the notch on the ax and on being found out-第24章

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essence　which　had　filched　from　his　store　of　life　but　a　moment？　　Me；
who　so　loved　and　so　cherished　himme　he　would　have　doomed　to　the
pitiless　cord　of　my　servant；　the　Strangler；　if　my　death　could　have
lengthened　a　hairbreadth　the　span　of　his　being。　　But　what　matters
to　me　his　crime　or　his　madness？　　I　loved　him；　I　loved　him！〃

She　bowed　her　veiled　head　lower　and　lower；　perhaps　under　the　veil
her　lips　kissed　the　lips　of　the　dead。　　Then　she　said　whisperingly：

〃Juma　the　Strangler；　whose　word　never　failed　to　his　master；　whose
prey　never　slipped　from　his　snare；　waits　thy　step　on　the　road　to
thy　home！　　But　thy　death　cannot　now　profit　the　dead；　the　beloved。
And　thou　hast　had　pity　for　him　who　took　but　thine　aid　to　design　thy
destruction。　　His　life　is　lost；　thine　is　saved！〃

She　spoke　no　more　in　the　tongue　that　I　could　interpret。　　She　spoke；
in　the　language　unknown；　a　few　murmured　words　to　her　swarthy
attendants；　then　the　armed　men；　still　weeping；　rose；　and　made　a
dumb　sign　to　me　to　go　with　them。　　I　understood　by　the　sign　that
Ayesha　had　told　them　to　guard　me　on　my　way；　but　she　gave　no　reply
to　my　parting　thanks。


XI


I　descended　into　the　valley；　the　armed　men　followed。　　The　path；　on
that　side　of　the　water　course　not　reached　by　the　flames；　wound
through　meadows　still　green；　or　amidst　groves　still　unscathed。　　As
a　turning　in　the　way　brought　in　front　of　my　sight　the　place　I　had
left　behind；　I　beheld　the　black　litter　creeping　down　the　descent；
with　its　curtains　closed；　and　the　Veiled　Woman　walking　by　its　side。
But　soon　the　funeral　procession　was　lost　to　my　eyes；　and　the
thoughts　that　it　roused　were　erased。　　The　waves　in　man's　brain　are
like　those　of　the　sea；　rushing　on；　rushing　over　the　wrecks　of　the
vessels　that　rode　on　their　surface；　to　sink；　after　storm；　in　their
deeps。　　One　thought　cast　forth　into　the　future　now　mastered　all　in
the　past：　〃Was　Lilian　living　still？〃　　Absorbed　in　the　gloom　of　that
thought；　hurried　on　by　the　goad　that　my　heart；　in　its　tortured
impatience；　gave　to　my　footstep；　I　outstripped　the　slow　stride　of
the　armed　men；　and；　midway　between　the　place　I　had　left　and　the
home　which　I　sped　to；　came；　far　in　advance　of　my　guards；　into　the
thicket　in　which　the　Bushmen　had　started　up　in　my　path　on　the　night
that　Lilian　had　watched　for　my　coming。　　The　earth　at　my　feet　was
rife　with　creeping　plants　and　many…colored　flowers；　the　sky
overhead　was　half　hid　by　motionless　pines。　　Suddenly；　whether
crawling　out　from　the　herbage　or　dropping　down　from　the　trees；　by
my　side　stood　the　white…robed　and　skeleton　formAyesha's　attendant
the　Strangler。

I　sprang　from　him　shuddering；　then　halted　and　faced　him。　　The
hideous　creature　crept　toward　me；　cringing　and　fawning；　making
signs　of　humble　goodwill　and　servile　obeisance。　　Again　I　recoiled
wrathfully；　loathingly；　turned　my　face　homeward；　and　fled　on。　　I
thought　I　had　baffled　his　chase；　when；　just　at　the　mouth　of　the
thicket；　he　dropped　from　a　bough　in　my　path　close　behind　me。
Before　I　could　turn；　some　dark　muffling　substance　fell　between　my
sight　and　the　sun；　and　I　felt　a　fierce　strain　at　my　throat。　　But
the　words　of　Ayesha　had　warned　me；　with　one　rapid　hand　I　seized　the
noose　before　it　could　tighten　too　closely；　with　the　other　I　tore
the　bandage　away　from　my　eyes；　and；　wheeling　round　on　the　dastardly
foe；　struck　him　down　with　one　spurn　of　my　foot。　　His　hand；　as　he
fell；　relaxed　its　hold　on　the　noose；　I　freed　my　throat　from　the
knot；　and　sprang　from　the　copse　into　the　broad　sunlit　plain。　　I　saw
no　more　of　the　armed　men　or　the　Strangler。　　Panting　and　breathless；
I　paused　at　last　before　the　fence；　fragrant　with　blossoms；　that
divided　my　home　from　the　solitude。

