the notch on the ax and on being found out-第16章

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some　place　of　entertainment　long　since　passed　away。　　But　our　main
discovery　was　in　a　kind　of　iron　safe　fixed　to　the　wall；　the　lock　of
which　it　cost　us　much　trouble　to　get　picked。

In　this　safe　were　three　shelves　and　two　small　drawers。　　Ranged　on
the　shelves　were　several　small　bottles　of　crystal；　hermetically
stopped。　　They　contained　colorless；　volatile　essences；　of　the
nature　of　which　I　shall　only　say　that　they　were　not　poisons；
phosphor　and　ammonia　entered　into　some　of　them。　　There　were　also
some　very　curious　glass　tubes；　and　a　small　pointed　rod　of　iron；
with　a　large　lump　of　rock　crystal；　and　another　of　amber；also　a
loadstone　of　great　power。

In　one　of　the　drawers　we　found　a　miniature　portrait　set　in　gold；
and　retaining　the　freshness　of　its　colors　most　remarkably；
considering　the　length　of　time　it　had　probably　been　there。　　The
portrait　was　that　of　a　man　who　might　be　somewhat　advanced　in　middle
life；　perhaps　forty…seven　or　forty…eight。　　It　was　a　remarkable
face；a　most　impressive　face。　　If　you　could　fancy　some　mighty
serpent　transformed　into　man；　preserving　in　the　human　lineaments
the　old　serpent　type；　you　would　have　a　better　idea　of　that
countenance　than　long　descriptions　can　convey：　the　width　and
flatness　of　frontal；　the　tapering　elegance　of　contour　disguising
the　strength　of　the　deadly　jaw；　the　long；　large；　terrible　eye；
glittering　and　green　as　the　emerald；and　withal　a　certain　ruthless
calm；　as　if　from　the　consciousness　of　an　immense　power。

Mechanically　I　turned　round　the　miniature　to　examine　the　back　of
it；　and　on　the　back　was　engraved　a　pentacle；　in　the　middle　of　the
pentacle　a　ladder；　and　the　third　step　of　the　ladder　was　formed　by
the　date　1765。　　Examining　still　more　minutely；　I　detected　a　spring；
this；　on　being　pressed；　opened　the　back　of　the　miniature　as　a　lid。
Within…side　the　lid　were　engraved；　〃Marianna　to　thee。　　Be　faithful
in　life　and　in　death　to　。〃　　Here　follows　a　name　that　I　will　not
mention；　but　it　was　not　unfamiliar　to　me。　　I　had　heard　it　spoken　of
by　old　men　in　my　childhood　as　the　name　borne　by　a　dazzling
charlatan　who　had　made　a　great　sensation　in　London　for　a　year　or
so；　and　had　fled　the　country　on　the　charge　of　a　double　murder
within　his　own　house；that　of　his　mistress　and　his　rival。　　I　said
nothing　of　this　to　Mr。　J；　to　whom　reluctantly　I　resigned　the
miniature。

We　had　found　no　difficulty　in　opening　the　first　drawer　within　the
iron　safe；　we　found　great　difficulty　in　opening　the　second：　it　was
not　locked；　but　it　resisted　all　efforts；　till　we　inserted　in　the
chinks　the　edge　of　a　chisel。　　When　we　had　thus　drawn　it　forth；　we
found　a　very　singular　apparatus　in　the　nicest　order。　　Upon　a　small；
thin　book；　or　rather　tablet；　was　placed　a　saucer　of　crystal；　this
saucer　was　filled　with　a　clear　liquid；on　that　liquid　floated　a
kind　of　compass；　with　a　needle　shifting　rapidly　round；　but　instead
of　the　usual　points　of　a　compass　were　seven　strange　characters；　not
very　unlike　those　used　by　astrologers　to　denote　the　planets。　　A
peculiar　but　not　strong　nor　displeasing　odor　came　from　this　drawer；
which　was　lined　with　a　wood　that　we　afterwards　discovered　to　be
hazel。　　Whatever　the　cause　of　this　odor；　it　produced　a　material
effect　on　the　nerves。　　We　all　felt　it；　even　the　two　workmen　who
were　in　the　room；a　creeping；　tingling　sensation　from　the　tips　of
the　fingers　to　the　roots　of　the　hair。　　Impatient　to　examine　the
tablet；　I　removed　the　saucer。　　As　I　did　so　the　needle　of　the
compass　went　round　and　round　with　exceeding　swiftness；　and　I　felt　a
shock　that　ran　through　my　whole　frame；　so　that　I　dropped　the　saucer
on　the　floor。　　The　liquid　was　spilled；　the　saucer　was　broken；　the
compass　rolled　to　the　end　of　the　room；　and　at　that　instant　the
walls　shook　to　and　fro；　as　if　a　giant　had　swayed　and　rocked　them。

The　two　workmen　were　so　frightened　that　they　ran　up　the　ladder　by
which　we　had　descended　from　the　trapdoor；　but　seeing　that　nothing
more　happened；　they　were　easily　induced　to　return。

