classic mystery and detective stories-第17部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



called　out　to　the　Veiled　Woman；　hitherto　still　seated　motionless　on

the　crag。　　At　his　word　she　rose　and　went　to　the　place　hard　by；

where　the　fuel　was　piled；　busying　herself　there。　　I　had　no　leisure

to　heed　her。　　I　continued　my　search　in　the　soft　and　yielding　soil

that　time　and　the　decay　of　vegetable　life　had　accumulated　over　the

pre…Adamite　strata　on　which　the　arch　of　the　cave　rested　its　mighty

keystone。



When　we　had　collected　of　these　particles　about　thrice　as　much　as　a

man　might　hold　in　his　hand；　we　seemed　to　have　exhausted　their　bed。

We　continued　still　to　find　gold；　but　no　more　of　the　delicate

substance　to　which；　in　our　sight；　gold　was　as　dross。



〃Enough；〃　then　said　Margrave；　reluctantly　desisting。　　〃What　we　have

gained　already　will　suffice　for　a　life　thrice　as　long　as　legend

attributes　to　Haroun。　　I　shall　liveI　shall　live　through　the

centuries。〃



〃Forget　not　that　I　claim　my　share。〃



〃Your　shareyours！　　Trueyour　half　of　my　life！　　It　is　true。〃　　He

paused　with　a　low；　ironical；　malignant　laugh；　and　then　added；　as　he

rose　and　turned　away；　〃But　the　work　is　yet　to　be　done。〃





VI





While　we　had　thus　labored　and　found；　Ayesha　had　placed　the　fuel

where　the　moonlight　fell　fullest　on　the　sward　of　the　tablelanda

part　of　it　already　piled　as　for　a　fire；　the　rest　of　it　heaped

confusedly　close　at　hand；　and　by　the　pile　she　had　placed　the

coffer。　　And；　there　she　stood；　her　arms　folded　under　her　mantle；

her　dark　image　seeming　darker　still　as　the　moonlight　whitened　all

the　ground　from　which　the　image　rose　motionless。　　Margrave　opened

his　coffer；　the　Veiled　Woman　did　not　aid　him；　and　I　watched　in

silence；　while　he　as　silently　made　his　weird　and　wizard…like

preparations。





VII





On　the　ground　a　wide　circle　was　traced　by　a　small　rod；　tipped

apparently　with　sponge　saturated　with　some　combustible　naphtha…like

fluid；　so　that　a　pale；　lambent　flame　followed　the　course　of　the　rod

as　Margrave　guided　it；　burning　up　the　herbage　over　which　it　played；

and　leaving　a　distinct　ring；　like　that　which；　in　our　lovely　native

fable　talk；　we　call　the　〃Fairy's　ring；〃　but　yet　more　visible

because　marked　in　phosphorescent　light。　　On　the　ring　thus　formed

were　placed　twelve　small　lamps；　fed　with　the　fluid　from　the　same

vessel；　and　lighted　by　the　same　rod。　　The　light　emitted　by　the

lamps　was　more　vivid　and　brilliant　than　that　which　circled　round

the　ring。



Within　the　circumference；　and　immediately　round　the　woodpile；

Margrave　traced　certain　geometrical　figures；　in　whichnot　without

a　shudder；　that　I　overcame　at　once　by　a　strong　effort　of　will　in

murmuring　to　myself　the　name　of　〃Lilian〃I　recognized　the

interlaced　triangles　which　my　own　hand；　in　the　spell　enforced　on　a

sleepwalker；　had　described　on　the　floor　of　the　wizard's　pavilion。

The　figures　were　traced　like　the　circle；　in　flame；　and　at　the　point

of　each　triangle　（four　in　number）　was　placed　a　lamp；　brilliant　as

those　on　the　ring。　　This　task　performed；　the　caldron；　based　on　an

iron　tripod；　was　placed　on　the　woodpile。　　And　then　the　woman；

before　inactive　and　unheeding；　slowly　advanced；　knelt　by　the　pile

and　lighted　it。　　The　dry　wood　crackled　and　the　flame　burst　forth；

licking　the　rims　of　the　caldron　with　tongues　of　fire。



