allan quatermain-第43部分

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countries　of　Europe；　and　sing　all　sorts　of　nonsensical　songs　

to　them。　　The　young　men　may　or　may　not　be　serious；　but　no　offence　

is　meant　and　none　is　taken；　even　by　ladies　of　the　highest　rank；　

who　accept　the　whole　thing　as　an　English　girl　would　a　

gracefully…turned　compliment。



Availing　himself　of　this　custom；　Good　bethought　him　that　would　

serenade　Sorais；　whose　private　apartments；　together　with　those　

of　her　maidens；　were　exactly　opposite　our　own；　on　the　further　

side　of　a　narrow　courtyard　which　divided　one　section　of　the　great　

palace　from　another。　　Accordingly；　having　armed　himself　with　

a　native　zither；　on　which；　being　an　adept　with　the　light　guitar；　

he　had　easily　learned　to　strum；　he　proceeded　at　midnight　　the　

fashionable　hour　for　this　sort　of　caterwauling　　to　make　night　

hideous　with　his　amorous　yells。　　I　was　fast　asleep　when　they　

began；　but　they　soon　woke　me　up　　for　Good　possesses　a　tremendous　

voice　and　has　no　notion　of　time　　and　I　ran　to　my　window…place　

to　see　what　was　the　matter。　　And　there；　standing　in　the　full　

moonlight　in　the　courtyard；　I　perceived　Good；　adorned　with　an　

enormous　ostrich　feather　head…dress　and　a　flowing　silken　cloak；　

which　it　is　the　right　thing　to　wear　upon　these　occasions；　and　

shouting　out　the　abominable　song　which　he　and　the　old　gentleman　

had　evolved；　to　a　jerky；　jingling　accompaniment。　　From　the　direction　

of　the　quarters　of　the　maids　of　honour　came　a　succession　of　faint　

sniggerings；　but　the　apartments　of　Sorais　herself　　whom　I　devoutly　

pitied　if　she　happened　to　be　there　　were　silent　as　the　grave。　　

There　was　absolutely　no　end　to　that　awful　song；　with　its　eternal　

'I　will　kiss　thee！'　and　at　last　neither　I　nor　Sir　Henry；　whom　

I　had　summoned　to　enjoy　the　sight；　could　stand　it　any　longer；　

so；　remembering　the　dear　old　story；　I　put　my　head　to　the　window　

opening；　and　shouted；　'For　Heaven's　sake；　Good；　don't　go　on　talking　

about　it；　but　kiss　her　and　let's　all　go　to　sleep！'　　That　choked　

him　off；　and　we　had　no　more　serenading。



Then　whole　thing　formed　a　laughable　incident　in　a　tragic　business。　　

How　deeply　thankful　we　ought　to　be　that　even　the　most　serious　

matters　have　generally　a　silver　lining　about　them　in　the　shape　

of　a　joke；　if　only　people　could　see　it。　　The　sense　of　humour　

is　a　very　valuable　possession　in　life；　and　ought　to　be　cultivated　

in　the　Board　schools　　especially　in　Scotland。



Well；　the　more　Sir　Henry　held　off　the　more　Sorais　came　on；　as　

is　not　uncommon　in　such　cases；　till　at　last　things　got　very　queer　

indeed。　　Evidently　she　was；　by　some　strange　perversity　of　mind；　

quite　blinded　to　the　true　state　of　the　case；　and　I；　for　one；　

greatly　dreaded　the　moment　of　her　awakening。　　Sorais　was　a　dangerous　

woman　to　be　mixed　up　with；　either　with　or　without　one's　consent。　　

At　last　the　evil　moment　came；　as　I　saw　it　must　come。　　One　fine　

day；　Good　having　gone　out　hawking；　Sir　Henry　and　I　were　sitting　

quietly　talking　over　the　situation；　especially　with　reference　

to　Sorais；　when　a　Court　messenger　arrived　with　a　written　note；　

which　we　with　some　difficulty　deciphered；　and　which　was　to　the　

effect　that　'the　Queen　Sorais　commanded　the　attendance　of　the　

Lord　Incubu　in　her　private　apartments；　whither　he　would　be　conducted　

by　the　bearer'。



'Oh　my　word！'　groaned　Sir　Henry。　　'Can't　you　go　instead；　old　fellow？'



