she-第6章
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woman _i_ who is seldom seen by them； but who is
reported to have power over all things living and
dead。 Two days after I had ascertained this the man
died of fever contracted in crossing the swamps； and I
was forced； by want of provisions and by symptoms of
an illness which afterwards prostrated me； to take to
my dhow again。
〃Of the adventures that befell me after this I need
not now speak。 I was wrecked upon the coast of
Madagascar； and rescued some months afterwards by an
English ship that brought me to Aden； whence I started
for England； intending to prosecute my search us soon
as I had made sufficient preparations。 On my way I
stopped in Greece； and there； for ' _i_ Omnia vincit
amor _i_ ；' I met your beloved mother； and married
her； and there you were born and she died。 Then it was
that my last illness seized me； and I returned hither
to die。 But still I hoped against hope； and set myself
to work to learn Arabic； with the intention； should I
ever get better； of returning to the coast of Africa；
and solving the mystery of which the tradition has
lived so many centuries in our family。 But I have not
got better； and； so far as I am concerned； the story
is at an end。
〃For you； however； my son； it is not at an end； and to
you I hand on these the results； of my labor； together
with the hereditary proofs of its origin。 It is my
intention to provide that they shall not be put into
your hands until you have reached an age when you will
be able to judge for yourself whether or not you will
choose to investigate what； if it is true； must be the
greatest mystery in the world； or to put it by as an
idle fable； originating in the first place in a
woman's disordered brain。
〃I do not believe that it is a fable； I believe that
if it can only be rediscovered there is a spot where
the vital forces of the world visibly exist。 Life
exists； why therefore should not the means of
preserving it indefinitely exist also？ But I have no
wish to prejudice your mind about the matter。 Read and
judge for yourself。 If you are inclined to undertake
the search； I have so provided that you will not lack
for means。 If； on the other hand； you are satisfied
that the whole thing is a chimera； then； I adjure you；
destroy the potsherd and the writings； and let a cause
of troubling be removed from our race forever。 Perhaps
that will be wisest。 The unknown is generally taken to
be terrible； not as the proverb would infer； from the
inherent superstition of man； but became it so often
is terrible。 He who would tamper with the vast and
secret forces that animate the world may well fall a
victim to them。 And if the end were attained； if at
last you emerged from the trial ever beautiful and
ever young； defying time and evil； and lifted above
the natural decay of flesh and intellect； who shall
say that the awesome change would prove a happy one？
Choose； my son； and may the Power who rules all
things； and who says 'thus far shalt thou go； and thus
much shalt thou learn'； direct the choice to your own
happiness and the happiness of the world； which； in
the event of your success； you would one day certainly
rule by the pure force of accumulated experience。
Farewell！〃
Thus the letter； which was unsigned and undated；
abruptly ended。
〃What do you make of that； Uncle Holly？〃 said Leo；
with a sort of gasp； as he replaced it on the table。
〃We have been looking for a mystery； and we certainly
seem to have found one。〃
〃What do I make of it？ Why； that your poor dear father
was off his head； of course；〃 I answered； testily。 〃I
guessed as much that night； twenty years ago； when he
came into my room。 You see he evidently hurried his
own end； poor man。 It is absolute balderdash。〃
〃That's it； sir！〃 said Job； solemnly。 Job was a most
matter…of…fact specimen of a matter…of…fact class。
〃Well； let's see what the potsherd has to say； at any
rate；〃 said Leo； taking up the translation in his
father's writing； and commencing to read：
'I； Amenartas； of the Royal House of the Pharaohs of
Egypt； wife of Kallikrates （the Beautiful in
Strength）； a Priest of Isis whom the gods cherish and
the demons obey； being about to die； to my little son
Tisisthenes （the Mighty Avenger）。 I fled with thy
father from Egypt in the days of Nectanebes； causing
him through love to break the vows that he had vowed。
We fled southward； across the waters； and we wandered
for twice twelve moons on the coast of Libya （Africa）
that looks towards the rising sun； where by a river is
a great rock carven like the head of an Ethiopian。
Four days on the water from the mouth of a mighty
river were we cast away； and some were drowned and
some died of sickness。 But us wild men took through
wastes and marshes； where the sea…fowl hid the sky；
bearing us ten days' journey till we came to a hollow
mountain； where a great city had been and fallen； and
where there are caves of which no man hath seen the
end； and they brought us to the Queen of the people
who place pots upon the heads of strangers； who is a
magician having a knowledge of all things； and life
and loveliness that does not die。 And she cast eyes of
love upon thy father； Kallikrates； and would have
slain me； and taken him to husband； but he loved me
and feared her； and would not。 Then did she take us；
and lead us by terrible ways； by means of dark magic；
to where the great pit is； in the mouth of which the
old philosopher lay dead； and showed to us the rolling
Pillar of Life that dies not； whereof the voice is as
the voice of thunder； and she did stand in the flames；
and come forth unharmed； and yet more beautiful。 Then
did she swear to make thy father undying even as she
is； if he would but slay me； and give himself to her；
for me she could not slay because of the magic of my
own people that I have； and that prevailed thus far
against her。 And he held his hand before his eyes to
hide her beauty； and would not。 Then in her rage did
she smite him by her magic； and he died； but she wept
over him； and bore him thence with lamentations： and
being afraid； me she sent to the mouth of the great
river where the ships come； and I was carried far away
on the ships where I gave thee birth； and hither to
Athens I came at last after many wanderings。 Now I say
to thee； my son； Tisisthenes； seek out the woman； and
learn the secret of Life； and if thou mayest find a
way slay her； because of thy father Kallikrates； and
if thou dost fear or fail； this I say to all of thy
seed who come after thee； till at last a brave man be
found among them who shall bathe in the fire and sit
in the place of the Pharaohs。 I speak of those things；
that though they be past belief； yet I have known； and
I lie not。〃
〃May the Lord forgive her for that；〃 groaned Job； who
had been listening to this marvellous composition with
his mouth open。
As for myself； I said nothing： my first idea being
that my poor friend； being demented； had composed the
whole thing； though it scarcely seemed likely that
such a story could have been invented by anybody。 It
was too original。 To solve my doubts I took up the
potsherd and began to read the close uncial Greek
writing on it； and very good Greek of the period it
is； considering that it came from the pen of an
Egyptian born。
Besides the uncial writing on the convex side of the
sherd at the top； painted in dull red； on what had
once been the lip of the amphora； was the cartouche
already mentioned as being on the _i_ scarabaeus _i_ ；
which we had also found in the casket。 The
hieroglyphics or symbols； however； were reversed； just
as though they had been pressed on wax。 Whether this
was the cartouche of the original Kallikrates； or of
some prince or Pharaoh from whom his wife Amenartas
was descended； I am not sure； nor can I tell if it was
drawn upon the sherd at the same time that the uncial
Greek was inscribed； or； copied on more recently from
the Scarab by some other member of the family。 Nor was
this all。 At the foot of the writing； painted in the
same dull red； was the faint
