the notch on the ax and on being found out-第15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！


her　subject　stars；　gleamed　through　the　fissures　of　the　cave；　on
whose　floor　lay　the　relics　of　antediluvian　races；　and　rested　in　one
flood　of　silvery　splendor　upon　the　hollows　of　the　extinct　volcano；
with　tufts　of　dank　herbage；　and　wide　spaces　of　paler　sward；
covering　the　gold　belowgold；　the　dumb　symbol　of　organized
Matter's　great　mystery；　storing　in　itself；　according　as　Mind；　the
informer　of　Matter；　can　distinguish　its　uses；　evil　and　good；　bane
and　blessing。

Hitherto　the　Veiled　Woman　had　remained　in　the　rear；　with　the　white…
robed；　skeletonlike　image　that　had　crept　to　my　side　unawares　with
its　noiseless　step。　　Thus；　in　each　winding　turn　of　the　difficult
path　at　which　the　convoy　following　behind　me　came　into　sight；　I　had
seen；　first；　the　two　gayly　dressed；　armed　men；　next　the　black；
bierlike　litter；　and　last　the　Black…veiled　Woman　and　the　White…
robed　Skeleton。

But　now；　as　I　halted　on　the　tableland；　backed　by　the　mountain　and
fronting　the　valley；　the　woman　left　her　companion；　passed　by　the
litter　and　the　armed　men；　and　paused　by　my　side；　at　the　mouth　of
the　moonlit　cavern。

There　for　a　moment　she　stood；　silent；　the　procession　below　mounting
upward　laboriously　and　slow；　then　she　turned　to　me；　and　her　veil
was　withdrawn。

The　face　on　which　I　gazed　was　wondrously　beautiful；　and　severely
awful。　　There　was　neither　youth　nor　age；　but　beauty；　mature　and
majestic　as　that　of　a　marble　Demeter。

〃Do　you　believe　in　that　which　you　seek？〃　she　asked　in　her　foreign；
melodious；　melancholy　accents。

〃I　have　no　belief；〃　was　my　answer。　　〃True　science　has　none。　　True
science　questions　all　things；　takes　nothing　upon　credit。　　It　knows
but　three　states　of　the　minddenial；　conviction；　and　that　vast
interval　between　the　two　which　is　not　belief　but　suspense　of
judgment。〃

The　woman　let　fall　her　veil；　moved　from　me；　and　seated　herself　on　a
crag　above　that　cleft　between　mountain　and　creek；　to　which；　when　I
had　first　discovered　the　gold　that　the　land　nourished；　the　rain
from　the　clouds　had　given　the　rushing　life　of　the　cataract；　but
which　now；　in　the　drought　and　the　hush　of　the　skies；　was　but　a　dead
pile　of　stones。

The　litter　now　ascended　the　height：　its　bearers　halted；　a　lean　hand
tore　the　curtains　aside；　and　Margrave　descended　leaning；　this　time；
not　on　the　Black…veiled　Woman；　but　on　the　White…robed　Skeleton。

There；　as　he　stood；　the　moon　shone　full　on　his　wasted　form；　on　his
face；　resolute；　cheerful；　and　proud；　despite　its　hollowed　outlines
and　sicklied　hues。　　He　raised　his　head；　spoke　in　the　language
unknown　to　me；　and　the　armed　men　and　the　litter　bearers　grouped
round　him；　bending　low；　their　eyes　fixed　on　the　ground。　　The　Veiled
Woman　rose　slowly　and　came　to　his　side；　motioning　away；　with　a　mute
sign；　the　ghastly　form　on　which　he　leaned；　and　passing　round　him
silently；　instead；　her　own　sustaining　arm。　　Margrave　spoke　again　a
few　sentences；　of　which　I　could　not　even　guess　the　meaning。　　When
he　had　concluded；　the　armed　men　and　the　litter　bearers　came　nearer
to　his　feet；　knelt　down；　and　kissed　his　hand。　　They　then　rose；　and
took　from　the　bierlike　vehicle　the　coffer　and　the　fuel。　　This　done；
they　lifted　again　the　litter；　and　again；　preceded　by　the　armed　men；
the　procession　descended　down　the　sloping　hillside；　down　into　the
valley　below。