'Not　if　I　know　it；'　I　said　with　vigour。　　'I　had　rather　face　a　

wounded　elephant　with　a　shot…gun。　　Take　care　of　your　own　business；　

my　boy。　　If　you　will　be　so　fascinating　you　must　take　the　consequences。　　

I　would　not　be　in　your　place　for　an　empire。'



'You　remind　me　of　when　I　was　going　to　be　flogged　at　school　and　

the　other　boys　came　to　console　me；'　he　said　gloomily。　　'What　

right　has　this　Queen　to　command　my　attendance；　I　should　like　

to　know？　　I　won't　go。'



'But　you　must；　you　are　one　of　her　officers　and　bound　to　obey　

her；　and　she　knows　it。　　And　after　all　it　will　soon　be　over。'



'That's　just　what　they　used　to　say；'　he　said　again。　　'I　only　

hope　she　won't　put　a　knife　into　me。　　I　believe　that　she　is　quite　

capable　of　it。'　　And　off　he　started　very　faintheartedly；　

and　no　wonder。



I　sat　and　waited；　and　at　the　end　of　about　forty…five　minutes　

he　returned；　looking　a　good　deal　worse　than　when　he　went。



'Give　me　something　to　drink；'　he　said　hoarsely。



I　got　him　a　cup　of　wine；　and　asked　what　was　the　matter。



'What　is　the　matter？　　Why　if　ever　there　was　trouble　there's　trouble　

now。　　You　know　when　I　left　you？　　Well；　I　was　shown　straight　into　

Sorais'　private　chamber；　and　a　wonderful　place　it　is；　and　there　

she　sat；　quite　alone；　upon　a　silken　couch　at　the　end　of　the　room；　

playing　gently　upon　that　zither　of　hers。　　I　stood　before　her；　

and　for　a　while　she　took　no　notice　of　me；　but　kept　on　playing　

and　singing　a　little；　and　very　sweet　music　it　was。　　At　last　she　

looked　up　and　smiled。



'〃So　thou　art　come；〃　she　said。　　〃I　thought　perchance　thou　hadst　

gone　about　the　Queen　Nyleptha's　business。　　Thou　art　ever　on　her　

business；　and　I　doubt　not　a　good　servant　and　a　true。〃



'To　this　I　merely　bowed；　and　said　I　was　there　to　receive　the　

Queen's　word。



'〃Ah　yes；　I　would　talk　with　thee；　but　be　thou　seated。　　It　wearies　

me　to　look　so　high；〃　and　she　made　room　for　me　beside　her　on　the　

couch；　placing　herself　with　her　back　against　the　end；　so　as　to　

have　a　view　of　my　face。



'〃It　is　not　meet；〃　I　said；　〃that　I　should　make　myself　equal　with　

the　Queen。〃



'〃I　said　be　seated；〃　was　her　answer；　so　I　sat　down；　and　she　began　

to　look　at　me　with　those　dark　eyes　of　hers。　　There　she　sat　like　

an　incarnate　spirit　of　beauty；　hardly　talking　at　all；　and　when　

she　did；　very　low；　but　all　the　while　looking　at　me。　　There　was　

a　white　flower　in　her　black　hair；　and　I　tried　to　keep　my　eyes　

on　it　and　count　the　petals；　but　it　was　of　no　use。　　At　last；　whether　

it　was　her　gaze；　or　the　perfume　in　her　hair；　or　what　I　do　not　

know；　but　I　almost　felt　as　though　I　was　being　mesmerized。　　At　

last　she　roused　herself。



'〃Incubu；〃　she　said；　〃lovest　thou　power？〃



'I　replied　that　I　supposed　all　men　loved　power　of　one　sort　or　another。



'〃Thou　shalt　have　it；〃　she　said。　　〃Lovest　thou　wealth？〃



'I　said　I　liked　wealth　for　what　it　brought。



'〃Thou　shalt　have　it；〃　she　said。　　〃And　lovest　thou　beauty？〃



'To　this　I　replied　that　I　was　very　fond　of　statuary　and　architecture；　

or　something　silly　of　that　sort；　at　which　she　frowned；　and　there　

was　a　pause。　　By　this　time　my　nerves　were　on　such　a　stretch　that　

I　was　shaking　like　a　leaf。　　I　knew　that　something　awful　was　going　

to　happen；　but　she　held　me　under　a　kind　of　spell；　and　I　could　

