the notch on the ax and on being found out-第21章

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the　rim　of　the　circlenothing　audible；　save；　at　a　distance；　the
musical　wheel…like　click　of　the　locusts；　and；　farther　still；　in　the
forest；　the　howl　of　the　wild　dogs　that　never　bark；　nothing　visible；
but　the　trees　and　the　mountain　range　girding　the　plains　silvered　by
the　moon；　and　the　arch　of　the　cavern；　the　flush　of　wild　blooms　on
its　sides；　and　the　gleam　of　dry　bones　on　its　floor；　where　the
moonlight　shot　into　the　gloom。

The　second　hour　passed　like　the　first。　　I　had　taken　my　stand　by　the
side　of　Margrave；　watching　with　him　the　process　at　work　in　the
caldron；　when　I　felt　the　ground　slightly　vibrate　beneath　my　feet；
and　looking　up；　it　seemed　as　if　all　the　plains　beyond　the　circle
were　heaving　like　the　swell　of　the　sea；　and　as　if　in　the　air　itself
there　was　a　perceptible　tremor。

I　placed　my　hand　on　Margrave's　shoulder　and　whispered；　〃To　me　earth
and　air　seem　to　vibrate。　　Do　they　seem　to　vibrate　to　you？〃

〃I　know　not；　I　care　not；〃　he　answered　impetuously。　　〃The　essence　is
bursting　the　shell　that　confined　it。　　Here　are　my　air　and　my　earth！
Trouble　me　not。　　Look　to　the　circlefeed　the　lamps　if　they　fail！〃

I　passed　by　the　Veiled　Woman　as　I　walked　toward　a　place　in　the　ring
in　which　the　flame　was　waning　dim；　and　I　whispered　to　her　the　same
question　which　I　had　whispered　to　Margrave。　　She　looked　slowly
around　and　answered；　〃So　is　it　before　the　Invisible　make　themselves
visible！　　Did　I　not　bid　him　forbear？〃　　Her　head　again　drooped　on
her　breast；　and　her　watch　was　again　fixed　on　the　fire。

I　advanced　to　the　circle　and　stooped　to　replenish　the　light　where
it　waned。　　As　I　did　so；　on　my　arm；　which　stretched　somewhat　beyond
the　line　of　the　ring；　I　felt　a　shock　like　that　of　electricity。　　The
arm　fell　to　my　side　numbed　and　nerveless；　and　from　my　hand　dropped；
but　within　the　ring；　the　vessel　that　contained　the　fluid。
Recovering　my　surprise　or　my　stun；　hastily　with　the　other　hand　I
caught　up　the　vessel；　but　some　of　the　scanty　liquid　was　already
spilled　on　the　sward；　and　I　saw　with　a　thrill　of　dismay；　that
contrasted　indeed　the　tranquil　indifference　with　which　I　had　first
undertaken　my　charge；　how　small　a　supply　was　now　left。

I　went　back　to　Margrave；　and　told　him　of　the　shock；　and　of　its
consequence　in　the　waste　of　the　liquid。

〃Beware；〃　said　he；　that　not　a　motion　of　the　arm；　not　an　inch　of　the
foot；　pass　the　verge　of　the　ring；　and　if　the　fluid　be　thus
unhappily　stinted；　reserve　all　that　is　left　for　the　protecting
circle　and　the　twelve　outer　lamps！　　See　how　the　Grand　Work
advances；　how　the　hues　in　the　caldron　are　glowing　blood…red　through
the　film　on　the　surface！

And　now　four　hours　of　the　six　were　gone；　my　arm　had　gradually
recovered　its　strength。　　Neither　the　ring　nor　the　lamps　had　again
required　replenishing；　perhaps　their　light　was　exhausted　less
quickly；　as　it　was　no　longer　to　be　exposed　to　the　rays　of　the
intense　Australian　moon。　　Clouds　had　gathered　over　the　sky；　and
though　the　moon　gleamed　at　times　in　the　gaps　that　they　left　in　blue
air；　her　beam　was　more　hazy　and　dulled。　　The　locusts　no　longer　were
heard　in　the　grass；　nor　the　howl　of　the　dogs　in　the　forest。　　Out　of
the　circle；　the　stillness　was　profound。

And　about　this　time　I　saw　distinctly　in　the　distance　a　vast　Eye。
It　drew　nearer　and　nearer；　seeming　to　move　from　the　ground　at　the
height　of　some　lofty　giant。　　Its　gaze　riveted　mine；　my　blood
curdled　in　the　blaze　from　its　angry　ball；　and　now　as　it　advanced
larger　and　larger；　other　Eyes；　as　if　of　giants　in　its　train；　grew
out　from　the　space　in　its　rearnumbers　on　numbers；　like　the
spearheads　of　some　Eastern　army；　seen　afar　by　pale　warders　of
battlements　doomed　to　the　dust。　　My　voice　long　refused　an　utterance
to　my　awe；　at　length　it　burst　forth　shrill　and　loud：

〃Look；　look！　　Those　terrible　Eyes！　　Legions　on　legions。　　And　hark！
that　tramp　of　numberless　feet；　THEY　are　not　seen；　but　the　hollows
of　earth　echo　the　sound　of　their　march！〃

Margrave；　more　than　ever　intent　on　the　caldron；　in　which；　from　time
to　time；　he　kept　dropping　powders　or　essences　drawn　forth　from　his
coffer；　looked　up；　defyingly；　fiercely：

