she-第28部分

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began　to　creep　into　the　apartment　beyond。　I　followed　
him；　standing　on　my　feet　in　the　usual　fashion。　Looking　
over　his　shoulder；　he　perceived　it。

〃Down；　my　son；　down；　my　Baboon；　down　on　to　thy　hands　
and　knees。　We　enter　the　presence　of　_i_　She　_i_　；　and；　
if　thou　art　not　humble；　of　a　surety　she　will　blast　
thee　where　thou　standest。〃

I　halted；　and　felt　scared。　Indeed；　my　knees　began　to　
give　way　of　their　own　mere　motion；　but　reflection　came　
to　my　aid。　I　was　an　Englishman；　and　why；　I　asked　
myself；　should　I　creep　into　the　presence　of　some　
savage　woman　as　though　I　were　a　monkey　in　fact　as　well　
as　in　name？　I　would　not　and　could　not　do　it；　that　is；　
unless　I　was　absolutely　sure　that　my　life　or　comfort　
depended　upon　it。　If　once　I　began　to　creep　upon　my　
knees　I　should　always　have　to　do　so；　and　it　would　be　a　
patent　acknowledgment　of　inferiority。　So；　fortified　by　
an　insular　prejudice　against　〃kootooing；〃　which　has；　
like　most　of　our　so…called　prejudices；　a　good　deal　of　
common…sense　to　recommend　it；　I　marched　in　boldly　
after　Billali。　I　found　myself　in　another　apartment；　
considerably　smaller　than　the　ante…room；　of　which　the　
walls　were　entirely　hung　with　rich…looking　curtains　of　
the　same　make　as　those　over　the　door；　the　work；　as　I　
subsequently　discovered；　of　the　mutes　who　sat　in　the　
ante…chamber　and　wove　them　in　strips；　which　were　
afterwards　sewn　together。　Also；　here　and　there　about　
the　room；　were　settees　of　a　beautiful　black　wood　of　
the　ebony　tribe；　inlaid　with　ivory；　and　all　over　the　
floor　were　other　tapestries；　or　rather　rugs。　At　the　
top　end　of　this　apartment　was　what　appeared　to　be　a　
recess；　also　draped　with　curtains；　through　which　shone　
rays　of　light。　There　was　nobody　in　the　place　except　
ourselves。

Painfully　and　slowly　old　Billali　crept　up　the　length　
of　the　cave；　and　with　the　most　dignified　stride　that　I　
could　command　I　followed　after　him。　But　I　felt　that　it　
was　more　or　less　of　a　failure。　To　begin　with；　it　is　
not　possible　to　look　dignified　when　you　are　following　
in　the　wake　of　an　old　man　writhing　along　on　his　
stomach　like　a　snake；　and　then；　in　order　to　go　
sufficiently　slowly；　either　I　had　to　keep　my　leg　some　
seconds　in　the　air　at　every　step；　or　else　to　advance　
with　a　full　stop　between　each　stride；　like　Mary　Queen　
of　Scots　going　to　execution　in　a　play。　Billali　was　not　
good　at　crawling；　I　suppose　his　years　stood　in　the　
way；　and　our　progress　up　that　apartment　was　a　very　
long　affair。　I　was　immediately　behind　him；　and　several　
times　I　was　sorely　tempted　to　help　him　on　with　a　good　
kick。　It　is　so　absurd　to　advance　into　the　presence　of　
savage　royalty　after　the　fashion　of　an　Irishman　
driving　a　pig　to　market；　for　that　is　what　we　looked　
like；　and　the　idea　nearly　made　me　burst　out　laughing　
then　and　there。　I　had　to　work　off　my　dangerous　
tendency　to　unseemly　merriment　by　blowing　my　nose；　a　
proceeding　which　filled　old　Billali　with　horror；　for　
he　looked　over　his　shoulder　and　made　a　ghastly　face　at　
me；　and　I　heard　him　murmur；　〃Oh；　my　poor　Baboon！〃

