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Then he saw that there were paintings on the walls。
〃； I hope the sun hasn't affected me；〃 he muttered。
A slight movement attracted his attention； and he saw that Ata was
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lying on the floor； sobbing quietly。
〃Ata；〃 he called。 〃Ata。〃
She took no notice。 Again the beastly stench almost made him faint；
and he lit a cheroot。 His eyes grew accustomed to the darkness； and now
he was seized by an overwhelming sensation as he stared at the painted
walls。 He knew nothing of pictures； but there was something about these
that extraordinarily affected him。 From floor to ceiling the walls were
covered with a strange and elaborate composition。 It was indescribably
wonderful and mysterious。 It took his breath away。 It filled him with an
emotion which he could not understand or analyse。 He felt the awe and
the delight which a man might feel who watched the beginning of a world。
It was tremendous； sensual； passionate； and yet there was something
horrible there； too； something which made him afraid。 It was the work of
a man who had delved into the hidden depths of nature and had discovered
secrets which were beautiful and fearful too。 It was the work of a man
who knew things which it is unholy for men to know。 There was
something primeval there and terrible。 It was not human。 It brought to
his mind vague recollections of black magic。 It was beautiful and
obscene。
〃； this is genius。〃
The words were wrung from him； and he did not know he had spoken。
Then his eyes fell on the bed of mats in the corner； and he went up；
and he saw the dreadful； mutilated； ghastly object which had been
Strickland。 He was dead。 Dr。 Coutras made an effort of will and bent
over that battered horror。 Then he started violently； and terror blazed in
his heart； for he felt that someone was behind him。 It was Ata。 He had
not heard her get up。 She was standing at his elbow； looking at what he
looked at。
〃Good Heavens； my nerves are all distraught；〃 he said。 〃You nearly
frightened me out of my wits。〃
He looked again at the poor dead thing that had been man； and then he
started back in dismay。
〃But he was blind。〃
〃Yes； he had been blind for nearly a year。〃
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Chapter LVII
AT that moment we were interrupted by the appearance of Madame
Coutras； who had been paying visits。 She came in； like a ship in full sail；
an imposing creature； tall and stout； with an ample bust and an obesity
girthed in alarmingly by straight…fronted corsets。 She had a bold hooked
nose and three chins。 She held herself upright。 She had not yielded for an
instant to the enervating charm of the tropics； but contrariwise was more
active； more worldly； more decided than anyone in a temperate clime
would have thought it possible to be。 She was evidently a copious talker；
and now poured forth a breathless stream of anecdote and comment。 She
made the conversation we had just had seem far away and unreal。
Presently Dr。 Coutras turned to me。
〃I still have in my the picture that Strickland gave me；〃 he
said。 〃Would you like to see it？〃
〃Willingly。〃
We got up； and he led me on to the verandah which surrounded his
house。 We paused to look at the gay flowers that rioted in his garden。
〃For a long time I could not get out of my head the recollection of the
extraordinary decoration with which Strickland had covered the walls of
his house；〃 he said reflectively。
I had been thinking of it； too。 It seemed to me that here Strickland
had finally put the whole expression of himself。 Working silently； knowing
that it was his last chance； I fancied that here he must have said all that he
knew of life and all that he divined。 And I fancied that perhaps here he
had at last found peace。 The demon which possessed him was exorcised
at last； and with the completion of the work； for which all his life had been
a painful preparation； rest descended on his remote and tortured soul。 He
was willing to die； for he had fulfilled his purpose。
〃What was the subject？〃 I asked。
〃I scarcely know。 It was strange and fantastic。 It was a vision of the
beginnings of the world； the Garden of Eden； with Adam and Eve it was a hymn to the beauty of the human form； male and
female； and the praise of Nature； sublime； indifferent； lovely； and cruel。
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It gave you an awful sense of the infinity of space and of the endlessness
of time。 Because he painted the trees I see about me every day； the
cocoa…nuts； the banyans； the flamboyants； the alligator…pears； I have seen
them ever since differently； as though there were in them a spirit and a
mystery which I am ever on the point of seizing and which forever escapes
me。 The colours were the colours familiar to me； and yet they were
different。 They had a significance which was all their own。 And those
nude men and women。 They were of the earth； and yet apart from it。
They seemed to possess something of the clay of which they were created；
and at the same time something divine。 You saw man in the nakedness of
his primeval instincts； and you were afraid； for you saw yourself。〃
Dr。 Coutras shrugged his shoulders and smiled。
〃You will laugh at me。 I am a materialist； and I am a gross； fat man
Falstaff； eh？ the lyrical mode does not become me。 I make myself
ridiculous。 But I have never seen painting which made so deep an
impression upon me。 ； I had just the same feeling as when I
went to the Sistine Chapel in Rome。 There too I was awed by the greatness
of the man who had painted that ceiling。 It was