she-第40章
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strong beyond the strength of men； ye would cruelly
have murdered？ Hath it not been taught to you from
childhood that the law of _i_ She _i_ is an ever…fixed
law； and that he who breaketh it by so much as one jot
or tittle shall perish？ And is not my lightest word a
law？ Have not your fathers taught you this； I say；
while as yet ye were but children？ Do ye not know that
as well might ye bid these great caves to fall upon
you； or the sun to cease its journeying； as to hope to
turn me from my courses； or make my word light or
heavy； according to your minds？ Well do ye know it； ye
wicked ones。 But ye are all evilevil to the core
the wickedness bubbles up in you like a fountain in
the spring…time。 Were it not for me； generations since
had ye ceased to be； for of your own evil way had ye
destroyed each other。 And now； because ye have done
this thing； because ye have striven to put these men；
my guests； to death； and yet more because ye have
dared to disobey my word； this is the doom that I doom
you to。 That ye be taken to the cave of torture； and
given over to the tormentors； and that on the going
down of to…morrow's sun those of you who yet remain
alive be slain； even as ye would have slain the
servant of this my guest。〃
_i_ She _i_ ceased； and a faint murmur of horror ran
round the cave。 As for the victims； as soon as they
realized the full hideousness of their doom； their
stoicism forsook them； and they flung themselves down
upon the ground； and wept and implored for mercy in a
way that was dreadful to behold。 I； too； turned to
Ayesha； and begged her to spare them； or at least to
mete out their fate in some less awful way。 But she
was hard as adamant about it。
〃My Holly；〃 she said； again speaking in Greek； which；
to tell the truth； although I have always been
considered a better scholar of that language than most
men； I found it rather difficult to follow； chiefly
because of the change in the fall of the accent。
Ayesha； of course； talked with the accent of her
contemporaries； whereas we have only tradition and the
modern accent to guide us as to the exact
pronunciation〃My Holly； it cannot be。 Were I to show
mercy to those wolves； your lives would not be safe
among this people for a day。 Thou knowest them not。
They are tigers to lap blood； and even now they hunger
for your lives。 How thinkest thou that I rule this
people？ I have but a regiment of guards to do my
bidding； therefore it is not by force。 It is by
terror。 My empire is of the imagination。 Once in a
generation mayhap I do as I have done but now； and
slay a score by torture。 Believe not that I would be
cruel； or take vengeance on anything so low。 What can
it profit me to be avenged on such as these？ Those who
live long； my Holly； have no passions； save where they
have interests。 Though I may seem to slay in wrath； or
because my mood is crossed； it is not so。 Thou hast
seen how in the heavens the little clouds blow this
way and that without a cause； yet behind them is the
great wind sweeping on its path whither it listeth。 So
is it with me； O Holly。 My moods and changes are the
little clouds； and fitfully these seem。 to turn； but
behind them ever blows the great wind of my purpose。
Nay； the men must die； and die as I have said。〃 Then；
suddenly turning to the captain of the guard…〃As my
word is； so be it！〃
CHAPTER X
THE TOMBS OF KO^R
AFTER the prisoners had been removed； Ayesha waved her
hand； and the spectators turned round； and began to
crawl off down the cave like a scattered flock of
sheep。 When they were a fair distance from the dais；
however； they rose and walked away； leaving the queen
and myself alone； with the exception of the mutes and
the few remaining guards； most of whom had departed
with the doomed men。 Thinking this a good opportunity；
I asked _i_ She _i_ to come and see Leo； telling her
of his serious condition； but she would not； saying
that he certainly would not die before the night； as
people never died of that sort of fever except at
nightfall or dawn。 Also she said that it would be
better to let the sickness spend its course as much as
possible before she cured it。 Accordingly； I was
rising to leave； when she bade me follow her； as she
would talk with me； and show me the wonders of the
caves。
I was too much involved in the web of her fatal
fascinations to say her no； even if I had wished；
which I did not。 _i_ She _i_ rose from her chair； and；
making some signs to the mutes； descended from the
dais。 Thereon four of the girls took lamps； and ranged
themselves two in front and two behind us； but the
others went away； as also did the guards。
〃Now；〃 she said； 〃wouldst thou see some of the wonders
of this place； O Holly？ Look upon this great cave。
Sawest thou ever the like？ Yet was it； and many more
like it； hollowed by the hands of the dead race that
once lived here in the city on the plain。 A great and
a wonderful people must？ they have been； those men of
Ko^r； but； like the Egyptians； they thought more of
the dead than of the living。 How many men； thinkest
thou； working for how many years； did it need to the
hollowing out this cave and all the。 galleries
thereof？〃
〃Tens of thousands；〃 I answered。
〃So； O Holly。 This people was an old people before the
Egyptians were。 A little can I read of their
inscriptions； having found the key theretoand； see
thou here； this was one of the last of the caves that
they hollowed；〃 and； turning to the rock behind her；
she motioned the mutes to hold up the lamps。 Carven
over the dais was the figure of an old man seated in a
chair； with an ivory rod in his hand。 It struck me at
once that his features were exceedingly like those of
the man who was represented as being embalmed in the
chamber where we took our meals。 Beneath the chair；
which； by the way； was shaped exactly like the one in
which Ayesha had sat to give judgment； was a short
inscription in the extraordinary characters of which I
have already spoken； but which I do not remember
sufficient of to illustrate。 It looked more like
Chinese writing than any other that I am acquainted
with。 This inscription Ayesha proceeded； with some
difficulty and hesitation； to read aloud and
translate。 It ran as follows：
〃In the year four thousand two hundred and ninety…nine
from the founding of the City of imperial Ko^r was
this cave （or burial…place） completed by Tisno； King
of Kar； the people thereoy and their slaves having
labored thereat for three generations； to be a tomb
for their citizens of rank who shall come after。 May
the blessing of the heaven above the heaven rest upon
their work； and make the sleep of Tisno； the mighty
monarch； the likeness of whose features is graven
above； a sound and happy sleep till the day of
awakening； and also the sleep o！ his servants； and of
those of his race who； rising up after him； shall yet
lay their heads as low。〃
〃'Thou seest； O Holly；〃 she said； 〃this people founded
the city； of which the ruins yet cumber the plain
yonder； four thousand years before this cave was
finished。 Yet； when first mine eyes be held it two
thousand years ago； was it even as it is now。 Judge；
therefore； how old must that city have been！ And now；
follow thou me； and I will show thee after what
fashion this great people fell when the time was come
for it to fall；〃 and she led the way down to the
centre of the cave； stopping at a spot where a round
rock had been let into a kind of large manhole in the
flooring； accurately filling it just as the iron
plates fill the spaces in the London pavements down
which the coals are thrown。 〃Thou seest；〃 she said。
〃Tell me； what is it？〃
〃Nay； I know not；〃 I answered； whereon she crossed to
the left…hand side of the cave （looking towards the
entrance） and signed to the mutes to hold up the
lamps。 On the wall was something painted with a red
pigment in similar characters to those hewn beneath
the sculpture of Tisno； King of Ko^r。 This inscription
she proceeded to translate to me； the pigment still
being quite fresh e