At　last　we　reached　the　curtains；　and　here　Billali　
collapsed　flat　on　to　his　stomach；　with　his　hands　
stretched　out　before　him　as　though　he　were　dead；　and　
I；　not　knowing　what　to　do；　began　to　stare　about　the　
place。　But　presently　I　dearly　felt　that　somebody　was　
looking　at　me　from　behind　the　curtains。　I　could　not　
see　the　person；　but　I　could　distinctly　feel　his　or　her　
gaze；　and；　what　is　more；　it　produced　a　very　odd　effect　
upon　my　nerves。　I　was　frightened；　I　do　not　know　why。　
The　place　was　a　strange　one；　it　is　true；　and　looked　
lonely；　notwithstanding　its　rich　hangings　and　the　soft　
glow　of　the　lampsindeed；　these　accessories　added　to；　
rather　than　detracted　from　its　loneliness；　just　as　a　
lighted　street　at　night　has　always　a　more　solitary　
appearance　than　a　dark　one。　It　was　so　silent　in　the　
place；　and　there　lay　Billali　like　one　dead　before　the　
heavy　curtains；　through　which　the　odor　of　perfume　
seemed　to　float　up　towards　the　gloom　of　the　arched　
roof　above。　Minute　grew　into　minute；　and　still　there　
was　no　sign　of　life；　nor　did　the　curtain　move；　but　I　
felt　the　gaze　of　the　unknown　being　sinking　through　and　
through　me；　and　filling　me　with　a　nameless　terror；　
till　the　perspiration　stood　in　beads　upon　my　brow。

At　length　the　curtain　began　to　move。　Who　could　be　
behind　it？some　naked　savage　queen；　a　languishing　
Oriental　beauty；　or　a　nineteenth…century　young　lady；　
drinking　afternoon　tea。　I　had　not　the　slightest　idea；　
and　should　not　have　been　astonished　at　seeing　any　of　
the　three。　I　was　getting　beyond　astonishment。　The　
curtain　agitated　itself　a　little；　then　suddenly　
between　its　folds　there　appeared　a　most　beautiful　
white　hand　（white　as　snow）；　and　with　long；　tapering　
fingers；　ending　in　the　pinkest　nails。　The　hand　grasped　
the　curtain　and　drew　it　aside；　and　as　it　did　so　I　
heard　a　voice；　I　think　the　softest　and　yet　most　
silvery　voice　I　ever　heard。　It　reminded　me　of　the　
murmur　of　a　brook。

〃Stranger；〃　said　the　voice　in　Arabic；　but　much　purer　
and　more　classical　Arabic　than　the　Amahagger　talk
〃stranger；　wherefore　art　thou　so　much　afraid？〃

Now　I　flattered　myself　that　in　spite　of　my　inward　
terrors　I　had　kept　a　very　fair　command　of　my　
countenance；　and　was；　therefore；　a　little　astonished　
at　this　question。　Before　I　had　made　up　my　mind　how　to　
answer　it；　however；　the　curtain　was　drawn；　and　a　tall　
figure　stood　before　us。　I　say　a　figure；　for　not　only　
the　body；　but　also　the　face　was　wrapped　up　in　soft；　
white；　gauzy　material　in　such　a　way　as　at　first　sight　
to　remind　me　most　forcibly　of　a　corpse　in　its　grave…
clothes。　And　yet　I　do　not　know　why　it　should　have　
given　me　that　idea；　seeing　that　the　wrappings　were　so　
thin　that　one　could　distinctly　see　the　gleam　of　the　
pink　flesh　beneath　them。　I　suppose　it　was　owing　to　the　
way　in　which　they　were　arranged；　either　accidentally；　
or　more　probably　by　design。　Anyhow；　I　felt　more　
frightened　than　ever　at　this　ghostlike　apparition；　and　
my　hair　began　to　rise　upon　my　head　as　the　feeling　
crept　over　me　that　I　was　in　the　presence　of　something　
that　was　not　canny。　I　could；　however；　clearly　
distinguish　that　the　swathed；　mummy…like　form　before　
me　was　that　of　a　tall　and　lovely　woman；　instinct　with　
beauty　in　every　part；　and　also　with　a　certain　
snakelike　grace　which　I　had　never　seen　anything　to　
equal　before。　When　she　moved　a　hand　or　foot　her　entire　
frame　seemed　to　undulate；　and　the　neck　did　not　bend；　
it　curved。

