I looked up, and the specters had vanished. The sky was tinged2 with sulphurous hues3, the red and the black intermixed. I replenished5 the lamps and the ring in front, thriftily6, heedfully; but when I came to the sixth lamp, not a drop in the vessel7 that fed them was left. In a vague dismay, I now looked round the half of the wide circle in rear of the two bended figures intent on the caldron. All along that disk the light was already broken, here and there flickering8 up, here and there dying down; the six lamps in that half of the circle still twinkled, but faintly, as stars shrinking fast from the dawn of day. But it was not the fading shine in that half of the magical ring which daunted9 my eye and quickened with terror the pulse of my heart; the Bush-land beyond was on fire. From the background of the forest rose the flame and the smoke—the smoke, there, still half smothering10 the flame. But along the width of the grasses and herbage, between the verge11 of the forest and the bed of the water creek12 just below the raised platform from which I beheld14 the dread15 conflagration16, the fire was advancing—wave upon wave, clear and red against the columns of rock behind; as the rush of a flood through the mists of some Alp crowned with lightnings.
Roused from my stun17 at the first sight of a danger not foreseen by the mind I had steeled against far rarer portents18 of Nature, I cared no more for the lamps and the circle. Hurrying hack19 to Ayesha I exclaimed: "The phantoms20 have gone from the spaces in front; but what incantation or spell can arrest the red march of the foe21 speeding on in the rear! While we gazed on the caldron of life, behind us, unheeded, behold22 the Destroyer!"
Ayesha looked and made no reply, but, as by involuntary instinct, bowed her majestic23 head, then rearing it erect24, placed herself yet more immediately before the wasted form of the young magician (he still, bending over the caldron, and hearing me not in the absorption and hope of his watch)—placed herself before him, as the bird whose first care is her fledgling.
As we two there stood, fronting the deluge25 of fire, we heard Margrave behind us, murmuring low, "See the bubbles of light, how they sparkle and dance—I shall live, I shall live!" And his words scarcely died in our ears before, crash upon crash, came the fall of the age-long trees in the forest, and nearer, all near us, through the blazing grasses, the hiss26 of the serpents, the scream of the birds, and the bellow27 and tramp of the herds28 plunging29 wild through the billowy red of their pastures.
Ayesha now wound her arms around Margrave, and wrenched30 him, reluctant and struggling, from his watch over the seething31 caldron. In rebuke32 of his angry exclamations33, she pointed34 to the march of the fire, spoke35 in sorrowful tones a few words in her own language, and then, appealing to me in English, said:
"I tell him that, here, the Spirits who oppose us have summoned a foe that is deaf to my voice, and—"
"And," exclaimed Margrave, no longer with gasp36 and effort, but with the swell37 of a voice which drowned all the discords38 of terror and of agony sent forth39 from the Phlegethon burning below—"and this witch, whom I trusted, is a vile40 slave and impostor, more desiring my death than my life. She thinks that in life I should scorn and forsake41 her, that in death I should die in her arms! Sorceress, avaunt! Art thou useless and powerless now when I need thee most? Go! Let the world be one funeral pyre! What to ME is the world? My world is my life! Thou knowest that my last hope is here—that all the strength left me this night will die down, like the lamps in the circle, unless the elixir42 restore it. Bold friend, spurn43 that sorceress away. Hours yet ere those flames can assail44 us! A few minutes more, and life to your Lilian and me!"
Thus having said, Margrave turned from us, and cast into the caldron the last essence yet left in his empty coffer.
Ayesha silently drew her black veil over her face, and turned, with the being she loved, from the terror he scorned, to share in the hope that he cherished.
Thus left alone, with my reason disinthralled, disenchanted, I surveyed more calmly the extent of the actual peril46 with which we were threatened, and the peril seemed less, so surveyed.
It is true all the Bush-land behind, almost up to the bed of the creek, was on fire; but the grasses, through which the flame spread so rapidly, ceased at the opposite marge of the creek. Watery47 pools were still, at intervals48, left in the bed of the creek, shining tremulous, like waves of fire, in the glare reflected from the burning land; and even where the water failed, the stony49 course of the exhausted50 rivulet51 was a barrier against the march of the conflagration. Thus, unless the wind, now still, should rise, and waft52 some sparks to the parched53 combustible54 herbage immediately around us, we were saved from the fire, and our work might yet be achieved.
I whispered to Ayesha the conclusion to which I came.
