；and　withal　a　certain　ruthless
calm；　as　if　from　the　consciousness　of　an　immense　power。

Mechanically　I　turned　round　the　miniature　to　examine　the　back　of
it；　and　on　the　back　was　engraved　a　pentacle；　in　the　middle　of　the
pentacle　a　ladder；　and　the　third　step　of　the　ladder　was　formed　by
the　date　1765。　　Examining　still　more　minutely；　I　detected　a　spring；
this；　on　being　pressed；　opened　the　back　of　the　miniature　as　a　lid。
Within…side　the　lid　were　engraved；　〃Marianna　to　thee。　　Be　faithful
in　life　and　in　death　to　。〃　　Here　follows　a　name　that　I　will　not
mention；　but　it　was　not　unfamiliar　to　me。　　I　had　heard　it　spoken　of
by　old　men　in　my　childhood　as　the　name　borne　by　a　dazzling
charlatan　who　had　made　a　great　sensation　in　London　for　a　year　or
so；　and　had　fled　the　country　on　the　charge　of　a　double　murder
within　his　own　house；that　of　his　mistress　and　his　rival。　　I　said
nothing　of　this　to　Mr。　J；　to　whom　reluctantly　I　resigned　the
miniature。

We　had　found　no　difficulty　in　opening　the　first　drawer　within　the
iron　safe；　we　found　great　difficulty　in　opening　the　second：　it　was
not　locked；　but　it　resisted　all　efforts；　till　we　inserted　in　the
chinks　the　edge　of　a　chisel。　　When　we　had　thus　drawn　it　forth；　we
found　a　very　singular　apparatus　in　the　nicest　order。　　Upon　a　small；
thin　book；　or　rather　tablet；　was　placed　a　saucer　of　crystal；　this
saucer　was　filled　with　a　clear　liquid；on　that　liquid　floated　a
kind　of　compass；　with　a　needle　shifting　rapidly　round；　but　instead
of　the　usual　points　of　a　compass　were　seven　strange　characters；　not
very　unlike　those　used　by　astrologers　to　denote　the　planets。　　A
peculiar　but　not　strong　nor　displeasing　odor　came　from　this　drawer；
which　was　lined　with　a　wood　that　we　afterwards　discovered　to　be
hazel。　　Whatever　the　cause　of　this　odor；　it　produced　a　material
effect　on　the　nerves。　　We　all　felt　it；　even　the　two　workmen　who
were　in　the　room；a　creeping；　tingling　sensation　from　the　tips　of
the　fingers　to　the　roots　of　the　hair。　　Impatient　to　examine　the
tablet；　I　removed　the　saucer。　　As　I　did　so　the　needle　of　the
compass　went　round　and　round　with　exceeding　swiftness；　and　I　felt　a
shock　that　ran　through　my　whole　frame；　so　that　I　dropped　the　saucer
on　the　floor。　　The　liquid　was　spilled；　the　saucer　was　broken；　the
compass　rolled　to　the　end　of　the　room；　and　at　that　instant　the
walls　shook　to　and　fro；　as　if　a　giant　had　swayed　and　rocked　them。

The　two　workmen　were　so　frightened　that　they　ran　up　the　ladder　by
which　we　had　descended　from　the　trapdoor；　but　seeing　that　nothing
more　happened；　they　were　easily　induced　to　return。

Meanwhile　I　had　opened　the　tablet：　it　was　bound　in　plain　red
leather；　with　a　silver　clasp；　it　contained　but　one　sheet　of　thick
vellum；　and　on　that　sheet　were　inscribed；　within　a　double　pentacle；
words　in　old　monkish　Latin；　which　are　literally　to　be　translated
thus：　〃On　all　that　it　can　reach　within　these　walls；　sentient　or
inanimate；　living　or　dead；　as　moves　the　needle；　so　works　my　will！
Accursed　be　the　house；　and　restless　be　the　dwellers　therein。〃

We　found　no　more。　　Mr。　J　burned　the　tablet　and　its　anathema。
He　razed　to　the　foundations　the　part　of　the　building　containing　the
secret　room　with　the　chamber　over　it。　　He　had　then　the　courage　to
inhabit　the　house　himself　for　a　month；　and　a　quieter；　better…
conditioned　house　could　not　be　found　in　all　London。　　Subsequently
he　let　it　to　advantage；　and　his　tenant　has　made　no　complaints。



A　drowning　man　clutching　at　a　strawsuch　is　Dr。　Fenwick；　hero　of
Bulwer…Lytton's　〃Strange　Story〃　when　he　determines　to　lend　himself
to　alleged　〃magic〃　in　the　hope　of　saving　his　suffering　wife　from
the　physical　dangers　which　have　succeeded　her　mental　disease。　　The
proposition　has　been　made　to　him　by　Margrave；　a　wanderer　in　many
countries；　who　has　followed　the　Fenwicks　from　England　to　Australia。
Margrave　declares　that　he　needs　an　accomplice　to　secure　an　〃elixir
of　life〃　which　his　own　failing　strength　demands。　　His　mysterious
mesmeric　or　hypnotic　influence　over　Mrs。　Fenwick　had　in　former　days
been　marked；　and　on　the　basis　of　this　undeniable　fact；　he　has
endeavored　to　show　that　his　own　welfare　and　Mrs。　Fenwick's　are；　in
some　occult　fashion；　knit　together；　and　that　only　by　aiding　him　in
some　extraordinary　experiment　can　the　physician　snatch　his　beloved
Lilian　from　her　impending　doom。

As　the　first　chapter　opens；　Fenwick　is　learning　his　wife's
condition　from　his　friend；　Dr。　Faber。



Bulwer…Lytton


The　Incantation


I


〃I　believe　that　for　at　least　twelve　hours　there　will　be　no　change
in　her　state。　　I　believe　also　that　if　she　recover　from　it；　calm　and
refreshed；　as　from　a　sleep；　the　danger　of　death　will　have　passed
away。〃

〃And　for　twelve　hours　my　presence　would　be　hurtful？〃

〃Rather　say　fatal；　if　my　diagnosis　be　right。〃

I　wrung　my　friend's　hand；　and　we　parted。

Oh；　to　lose　her　now；　now　that　her　love　and　her　reason　had　both
returned；　each　more　vivid　than　before！　　Futile；　indeed；　might　be
Margrave's　boasted　secret；　but　at　least　in　that　secret　was　hope。
In　recognized　science　I　saw　only　despair。

And　at　that　thought　all　dread　of　this　mysterious　visitor　vanished
all　anxiety　to　question　more　of　his　attributes　or　his　history。　　His
life　itself　became　to　me　dear　and　precious。　　What　if　it　should　fail
me　in　the　steps　of　the　process；　whatever　that　was；　by　which　the
life　of　my　Lilian　might　be　saved！

The　shades　of　evening　were　now　closing　in。　　I　remembered　that　I　had
left　Margrave　without　even　food　for　many　hours。　　I　stole　round　to
the　back　of　the　house；　filled　a　basket　with　elements　more　generous
than　those　of　the　former　day；　extracted　fresh　drugs　from　my　stores；
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　b