Margrave　flung　into　the　caldron　the　particles　we　had　collected；

poured　over　them　first　a　liquid；　colorless　as　water；　from　the

largest　of　the　vessels　drawn　from　his　coffer；　and　then；　more

sparingly；　drops　from　small　crystal　phials；　like　the　phials　I　had

seen　in　the　hand　of　Philip　Derval。



Having　surmounted　my　first　impulse　of　awe；　I　watched　these

proceedings；　curious　yet　disdainful；　as　one　who　watches　the

mummeries　of　an　enchanter　on　the　stage。



〃If；〃　thought　I；　〃these　are　but　artful　devices　to　inebriate　and

fool　my　own　imagination；　my　imagination　is　on　its　guard；　and　reason

shall　not；　this　time；　sleep　at　her　post！〃



〃And　now；〃　said　Margrave；　〃I　consign　to　you　the　easy　task　by　which

you　are　to　merit　your　share　of　the　elixir。　　It　is　my　task　to　feed

and　replenish　the　caldron；　it　is　Ayesha's　to　feed　the　fire；　which

must　not　for　a　moment　relax　in　its　measured　and　steady　heat。　　Your

task　is　the　lightest　of　all：　it　is　but　to　renew　from　this　vessel

the　fluid　that　burns　in　the　lamps；　and　on　the　ring。　　Observe；　the

contents　of　the　vessel　must　be　thriftily　husbanded；　there　is

enough；　but　not　more　than　enough；　to　sustain　the　light　in　the

lamps；　on　the　lines　traced　round　the　caldron；　and　on　the　farther

ring；　for　six　hours。　　The　compounds　dissolved　in　this　fluid　are

scarceonly　obtainable　in　the　East；　and　even　in　the　East　months

might　have　passed　before　I　could　have　increased　my　supply。　　I　had

no　months　to　waste。　　Replenish；　then；　the　light　only　when　it　begins

to　flicker　or　fade。　　Take　heed；　above　all；　that　no　part　of　the

outer　ringno；　not　an　inchand　no　lamp　of　the　twelve；　that　are　to

its　zodiac　like　stars；　fade　for　one　moment　in　darkness。〃



I　took　the　crystal　vessel　from　his　hand。



〃The　vessel　is　small；〃　said　I；　〃and　what　is　yet　left　of　its

contents　is　but　scanty；　whether　its　drops　suffice　to　replenish　the

lights　I　cannot　guessI　can　but　obey　your　instructions。　　But；　more

important　by　far　than　the　light　to　the　lamps　and　the　circle；　which

in　Asia　or　Africa　might　scare　away　the　wild　beasts　unknown　to　this

landmore　important　than　light　to　a　lamp　is　the　strength　to　your

frame；　weak　magician！　　What　will　support　you　through　six　weary

hours　of　night　watch？〃



〃Hope；〃　answered　Margrave；　with　a　ray　of　his　old　dazzling　style。

〃Hope！　　I　shall　liveI　shall　live　through　the　centuries！〃





VIII





One　hour　passed　away；　the　fagots　under　the　caldron　burned　clear　in

the　sullen；　sultry　air。　　The　materials　within　began　to　seethe；　and

their　color；　at　first　dull　and　turbid；　changed　into　a　pale…rose

hue；　from　time　to　time　the　Veiled　Woman　replenished　the　fire；　after

she　had　done　so　reseating　herself　close　by　the　pyre；　with　her　head

bowed　over　her　knees；　and　her　face　hid　under　her　veil。



The　lights　in　the　lamps　and　along　the　ring　and　the　triangles　now

began　to　pale。　　I　resupplied　their　nutriment　from　the　crystal

vessel。　　As　yet　nothing　strange　startled　my　eye　or　my　ear　beyond

the　rim　of　the　circlenothing　audible；　save；　at　a　distance；　the

musical　wheel…like　click　of　the　locusts；　and；　farther　still；　in　the

forest；　the　howl　of　the　wild　dogs　that　never　bark；　nothing　visible；

but　the　trees　and　the　mountain　range　girding　the　plains　silvered　by

the　moon；　and　the　arch　of　the　cavern；　the　flush　of　wild　blooms　on

its　sides；　and　the　gleam　of　dry　bones　on　its　floor；　where　the