〃Ye　come；〃　he　said　in　a　low　mutter；　his　once　mighty　voice　sounding
hollow　and　laboring；　but　fearless　and　firm〃ye　comenot　to
conquer；　vain　rebels！ye　whose　dark　chief　I　struck　down　at　my　feet
in　the　tomb　where　my　spell　had　raised　up　the　ghost　of　your　first
human　master；　the　Chaldee！　　Earth　and　air　have　their　armies　still
faithful　to　me；　and　still　I　remember　the　war　song　that　summons　them
up　to　confront　you！　　Ayesha；　Ayesha！　recall　the　wild　troth　that　we
pledged　among　the　roses；　recall　the　dread　bond　by　which　we　united
our　sway　over　hosts　that　yet　own　thee　as　queen；　though　my　scepter
is　broken；　my　diadem　reft　from　my　brows！〃

The　Veiled　Woman　rose　at　this　adjuration。　　Her　veil　now　was
withdrawn；　and　the　blaze　of　the　fire　between　Margrave　and　herself
flushed；　as　with　the　rosy　bloom　of　youth；　the　grand　beauty　of　her
softened　face。　　It　was　seen；　detached；　as　it　were；　from　her　dark…
mantled　form；　seen　through　the　mist　of　the　vapors　which　rose　from
the　caldron；　framing　it　round　like　the　clouds　that　are　yieldingly
pierced　by　the　light　of　the　evening　star。

Through　the　haze　of　the　vapor　came　her　voice；　more　musical；　more
plaintive　than　I　had　heard　it　before；　but　far　softer；　more　tender：
still　in　her　foreign　tongue；　the　words　unknown　to　me；　and　yet　their
sense；　perhaps；　made　intelligible　by　the　love；　which　has　one　common
language　and　one　common　look　to　all　who　have　lovedthe　love
unmistakably　heard　in　the　loving　tone；　unmistakably　seen　in　the
loving　face。

A　moment　or　so　more　and　she　had　come　round　from　the　opposite　side
of　the　fire　pile；　and　bending　over　Margrave's　upturned　brow；　kissed
it　quietly；　solemnly；　and　then　her　countenance　grew　fierce；　her
crest　rose　erect：　it　was　the　lioness　protecting　her　young。　　She
stretched　forth　her　arm　from　the　black　mantle；　athwart　the　pale
front　that　now　again　bent　over　the　caldronstretched　it　toward　the
haunted　and　hollow…sounding　space　beyond；　in　the　gesture　of　one
whose　right　hand　has　the　sway　of　the　scepter。　　And　then　her　voice
stole　on　the　air　in　the　music　of　a　chant；　not　loud　yet　far…
reaching；　so　thrilling；　so　sweet　and　yet　so　solemn　that　I　could　at
once　comprehend　how　legend　united　of　old　the　spell　of　enchantment
with　the　power　of　song。　　All　that　I　recalled　of　the　effects　which；
in　the　former　time；　Margrave's　strange　chants　had　produced　on　the
ear　that　they　ravished　and　the　thoughts　they　confused；　was　but　as
the　wild　bird's　imitative　carol；　compared　to　the　depth　and　the　art
and　the　soul　of　the　singer；　whose　voice　seemed　endowed　with　a　charm
to　inthrall　all　the　tribes　of　creation；　though　the　language　it　used
for　that　charm　might　to　them；　as　to　me；　be　unknown。　　As　the　song
ceased；　I　heard　from　behind　sounds　like　those　I　had　heard　in　the
spaces　before　methe　tramp　of　invisible　feet；　the　whir　of
invisible　wings；　as　if　armies　were　marching　to　aid　against　armies
in　march　to　destroy。

〃Look　not　in　front　nor　around；〃　said　Ayesha。　　〃Look；　like　him；　on
the　caldron　below。　　The　circle　and　the　lamps　are　yet　bright；　I　will
tell　you　when　the　light　again　fails。〃

I　dropped　my　eyes　on　the　caldron。

〃See；〃　whispered　Margrave；　〃the　sparkles　at　last　begin　to　arise；
and　the　rose　hues　to　deepensigns　that　we　near　the　last　process。〃


IX


The　fifth　hour　had　passed　away；　when　Ayesha　said　to　me；　〃Lo！　the
circle　is　fading；　the　lamps　grow　dim。　　Look　now　without　fear　on　the
space　beyond；　the　eyes　that　appalled　thee　are　again　lost　in　air；　as
lightnings　that　fleet　back　into　cloud。〃

I　looked　up；　and　the　specters　had　vanished。　　The　sky　was　tinged
with　sulphurous　hues；　the　red　and　the　black　intermixed。　　I
replenished　the　lamps　and　the　ring　in　front；　thriftily；　heedfully；
but　when　I　came　to　the　sixth　lamp；　not　a　drop　in　the　vessel　that
fed　them　was　left。　　In　a　vague　dismay；　I　now　looked　round　the　half
of　the　wide　circle　in　rear　of　the　two　bended　figures　intent　on　the
caldron。　　All　along　that　disk　the　light　was　already　broken；　here
and　there　flickering　up；　here　and　there　dying　down；　the　six　lamps
in　that　half　of　the　circle　still　twinkled；　but　faintly；　as　stars
shrinking　fast　from　the　dawn　of