The　windows　of　Lilian's　room　were　darkened；　all　within　the　house
seemed　still。

Darkened　and　silenced　home；　with　the　light　and　sounds　of　the　jocund
day　all　around　it。　　Was　there　yet　hope　in　the　Universe　for　me？　　All
to　which　I　had　trusted　Hope　had　broken　down；　the　anchors　I　had
forged　for　her　hold　in　the　beds　of　the　ocean；　her　stay　from　the
drifts　of　the　storm；　had　snapped　like　the　reeds　which　pierce　the
side　that　leans　on　the　barb　of　their　points；　and　confides　in　the
strength　of　their　stems。　　No　hope　in　the　baffled　resources　of
recognized　knowledge！　　No　hope　in　the　daring　adventures　of　Mind
into　regions　unknown；　vain　alike　the　calm　lore　of　the　practiced
physician；　and　the　magical　arts　of　the　fated　Enchanter！　　I　had　fled
from　the　commonplace　teachings　of　Nature；　to　explore　in　her
Shadowland　marvels　at　variance　with　reason。　　Made　brave　by　the
grandeur　of　love；　I　had　opposed　without　quailing　the　stride　of　the
Demon；　and　my　hope；　when　fruition　seemed　nearest；　had　been　trodden
into　dust　by　the　hoofs　of　the　beast！　　And　yet；　all　the　while；　I　had
scorned；　as　a　dream；　more　wild　than　the　word　of　a　sorcerer；　the
hope　that　the　old　man　and　the　child；　the　wise　and　the　ignorant；
took　from　their　souls　as　inborn。　　Man　and　fiend　had　alike　failed　a
mind；　not　ignoble；　not　skill…less；　not　abjectly　craven；　alike
failed　a　heart　not　feeble　and　selfish；　not　dead　to　the　hero's
devotion；　willing　to　shed　every　drop　of　its　blood　for　a　something
more　dear　than　an　animal's　life　for　itself！　　What　remainedwhat
remained　for　man's　hope？man's　mind　and　man's　heart　thus
exhausting　their　all　with　no　other　result　but　despair！　　What
remained　but　the　mystery　of　mysteries；　so　clear　to　the　sunrise　of
childhood；　the　sunset　of　age；　only　dimmed　by　the　clouds　which
collect　round　the　noon　of　our　manhood？　　Where　yet　was　Hope　found？
In　the　soul；　in　its　every…day　impulse　to　supplicate　comfort　and
light；　from　the　Giver　of　soul；　wherever　the　heart　is　afflicted；　the
mind　is　obscured。

Then　the　words　of　Ayesha　rushed　over　me：　〃What　mourner　can　be
consoled；　if　the　dead　die　forever？〃　　Through　every　pulse　of　my
frame　throbbed　that　dread　question；　all　Nature　around　seemed　to
murmur　it。　　And　suddenly；　as　by　a　flash　from　heaven；　the　grand
truth　in　Faber's　grand　reasoning　shone　on　me；　and　lighted　up　all；
within　and　without。　　Man　alone；　of　all　earthly　creatures；　asks；
〃Can　the　dead　die　forever？〃　and　the　instinct　that　urges　the
question　is　God's　answer　to　man。　　No　instinct　is　given　in　vain。

And　born　with　the　instinct　of　soul　is　the　instinct　that　leads　the
soul　from　the　seen　to　the　unseen；　from　time　to　eternity；　from　the
torrent　that　foams　toward　the　Ocean　of　Death；　to　the　source　of　its
stream；　far　aloft　from　the　Ocean。

〃Know　thyself；〃　said　the　Pythian　of　old。　　〃That　precept　descended
from　Heaven。〃　　Know　thyself！　　Is　that　maxim　wise？　　If　so；　know　thy
soul。　　But　never　yet　did　man　come　to　the　thorough　conviction　of
soul　but　what　he　acknowledged　the　sovereign　necessity　of　prayer。
In　my　awe；　in　my　rapture；　all　my　thoughts　seemed　enlarged　and
illumed　and　exalted。　　I　prayedall　my　soul　seemed　one　prayer。　　All
my　past；　with　its　pride　and　presumption　and　folly；　grew　distinct　as
the　form　of　a　penitent；　kneeling　for　pardon　before　setting　forth　on
the　pilgrimage　vowed　to　a　shrine。　　And；　sure　now；　in　the　deeps　of　a
soul　first　revealed　to　myself；　that　the　Dead　do　not　die　forever；　my
human　love　soared　beyond　its　brief　trial　of　terror　and　sorrow。
Daring　not　to　ask　from　Heaven's　wisdom　that　Lilian；　for　my　sake；
might　not　yet　pass　away　from　the　earth；　I　prayed　that　my　soul　might
be　fitted　to　bear　with　submission　whatever　my　Maker　might　ordain。
And　if　surviving　herwithout　whom　no　beam　from　yon　material　sun
could　ever　warm　into　joy　a　morrow　in　human　lifeso　to　guide　my
steps　that　they　might　rejoin　her　at　last；　and　in　rejoining；　regain
forever！

How　trivial　now　became　the　weird　riddle；　that；　a　little　while
before；　had　been　clothed　in　so　solemn　an　awe！　　What　mattered　it　to
the　vast　interests　involved　in　the　clear　recognition　of　Soul　and
Hereafter；　whether　or　not　my　bodily　sense；　for　a　moment；　obscured
the　face　of　the　Nature　I　should　one　day　behold　as　a　spirit？
Doubtless　the　sights　and　the　sounds　which　had　haunted　the　last
gloomy　night；　the　calm　reason　of　Faber　would　strip　of　their　magical
seemings；　the　Eyes　in　the　space　and　the　Foot　in　the　circle　might　be
those　of　no　terrible　Demons；　but　of　the　wild's　savage　children　whom
I　had　seen；　halting；　curious　and　mute；　in　the　light　of　the　morning。