she-第54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！



CHAPTER　XXVI

WHAT　WE　SAW

THEN　came　a　few　moments'　pause；　during　which　Ayesha　
seemed　to　be　gathering　up　her　strength　for　the　fiery　
trial；　while　we　clung　to　each　other；　and　waited　in　
utter　silence。

At　last；　from　far；　far　away；　came　the　first　murmur　of　
sound；　that　grew　and　grew　till　it　began　to　crash　and　
bellow　in　the　distance。　As　she　heard　it；　Ayesha　
swiftly　threw　off　her　gauzy　wrapping；　loosened　the　
golden　snake　from　her　kirtle；　and　then；　shaking　her　
lovely　hair　about　her　like　a　garment；　beneath　its　
cover　slipped　the　kirtle　off　and　replaced　the　snaky　
belt　around　her　and　outside　the　masses　of　falling　
hair。　There　she　stood　before　us　as　Eve　might　have　
stood　before　Adam；　clad　in　nothing　but　her　abundant　
locks；　held　round　her　by　the　golden　band；　and　no　words　
of　mine　can　tell　how　sweet　she　lookedand　yet　how　
divine。　Nearer　and　nearer　came　the　thunder　wheels　of　
fire；　and　as　they　came　she　pushed　one　ivory　arm　
through　the　dark　masses　of　her　hair　and　flung　it　round　
Leo's　neck。

〃Oh；　my　love；　my　love！〃　she　murmured；　〃wilt　thou　ever　
know　how　I　have　loved　thee？〃　and　she　kissed　him　on　the　
forehead；　and　then　went　and　stood　in　the　pathway　of　
the　flame　of　Life。

There　was；　I　remember；　to　my　mind　something　very　
touching　about　her　words　and　that　embrace　upon　the　
forehead。　It　was　like　a　mother's　kiss；　and　seemed　to　
convey　a　benediction　with　it。

On　came　the　crashing；　rolling　noise；　and　the　sound　
thereof　was　as　the　sound　of　a　forest　being　swept　flat　
by　a　mighty　wind；　and　then　tossed　up　by　it　like　so　
much　grass；　and　thundered　down　a　mountain…side。　Nearer　
and　nearer　it　came；　now　flashes　of　light；　forerunners　
of　the　revolving　pillar　of　flame；　were　passing　like　
arrows　through　the　rosy　air；　and　now　the　edge　of　the　
pillar　itself　appeared。　Ayesha　turned　towards　it；　and　
stretched　out　her　arms　to　greet　it。　On　it　came　very　
slowly；　and　lapped　her　round　with　flame。　I　saw　the　
fire　run　up　her　form。　I　saw　her　lift　it　with　both　
hands　as　though　it　were　water；　and　pour　it　over　her　
head。　I　even　saw　her　open　her　mouth　and　draw　it　down　
into　her　lungs；　and　a　dread　and　wonderful　sight　it　
was。

Then　she　paused；　and　stretched　out　her　arms；　and　stood　
there　quite　still；　with　a　heavenly　smile　upon　her　
face；　as　though　she　were　the　very　Spirit　of　the　Flame。

The　mysterious　fire　played　up　and　down　her　dark　and　
rolling　locks；　twining　and　twisting　itself　through　and　
around　them　like　threads　of　golden　lace；　it　gleamed　
upon　her　ivory　breast　and　shoulder；　from　which　the　
hair　had　slipped　aside；　it　slid　along　her　pillared　
throat　and　delicate　features；　and　seemed　to　find　a　
home　in　the　glorious　eyes　that　shone　and　shone；　more　
brightly　even　than　the　spiritual　essence。

Oh；　how　beautiful　she　looked　there　in　the　flame！　No　
angel　out　of　heaven　could　have　worn　a　greater　
loveliness。　Even　now　my　heart　faints　before　the　
recollection　of　it；　as　she　stood　and　smiled　at　our　
awed　faces；　and　I　would　give　half　my　remaining　time　
upon　this　earth　to　see　her　once　like　that　again。

But　suddenlymore　suddenly　than　I　can　describea　
kind　of　change　came　over　her　face；　a　change　which　I　
could　not　define　or　explain　on　paper；　but　none　the　
less　a　change。　The　smile　vanished；　and　in　its　place　
there　came　a　dry；　hard　look；　the　rounded　face　seemed　
to　grow　pinched；　as　though　some　great　anxiety　were　
leaving　its　impress　upon　it。　The　glorious　eyes；　too；　
lost　their　light；　and；　as　I　thought；　the　form　its　
perfect　shape　and　erectness。

