the notch on the ax and on being found out-第13章

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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？　　I　assume　that　the
dark　form　by　your　side　is　that　of　Ayesha！〃*


*　Margrave's　former　nurse　and　attendant。


The　woman　looked　at　me　from　her　sable　veil；　with　her　steadfast；
solemn　eyes；　and　said；　in　English；　though　with　a　foreign　accent：
〃The　nurse　born　in　Asia　is　but　wise　through　her　love；　the　pale　son
of　Europe　is　wise　through　his　art。　　The　nurse　says；　'Forbear！'　　Do
you　say；　'Adventure'？〃

〃Peace！〃　exclaimed　Margrave；　stamping　his　foot　on　the　ground。　　〃I
take　no　counsel　from　either；　it　is　for　me　to　resolve；　for　you　to
obey；　and　for　him　to　aid。　　Night　is　come；　and　we　waste　it；　move
on。〃

The　woman　made　no　reply；　nor　did　I。　　He　took　my　arm　and　walked　back
to　the　hut。　　The　barbaric　escort　followed。　　When　we　reached　the
door　of　the　building；　Margrave　said　a　few　words　to　the　woman　and　to
the　litter　bearers。　　They　entered　the　hut　with　us。　　Margrave
pointed　out　to　the　woman　his　coffer；　to　the　men　the　fuel　stowed　in
the　outhouse。　　Both　were　borne　away　and　placed　within　the　litter。
Meanwhile　I　took　from　the　table；　on　which　it　was　carelessly　thrown；
the　light　hatchet　that　I　habitually　carried　with　me　in　my　rambles。

〃Do　you　think　that　you　need　that　idle　weapon？〃　said　Margrave。　　〃Do
you　fear　the　good　faith　of　my　swarthy　attendants？〃

〃Nay；　take　the　hatchet　yourself；　its　use　is　to　sever　the　gold　from
the　quartz　in　which　we　may　find　it　imbedded；　or　to　clear；　as　this
shovel；　which　will　also　be　needed；　from　the　slight　soil　above　it；
the　ore　that　the　mine　in　the　mountain　flings　forth；　as　the　sea
casts　its　waifs　on　the　sands。〃

〃Give　me　your　hand；　fellow　laborer！〃　said　Margrave；　joyfully。　　〃Ah；
there　is　no　faltering　terror　in　this　pulse！　　I　was　not　mistaken　in
the　man。　　What　rests；　but　the　place　and　the　hour？I　shall　live；　I
shall　live！〃


III


Margrave　now　entered　the　litter；　and　the　Veiled　Woman　drew　the
black　curtains　round　him。　　I　walked　on；　as　the　guide；　some　yards　in
advance。　　The　air　was　still；　heavy；　and　parched　with　the　breath　of
the　Australasian　sirocco。

We　passed　through　the　meadow　lands；　studded　with　slumbering　flocks；
we　followed　the　branch　of　the　creek；　which　was　linked　to　its　source
in　the　mountains　by　many　a　trickling　waterfall；　we　threaded　the
gloom　of　stunted；　misshapen　trees；　gnarled　with　the　stringy　bark
which　makes　one　of　the　signs　of　the　strata　that　nourish　gold；　and
at　length　the　moon；　now　in　all　her　pomp　of　light；　mid…heaven　among
her　subject　stars；　gleamed　through　the　fissures　of　the　cave；　on
whose　floor　lay　the　relics　of　antediluvian　races；　and　rested　in　one
flood　of　silvery　splendor　upon　the　hollows　of　the　extinct　volcano；
with　tufts　of　dank　herbage；　and　wide　spaces　of　paler　sward；
covering　the　gold　belowgold；　the　dumb　symbol　of　organized
Matter's　great　mystery；　storing　in　itself；　according　as　Mind；　the
informer　of　Matter；　can　distinguish　its　uses；　evil　and　good；　bane
and　blessing。

Hitherto　the　Veiled　Woman　had　remained　in　the　rear；　with　the　white…
robed；　skeletonlike　image　that　had　crept　to　my　side　unawares　with
its　noiseless　step。　　Thus；　in　each　winding　turn　of　the　difficult
path　at　which　the　convoy　following　behind　me　came　into　sight；　I　had
seen；　first；　the　two　gayly　dressed；　armed　men；　next　the　black；
bierlike　litter；　and　last　the　Black…veiled　Woman　and　the　White…
robed　Skeleton。

But　now；　as　I　halted　on　the　tableland；　backed　by　the　mountain　and
fronting　the　valley；　the　woman　left　her　companion；　passed　by　the
litter　and　the　armed　men；　and　paused　by　my　side；　at　the　mouth　of
the　moonlit　cavern。

There　for　a　moment　she　stood；　silent；　the　procession　below　mounting
upward　laboriously　and　slow；　then　she　turned　to　me；　and　her　veil
was　withdrawn。

The　face　on　which　I　gazed　was　wondrously　beautiful；　and　severely
awful。　　There　was　neither　youth　nor　age；　but　beauty；　mature　and
majestic　as　that　of　a　marble　Demeter。

〃Do　you　believe　in　that　which　you　seek？〃　she　asked　in　her　foreign；
melodious；　melancholy　accents。

〃I　have　no　belief；〃　was　my　answer。　　〃True　science　has　none。　　True
science　questions　all　things；　takes　nothing　upon　credit。　　It　knows
but　three　states　of　the　minddenial；　conviction；　and　that　vast
interval　between　the　two　which　is　not　belief　but　suspense　of
judgment。〃

The　woman　let　fall　her　veil；　moved　from　me；　and　seated　herself　on　a
crag　above　that　cleft　between　mountain　and　creek；　to　which；　when　I
had　first　discovered　the　gold　that　the　land　nourished；　the　rain
from　the　clouds　had　given　the　rushing　life　of　the　cataract；　but
which　now；　in　the　drought　and　the　hush　of　the　skies；　was　but　a　dead
pile　of　stones。

The　litter　now　ascended　the　height：　its　bearers　halted；　a　lean　hand
tore　the　curtains　aside；　and　Margrave　descended　leaning；　this　time；
not　on　the　Black…veiled　Woman；　but　on　the　White…robed　Skeleton。

There；　as　he　stood；　the　moon　shone　full　on　his　wasted　form；　on　his
face；　resolute；　cheerful；　and　proud；　despite　its　hollowed　outlines
and　sicklied　hues。　　He　raised　his　head；　spoke　in　the　language
unknown　to　me；　and　the　armed　men　and　the　litter　bearers　grouped
round　him；　bending　low；　their　eyes　fixed　on　the　ground。　　The　Veiled
Woman　rose　slowly　and　came　to　his　side；　motioning　away；　with　a　mute
sign；　the　ghastly　form　on　which　he　leaned；　and　passing　round　him
silently；　instead；　her　own　sustaining　arm。　　Margrave　spoke　again　a
few　sentences；　of　which　I　could　not　even　guess　the　meaning。　　When
he　had　concluded；　the　armed　men　and　the　litter　bearers　came　nearer
to　his　feet；　knelt　down；　and　kissed　his　hand。　　They　then　rose；　and
took　from　the　bierlike