moonlight　shot　into　the　gloom。



The　second　hour　passed　like　the　first。　　I　had　taken　my　stand　by　the

side　of　Margrave；　watching　with　him　the　process　at　work　in　the

caldron；　when　I　felt　the　ground　slightly　vibrate　beneath　my　feet；

and　looking　up；　it　seemed　as　if　all　the　plains　beyond　the　circle

were　heaving　like　the　swell　of　the　sea；　and　as　if　in　the　air　itself

there　was　a　perceptible　tremor。



I　placed　my　hand　on　Margrave's　shoulder　and　whispered；　〃To　me　earth

and　air　seem　to　vibrate。　　Do　they　seem　to　vibrate　to　you？〃



〃I　know　not；　I　care　not；〃　he　answered　impetuously。　　〃The　essence　is

bursting　the　shell　that　confined　it。　　Here　are　my　air　and　my　earth！

Trouble　me　not。　　Look　to　the　circlefeed　the　lamps　if　they　fail！〃



I　passed　by　the　Veiled　Woman　as　I　walked　toward　a　place　in　the　ring

in　which　the　flame　was　waning　dim；　and　I　whispered　to　her　the　same

question　which　I　had　whispered　to　Margrave。　　She　looked　slowly

around　and　answered；　〃So　is　it　before　the　Invisible　make　themselves

visible！　　Did　I　not　bid　him　forbear？〃　　Her　head　again　drooped　on

her　breast；　and　her　watch　was　again　fixed　on　the　fire。



I　advanced　to　the　circle　and　stooped　to　replenish　the　light　where

it　waned。　　As　I　did　so；　on　my　arm；　which　stretched　somewhat　beyond

the　line　of　the　ring；　I　felt　a　shock　like　that　of　electricity。　　The

arm　fell　to　my　side　numbed　and　nerveless；　and　from　my　hand　dropped；

but　within　the　ring；　the　vessel　that　contained　the　fluid。

Recovering　my　surprise　or　my　stun；　hastily　with　the　other　hand　I

caught　up　the　vessel；　but　some　of　the　scanty　liquid　was　already

spilled　on　the　sward；　and　I　saw　with　a　thrill　of　dismay；　that

contrasted　indeed　the　tranquil　indifference　with　which　I　had　first

undertaken　my　charge；　how　small　a　supply　was　now　left。



I　went　back　to　Margrave；　and　told　him　of　the　shock；　and　of　its

consequence　in　the　waste　of　the　liquid。



〃Beware；〃　said　he；　that　not　a　motion　of　the　arm；　not　an　inch　of　the

foot；　pass　the　verge　of　the　ring；　and　if　the　fluid　be　thus

unhappily　stinted；　reserve　all　that　is　left　for　the　protecting

circle　and　the　twelve　outer　lamps！　　See　how　the　Grand　Work

advances；　how　the　hues　in　the　caldron　are　glowing　blood…red　through

the　film　on　the　surface！



And　now　four　hours　of　the　six　were　gone；　my　arm　had　gradually

recovered　its　strength。　　Neither　the　ring　nor　the　lamps　had　again

required　replenishing；　perhaps　their　light　was　exhausted　less

quickly；　as　it　was　no　longer　to　be　exposed　to　the　rays　of　the

intense　Australian　moon。　　Clouds　had　gathered　over　the　sky；　and

though　the　moon　gleamed　at　times　in　the　gaps　that　they　left　in　blue

air；　her　beam　was　more　hazy　and　dulled。　　The　locusts　no　longer　were

heard　in　the　grass；　nor　the　howl　of　the　dogs　in　the　forest。　　Out　of

the　circle；　the　stillness　was　profound。



And　about　this　time　I　saw　distinctly　in　the　distance　a　vast　Eye。

It　drew　nearer　and　nearer；　seeming　to　move　from　the　ground　at　the

height　of　some　lofty　giant。　　Its　gaze　riveted　mine；　my　blood

curdled　in　the　blaze　from　its　angry　ball；　and　now　as　it　advanced

larger　and　larger；　other　Eyes；　as　if　of　giants　in　its　train；　grew

out　from　the　space　in　its　rearnumbers　on　numbers；　like　the

spearheads　of　some　Eastern　army；　seen　afar　by　pale　warders　of

battlements　doomed　to　the　dust。　　My　voice　long　refused　an　utterance

to　my　awe；　at