she-第16部分

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all；　but　devils；　and　that　this　was　an　enchanted　land；　
and；　upon　my　word；　once　or　twice　since　then　I　have　
been　inclined　to　agree　with　him。　And　so　the　time　went　
on；　till　the　night　of　the　fourth　day　after　Billali　had　
left；　when　something　happened。

We　three　and　Ustane　were　sitting　round　a　fire　in　the　
cave　just　before　bedtime；　when　suddenly　the　woman；　who　
had　been　brooding　in　silence；　rose；　and　laid　her　hand　
upon　Leo's　golden　curls；　and　addressed　him。　Even　now；　
when　I　shut　my　eyes；　I　can　see　her　proud；　imperial　
form；　clothed　alternately　in　dense　shadow　and　the　red　
flickering　of　the　fire；　as　she　stood；　the　wild　centre　
of　as　weird　a　scene　as　I　ever　witnessed；　and　delivered　
herself　of　the　burden　of　her　thoughts　and　forebodings　
in　a　kind　of　rhythmical　speech　that　ran　something　
follows：

＇poem　in　italics＇

〃Thou　art　my　chosenI　have　waited　

for　thee　from　the　beginning！

Thou　art　very　beautiful。　Who　hath　
　hair　like　unto　thee；　or　skin　so　
　white？

Who　hath　so　strong　an　arm；　who　is　
　so　much　a　man。　

Thine　eyes　are　the　sky；　and　the　light　

in　them　is　the　stars。　

Thou　art　perfect　and　of　a　happy　face；

and　my　heart　turned　itself　towards　thee。　

Ay；　when　mine　eyes　fell　on　thee　I　did　
　desire　thee

Then　did　I　take　thee　to　methou；　my　
　Beloved；　

And　hold　thee　fast；　lest　harm　should　
　come　unto　thee。　

Ay；　I　did　cover　thine　head　with　mine
　hair；　lest　the　sun　should　strike　it；　

And　altogether　was　I　thine；　and　thou

wast　altogether　mine。　

And　so　it　went　for　a　little　space；　till

Time　was　in　labor　with　an　evil

Day；　

And　then　what　befell　on　that　day？

Alas！　my　Beloved；　I　know　not！　

But　I；　I　saw　thee　no　moreI；　I　was

lost　in　the　blackness。　

And　she　who　is　stronger　did　take　thee；

ay；　she　who　is　fairer　than　Ustane。

Yet　didst　thou　turn　and　call　upon　me；　
　and　let　thine　eyes　wander　in　the
　darkness。

But；　nevertheless；　she　prevailed　by　
　Beauty；　and　led　thee　down　horrible
　places；　And　then；　ah！　then　my　Beloved〃

Here　this　extraordinary　woman　broke　off　her　speech；　or　
chant；　which　was　so　much　musical　gibberish　to　us；　for　
all　that　we　understood　of　what　she　was　talking　about；　
and　seemed　to　fix　her　flashing　eyes　upon　the　deep　
shadow　before　her。　Then　in　a　moment　they　acquired　a　
vacant；　terrified　stare；　as　though　they　were　striving　
to　realize　some　half　seen　horror。　She　lifted　her　hand　
from　Leo's　head；　and　pointed　into　the　darkness。　We　all　
looked；　and　could　see　nothing；　but　she　saw　something；　
or　thought　she　did；　and　something　evidently　that　
affected　even　her　iron　nerves；　for；　without　another　
sound；　down　she　fell　senseless　between　us。

Leo；　who　was　growing　really　attached　to　this　
remarkable　young　person；　was　in　a　great　state　of　alarm　
and　distress；　and　I；　to　be　perfectly　candid；　was　in　a　
condition　not　far　removed　from　superstitious　fear。　The　
whole　scene　was　an　uncanny　one。

Presently；　however；　she　recovered；　and　sat　up　with　an　
extraordinary　convulsive　shudder。

〃What　didst　thou　mean；　Ustane？〃　asked　Leo；　who；　thanks　
to　years　of　tuition；　spoke　Arabic　very　prettily。

〃Nay；　my　chosen；〃　she　answered；　with　a　little　forced　
laugh；　〃I　did　but　sing　unto　thee　after　the　fashion　of　
my　people。　Surely；　I　meant　nothing。　How　could　I　speak　
of　that　which　is　not　yet？〃

