she-第32章

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and　more　classical　Arabic　than　the　Amahagger　talk
〃stranger；　wherefore　art　thou　so　much　afraid？〃

Now　I　flattered　myself　that　in　spite　of　my　inward　
terrors　I　had　kept　a　very　fair　command　of　my　
countenance；　and　was；　therefore；　a　little　astonished　
at　this　question。　Before　I　had　made　up　my　mind　how　to　
answer　it；　however；　the　curtain　was　drawn；　and　a　tall　
figure　stood　before　us。　I　say　a　figure；　for　not　only　
the　body；　but　also　the　face　was　wrapped　up　in　soft；　
white；　gauzy　material　in　such　a　way　as　at　first　sight　
to　remind　me　most　forcibly　of　a　corpse　in　its　grave…
clothes。　And　yet　I　do　not　know　why　it　should　have　
given　me　that　idea；　seeing　that　the　wrappings　were　so　
thin　that　one　could　distinctly　see　the　gleam　of　the　
pink　flesh　beneath　them。　I　suppose　it　was　owing　to　the　
way　in　which　they　were　arranged；　either　accidentally；　
or　more　probably　by　design。　Anyhow；　I　felt　more　
frightened　than　ever　at　this　ghostlike　apparition；　and　
my　hair　began　to　rise　upon　my　head　as　the　feeling　
crept　over　me　that　I　was　in　the　presence　of　something　
that　was　not　canny。　I　could；　however；　clearly　
distinguish　that　the　swathed；　mummy…like　form　before　
me　was　that　of　a　tall　and　lovely　woman；　instinct　with　
beauty　in　every　part；　and　also　with　a　certain　
snakelike　grace　which　I　had　never　seen　anything　to　
equal　before。　When　she　moved　a　hand　or　foot　her　entire　
frame　seemed　to　undulate；　and　the　neck　did　not　bend；　
it　curved。

〃Why　art　thou　so　frightened；　stranger？〃　asked　the　
sweet　voice　againa　voice　which　seemed　to　draw　the　
heart　out　of　me；　like　the　strains　of　softest　music。　
〃Is　there　that　about　me　that　should　affright　a　man？　
Then　surely　are　men　changed　from　what　they　used　to　
be！〃　And　with　a　little　coquettish　movement　she　turned　
herself；　and　held　up　one　arm；　so　as　to　show　all　her　
loveliness　and　the　rich　hair　of　raven　blackness　that　
streamed　in　soft　ripples　down　her　snowy　robes；　almost　
to　her　sandalled　feet。

〃It　is。　thy　beauty　that　makes　me　fear；　oh；　queen；〃　I　
answered；　humbly；　scarcely　knowing　what　to　say；　and　I　
thought　that　as　I　did　so　I　heard　old　Billali；　who　was　
still　lying　prostrate　on　the　floor；　mutter；　〃Good；　my　
Baboon；　good。〃

〃I　see　that　men　still　know　how　to　beguile　us　women　
with　false　words。　Ah；　stranger；〃　she　answered；　with　a　
laugh　that　sounded　like　distant　silver　bells；　〃thou　
wast　afraid　because　mine　eyes　were　searching　out　thine　
heart；　therefore　wast　thou　afraid。　But；　being　but　a　
woman；　I　forgive　thee　for　the　lie；　for　it　was　
courteously　said。　And　now　tell　me；　how　came　ye　hither　
to　this　land　of　the　dwellers　among　cavesa　land　of　
swamps　and　evil　things　and　dead　old　shadows　of　the　
dead？　What　came　ye　for　to　see？　How　is　it　that　ye　hold　
your　lives　so　cheap　as　to　place　them　in　the　hollow　of　
the　hand　of　_i_　Hiya；　_i_　into　the　hand　of　'　_i_　She…
who…must…be　obeyed　_i_　'？　Tell　me　also　how　come　ye　to　
know　the　tongue　I　talk。　It　is　an　ancient　tongue；　that　
sweet　child　of　the　old　Syriac。　Liveth　it　yet　in　the　
world？　Thou　seest　I　dwell　among　the　caves　and　the　
dead；　and　nought　know　I　of　the　affairs　of　men；　nor　
have　I　cared　to　know。　I　have　lived；　O　stranger；　with　
my　memories；　and　my　memories　are　in　a　grave　that　mine　
own　hands　hollowed；　for　truly　hath　it　been　said　that　
the　child　of　man　maketh　his　own　path　evil〃；　and　her　
beautiful　voice　quivered；　and　broke　in　a　note　as　soft　
as　any　wood…bird's。　Suddenly　her　eye　fell　upon　the　
sprawling　frame　of　Billali；　and　she　seemed　to　
recollect　herself。

〃Ah！　thou　art　there；　old　man。　Tell　me　how　it　is　that　
things　have　gone　wrong　in　thy　household。　Forsooth；　it　
seems　that　these　my　guests　were　set　upon。　Ay；　and　one　
was　nigh　to　being　slain　by　the　hot　pot　to　be　eaten　of　
those　brutes；　thy　children；　and　had　not　the　others　
fought　gallantly　they　too　had　been　slain；　and　not　even　
I　could　have　called　back　the　life　which　had　been　
loosed　from　the　body。　What　means　it；　old　man？　What　
hast　thou　to　say　that　I　should　not　give　thee　over　to　
those　who　execute　my　vengeance？〃

Her　voice　had　risen　in　her　anger；　and　it　rang　clear　
and　cold　against　the　rocky　walls。　Also　I　thought　I　
could　see　her　eyes　flash　through　the　gauze　that　hid　
them。　I　saw　poor　Billali；　whom　I　had　believed　to　be　a　
very　fearless　person；　positively　quiver　with　terror　at　
her　words。