"Thinkest thou," she answered without raising her mournful head, "that the Agencies of Nature are the movements of chance? The Spirits I invoked55 to his aid are leagued with the hosts that assail. A mightier56 than I am has doomed57 him!"
Scarcely had she uttered these words before Margrave exclaimed, "Behold how the Rose of the alchemist's dream enlarges its blooms from the folds of its petals58! I shall live, I shall live!"
I looked, and the liquid which glowed in the caldron had now taken a splendor59 that mocked all comparisons borrowed from the luster60 of gems61. In its prevalent color it had, indeed, the dazzle and flash of the ruby62; but out from the mass of the molten red, broke coruscations of all prismal hues, shooting, shifting, in a play that made the wavelets themselves seem living things, sensible of their joy. No longer was there scum or film upon the surface; only ever and anon a light, rosy63 vapor64 floating up, and quick lost in the haggard, heavy, sulphurous air, hot with the conflagration rushing toward us from behind. And these coruscations formed, on the surface of the molten ruby, literally65 the shape of a rose, its leaves made distinct in their outlines by sparks of emerald and diamond and sapphire66.
Even while gazing on this animated67 liquid luster, a buoyant delight seemed infused into my senses; all terrors conceived before were annulled68; the phantoms, whose armies had filled the wide spaces in front, were forgotten; the crash of the forest behind was unheard. In the reflection of that glory, Margrave's wan69 cheek seemed already restored to the radiance it wore when I saw it first in the framework of blooms.
"Hush70!" whispered Ayesha, from the black veil, against which the rays of the caldron fell blunt, and absorbed into Dark. "Behind us, the light of the circle is extinct; but there, we are guarded from all save the brutal71 and soulless destroyers. But, before!— but, before!—see, two of the lamps have died out!—see the blank of the gap in the ring! Guard that breach—there the demons73 will enter."
"Advance, then; thou hast still the light of the soul, and the demons may recoil74 before a soul that is dauntless and guiltless. If not, Three are lost!—as it is, One is doomed."
Thus adjured75, silently, involuntarily, I passed from the Veiled Woman's side, over the sear lines on the turf which had been traced by the triangles of light long since extinguished, and toward the verge of the circle. As I advanced, overhead rushed a dark cloud of wings—birds dislodged from the forest on fire, and screaming, in dissonant76 terror, as they flew toward the farthermost mountains; close by my feet hissed77 and glided78 the snakes, driven forth from their blazing coverts79, and glancing through the ring, unscared by its waning80 lamps; all undulating by me, bright-eyed, and hissing81, all made innocuous by fear—even the terrible Death-adder, which I trampled82 on as I halted at the verge of the circle, did not turn to bite, but crept harmless away. I halted at the gap between the two dead lamps, and bowed my head to look again into the crystal vessel. Were there, indeed, no lingering drops yet left, if but to recruit the lamps for some priceless minutes more? As I thus stood, right into the gap between the two dead lamps strode a gigantic Foot. All the rest of the form was unseen; only, as volume after volume of smoke poured on from the burning land behind, it seemed as if one great column of vapor, eddying83 round, settled itself aloft from the circle, and that out from that column strode the giant Foot. And, as strode the Foot, so with it came, like the sound of its tread, a roll of muttered thunder.
At the charm, the wonderful charm, in the tone of the Veiled Woman's voice, my will seemed to take a force more sublime86 than its own. I folded my arms on my breast, and stood as if rooted to the spot, confronting the column of smoke and the stride of the giant Foot. And the Foot halted, mute.
"The last hour expires—the work is accomplished89! Come! come! Aid me to take the caldron from the fire; and, quick!—or a drop may be wasted in vapor—the Elixir of Life from the caldron!"
And at that moment, suddenly, unawares, from behind, I was stricken down. Over me, as I lay, swept a whirlwind of trampling91 hoofs92 and glancing horns. The herds, in their flight from the burning pastures, had rushed over the bed of the water course, scaled the slopes of the banks. Snorting and bellowing93, they plunged94 their blind way to the mountains. One cry alone, more wild than their own savage95 blare, pierced the reek13 through which the Brute96 Hurricane swept. At that cry of wrath97 and despair I struggled to rise, again dashed to earth by the hoofs and the horns. But was it the dreamlike deceit of my reeling senses, or did I see that giant Foot stride past through the close-serried ranks of the maddening herds? Did I hear, distinct through all the huge uproar98 of animal terror, the roll of low thunder which followed the stride of that Foot?