〃And　what　didst　thou　see；　Ustane？〃　I　asked；　looking　
her　sharply　in　the　face。

〃Nay；〃　she　answered　again；　〃I　saw　naught。　Ask　me　not　
what　I　saw。　Why　should　I　fright　ye？〃　And　then；　turning　
to　Leo　with　a　look　of　the　most　utter　tenderness　that　I　
ever　saw　upon　the　face　of　a　woman；　civilized　or　
savage；　she　took　his　head　between　her　hands；　and　
kissed　him　on　the　forehead　as　a　mother　might。　〃When　I　
am　gone　from　thee；　my　chosen；　when　at　night　thou　
stretchest　out：　thy　hand　and　canst　not　find　me；　then　
shouldst　thou　think　at　times　of　me；　for　of　a　truth　I　
love　thee　well；　though　I　be　not　fit　to　wash　thy　feet。　
And　now　let　us　love　and　take　that　which　is　given　us；　
and　be　happy；　for　in　the　grave　there　is　no　love　and　no　
warmth；　nor　any　touching　of　the　lips。　Nothing　
perchance；　or　perchance　but　bitter　memories　of　what　
might　have　been。　To…night　the　hours　are　our　own；　how　
know　we　to　whom　they　shall　belong　to…morrow？〃

CHAPTER　VIII

THE　FEAST；　AND　AFTER！

On　the　day　following　this　remarkable　scenea　scene　
calculated　to　make　a　deep　impression　upon　anybody　who　
beheld　it；　more　because　of　what　it　suggested　and　
seemed　to　foreshadow　than　of　what　it　revealedit　was　
announced　to　us　that　a　feast　would　be　held　that　
evening　in　our　honor。　I　did　my　best　to　get　out　of　it；　
saying　that　we　were　modest　people；　and　cared　little　
for　feasts　but　my　remarks　being　received　with　the　
silence　of　displeasure；　I　thought　it　wisest　to　hold　my　
tongue。

Accordingly；　just　before　sundown；　I　was　informed　that　
everything　was　ready；　and；　accompanied　by　Job；　went　
into　the　cave；　where　I　met　Leo；　who　was；　as　usual；　
followed　by　Ustane。　These　two　had　been　out　walking　
somewhere；　and　knew　nothing　of　the　projected　festivity　
till　that　moment。　When　Ustane　heard　of　it　I　saw　an　
expression　of　horror　spring　up　upon　her　handsome　
features。　Turning；　she　caught　a　man　who　was　passing　up　
the　cave　by　the　arm；　and　asked　him　something　in　an　
imperious　tone。　His　answer　seemed　to　reassure　her　a　
little；　for　she；　looked　relieved；　though　far　from　
satisfied。　Next　she　appeared　to　attempt　some　
remonstrance　with　the　man；　who　was　a　person　in　
authority；　but　he　spoke　angrily　to　her；　and　shook　her　
off；　and　then；　changing　his　mind；　led　her　by　the　arm；　
and　sat　her　down　between　himself　and　another　man　in　
the　circle　round　the　fire；　and　I　perceived　that　for　
some　reason　of　her　own　she　thought　it　best　to　submit。

The　fire　in　the　cave　was　an　unusually　big　one　that　
night；　and　in　a　large　circle　round　it　were　gathered　
about　thirty…five　men　and　two　women；　Ustane　and　the　
woman　to　avoid　whom　Job　had　played　the　role　of　another　
Scriptural　character。　The　men　were　sitting　in　perfect　
silence；　as　was　their　custom；　each　with　his　great　
spear　stuck　upright　behind　him；　in　a　socket　cut　in　the　
rock　for　that　purpose。　Only　one　or　two　wore　the　
yellowish　linen　garment　of　which　I　have　spoken；　the　
rest　had　nothing　on　except　the　leopard's　skin　about　
the　middle。

〃What's　up　now；　sir？〃　said　Job；　doubtfully。　〃Bless　us　
and　save　us；　there's　that　woman　again。　Now；　surely；　
she　can't　be　after　me；　seeing　that　I　have　given　her　no　
encouragement。　They　give　me　the　creeps；　the　whole　lot　
of　them；　and　that's　a　fact。　Why；　look；　they　have　asked　
Mahomed　to　dine；　too。　There；　that　lady　of　mine　is　
talking　to　him　in　as　nice　and　civil　a　way　as　possible。　
Well；　I'm　glad　it　isn't　me；　that's　all。〃

