the notch on the ax and on being found out-第16章

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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　caldron；　and　hearing　me　not　in　the
absorption　and　hope　of　his　watch）placed　herself　before　him；　as
the　bird　whose　first　care　is　her　fledgling。

As　we　two　there　stood；　fronting　the　deluge　of　fire；　we　heard
Margrave　behind　us；　murmuring　low；　〃See　the　bubbles　of　light；　how
they　sparkle　and　danceI　shall　live；　I　shall　live！〃　　And　his　words
scarcely　died　in　our　ears　before；　crash　upon　crash；　came　the　fall
of　the　age…long　trees　in　the　forest；　and　nearer；　all　near　us；
through　the　blazing　grasses；　the　hiss　of　the　serpents；　the　scream
of　the　birds；　and　the　bellow　and　tramp　of　the　herds　plunging　wild
through　the　billowy　red　of　their　pastures。

Ayesha　now　wound　her　arms　around　Margrave；　and　wrenched　him；
reluctant　and　struggling；　from　his　watch　over　the　seething　caldron。
In　rebuke　of　his　angry　exclamations；　she　pointed　to　the　march　of
the　fire；　spoke　in　sorrowful　tones　a　few　words　in　her　own　language；
and　then；　appealing　to　me　in　English；　said：

〃I　tell　him　that；　here；　the　Spirits　who　oppose　us　have　summoned　a
foe　that　is　deaf　to　my　voice；　and〃

〃And；〃　exclaimed　Margrave；　no　longer　with　gasp　and　effort；　but　with
the　swell　of　a　voice　which　drowned　all　the　discords　of　terror　and
of　agony　sent　forth　from　the　Phlegethon　burning　below〃and　this
witch；　whom　I　trusted；　is　a　vile　slave　and　impostor；　more　desiring
my　death　than　my　life。　　She　thinks　that　in　life　I　should　scorn　and
forsake　her；　that　in　death　I　should　die　in　her　arms！　　Sorceress；
avaunt！　　Art　thou　useless　and　powerless　now　when　I　need　thee　most？
Go！　　Let　the　world　be　one　funeral　pyre！　　What　to　ME　is　the　world？
My　world　is　my　life！　　Thou　knowest　that　my　last　hope　is　herethat
all　the　strength　left　me　this　night　will　die　down；　like　the　lamps
in　the　circle；　unless　the　elixir　restore　it。　　Bold　friend；　spurn
that　sorceress　away。　　Hours　yet　ere　those　flames　can　assail　us！　　A
few　minutes　more；　and　life　to　your　Lilian　and　me！〃

Thus　having　said；　Margrave　turned　from　us；　and　cast　into　the
caldron　the　last　essence　yet　left　in　his　empty　coffer。

Ayesha　silently　drew　her　black　veil　over　her　face；　and　turned；　with
the　being　she　loved；　from　the　terror　he　scorned；　to　share　in　the
hope　that　he　cherished。

Thus　left　alone；　with　my　reason　disinthralled；　disenchanted；　I
surveyed　more　calmly　the　extent　of　the　actual　peril　with　which　we
were　threatened；　and　the　peril　seemed　less；　so　surveyed。

It　is　true　all　the　Bush…land　behind；　almost　up　to　the　bed　of　the
creek；　was　on　fire；　but　the　grasses；　through　which　the　flame　spread
so　rapidly；　ceased　at　the　opposite　marge　of　the　creek。　　Watery
pools　were　still；　at　intervals；　left　in　the　bed　of　the　creek；
shining　tremulous；　like　waves　of　fire；　in　the　glare　reflected　from
the　burning　land；　and　even　where　the　water　failed；　the　stony　course
of　the　exhausted　rivulet　was　a　barrier　against　the　march　of　the
conflagration。　　Thus；　unless　the　wind；　now　still；　should　rise；　and
waft　some　sparks　to　the　parched　combustible　herbage　immediately
around　us；　we　were　saved　from　the　fire；　and　our　work　might　yet　be
achieved。

I　whispered　to　Ayesha　the　conclusion　to　which　I　came。

〃Thinkest　thou；〃　she　answered　without　raising　her　mournful　head；
〃that　the　Agencies　of　Nature　are　the　movements　of　chance？　　The
Spirits　I　invoked　to　his　aid　are　leagued　with　the　hosts　that
assail。　　A　mightier　than　I　am　has　doomed　him！〃