〃O　'Hiya'！　O　_i_　She　_i_　！〃　he　said；　without　lifting　
his　white　head　from　the　floor。　〃O　_i_　She　_i_　；　as　
thou　art　great；　be　merciful；　for　I　am　now　as　ever　thy　
servant　to　obey。　It　was　no　plan　or　fault　of　mine；　O　
_i_　She　_i_　；　it　was　those　wicked　ones　who　are　called　
my　children。　Led　on　by　a　woman　whom　thy　guest　the　Pig　
had　scorned；　they　would　have　followed　the　ancient　
custom　of　the　land；　and　eaten　the　fat　black　stranger　
who　came　hither　with　these　thy　guests　the　Baboon；　and　
the　Lion　who　is　sick；　thinking　that　no　word　had　come　
from　thee　about　the　black　one。　But　when　the　Baboon　and　
the　Lion　saw　what　they　would　do；　they　slew　the　woman；　
and　slew　also　their　servant　to　save　him　from　the　
horror　of　the　pot。　Then　those　evil　ones；　ay；　those　
children　of　the　Wicked　One　who　lives　in　the　Pit；　they　
went　mad　with　the　lust　of　blood；　and　flew　at　the　
throats　of　the　Lion　and　the　Baboon　and　the　Pig。　But　
gallantly　they　fought。　O　_i_　Hiya！　_i_　they　fought　
like　very　men；　and　slew　many；　and　held　their　own；　and　
then　I　came　and　saved　them；　and　the　evil…doers　have　I　
sent　on　hither　to　Ko^r　to　be　judged　of　thy　greatness；　
O　_i_　She！　_i_　and　here　they　are。〃

〃Ay；　old　man；　I　know　it；　and　tomorrow　will　I　sit　in　
the　great　hall　and　do　justice　upon　them；　fear　not。　And　
for　thee；　I　forgive　thee；　though　hardly。　See　that　thou　
dost　keep　thine　household　better。　Go。〃

Billali　rose　upon　his　knees　with　astonishing　alacrity；　
bowed　his　head　thrice；　and　his　white　beard　sweeping　
the　ground；　crawled　down　the　apartment　as　he　had　
crawled　up　it；　till　he　finally　vanished　through　the　
curtains；　leaving　me；　not　a　little　to　my　alarm；　alone　
with　this　terrible　but　most　fascinating　person。

CHAPTER　XIII

AYESHA　UNVEILS

〃There；〃　said　_i_　She　_i_　；　〃he　has　gone；　the　white…
bearded　old　fool！　Ah；　how　little　knowledge　does　a　man　
acquire　in　his　life。　He　gathereth　it　up　like　water；　
but　like　water　it　runneth　through　his　fingers；　and　
yet；　if　his　hands　be　but　wet　as　though　with　dew；　
behold　a　generation　of　fools　call　out；　'See；　he　is　a　
wise　man！'　Is　it　not　so？　But　how　call　they　thee？　
'Baboon；'　he　says；〃　and　she　laughed；　〃but　that　is　the　
fashion　of　these　savages　who　lack　imagination；　and　fly　
to　the　beasts　they　resemble　for　a　name。　How　do　they　
call　thee　in　thine　own　country；　stranger？〃

〃They　call　me　Holly；　O　queen；〃　I　answered。

〃Holly；〃　she　answered；　speaking　the　word　with　
difficulty；　and　yet　with　a　most　charming　accent；　〃and　
what　is　Holly？〃

〃'Holly'　is　a　prickly　tree；〃　I　said。

〃So。　Well；　thou　hast　a　prickly　and　yet　a　treelike　
look。　Strong　art　thou；　and　ugly；　but；　if　my　wisdom　be　
not　at　fault；　honest　at　the　core；　and　a　staff　to　lean　
on。　Also　one　who　thinks。　But　stay；　O　Holly；　stand　not　
there；　enter　with　me　and　be　seated　by　me。　I　would　not　
see　thee　crawl　before　me　like　those　slaves。　I　am　weary　
of　their　worship　and　their　terror；　sometimes　when　they　
vex　me　I　could　blast　them　for　very　sport；　and　to　see　
the　rest　turn　white；　even　to　the　heart。〃　And　she　held　
the　curtain　aside　with　her　ivory　hand　to　let　me　pass　
in。

I　entered；　shuddering。　This　woman　was　very　terrible。　
Within　the　curtains　was　a　recess；　about　twelve　feet　by　
ten；　and　in　the　recess　was　a　couch　and　a　table　whereon　
stood　fruit　and　sparkling　water。　By　it；　at　its　end；　
was　a　vessel　like　a　font　cut　in　carved　stone；　also　
full　of　pure　water。　The　place　was　softly　lit　with　
lamps　formed　out　of　the　beautiful　vessels　of　which　I　
have　spoken；　and　the　air　and　curtains　were　laden　with　
a　subtle　perfume。　Perfume　too　seemed　to　emanate　from　
the　glorious　hair　and　white；　clinging　vestments　of　_i_　
She　_i_　herself。　I　entered　the　little　room；　and　there　
stood　uncertain。

〃Sit；〃　said　_i_　She　_i_　；　pointing　to　the　couch。　〃As　
yet　thou　hast　no　cause　to　fear　me。　If　thou　hast　cause；　
thou　shalt　not　fear　for　long；　for　I　shall　slay　thee。　
Therefore　let　thy　heart　be　light。〃