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slew thee？ Alas； that I cannot die！ Alas！ Alas！〃 and
she flung herself prone upon the ground； and sobbed
and wept until I thought her heart must burst。
Suddenly she ceased； raised herself to her feet；
rearranged her robe； and； tossing back her long locks
impatiently； swept across to where the figure lay upon
the stone。
〃Oh； Kallikrates；〃。 she cried； and I trembled at the
name； 〃I must look upon thy face again； though it be
agony。 It is a generation since I looked upon thee
whom I slewslew with mine own hand；〃 and with
trembling fingers she seized the corner of the
sheetlike wrapping that covered the form upon the
stone bier； and then paused。 When she spoke again； it
was in a kind of awed whisper； as though her idea were
terrible even to herself。
〃Shall I raise thee；〃 she said； apparently addressing
the corpse； 〃so that thou standest there before me； as
of old？ I can do it。〃 and she held out her hands over
the sheeted dead； while her whole frame became rigid
and terrible to see； and her eyes grew fixed and dull。
I shrank in horror behind the curtain； my hair stood
up upon my head； andwhether it was my imagination or
a fact I am unable to say； but I thought that the
quiet form beneath the covering began to quiver； and
the winding sheet to lift as though it lay on the
breast of one who slept。 Suddenly she withdrew her
hands； and the motion of the corpse seemed to me to
cease。
〃What is the use？〃 she said； gloomily。 〃Of what use is
it to recall the semblance of life if I cannot recall
the spirit。 Even if thou stoodest before me thou
wouldst not know me； and couldst but do what I bid
thee。 The life in thee would be my life； and not thy
life； Kallikrates。〃
For a moment she stood there brooding； and then cast
herself down on her knees beside the form； and began
to press her lips against the sheet； and weep。 There
was something so horrible about the sight of this awe…
inspiring woman letting loose her passion on the dead…
…so much more horrible even than anything that had
gone before； that I could no longer bear to look at it
and； turning； began to creep； shaking as I was in
every limb； slowly along the pitch…dark passage；
feeling in my trembling heart that I had had a vision
of a soul in Hell。
On I stumbled； I scarcely know how。 Twice I fell； once
I turned up the bisecting passage； but fortunately
found out my mistake in time。 For twenty minutes or
more I crept along； till at last it occurred to me
that I must have passed the little stair by which I
descended。 So； utterly exhausted； and nearly
frightened to death； I sank down at length there on
the stone flooring； and passed into oblivion。
When I came to I noticed a faint ray of light in the
passage just behind me。 I crept to it； and found it
was the little stair down which the weak dawn was
stealing。 Passing up it； I gained my chamber in
safety； and； flinging myself on the couch； was soon
lost in slumber； or rather stupor。
CHAPTER XV
AYESHA GIVES JUDGMENT
THE next thing that I remember was opening my eyes and
perceiving the form of Job； who had now practically
recovered from his attack of fever。 He was standing in
the ray of light that pierced into the cave from the
outer air； shaking out my clothes as a makeshift for
brushing them； which he could not do because there was
no brush； and then folding them up neatly and laying
them on the foot of the stone couch。 This done； he got
my travelling dressing…case out of the Gladstone bag；
and opened it ready for my use。 First； he stood it on
the foot of the couch also； then； being afraid； I
suppose； that I should kick it off； he placed it on a
leopard skin on the floor； and stood back a step or
two to observe the effect。 It was not satisfactory； so
he shut up the bag； turned it on end； and； having
rested it against the foot of the conch； placed the
dressing…case on it。 Next； he looked at the pots full
of water； which constituted our washing apparatus。
〃Ah！〃 I heard him murmur； 〃no hot water in this
beastly place。 I suppose these poor creatures only use
it to boil each other in；〃 and he sighed deeply。
〃What is the matter； Job？〃 I said。
〃Beg pardon； sir；〃 he said； touching his hair。 〃I
thought you were asleep； sir； and I am sure you look
as though you want it。 One might think from the look
of you that you had been having a night of it。〃
I only groaned by way of answer。 I had； indeed； been
having a night of it； such as I hope never to have
again。
〃How is Mr。 Leo； Job？〃
〃Much the same； sir。 If he don't soon mend； he'll end；
sir； and that's all about it； though I must say that
that there savage； Ustane； do do her best for him；
almost like a baptized Christian。 She is always
hanging round and looking after him； and if I ventures
to interfere； it's awful to see her； her hair seems to
stand on end； and she curses and swears away in her
heathen talkat least I fancy she must be cursing
from the look of her。〃
〃And what do you do then？〃
〃I make her a perlite bow； and I say； 'Young woman；
your position is one that I don't quite understand；
and can't recognize。 Let me tell you that I has a duty
to perform to my master as is incapacitated by
illness； and that I am going to perform it until I am
incapacitated too ； but she don't take no heed； not
sheonly curses and swears away worse than ever。 Last
night she put her hand under that sort of nightshirt
she wears and whips out a knife with a kind of a curl
in the blade； so I whips out my revolver； and we walks
round and round each other till at last she bursts out
laughing。 It isn't nice treatment for a Christian man
to have to put up with from a savage； however handsome
she may be； but it is what people must expect as is
fools enough〃 （Job laid great emphasis on the 〃fools〃）
〃to come to such a place to look for things no man is
meant to find。 It's a judgment on us； sirthat's my
opinion； and I； for one； is of opinion that the
judgment isn't half done yet； and when it is done； we
shall be done too； and just stop in these beastly
caves with the ghosts and the corpses for once and
all。 And now； sir； I must be seeing about Mr。 Leo's
broth； if that wild…cat will let me； and perhaps you
would like to get up； sir； because it's past nine
o'clock。〃
Job's remarks were not of an exactly cheering order to
a man who had passed such a night as I had； and； what
is more； they had the weight of truth。 Taking one
thing with another； it appeared to me to be an utter
impossibility that we should escape from the place
where we were。 Supposing that Leo recovered； and
supposing that _i_ She _i_ would let us go； which was
exceedingly doubtful； and that she did not 〃blast〃 us
in some moment of vexation； and that we were not hot…
potted by the Amahagger； it would be quite impossible
for us to find our way across the network of marshes
which； stretching for scores and scores of miles；
formed a stronger and more impassable fortification
round the various Amahagger households than any that
could be built or designed by man。 No； there was but
on