not　help　myself。



'〃Incubu；〃　she　said　at　length；　〃wouldst　thou　be　a　king？　　Listen；　

wouldst　thou　be　a　king？　　Behold；　stranger；　I　am　minded　to　make　

thee　king　of　all　Zu…Vendis；　ay　and　husband　of　Sorais　of　the　Night。　　

Nay；　peace　and　hear　me。　　To　no　man　among　my　people　had　I　thus　

opened　out　my　secret　heart；　but　thou　art　an　outlander　and　therefore　

I　speak　without　shame；　knowing　all　I　have　to　offer　and　how　hard　

it　had　been　thee　to　ask。　　See；　a　crown　lies　at　thy　feet；　my　lord　

Incubu；　and　with　that　fortune　a　woman　whom　some　have　wished　to　

woo。　　Now　mayst　thou　answer；　oh　my　chosen；　and　soft　shall　thy　

words　fall　upon　mine　ears。〃



'〃Oh　Sorais；〃　I　said；　〃I　pray　thee　speak　not　thus〃　　you　see　

I　had　not　time　to　pick　and　choose　my　words　　〃for　this　thing　

cannot　be。　　I　am　bethrothed　to　thy　sister　Nyleptha；　oh　Sorais；　

and　I　love　her　and　her　alone。〃



'Next　moment　it　struck　me　that　I　had　said　an　awful　thing；　and　

I　looked　up　to　see　the　results。　　When　I　spoke；　Sorais'　face　was　

hidden　in　her　hands；　and　as　my　words　reached　her　she　slowly　raised　

it；　and　I　shrank　back　dismayed。　　It　was　ashy　white；　and　her　eyes　

were　flaming。　　She　rose　to　her　feet　and　seemed　to　be　choking；　

but　the　awful　thing　was　that　she　was　so　quiet　about　it　all。　　

Once　she　looked　at　a　side　table；　on　which　lay　a　dagger；　and　from　

it　to　me；　as　though　she　thought　of　killing　me；　but　she　did　not　

take　it　up。　　At　last　she　spoke　one　word；　and　one　only　



'〃Go！〃



'And　I　went；　and　glad　enough　I　was　to　get　out　of　it；　and　here　

I　am。　　Give　me　another　cup　of　wine；　there's　a　good　fellow；　

and　tell　me；　what　is　to　be　done？'



I　shook　my　head；　for　the　affair　was　indeed　serious。　　As　one　of　the　

poets　says；





'Hell　hath　no　fury　like　a　woman　scorned'；





more　especially　if　the　woman　is　a　queen　and　a　Sorais；　and　indeed　

I　feared　the　very　worst；　including　imminent　danger　to　ourselves。



'Nyleptha　had　better　be　told　of　this　at　once；'　I　said；　'and　perhaps　

I　had　better　tell　her；　she　might　receive　your　account　with　suspicion。'



'Who　is　captain　of　her　guard　tonight？'　I　went　on。



'Good。'



'Very　well　then；　there　will　be　no　chance　of　her　being　got　at。　　

Don't　look　surprised。　　I　don't　think　that　her　sister　would　stick　

at　that。　　I　suppose　one　must　tell　Good　of　what　has　happened。'



'Oh；　I　don't　know；'　said　Sir　Henry。　　'It　would　hurt　his　feelings；　

poor　fellow！　　You　see；　he　takes　a　lively　personal　interest　in　Sorais。'



'That's　true；　and　after　all；　perhaps　there　is　no　need　to　tell　him。　　

He　will　find　out　the　truth　soon　enough。　　Now；　you　mark　my　words；　

Sorais　will　throw　in　her　lot　with　Nasta；　who　is　sulking　up　in　

the　North　there；　and　there　will　be　such　a　war　as　has　not　been　

known　in　Zu…Vendis　for　centuries。　　Look　there！'　and　I　pointed　

to　two　Court　messengers；　who　were　speeding　away　from　the　door　

of　Sorais'　private　apartments。　　'Now　follow　me；'　and　I　ran　up　

a　stairway　into　an　outlook　tower　that　rose　from　the　roof　of　our　

quarters；　taking　the　spyglass　with　me；　and　looked　out　over　the　

palace　wall。　　The　first　thing　we　saw　was　one　of　the　messengers　

speeding　towards　the　Temple；　bearing；　without　any　doubt；　the　

Queen's　word　to　the　High　Priest　Agon；　but　for　the　other　I　searched　

in　vain。　　Presently；　however；　I　spied　a　horseman　ridi