Margrave　now　whispered；　for　some　moments；　into　the　ear　of　the
hideous　creature　who　had　made　way　for　the　Veiled　Woman。　　The　grim
skeleton　bowed　his　head　submissively；　and　strode　noiselessly　away
through　the　long　grassesthe　slender　stems；　trampled　under　his
stealthy　feet；　relifting　themselves　as　after　a　passing　wind。　　And
thus　he；　too；　sank　out　of　sight　down　into　the　valley　below。　　On　the
tableland　of　the　hill　remained　only　we　threeMargrave；　myself；　and
the　Veiled　Woman。

She　had　reseated　herself　apart；　on　the　gray　crag　above　the　dried
torrent。　　He　stood　at　the　entrance　of　the　cavern；　round　the　sides
of　which　clustered　parasital　plants；　with　flowers　of　all　colors；
some　among　them　opening　their　petals　and　exhaling　their　fragrance
only　in　the　hours　of　night；　so　that；　as　his　form　filled　up　the　jaws
of　the　dull　arch；　obscuring　the　moonbeam　that　strove　to　pierce　the
shadows　that　slept　within；　it　stood　nowwan　and　blightedas　I　had
seen　it　first；　radiant　and　joyous；　literally　〃framed　in　blooms。〃


IV


〃So；〃　said　Margrave；　turning　to　me；　〃under　the　soil　that　spreads
around　us　lies　the　gold　which　to　you　and　to　me　is　at　this　moment　of
no　value；　except　as　a　guide　to　its　twin…bornthe　regenerator　of
life！〃

〃You　have　not　yet　described　to　me　the　nature　of　the　substance　which
we　are　to　explore；　nor　the　process　by　which　the　virtues　you　impute
to　it　are　to　be　extracted。〃

〃Let　us　first　find　the　gold；　and　instead　of　describing　the　life…
amber；　so　let　me　call　it；　I　will　point　it　out　to　your　own　eyes。　　As
to　the　process；　your　share　in　it　is　so　simple　that　you　will　ask　me
why　I　seek　aid　from　a　chemist。　　The　life…amber；　when　found；　has　but
to　be　subjected　to　heat　and　fermentation　for　six　hours；　it　will　be
placed　in　a　small　caldron　which　that　coffer　contains；　over　the　fire
which　that　fuel　will　feed。　　To　give　effect　to　the　process；　certain
alkalies　and　other　ingredients　are　required；　but　these　are
prepared；　and　mine　is　the　task　to　commingle　them。　　From　your
science　as　chemist　I　need　and　ask　naught。　　In　you　I　have　sought
only　the　aid　of　a　man。〃

〃If　that　be　so；　why；　indeed；　seek　me　at　all？　　Why　not　confide　in
those　swarthy　attendants；　who　doubtless　are　slaves　to　your　orders？〃

〃Confide　in　slaves；　when　the　first　task　enjoined　to　them　would　be
to　discover；　and　refrain　from　purloining　gold！　　Seven　such
unscrupulous　knaves；　or　even　one　such；　and　I；　thus　defenseless　and
feeble！　　Such　is　not　the　work　that　wise　masters　confide　to　fierce
slaves。　　But　that　is　the　least　of　the　reasons　which　exclude　them
from　my　choice；　and　fix　my　choice　of　assistant　on　you。　　Do　you
forget　what　I　told　you　of　the　danger　which　the　Dervish　declared　no
bribe　I　could　offer　could　tempt　him　a　second　time　to　brave？〃

〃I　remember　now；　those　words　had　passed　away　from　my　mind。〃

〃And　because　they　had　passed　away　from　your　mind；　I　chose　you　for
my　comrade。　　I　need　a　man　by　whom　danger　is　scorned。〃

〃But　in　the　process　of　which　you　tell　me　I　see　no　possible　danger
unless　the　ingredients　you　mix　in　your　caldron　have　poisonous
fumes。〃

〃It　is　not　that。　　The　ingredients　I　use　are　not　poisons。〃

〃What　other　danger；　except　you　dread　your　own　Eastern　slaves？　　But；
if　so；　why　lead　them　to　these　solitudes；　and；　if　so；　why　not　bid　me
be　armed？〃

