new burlesques(新讽刺诗)-第24节
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gloom。 His face was pale and distraught； his locks were disheveled。
〃Voila！〃 he said。 〃Mon Dieu！ It is my third attempt。 Always the
samehideous； monstrous； unearthly！ It is she； and yet it is not she！〃
The doctor； professional man as he was and inured to such spectacles；
was startled！ The plate before him showed the Princess's face in all its
beautiful contour； but only dimly veiling a ghastly death's…head below。
There was the whole bony structure of the head and the eyeless sockets；
even the graceful； swan…like neck showed the articulated vertebral column
that supported it in all its hideous reality。 The beautiful shoulders were
there； dimly as in a dreambut beneath was the empty clavicle； the knotty
joint； the hollow sternum； and the ribs of a skeleton half length！
The doctor's voice broke the silence。 〃My friend；〃 he said dryly； 〃you
see only the truth！ You see what she really is； this peerless Princess of
yours。 You see her as she is to…day； and you see her kinship to the bones
that have lain for centuries in yonder pyramid。 Yet they were once as fair
as this； and this was as fair as theyin effect the same！ You that have
madly； impiously adored her superficial beauty； the mere dust of tomorrow；
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let this be a warning to you！ You that have no soul to speak of； let that
suffice you！ Take her and be happy。 Adieu！〃
Yet； as he passed out of the fitting tomblike gloom of the apartment
and descended the stairs； he murmured to himself： 〃Odd that I should have
lent him my camera with the Rontgen…ray attachment still on。 No matter！
It is not the first time that the Princess has appeared in two parts the same
evening。〃
VII
In spite of envy； jealousy； and malice； a certain curiosity greater than
all these drew everybody to the Princess Zut…Ski's ball。 Lady Fitz…Fulke
was there in virgin white； looking more youthful than ever； in spite of her
sixty…five years and the card labeled 〃Fresh Paint〃 which somebody had
playfully placed upon her enameled shoulder。 The McFecklesses； the
Pyles； Flossy； the doctor； and the Chevalierlooking still anxiouswere in
attendance。
The mysterious Nubian doorkeeper admitted the guests through the
same narrow passages； much to the disgust of Lady Pyle and the
discomfiture of her paunchy husband； but on reaching a large circular
interior hall； a greater surprise was in store for them。 It was found that the
only entrance to the body of the hall was along a narrow ledge against the
bare wall some distance from the floor； which obliged the guests to walk
slowly； in single file； along this precarious strip； giving them the attitudes
of an Egyptian frieze； which was suggested in the original plaster above
them。 It is needless to say that； while the effect was ingenious and
striking from the centre of the room； where the Princess stood with a few
personal friends； it was exceedingly uncomfortable to the figures
themselves； in their enforced march along the ledge； especially a figure
of Sir Midas Pyle's proportions。 Suddenly an exclamation broke from
the doctor。
〃Do you see；〃 he said to the Princess； pointing to the figure of the
Chevalier； who was filing along with his sinewy hands slightly turned
inward； 〃how surprisingly like he is to the first attendant on the King in
the real frieze above？ And that；〃 added the doctor； 〃was none other than
'Arry Axes； the Egyptian you are always thinking of。〃 And he peered
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curiously at her。
〃Goodness me！〃 murmured the Princess； in an Arabic much more soft
and fluent than the original gum。 〃So he doeslook like him。〃
〃And do you know you look like him； too？ Would you mind taking a
walk around together？〃
They did； amid the acclamations of the crowd。 The likeness was
perfect。 The Princess； however； was quite white as she eagerly rejoined
the doctor。
〃And this means？〃 she hissed in a low whisper。
〃That he is the real 'Arry Axes！ Hush； not a word now！ We join the
dahabiyeh to…night。 At daybreak you will meet him at the fourth angle of
the pyramid； first turning from the Nile！〃
VIII
The crescent moon hung again over the apex of the Great Pyramid；
like a silver cutting from the rosy nail of a houri。 The Sphinx mighty
guesser of riddles； reader of rebuses and universal solver of missing
wordslooked over the unfathomable desert and these few pages； with the
worried； hopeless expression of one who is obliged at last to give it up。
And then the wailing voice of a woman； toiling up the steep steps of the
pyramid； was heard above the creaking of the Ibis： 〃'Arry Axes！ Where
are you？ Wait for me。〃
〃J'y suis；〃 said a voice from the very summit of the stupendous granite
bulk； 〃yet I cannot reach it。〃
And in that faint light the figure of a man was seen； lifting his arms
wildly toward the moon。
〃'Arry Axes；〃 persisted the voice； drifting higher； 〃wait for me； we are
pursued。〃
And indeed it was true。 A band of Nubians； headed by the doctor；
was already swarming like ants up the pyramid； and the unhappy pair were
secured。 And when the sun rose； it was upon the white sails of the
dahabiyeh； the vacant pyramid； and the slumbering Sphinx。
There was great excitement at the Cairo Hotel the next morning。 The
Princess and the Chevalier had disappeared； and with them Alaster
McFeckless； Lady Fitz…Fulke； the doctor； and even his dahabiyeh！ A
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thousand rumors had been in circulation。 Sir Midas Pyle looked up from
the 〃Times〃 with his usual I…told…you…so expression。
〃It is the most extraordinary thing； don'tcherknow；〃 said Fitz… Fulke。
〃It seems that Dr。 Haustus Pilgrim was here professionally as a nerve
specialistin the treatment of hallucinations produced by neurotic
conditions； you know。〃
〃A mad doctor； here！〃 gasped Sir Midas。
〃Yes。 The Princess； the Chevalier； McFeckless； and even my mother
were all patients of his on the dahabiyeh。 He believed； don'tcherknow； in
humoring them and letting them follow out their cranks； under his
management。 The Princess was a music…hall artist who imagined she
was a dead and gone Egyptian Princess； and the queerest of all； 'Arry Axes
was also a music…hall singer who imagined himself Chevalieryou know；
the great Koster artistand that's how we took him for a Frenchman。
McFeckless and my poor old mother were the only ones with any real rank
and positionbut you know what a beastly bounder Mac was； and the poor
mater DID overdo the youthful！ We never called the doctor in until the
day she wanted to go to a swell ball in London as Little Red Riding…hood。
But the doctor writes me that the experiment was a success； and they'll be
all right when they get back to London。〃
〃Then； it seems； sir； that you and I were the only sane ones here；〃 said
Sir Midas furiously。
〃Really it's as much as I can do to be certain about myself； old
chappie；〃 said Fitz…Fulke； turning away。
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