〃Why　art　thou　so　frightened；　stranger？〃　asked　the　
sweet　voice　againa　voice　which　seemed　to　draw　the　
heart　out　of　me；　like　the　strains　of　softest　music。　
〃Is　there　that　about　me　that　should　affright　a　man？　
Then　surely　are　men　changed　from　what　they　used　to　
be！〃　And　with　a　little　coquettish　movement　she　turned　
herself；　and　held　up　one　arm；　so　as　to　show　all　her　
loveliness　and　the　rich　hair　of　raven　blackness　that　
streamed　in　soft　ripples　down　her　snowy　robes；　almost　
to　her　sandalled　feet。

〃It　is。　thy　beauty　that　makes　me　fear；　oh；　queen；〃　I　
answered；　humbly；　scarcely　knowing　what　to　say；　and　I　
thought　that　as　I　did　so　I　heard　old　Billali；　who　was　
still　lying　prostrate　on　the　floor；　mutter；　〃Good；　my　
Baboon；　good。〃

〃I　see　that　men　still　know　how　to　beguile　us　women　
with　false　words。　Ah；　stranger；〃　she　answered；　with　a　
laugh　that　sounded　like　distant　silver　bells；　〃thou　
wast　afraid　because　mine　eyes　were　searching　out　thine　
heart；　therefore　wast　thou　afraid。　But；　being　but　a　
woman；　I　forgive　thee　for　the　lie；　for　it　was　
courteously　said。　And　now　tell　me；　how　came　ye　hither　
to　this　land　of　the　dwellers　among　cavesa　land　of　
swamps　and　evil　things　and　dead　old　shadows　of　the　
dead？　What　came　ye　for　to　see？　How　is　it　that　ye　hold　
your　lives　so　cheap　as　to　place　them　in　the　hollow　of　
the　hand　of　_i_　Hiya；　_i_　into　the　hand　of　'　_i_　She…
who…must…be　obeyed　_i_　'？　Tell　me　also　how　come　ye　to　
know　the　tongue　I　talk。　It　is　an　ancient　tongue；　that　
sweet　child　of　the　old　Syriac。　Liveth　it　yet　in　the　
world？　Thou　seest　I　dwell　among　the　caves　and　the　
dead；　and　nought　know　I　of　the　affairs　of　men；　nor　
have　I　cared　to　know。　I　have　lived；　O　stranger；　with　
my　memories；　and　my　memories　are　in　a　grave　that　mine　
own　hands　hollowed；　for　truly　hath　it　been　said　that　
the　child　of　man　maketh　his　own　path　evil〃；　and　her　
beautiful　voice　quivered；　and　broke　in　a　note　as　soft　
as　any　wood…bird's。　Suddenly　her　eye　fell　upon　the　
sprawling　frame　of　Billali；　and　she　seemed　to　
recollect　herself。

〃Ah！　thou　art　there；　old　man。　Tell　me　how　it　is　that　
things　have　gone　wrong　in　thy　household。　Forsooth；　it　
seems　that　these　my　guests　were　set　upon。　Ay；　and　one　
was　nigh　to　being　slain　by　the　hot　pot　to　be　eaten　of　
those　brutes；　thy　children；　and　had　not　the　others　
fought　gallantly　they　too　had　been　slain；　and　not　even　
I　could　have　called　back　the　life　which　had　been　
loosed　from　the　body。　What　means　it；　old　man？　What　
hast　thou　to　say　that　I　should　not　give　thee　over　to　
those　who　execute　my　vengeance？〃

Her　voice　had　risen　in　her　anger；　and　it　rang　clear　
and　cold　against　the　rocky　walls。　Also　I　thought　I　
could　see　her　eyes　flash　through　the　gau