〃The　Eastern　slaves；　fulfilling　my　commands；　wait　for　my　summons；
where　their　eyes　cannot　see　what　we　do。　　The　danger　is　of　a　kind　in
which　the　boldest　son　of　the　East　would　be　more　craven；　perhaps；
that　the　daintiest　Sybarite　of　Europe；　who　would　shrink　from　a
panther　and　laugh　at　a　ghost。　　In　the　creed　of　the　Dervish；　and　of
all　who　adventure　into　that　realm　of　Nature　which　is　closed　to
philosophy　and　open　to　magic；　there　are　races　in　the　magnitude　of
space　unseen　as　animalcules　in　the　world　of　a　drop。　　For　the　tribes
of　the　drop　science　has　its　microscope。　　Of　the　host　of　yon　azure
Infinite　magic　gains　sight；　and　through　them　gains　command　over
fluid　conductors　that　link　all　the　parts　of　creation。　　Of　these
races；　some　are　wholly　indifferent　to　man；　some　benign　to　him；　and
some　deadly　hostile。　　In　all　the　regular　and　prescribed　conditions
of　mortal　being；　this　magic　realm　seems　as　blank　and　tenantless　as
yon　vacant　air。　　But　when　a　seeker　of　powers　beyond　the　rude
functions　by　which　man　plies　the　clockwork　that　measures　his　hours；
and　stops　when　its　chain　reaches　the　end　of　its　coil；　strives　to
pass　over　those　boundaries　at　which　philosophy　says；　'Knowledge
ends'then；　he　is　like　all　other　travelers　in　regions　unknown；　he
must　propitiate　or　brave　the　tribes　that　are　hostilemust　depend
for　his　life　on　the　tribes　that　are　friendly。　　Though　your　science
discredits　the　alchemist's　dogmas；　your　learning　informs　you　that
all　alchemists　were　not　ignorant　impostors；　yet　those　whose
discoveries　prove　them　to　have　been　the　nearest　allies　to　your
practical　knowledge；　ever　hint　in　their　mystical　works　at　the
reality　of　that　realm　which　is　open　to　magicever　hint　that　some
means　less　familiar　than　furnace　and　bellows　are　essential　to　him
who　explores　the　elixir　of　life。　　He　who　once　quaffs　that　elixir；
obtains　in　his　very　veins　the　bright　fluid　by　which　he　transmits
the　force　of　his　will　to　agencies　dormant　in　Nature；　to　giants
unseen　in　the　space。　　And　here；　as　he　passes　the　boundary　which
divides　his　allotted　and　normal　mortality　from　the　regions　and
races　that　magic　alone　can　explore；　so；　here；　he　breaks　down　the
safeguard　between　himself　and　the　tribes　that　are　hostile。　　Is　it
not　ever　thus　between　man　and　man？　　Let　a　race　the　most　gentle　and
timid　and　civilized　dwell　on　one　side　a　river　or　mountain；　and
another　have　home　in　the　region　beyond；　each；　if　it　pass　not　the
intervening　barrier；　may　with　each　live　in　peace。　　But　if　ambitious
adventurers　scale　the　mountain；　or　cross　the　river；　with　design　to
subdue　and　enslave　the　population　they　boldly　invade；　then　all　the
invaded　arise　in　wrath　and　defiancethe　neighbors　are　changed　into
foes。　　And　therefore　this　processby　which　a　simple　though　rare
material　of　Nature　is　made　to　yield　to　a　mortal　the　boon　of　a　life
which　brings；　with　its　glorious　resistance　to　Time；　desires　and
faculties　to　subject　to　its　service　beings　that　dwell　in　the　earth
and　the　air　and　the　deephas　ever　been　one　of　the　same　peril　which
an　invader　must　brave　when　he　crosses　the　bounds　of　his　nation。　　By
this　key　alone　you　unlock　all　the　cells　of　the　alchemist's　lore；　by
this　alone　understand　how　a　labor；　which　a　chemist's　crudest
apprentice　could　perform；　has　baffled　the　giant　fathers　of　all　your
dwarfed　children　of　science。　　Nature；　that　stores　this　priceless
boon；　seems　to　shrink　from　conceding　it　to　manthe　invisible
tribes　that　abhor　him　oppose　themselves　to　the　gain　that　might　give
them　a　master。　　The　duller　of　those　who　were　the　life…seekers　of
old　would　have　told　you　how　some　chance；　trivial；　unlooked…for；
foiled　their　grand　hope　at　the　very　point　of　fruition；　some　dolt