第50章

"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," Ianswered, humbly, scarcely knowing what to say, and Ithought 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 Icould see her eyes flash through the gauze that hid them.I saw poor Billali, whom I had believed to be a very fearless person, positively quiver with terror at her words.

"O 'Hiya'! O _i_ She _i_ !" he said, without lifting his white head from the floor."O _i_ She _i_ , as thou art great, be merciful, for I am now as ever thy servant to obey.It was no plan or fault of mine, O_i_ She _i_ , it was those wicked ones who are called my children.Led on by a woman whom thy guest the Pig had scorned, they would have followed the ancient custom of the land, and eaten the fat black stranger who came hither with these thy guests the Baboon, and the Lion who is sick, thinking that no word had come from thee about the black one.But when the Baboon and the Lion saw what they would do, they slew the woman, and slew also their servant to save him from the horror of the pot.Then those evil ones, ay, those children of the Wicked One who lives in the Pit, they went mad with the lust of blood, and flew at the throats of the Lion and the Baboon and the Pig.But gallantly they fought.O _i_ Hiya! _i_ they fought like very men, and slew many, and held their own, and then I came and saved them, and the evil-doers have Isent on hither to Ko^r to be judged of thy greatness, O _i_ She! _i_ and here they are.""Ay, old man, I know it, and tomorrow will I sit in the great hall and do justice upon them, fear not.And for thee, I forgive thee, though hardly.See that thou dost keep thine household better.Go."Billali rose upon his knees with astonishing alacrity, bowed his head thrice, and his white beard sweeping the ground, crawled down the apartment as he had crawled up it, till he finally vanished through the curtains, leaving me, not a little to my alarm, alone with this terrible but most fascinating person.