Meanwhile　I　had　opened　the　tablet：　it　was　bound　in　plain　red
leather；　with　a　silver　clasp；　it　contained　but　one　sheet　of　thick
vellum；　and　on　that　sheet　were　inscribed；　within　a　double　pentacle；
words　in　old　monkish　Latin；　which　are　literally　to　be　translated
thus：　〃On　all　that　it　can　reach　within　these　walls；　sentient　or
inanimate；　living　or　dead；　as　moves　the　needle；　so　works　my　will！
Accursed　be　the　house；　and　restless　be　the　dwellers　therein。〃

We　found　no　more。　　Mr。　J　burned　the　tablet　and　its　anathema。
He　razed　to　the　foundations　the　part　of　the　building　containing　the
secret　room　with　the　chamber　over　it。　　He　had　then　the　courage　to
inhabit　the　house　himself　for　a　month；　and　a　quieter；　better…
conditioned　house　could　not　be　found　in　all　London。　　Subsequently
he　let　it　to　advantage；　and　his　tenant　has　made　no　complaints。



A　drowning　man　clutching　at　a　strawsuch　is　Dr。　Fenwick；　hero　of
Bulwer…Lytton's　〃Strange　Story〃　when　he　determines　to　lend　himself
to　alleged　〃magic〃　in　the　hope　of　saving　his　suffering　wife　from
the　physical　dangers　which　have　succeeded　her　mental　disease。　　The
proposition　has　been　made　to　him　by　Margrave；　a　wanderer　in　many
countries；　who　has　followed　the　Fenwicks　from　England　to　Australia。
Margrave　declares　that　he　needs　an　accomplice　to　secure　an　〃elixir
of　life〃　which　his　own　failing　strength　demands。　　His　mysterious
mesmeric　or　hypnotic　influence　over　Mrs。　Fenwick　had　in　former　days
been　marked；　and　on　the　basis　of　this　undeniable　fact；　he　has
endeavored　to　show　that　his　own　welfare　and　Mrs。　Fenwick's　are；　in
some　occult　fashion；　knit　together；　and　that　only　by　aiding　him　in
some　extraordinary　experiment　can　the　physician　snatch　his　beloved
Lilian　from　her　impending　doom。

As　the　first　chapter　opens；　Fenwick　is　learning　his　wife's
condition　from　his　friend；　Dr。　Faber。



Bulwer…Lytton


The　Incantation


I


〃I　believe　that　for　at　least　twelve　hours　there　will　be　no　change
in　her　state。　　I　believe　also　that　if　she　recover　from　it；　calm　and
refreshed；　as　from　a　sleep；　the　danger　of　death　will　have　passed
away。〃

〃And　for　twelve　hours　my　presence　would　be　hurtful？〃

〃Rather　say　fatal；　if　my　diagnosis　be　right。〃

I　wrung　my　friend's　hand；　and　we　parted。

Oh；　to　lose　her　now；　now　that　her　love　and　her　reason　had　both
returned；　each　more　vivid　than　before！　　Futile；　indeed；　might　be
Margrave's　boasted　secret；　but　at　least　in　that　secret　was　hope。
In　recognized　science　I　saw　only　despair。

And　at　that　thought　all　dread　of　this　mysterious　visitor　vanished
all　anxiety　to　question　more　of　his　attributes　or　his　history。　　His
life　itself　became　to　me　dear　and　precious。　　What　if　it　should　fail
me　in　the　steps　of　the　process；　whatever　that　was；　by　which　the
life　of　my　Lilian　might　be　saved！

The　shades　of　evening　were　now　closing　in。　　I　remembered　that　I　had
left　Margrave　without　even　food　for　many　hours。　　I　stole　round　to
the　back　of　the　house；　filled　a　basket　with　elements　more　generous
than　those　of　the　former　day；　extracted　fresh　drugs　from　my　stores；
and；　thus　laden；　hurried　back　to　the　hut。　　I　found　Margrave　in　the
room　below；　seated　on　his　mysterious　coffer；　leaning　his　face　on
his　hand。　　When　I　entered；　he　looked　up；　and　said：

〃You　have　neglected　me。　　My　strength　is　waning。　　Give　me　more　of
the　cordial；　for　we　have　work　before　us　tonight；　and　I　need
support。〃

He　took　for　granted　my　assent　to　his　wild　experiment；　and　he　was
right。

I　administered　the　cordial。　　I　placed　food　before　him；　and　this
time　he　did　not　eat　with　repugnance。　　I　poured　out　wine；　and　he
drank　it　sparingly；　but　with　ready　compliance；　saying；　〃In　perfect
health；　I　looked　upon　wine　as　poison；　now　it　is　like　a　foretaste　of
the　glorious　elixir。〃

After　he　had　thus　recruited　himself；　he　seemed　to　acquire　an　energy
that　startlingly　contrasted　with　his　languor　the　day　before；　the
effort　of　breathing　was　scarcely　perceptible；　the　color　came　back
to　his　cheeks；　his　bended　frame　rose　elastic　and　erect。

〃If　I　understood　you　rightly；〃　said　I；　〃the　experiment　you　ask　me
to　aid　can　be　accomplished　in　a　single　night？〃

〃In　a　single　nightthis　night。〃

〃Command　me。　　Why　not　begin　at　once？　　What　apparatus　or　chemical