allan quatermain-第42部分

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and　went　where　sweet　smiles　go。　　The　fact　of　the　matter；　however；　

was　that　not　only　was　Good　rejoiced　about　the　thing　on　its　own　

merits　but　also　for　personal　reasons。　　He　adored　Sorais　quite　

as　earnestly　as　Sir　Henry　adored　Nyleptha；　and　his　adoration　

had　not　altogether　prospered。　　Indeed；　it　had　seemed　to　him　and　

to　me　also　that　the　dark　Cleopatra…like　queen　favoured　Curtis　

in　her　own　curious　inscrutable　way　much　more　than　Good。　　Therefore　

it　was　a　relief　to　him　to　learn　that　his　unconscious　rival　was　

permanently　　and　satisfactorily　attached　in　another　direction。　　

His　face　fell　a　little；　however；　when　he　was　told　that　the　whole　

thing　was　to　be　kept　as　secret　as　the　dead；　above　all　from　Sorais　

for　the　present；　inasmuch　as　the　political　convulsion　which　would　

follow　such　an　announcement　at　the　moment　would　be　altogether　

too　great　to　face　and　would　very　possibly；　if　prematurely　made；　

shake　Nyleptha　from　her　throne。



That　morning　we　again　attended　in　the　Throne　Hall；　and　I　could　

not　help　smiling　to　myself　when　I　compared　the　visit　to　our　last；　

and　reflecting　that；　if　walls　could　speak；　they　would　have　strange　

tales　to　tell。



What　actresses　women　are！　　There；　high　upon　her　golden　throne；　

draped　in　her　blazoned　'kaf'　or　robe　of　state；　sat　the　fair　Nyleptha；　

and　when　Sir　Henry　came　in　a　little　late；　dressed　in　the　full　

uniform　of　an　officer　of　her　guard　and　humbly　bent　himself　before　

her；　she　merely　acknowledged　his　salute　with　a　careless　nod　and　

turned　her　head　coldly　aside。　　It　was　a　very　large　Court；　for　

not　only　did　the　signing　of　the　laws　attract　many　outside　of　

those　whose　duty　it　was　to　attend；　but　also　the　rumour　that　Nasta　

was　going　to　publicly　ask　the　hand　of　Nyleptha　in　marriage　had　

gone　abroad；　with　the　result　that　the　great　hall　was　crowded　

to　its　utmost　capacity。　　There　were　our　friends　the　priests　in　

force；　headed　by　Agon；　who　regarded　us　with　a　vindictive　eye；　

and　a　most　imposing　band　they　were；　with　their　long　white　embroidered　

robes　girt　with　a　golden　chain　from　which　hung　the　fish…like　

scales。　　There；　too；　were　a　number　of　the　lords；　each　with　a　

band　of　brilliantly　attired　attendants；　and　prominent　among　them　

was　Nasta；　stroking　his　black　beard　meditatively　and　looking　

unusually　pleasant。　　It　was　a　splendid　and　impressive　sight；　

especially　when　the　officer　after　having　read　out　each　law　handed　

them　to　the　Queens　to　sign；　whereon　the　trumpets　blared　out　and　

the　Queens'　guard　grounded　their　spears　with　a　crash　in　salute。　　

This　reading　and　signing　of　the　laws　took　a　long　time；　but　at　

length　it　came　to　an　end；　the　last　one　reciting　that　'whereas　

distinguished　strangers；　etc。'；　and　proceeding　to　confer　on　the　

three　of　us　the　rank　of　'lords'；　together　with　certain　military　

commands　and　large　estates　bestowed　by　the　Queen。　　When　it　was　

read　the　trumpets　blared　and　the　spears　clashed　down　as　usual；　

but　I　saw　some　of　the　lords　turn　and　whisper　to　each　other；　while　

Nasta　ground　his　teeth。　　They　did　not　like　the　favour　that　was　

shown　to　us；　which　under　all　the　circumstances　was　not　perhaps　

unnatural。



Then　there　came　a　pause；　and　Nasta　stepped　forward　and　bowing　

humbly；　though　with　no　humility　in　his　eye；　craved　a　boon　at　

the　hands　of　the　Queen　Nyleptha。



Nyleptha　turned　a　little　pale；　but　bowed　graciously；　and　prayed　