We　looked　up；　and　sure　enough　the　woman　in　question　
had　risen；　and　was　escorting　the　wretched　Mahomed　from　
the　corner；　where；　overcome　by　some　acute　prescience　
of　horror；　he　had　been　seated；　shivering　and　calling　
on　Allah。　He　appeared　unwilling　enough　to　come；　if　for　
no　other　reason　perhaps　because　it　was　an　unaccustomed　
honor；　for　hitherto　his　food　had　been　given　to　him　
apart。　Anyway　I　could　see　that　he　was　in　a　state　of　
great　terror；　for　his　tottering　legs　would　scarcely　
support　his　stout；　bulky　form；　and　I　think　it　was　
rather　owing　to　the　resources　of　barbarism　behind　him；　
in　the　shape　of　a　huge　Amahagger　with　a　
proportionately　huge　spear；　than　to　the　seduction　of　
the　lady　who　led　him　by　the　hand；　that　he　consented　to　
come　at　all。

〃Well；〃　I　said　to　the　others；　〃I　don't　at　all　like　the　
look　of　things；　but　I　suppose　that　we　must　face　it　
out。　Have　you　fellows　got　your　revolvers　on　because；　
if　so；　you　had　better　see　that　they're　loaded。〃

〃I　have；　sir；〃　said　Job；　tapping　his　Colt；　〃but　Mr。　
Leo　has　only　got　his　hunting…knife；　though　that　is　big　
enough；　surely。〃

Feeling　that　it　would　not　do　to　wait　while　the　missing　
weapon　was　fetched；　we　advanced　boldly；　and　seated　
ourselves　in　a　line；　with　our　backs　against　the　side　
of　the　cave。

As　soon　as　we　were　seated；　an　earthenware　jar　was　
passed　round　containing　a　fermented　fluid；　of　by　no　
means　unpleasant　taste；　though　apt　to　turn　upon　the　
stomach；　made　of　crushed　grainnot　Indian　corn；　but　a　
small　brown　grain　that　grows　upon　the　stem　in　
clusters；　not　unlike　that　which　in　the　southern　part　
of　Africa　is　known　by　the　name　of　Kaffir　corn。　The　
vase　in　which　this　liquid　was　handed　round　was　very　
curious；　and　as　it　more　or　less　resembled　many　
hundreds　of　others　in　use　among　the　Amahagger　I　may　as　
well　describe　it。　These　vases　are　of　a　very　ancient　
manufacture；　and　of　all　sizes。　None　such　can　have　been　
made　in　the　country　for　hundreds；　or　rather　thousands；　
of　years。　They　are　found　in　the　rock　tombs；　of　which　I　
shall　give　a　description　in　their　proper　place；　and　my　
own　belief　is　that；　after　the　fashion　of　the　
Egyptians；　with　whom　the　former　inhabitants　of　this　
country　may　have　had　some　connection；　they　were　used　
to　receive　the　viscera　of　the　dead。　Leo；　however；　is　
of　opinion　that；　as　in　the　case　of　Etruscan　amphorae；　
they　were　placed　there　for　the　spiritual　use　of　the　
deceased。　They　are　mostly　two…handled；　and　of　all　
sizes；　some　being　nearly　three　feet　in　height；　and　
running　from　that　down　to　as　many　inches。　In　shape　
they　vary；　but　are　all　exceedingly　beautiful　and　
graceful；　being　made　of　a　very　fine　black　ware；　not　
lustrous；　but　slightly　rough。　On　this　groundwork　were　
inlaid　figures　much　more　graceful　and　lifelike　than　
any　others　I　have　seen　on　antique　vases。　Some　of　these　
inlaid　pictures　represented　love…scenes　with　a　child…
like　simplicity　and　freedom　of　manner　which　would　not　
commend　itself　to　the　taste　of　the　present　day。　Others　
again　were　pictures　of　maidens　dancing；　and　yet　others　
of　hunting…scenes。　For　instance；　the　very　vase　from　
which　we　were　then　drinking　had　on　one　side　a　most　
spirited　drawing　of　men；　apparently　white　in　color；　
attacking　a　bull…elephant　with　spears；　while　on　the　
reverse　was　a　picture　not　quite　so　well　done；　of　a　
hunter　shooting　an　arrow　at　a　running　antelope；　I　
should　say；　from　the　look　of　it；　either　an　eland　or　a　
koodoo。　

This　is　a　digression　at　a　critical　point　but　it　is　not　
too　long　for　the　occasion　itself　was　very　lo