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1
appalled
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| v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的 | |
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2
tinged
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| v.（使）发丁丁声( ting的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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3
hues
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| 色彩( hue的名词复数 )； 色调； 信仰； 观点 | |
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4
replenish
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| vt.补充；(把…)装满；(再)填满 | |
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5
replenished
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| 补充( replenish的过去式和过去分词 )； 重新装满 | |
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6
thriftily
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| 节俭地； 繁茂地； 繁荣的 | |
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7
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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8
flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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9
daunted
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| 使（某人）气馁，威吓( daunt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10
smothering
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的现在分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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11
verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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12
creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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13
reek
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| v.发出臭气；n.恶臭 | |
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14
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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15
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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16
conflagration
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| n.建筑物或森林大火 | |
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17
stun
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| vt.打昏，使昏迷，使震惊，使惊叹 | |
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18
portents
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| n.预兆( portent的名词复数 )；征兆；怪事；奇物 | |
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19
hack
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| n.劈，砍，出租马车；v.劈，砍，干咳 | |
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20
phantoms
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| n.鬼怪，幽灵( phantom的名词复数 ) | |
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21
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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22
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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23
majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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24
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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25
deluge
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| n./vt.洪水，暴雨，使泛滥 | |
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26
hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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27
bellow
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| v.吼叫，怒吼；大声发出，大声喝道 | |
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28
herds
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| 兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众 | |
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29
plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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30
wrenched
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| v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的过去式和过去分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
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31
seething
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| 沸腾的，火热的 | |
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32
rebuke
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| v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise | |
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33
exclamations
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| n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 )；感叹；感叹语；感叹词 | |
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34
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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35
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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36
gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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37
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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38
discords
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| 不和（discord的复数形式） | |
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39
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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40
vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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41
forsake
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| vt.遗弃，抛弃；舍弃，放弃 | |
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42
elixir
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| n.长生不老药，万能药 | |
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43
spurn
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| v.拒绝，摈弃；n.轻视的拒绝；踢开 | |
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44
assail
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| v.猛烈攻击，抨击，痛斥 | |
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45
enchanted
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| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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46
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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47
watery
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| adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的 | |
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48
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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49
stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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50
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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51
rivulet
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| n.小溪，小河 | |
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52
waft
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| v.飘浮，飘荡；n.一股；一阵微风；飘荡 | |
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53
parched
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| adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干 | |
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54
combustible
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| a. 易燃的,可燃的; n. 易燃物,可燃物 | |
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55
invoked
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| v.援引( invoke的过去式和过去分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求 | |
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56
mightier
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| adj. 强有力的，强大的，巨大的 adv. 很，极其 | |
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57
doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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58
petals
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| n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 ) | |
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59
splendor
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| n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌 | |
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60
luster
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| n.光辉；光泽，光亮；荣誉 | |
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61
gems
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| growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长 | |
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62
ruby
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| n.红宝石，红宝石色 | |
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63
rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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64
vapor
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| n.蒸汽，雾气 | |
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65
literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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66
sapphire
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| n.青玉，蓝宝石；adj.天蓝色的 | |
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67
animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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68
annulled
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| v.宣告无效( annul的过去式和过去分词 )；取消；使消失；抹去 | |
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69
wan
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| (wide area network)广域网 | |
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70
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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71
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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72
demon
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| n.魔鬼，恶魔 | |
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73
demons
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| n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念 | |
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74
recoil
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| vi.退却，退缩，畏缩 | |
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75
adjured
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| v.（以起誓或诅咒等形式）命令要求( adjure的过去式和过去分词 )；祈求；恳求 | |
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76
dissonant
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| adj.不和谐的；不悦耳的 | |
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77
hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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78
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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79
coverts
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| n.隐蔽的，不公开的，秘密的( covert的名词复数 )；复羽 | |
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80
waning
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| adj.（月亮）渐亏的，逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡 | |
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81
hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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82
trampled
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| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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83
eddying
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| 涡流，涡流的形成 | |
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84
recoiled
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| v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
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85
lurid
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| adj.可怕的；血红的；苍白的 | |
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86
sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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87
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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88
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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89
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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90
receded
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的过去式和过去分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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91
trampling
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| 踩( trample的现在分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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92
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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93
bellowing
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的现在分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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94
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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95
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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96
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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97
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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98
uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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