the　'well…beloved　lord'　to　speak　on；　whereon　in　a　few　

straightforward　soldier…like　words　he　asked　her　hand　in　marriage。



Then；　before　she　could　find　words　to　answer；　the　High　Priest　

Agon　took　up　the　tale；　and　in　a　speech　of　real　eloquence　and　

power　pointed　out　the　many　advantages　of　the　proposed　alliance；　

how　it　would　consolidate　the　kingdom；　for　Nasta's　dominions；　

of　which　he　was　virtually　king；　were　to　Zu…Vendis　much　what　Scotland　

used　to　be　to　England；　how　it　would　gratify　the　wild　mountaineers　

and　be　popular　among　the　soldiery；　for　Nasta　was　a　famous　general；　

how　it　would　set　her　dynasty　firmly　on　the　throne；　and　would　

gain　the　blessing　and　approval　of　the　'Sun'；　i。e。　of　the　office　

of　the　High　Priest；　and　so　on。　　Many　of　his　arguments　were　undoubtedly　

valid；　and　there　was；　looking　at　it　from　a　political　point　of　

view；　everything　to　be　said　for　the　marriage。　　But　unfortunately　

it　is　difficult　to　play　the　game　of　politics　with　the　persons　

of　young　and　lovely　queens　as　though　they　were　ivory　effigies　

of　themselves　on　a　chessboard。　　Nyleptha's　face；　while　Agon　spouted　

away；　was　a　perfect　study；　she　smiled　indeed；　but　beneath　the　

smile　it　set　like　a　stone；　and　her　eyes　began　to　flash　ominously。



At　last　he　stopped；　and　she　prepared　herself　to　answer。　　Before　

she　did　so；　however；　Sorais　leant　towards　her　and　said　in　a　voice　

sufficiently　loud　for　me　to　catch　what　she　said；　'Bethink　thee　

well；　my　sister；　ere　thou　dost　speak；　for　methinks　that　our　thrones　

may　hang　upon　thy　words。'



Nyleptha　made　no　answer；　and　with　a　shrug　and　a　smile　Sorais　

leant　back　again　and　listened。



'Of　a　truth　a　great　honour　has　been　done　to　me；'　she　said；　'that　

my　poor　hand　should　not　only　have　been　asked　in　marriage；　but　

that　Agon　here　should　be　so　swift　to　pronounce　the　blessing　of　

the　Sun　upon　my　union。　　Methinks　that　in　another　minute　he　would　

have　wed　us　fast　ere　the　bride　had　said　her　say。　　Nasta；　I　thank　

thee；　and　I　will　bethink　me　of　thy　words；　but　now　as　yet　I　have　

no　mind　for　marriage；　that　as　a　cup　of　which　none　know　the　taste　

until　they　begin　to　drink　it。　　Again　I　thank　thee；　Nasta；'　and　

she　made　as　though　she　would　rise。



The　great　lord's　face　turned　almost　as　black　as　his　beard　with　

fury；　for　he　knew　that　the　words　amounted　to　a　final　refusal　

of　his　suit。



'Thanks　be　to　the　Queen　for　her　gracious　words；'　he　said；　restraining　

himself　with　difficulty　and　looking　anything　but　grateful；　'my　

heart　shall　surely　treasure　them。　　And　now　I　crave　another　boon；　

namely；　the　royal　leave　to　withdraw　myself　to　my　own　poor　cities　

in　the　north　till　such　time　as　the　Queen　shall　say　my　suit　nay　

or　yea。　　Mayhap；'　he　added；　with　a　sneer；　'the　Queen　will　be　

pleased　to　visit　me　there；　and　to　bring　with　her　these　stranger　

lords；'　and　he　scowled　darkly　towards　us。　　'It　is　but　a　poor　

country　and　a　rough；　but　we　are　a　hardy　race　of　mountaineers；　

and　there　shall　be　gathered　thirty　thousand　swordsmen　to　shout　

a　welcome　to　her。'



This　speech；　which　was　almost　a　declaration　of　rebellion；　was　

received　in　complete　silence；　but　Nyleptha　flushed　up　and　answered　

it　with　spirit。



'Oh；　surely；　Nasta；　I　will　come；　and　the　strange　lords　in　my　

train；　and　for　every　man　of　thy　mountaineers　who　calls　thee　Prince；　

will　I　bring　two　from　the　lowlands　who　call　me　Queen；　and　we　

will　see　which　is　the　staunchest　breed。　　Till　then　farewell。'