I　rubbed　my　eyes；　thinking　that　I　was　the　victim　of　
some　hallucination；　or　that　the　refraction　from　the　
intense　light　produced　an　optical　delusion；　and；　as　I　
did　so；　the　flaming　pillar　slowly　twisted　and　
thundered　off　whithersoever　it　passes　to　in　the　bowels　
of　the　great　earth；　leaving　Ayesha　standing　where　it　
had　been。

As　soon　as　it　was　gone；　she　stepped　forward　to　Leo's　
sideit　seemed　to　me　that　there　was　no　spring　in　her　
step　and　stretched　out　her　hand　to　lay　it　on　his　
shoulder。　I　gazed　at　her　arm。　Where　was　its　wonderful　
roundness　and　beauty？　It　was　getting　thin　and　angular。　
And　her　faceby　Heaven！　_i_　her　face　was　growing　
old　before　my　eyes！　_i_　I　suppose　that　Leo　saw　it　
alsocertainly　he　recoiled　a　step　or　two。

〃What　is　it；　my　Kallikrates？〃　she　said；　and　her　voice…
…what　was　the　matter　with　those　deep　and　thrilling　
notes？　They　were　quite　high　and　cracked。

〃Why；　what　is　itwhat　is　it？〃　she　said；　confusedly。　
〃I　feel　dazed。　Surely　the　quality　of　the　fire　hath　not　
altered。　Can　the　principle　of　Life　alter？　Tell　me；　
Kallikrates；　is　there　aught　wrong　with　my　eyes？　I　see　
not　clear；〃　and　she　put　her　hand　to　her　head　and　
touched　her　hairand　oh；　_i_　horror　of　horrors！　_i_　
it　all　fell　upon　the　floor。

〃Oh；　_i_　look！look！look！　_i_　〃　shrieked　Job；　in　a　
shrill　falsetto　of　terror；　his　eyes　nearly　dropping　
out　of　his　head；　and　foam　upon　his　lips。　〃　_i_　Look！
look！look！　_i_　she's　shrivelling　up！　she's　turning　
into　a　monkey；〃　and　down　he　fell　upon　the　ground；　
foaming　and　gnashing　in　a　fit。

True　enoughI　faint　even　as　I　write　it　in　the　living　
presence　of　that　terrible　recollectionshe　was　
shrivelling　up；　the　golden　snake　that　had　encircled　
her　gracious　form　slipped　over　her　hips　and　to　the　
ground；　smaller　and　smaller　she　grew；　her　skin　changed　
color；　and　in　place　of　the　perfect　whiteness　of　its　
lustre　it　turned　dirty　brown　and　yellow；　like　an　old　
piece　of　withered　parchment。　_i_　She　_i_　felt　at　her　
head：　the　delicate　hand　was　nothing　but　a　claw　now；　a　
human　talon　like　that　of　a　badly　preserved　Egyptian　
mummy；　and　then　she　seemed　to　realize　what　kind　of　
change　was　passing　over　her；　and　she　shriekedah；　she　
shrieked！she　rolled　upon　the　floor　and　shrieked！

Smaller　she　grew；　and　smaller　yet；　till　she　was　no　
larger　than　a　baboon。　Now　the　skin　was　puckered　into　a　
million　wrinkles；　and　on　the　shapeless　face　was　the　
stamp　of　unutterable　age。　I　never　saw　anything　like　
it；　nobody　ever　saw　anything　like　the　frightful　age　
that　was　graven　on　that　fearful　countenance；　no　bigger　
now　than　that　of　a　two　months'　child；　though　the　skull　
remained　the　same　size；　or　nearly　so；　and　let　all　men　
pray　to　God　they　never　may；　if　they　wish　to　keep　their　
reason。

At　last　she　lay　still；　or　only　feebly　moving。　_i_　She　
_i_　；　who　but　two　minutes　before　had　gazed　upon　us　the　
loveliest；　noblest；　most　splendid　woman　the　world　has　
ever　seen；　she　lay　still　before　us；　near　the　masses　of　
her　own　dark　hair；　no　larger　than　a　big　monkey；　and　
hideousah；　too　hideous　for　words。　And　yet；　think　of　
thisat　that　very　moment　I　thought　of　itit　was　the　
same　woman！
　_i_　She　_i_　was　dying：　we　saw　it；　and　thanked　God
for　while　she　lived　she　could　feel；　and　what　must　she　
have　felt？　_i_　She　_i_　raised　herself　upon　her　bony　
hands；　and　blindly　gazed　around　her；　swaying　her　head　
slowly　from　side　to　side；　as　a　tortoise　does。　_i_　She　
_i_　could　not　see；　for　her　whitish　eyes　were　covered　
with　a　horny　film。　Oh；　the　horrible　pathos　of　the　
sight！　But　she　could　still　speak。

