she-第42章
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features； marked out with delicate eyebrows and long
eyelashes which threw little lines of the shadow of
the lamplight upon the ivory face； were wonderfully
beautiful。 There； robed in white； down which her blue
black hair was streaming； she slept her last long
sleep； and on her arm； its face pressed against her
breast； there lay a little babe。 So sweet was the
sight； although so awful； thatI confess it without
shameI could scarcely withhold my tears。 It took me
back across the dim gulf of the ages to some happy
home in dead Imperial Ko^r； where this winsome lady
girt about with beauty had lived and died； and dying
taken her last…born with her to the tomb。 There they
were before us； mother and babe； the white memories of
a forgotten human history speaking more eloquently to
the heart than could any written record of their
lives。 Reverently I replaced the grave…cloths； and；
with a sigh that flowers so fair should； in the
purpose of the Everlasting； have only bloomed to be
gathered to the grave； I turned to the body on the
opposite shelf； and gently unveiled it。 It was that of
a man in advanced life； with a long； grizzled beard；
and also robed in white； probably the husband of the
lady； who； after surviving her many years； came at
last to sleep once more for good and all beside her。
We left the place and entered others； It would be too
long to describe the many things I saw in them。 Each
one had its occupants； for the fice hundred and odd
years that elapsed between the completion of the cave
and the destruction of the race had evidently sufficed
to fill these catacombs； numberless as they were； and
all appeared to have been undisturbed since the day
when they were placed there。 I could fill a book with
the description of them； but to do so would only be to
repeat what I have said； with variations。
Nearly all the bodies； so masterly was the art with
which they had been treated； were as perfect as on the
day of death thousands of years before。 Nothing came
to injure them in the deep silence of the living rock；
they were beyond the reach of heat and cold and damp；
and the aromatic drugs with which they had been
saturated were evidently practically everlasting in
their effect。 Here and there； however； we saw an
exception； and in these cases； although the flesh
looked sound enough externally； if one touched it it
fell in； and revealed the fact that the figure was but
a pile of dust。 This arose； Ayesha told me； from these
particular bodies having； either owing to haste in the
burial or other causes； been soaked in the
preservative； instead of its being injected into the
substance of the flesh。
About the last tomb we visited I must； however； say
one word； for its contents spoke even more eloquently
to the human sympathies than those of the first。 It
had but two occupants； and they lay together on a
single shelf。 I withdrew the grave…cloths； and there；
clasped heart to heart； were a young man and a
blooming girl。 Her head rested on his arm； and his
lips were pressed against her brow。 I opened the man's
linen robe； and there over his heart was a dagger…
wound； and beneath the girl's fair breast was a like
cruel stab； through which her life had ebbed away。 On
the rock above was an inscription in three words。
Ayesha translated it。 It was 〃Wedded in Death。〃
What was the life…history of these two； who； of a
truth； were beautiful in their lives； and in their
death were not divided？
I closed my eyelids； and imagination taking up the
thread of thought shot its swift shuttle back across
the ages； weaving a picture on their blackness so real
and vivid in its detail that I could almost for a
moment think that I had triumphed o'er the Past； and
that my spirit's eyes had pierced the mystery of Time。
I seemed to see this fair girl…formthe yellow hair
streaming down her； glittering against her garments
snowy…white； and the bosom that was whiter than the
robes； even dimming with its lustre her ornaments of
burnished gold。 I seemed to see the great cave filled
with warriors； bearded and clad in mail； and； on the
lighted dais where Ayesha had given judgment； a man
standing； robed； and surrounded by the symbols of his
priestly office。 And up the cave there came one clad
in purple； and before him and behind him came
minstrels and fait maidens； chanting a wedding song。
White stood the maid against the altar； fairer than
the fairest therepurer than a lily； and more cold
than the dew that glistens in its heart。 But as the
man drew near she shuddered。 Then out of the press and
throng there sprang a dark…haired youth； and put his
arm about this long…forgotten maid； and kissed her
pale face in which the blood shot up like lights of
the red dawn across the silent sky。 And next there was
turmoil and uproar； and a flashing of swords； and they
tore the youth from her arms； and stabbed him； but
with a cry she snatched the dagger from his belt； and
drove it into her snowy breast； home to the heart； and
down she fell； and then； with cries and wailing； and
every sound of lamentation； the pageant rolled away
from the arena of my vision； and once more the Past
shut to its book。
Let him who reads forgive the intrusion of a dream
into a history of fact。 But it come so home to meI
saw it all so clear in a moment； as it were； and；
besides； who shall say what proportion of factpast；
present； or to come； may lie in the imagination？ What
is imagination？ Perhaps it is the shadow of the
intangible truth； perhaps it is the soul's thought。
In an instant the whole thing had passed through my
brain； and _i_ She _i_ was addressing me。
〃Behold the lot of man；〃 said the veiled Ayesha； as
she drew the winding sheets back over the dead lovers；
speaking in a solemn； thrilling voice； which accorded
well with the dream that I had dreamed： 〃to the tomb；
and to the forgetfulness that hides the tomb； must we
all come at last！ Ay； even I who live so long。 Even
for me； O Holly； thousands upon thousands of years
hence； thousands of years after thou hast gone through
the gate and been lost in the mists； a day will dawn
whereon I shall die； and be even as thou and these
are。 And then what will avail that I have lived a
little longer； holding off death by the knowledge I
have wrung from nature； since at last I too must die？
What is a span of ten thousand years； or ten times ten
thousand years； in the history of time？ It is as
naughtit is as the mists that roll up in the
sunlight； it fleeth away like an hour of sleep or a
breath of the Eternal Spirit。 Behold the lot of man！
Certainly it shall overtake us； and we shall sleep。
Certainly； too； we shall awake； and live again and
again shall sleep； and so on and on； through periods；
spaces； and times； from aeon unto aeon； till the world
is dead； and the worlds beyond the world are dead； and
naught liveth save the Spirit that is Life。 But for us
twain and for these dead ones shall the end of ends be
Life； or shall it be Death？ As yet Death is but Life's
Night； but out of the Night is the Morrow born again；
and both again beget the Night。 Only when Day and
Night； and Life and Death； are ended and swallowed up
in that from which they came； what shall be our fate；
O Holly？ Who can see so far？ Not even I！〃
And then； with a sudden change of tone and manner
〃Hast thou seen enough； my stranger guest； or shall I
show thee more of the wonders of these tombs that are
my palace halls？ If thou wilt； I can lead thee to
where Tisno； the mightiest and most valorous King of
Ko^r； in whose day these caves were ended； lies in a
pomp that seems to mock at nothingness； and bid the
empty shadows of the past do homage to his sculptured
vanity！〃
〃I have seen enough； O queen；〃 I answered。 〃My heart
is overwhelmed by the power of the present Death。
Mortality is weak； and easily broken down by a sense
of the companionship that waits upon its end。 Take me
hence； O Ayesha！〃
CHAPTER XVII
THE BALANCE TURNS
IN a few minutes； following the lamps of the mutes；
which； held out f