The　trumpets　blared　out；　the　Queens　rose；　and　the　great　assembly　

broke　up　in　murmuring　confusion；　and　for　myself　I　went　home　with　

a　heavy　heart　foreseeing　civil　war。



After　this　there　was　quiet　for　a　few　weeks。　　Curtis　and　the　Queen　

did　not　often　meet；　and　exercised　the　utmost　caution　not　to　allow　

the　true　relation　in　which　they　stood　to　each　other　to　leak　out；　

but　do　what　they　would；　rumours　as　hard　to　trace　as　a　buzzing　

fly　in　a　dark　room；　and　yet　quite　as　audible；　began　to　hum　

round　and　round；　and　at　last　to　settle　on　her　throne。









CHAPTER　XVII

THE　STORM　BREAKS







And　now　it　was　that　the　trouble　which　at　first　had　been　but　a　

cloud　as　large　as　a　man's　hand　began　to　loom　very　black　and　big　

upon　our　horizon；　namely；　Sorais'　preference　for　Sir　Henry。　　

I　saw　the　storm　drawing　nearer　and　nearer；　and　so；　poor　fellow；　

did　he。　　The　affection　of　so　lovely　and　highly…placed　a　woman　

was　not　a　thing　that　could　in　a　general　way　be　considered　a　calamity　

by　any　man；　but；　situated　as　Curtis　was；　it　was　a　grievous　burden　

to　bear。



To　begin　with；　Nyleptha；　though　altogether　charming；　was；　it　must　

be　admitted；　of　a　rather　jealous　disposition；　and　was　sometimes　

apt　to　visit　on　her　lover's　head　her　indignation　at　the　marks　

of　what　Alphonse　would　have　called　the　'distinguished　consideration'　

with　which　her　royal　sister　favoured　him。　　Then　the　enforced　

secrecy　of　his　relation　to　Nyleptha　prevented　Curtis　from　taking　

some　opportunity　of　putting　a　stop；　or　trying　to　put　a　stop；　

to　this　false　condition　of　affairs；　by　telling　Sorais；　in　a　casual　

but　confidential　way；　that　he　was　going　to　marry　her　sister。　　

A　third　sting　in　Sir　Henry's　honey　was　that　he　knew　that　Good　

was　honestly　and　sincerely　attached　to　the　ominous…looking　but　

most　attractive　Lady　of　the　Night。　　Indeed；　poor　Bougwan　was　

wasting　himself　to　a　shadow　of　his　fat　and　jolly　self　about　her；　

his　face　getting　so　thin　that　his　eyeglass　would　scarcely　stick　

in　it；　while　she；　with　a　sort　of　careless　coquetry；　just　gave　

him　encouragement　enough　to　keep　him　going；　thinking；　no　doubt；　

that　he　might　be　useful　as　a　stalking…horse。　　I　tried　to　give　

him　a　hint；　in　as　delicate　a　way　as　I　could；　but　he　flew　into　

a　huff　and　would　not　listen　to　me；　so　I　was　determined　to　let　

ill　along；　for　fear　of　making　it　worse。　　Poor　Good；　he　really　

was　very　ludicrous　in　his　distress；　and　went　in　for　all　sorts　

of　absurdities；　under　the　belief　that　he　was　advancing　his　suit。　　

One　of　them　was　the　writing　　with　the　assistance　of　one　of　

the　grave　and　revered　signiors　who　instructed　us；　and　who；　whatever　

may　have　been　the　measure　of　his　erudition；　did　not　understand　

how　to　scan　a　line　　of　a　most　interminable　Zu…Vendi　love…song；　

of　which　the　continually　recurring　refrain　was　something　about　

'I　will　kiss　thee；　oh　yes；　I　will　kiss　thee！'　　Now　among　the　

Zu…Vendi　it　is　a　common　and　most　harmless　thing　for　young　men　

to　serenade　ladies　at　night；　as　I　believe　they　do　in　the　southern　

countries　of　Europe；　and　sing　all　sorts　of　nonsensical　songs　

to　them。　　The　young　men　may　or　may　not