〃Kallikrates；〃　she　said；　in　husky；　trembling　notes。　
〃Forget　me　not；　Kallikrates。　Have　pity　on　my　shame；　I　
shall　come　again；　and　shall　once　more　be　beautiful；　I　
swear　itit　is　true！　_i_　Ohhh　_i_　〃　and　she　
fell　upon　her　face；　and　was　still。

On　the　very　spot　where　more　than　twenty　centuries　
before　she　had　slain　Kallikrates　the　priest；　she　
herself　fell　down　and　died。

Overcome　with　the　extremity　of　horror；　we　too　fell　on　
the　sandy　floor　of　that　dread　place；　and　swooned　away。

I　know　not　how　long　we　remained　thus。　Many　hours；　I　
suppose。　When　at　last　I　opened　my　eyes；　the　other　two　
were　still　outstretched　upon　the　floor。　The　rosy　light　
yet　beamed　like　a　celestial　dawn；　and　the　thunder…
wheels　of　the　Spirit　of　Life　yet　rolled　upon　their　
accustomed　track；　for　as　I　awoke　the　great　pillar　was　
passing　away。　There；　too；　lay　the　hideous　little　
monkey　frame；　covered　with　crinkled　yellow　parchment；　
that　once　had　been　the　glorious　_i_　She　_i_　。　Alas！　it　
was　no　hideous　dreamit　was　an　awful　and　unparalleled　
fact！

What　had　happened　to　bring　this　shocking　change　about？　
Had　the　nature　of　the　life…giving　Fire　changed！　Did　
it；　perhaps；　from　time　to　time　send　forth　an　essence　
of　Death　instead　of　an　essence　of　Life？　Or　was　it　that　
the　frame　once　charged　with　its　marvellous　virtue　
could　bear　no　more；　so　that　were　the　process　repeated…
…it　mattered　not　at　what　lapse　of　timethe　two　
impregnations　neutralized　each　other；　and　left　the　
body　on　which　they　acted　as　it　was　before　it　ever　came　
into　contact　with　the　very　essence　of　life？　This；　and　
this　alone；　would　account　for　the　sudden　and　terrible　
aging　of　Ayesha；　as　the　whole　length　of　her　two　
thousand　years　took　effect　upon　her。　I　have　not　the　
slightest　doubt　myself　but　that　the　frame　now　lying　
before　me　was　just　what　the　frame　of　a　woman　would　be　
by　any　extraordinary　means　life　could　preserved　in　her　
till　at　length　she　died　at　the　age　of　two…and…twenty　
centuries。

But　who　can　tell　what　had　happened？　There　was　the　
fact。　Often　since　that　awful　hour　I　have　reflected　
that　it　requires　no　great　stretch　of　imagination　to　
see　the　finger　of　Providence　in　the　matter。

Ayesha　locked　up　in　her　living　tomb；　waiting　from　age　
to　age　for　the　coming　of　her　lover；　worked　but　a　small　
change　in　the　order　of　the　World。　But　Ayesha　strong　
and　happy　in　her　love；　clothed　in　immortal　youth　and　
godlike　beauty；　and　the　wisdom　of　the　centuries；　would　
have　revolutionized　society；　and　even　perchance　have　
changed　the　destiny　of　mankind。　Thus　she　opposed　
herself　against　the　eternal　Law；　and；　strong　though　
she　was；　by　it　was　swept　back　to　nothingnessswept　
back　with　shame　and　hideous　mockery！

For　some　minutes　I　lay　faintly　turning　these　terrors　
over　in　my　mind；　while　my　physical　strength　came　back　
to　me；　which　it　quickly　did　in　that　buoyant　
atmosphere。　Then　I　bethought　me　of　the　others；　and　
staggered　to　my　feet；　to　see　if　I　could　arouse　them。　
But　first　I　took　up　Ayesha's　kirtle　and　the　gauzy　
scarf　with　which　she　had　been　wont　to　hide　her　
dazzling　loveliness　from　the　eyes　of　men；　and；　
averting　my　head　so　that　I　might　not　look　upon　it；　
covered　up　th