Scarcely　had　she　uttered　these　words　before　Margrave　exclaimed；
〃Behold　how　the　Rose　of　the　alchemist's　dream　enlarges　its　blooms
from　the　folds　of　its　petals！　　I　shall　live；　I　shall　live！〃

I　looked；　and　the　liquid　which　glowed　in　the　caldron　had　now　taken
a　splendor　that　mocked　all　comparisons　borrowed　from　the　luster　of
gems。　　In　its　prevalent　color　it　had；　indeed；　the　dazzle　and　flash
of　the　ruby；　but　out　from　the　mass　of　the　molten　red；　broke
coruscations　of　all　prismal　hues；　shooting；　shifting；　in　a　play
that　made　the　wavelets　themselves　seem　living　things；　sensible　of
their　joy。　　No　longer　was　there　scum　or　film　upon　the　surface；　only
ever　and　anon　a　light；　rosy　vapor　floating　up；　and　quick　lost　in
the　haggard；　heavy；　sulphurous　air；　hot　with　the　conflagration
rushing　toward　us　from　behind。　　And　these　coruscations　formed；　on
the　surface　of　the　molten　ruby；　literally　the　shape　of　a　rose；　its
leaves　made　distinct　in　their　outlines　by　sparks　of　emerald　and
diamond　and　sapphire。

Even　while　gazing　on　this　animated　liquid　luster；　a　buoyant　delight
seemed　infused　into　my　senses；　all　terrors　conceived　before　were
annulled；　the　phantoms；　whose　armies　had　filled　the　wide　spaces　in
front；　were　forgotten；　the　crash　of　the　forest　behind　was　unheard。
In　the　reflection　of　that　glory；　Margrave's　wan　cheek　seemed
already　restored　to　the　radiance　it　wore　when　I　saw　it　first　in　the
framework　of　blooms。

As　I　gazed；　thus　enchanted；　a　cold　hand　touched　my　own。

〃Hush！〃　whispered　Ayesha；　from　the　black　veil；　against　which　the
rays　of　the　caldron　fell　blunt；　and　absorbed　into　Dark。　　〃Behind
us；　the　light　of　the　circle　is　extinct；　but　there；　we　are　guarded
from　all　save　the　brutal　and　soulless　destroyers。　　But；　before！
but；　before！see；　two　of　the　lamps　have　died　out！see　the　blank
of　the　gap　in　the　ring！　　Guard　that　breachthere　the　demons　will
enter。〃

〃Not　a　drop　is　there　left　in　this　vessel　by　which　to　replenish　the
lamps　on　the　ring。〃

〃Advance；　then；　thou　hast　still　the　light　of　the　soul；　and　the
demons　may　recoil　before　a　soul　that　is　dauntless　and　guiltless。
If　not；　Three　are　lost！as　it　is；　One　is　doomed。〃

Thus　adjured；　silently；　involuntarily；　I　passed　from　the　Veiled
Woman's　side；　over　the　sear　lines　on　the　turf　which　had　been　traced
by　the　triangles　of　light　long　since　extinguished；　and　toward　the
verge　of　the　circle。　　As　I　advanced；　overhead　rushed　a　dark　cloud
of　wingsbirds　dislodged　from　the　forest　on　fire；　and　screaming；
in　dissonant　terror；　as　they　flew　toward　the　farthermost　mountains；
close　by　my　feet　hissed　and　glided　the　snakes；　driven　forth　from
their　blazing　coverts；　and　glancing　through　the　ring；　unscared　by
its　waning　lamps；　all　undulating　by　me；　bright…eyed；　and　hissing；
all　made　innocuous　by　feareven　the　terrible　Death…adder；　which　I
trampled　on　as　I　halted　at　the　verge　of　the　circle；　did　not　turn　to
bite；　but　crept　harmless　away。　　I　halted　at　the　gap　between　the　two
dead　lamps；　and　bowed　my　head　to　look　again　into　the　crystal
vessel。　　Were　there；　indeed；　no　lingering　drops　yet　left；　if　but　to
recruit　the　lamps　for　some　priceless　minutes　more？　　As　I　thus
stood；　right　into　the　gap　between　the　two　dead　lamps　strode　a
gigantic　Foot。　　All　the　rest　of　the　form　was　unseen；　only；　as
volume　after　volume　of　smoke　poured　on　from　the　burning　land
behind；　it　seemed　as　if　one　great　column　of　vapor；　eddying　round；
settled　itself　aloft　from　the　circle；　and　that　out　from