按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
frightened eyes； the whole scene was so dreadful and
so solemn。 Ayesha advanced； and laid her hand upon the
corner of the shroud； and once more spoke。
〃Be not affrighted；〃 she said； 〃though the thing seem
wonderful to theeall we who live have thus lived
before； nor is the very shape that holds us a stranger
to the sun！ Only we know it not； because memory writes
no record； and earth hath gathered in the earth she
lent us； for none have saved our glory from the grave。
But I； by my arts and by the arts of those dead men of
Ko^r which I have learned； have held thee back； O
Kallikrates； from the dust； that the waxen stamp of
beauty on thy face should ever rest before mine eye。
'Twas a mask that memory might fill； serving to
fashion out thy presence from the past； and give it
strength to wander in the habitations of my thought；
clad in a mummery of life that stayed my appetite with
visions of dead days。
〃Behold now； let the Dead and Living meet！ Across the
gulf of Time they still are one。 Time hath no power
against identity； though sleep the merciful hath
blotted out the tablets of our mind； and with oblivion
sealed the sorrows that else would hound us from life
to life； stuffing the brain with gathered griefs till
it burst in the madness of uttermost despair。 Still
are they one； for the wrappings of our sleep shall
roll away as thunder…clouds before the wind； the
frozen voices of the past shall melt in music like
mountain snows beneath the sun； and the weeping and
the laughter of the lost hours shall be heard once
more most sweetly echoing up the cliffs of
immeasurable time。
〃Ay； the sleep shall roll away； and the voices shall
be heard； when down the completed chain； whereof our
each existence is a link； the lightning of the Spirit
hath passed to work out the purpose of our being；
quickening and fusing those separated days of life；
and shaping them to a staff whereon we may safely lean
as we wend to our appointed fate。
〃Therefore； have no fear； Kallikrates； when thou
living； and but lately bornshalt look upon thine own
departed self； who breathed and died so long ago。 I do
but turn one page in thy Book of Being； and show thee
what is writ thereon。
〃 _i_ Behold _i_ 〃
With a sudden motion she drew the shroud from the cold
form； and let the lamplight play upon it。 I looked；
and then shrank back terrified； since； say what she
might in explanation； the sight was an uncanny one
for her explanations were beyond the grasp of our
finite minds； and when they were stripped from the
mists of vague esoteric philosophy； and brought into
conflict with the cold and horrifying fact； did not do
much to break its force。 For there； stretched upon the
stone bier before us； robed in white and perfectly
preserved； was what appeared to be the body of Leo
Vincey。 I stared from Leo； standing there alive； to
Leo lying there dead； and could see no difference；
except； perhaps； that the body on the bier looked
older。 Feature for feature they were the same； even
down to the crop of little golden curls； which was
Leo's most uncommon beauty。 It even seemed to me； as I
looked； that the expression on the dead man's face
resembled that which I had sometimes seen upon Leo's
when he was plunged into profound sleep。 I can only
sum up the closeness of the resemblance by saying that
I never saw twins so exactly similar as that dead and
living pair。
I turned to see what effect was produced upon Leo by
this sight of his dead self； and found it to be one of
partial stupefaction。 He stood for two or three
minutes staring and said nothing； and when at last he
spoke it was only to ejaculate
〃Cover it up and take me away。〃
〃Nay； wait； Kallikrates；〃 said Ayesha； who； standing
with the lamp raised above her head； flooding with its
light her own rich beauty and the cold wonder of the
death…clothed form upon the bier； resembled an
inspired Sibyl rather than a woman； as she rolled out
her majestic sentences with a grandeur and a freedom
of utterance which I am； alas！ quite unable to
reproduce。
〃Wait； I would show thee something； that no tittle of
my crime may。 be hidden from thee。 Do thou； O Holly；
open the garment on the breast of the dead
Kallikrates； for perchance my lord may fear to touch
himself。〃
I obeyed with trembling hands。 It seemed a desecration
and an unhallowed thing to touch that sleeping image
of the live man by my side。 Presently his broad chest
was bare； and there upon it； right over the heart； was
a wound； evidently inflicted with a spear。
〃Thou seest； Kallikrates；〃 she said。 〃Know then that
it was I who slew thee； in the Place of Life I gave
thee death。 I slew thee because of the Egyptian
Amenartas； whom thou didst love； for by her wiles she
held thy heart； and her I could not smite as but now I
smote the woman； for she was too strong for me。 In my
haste and bitter anger I slew thee； and now for all
these days have I lamented thee； and waited for thy
coming。 And thou hast come； and none can stand between
thee and me； and of a truth now for death I will give
thee lifenot life eternal； for that none can give；
but life and youth that shall endure for thousands
upon thousands of years； and with it pomp and power
and wealth； and all things that are good and
beautiful； such as have been to no man before thee；
nor shall be to any man who comes after。 And now one
thing more； and thou shalt rest and make ready for the
day of thy new birth。 Thou seest this body； which was
thine own。 For all these centuries it hath been my
cold comfort and my companion； but now I need it no
more； for I have thy living presence； and it can but
serve to stir up memories of that which I would fain
forget。 Let it therefore go back to the dust from
which I held it。
〃Behold！ I have prepared against this happy hour！〃 and
going to the other shelf or stone ledge； which； she
said； had served her for a bed； she took from it a
large vitrified double…handed vase； the mouth of which
was tied up with a bladder。 This she loosed； and then；
having bent down and gently kissed the white forehead
of the dead man； she undid the vase； and sprinkled its
contents carefully over the form； taking； I observed；
the greatest precautions against any drop of it
touching us or herself； and then poured out what
remained of the liquid upon the chest and head。
Instantly a dense vapor arose； and the cave was filled
with choking fumes that prevented us from seeing
anything while the deadly acid （for I presume it was
some tremendous preparation of that sort） did its
work。 From the spot where the body lay came a fierce
fizzing and cracking sound； which ceased； however；
before the fumes had cleared away。 At last they were
all gone； except a little cloud that still hung over
the corpse。 In a couple of minutes more this too had
vanished； and； wonderful as it may seem； it is a fact
that on the stone bench that had supported the mortal
remains of the ancient Kallikrates for so many
centuries there was now nothing to be seen but a few
handfuls of smoking