His plans were progressing well at this time. The only adverse2 element was the obvious infatuation of Gerald Winston for Miss Consinor; but the Egyptian had carefully gauged4 the depths of the young girl’s character. She was interested in antiquities5, and therefore encouraged Winston, who was a noted6 scholar; but there was no danger in that. Kāra knew more of Egyptology than all the scholars in Cairo, and had often seen Aneth’s face brighten when he told her some strange and interesting bit of unwritten history. To be sure, Winston was her own countryman, and had an advantage in that; yet Mrs. Everingham had once said in his hearing that a handsome foreigner was always fascinating to an Englishwoman, and he had remembered the careless remark and pondered its truth until he had come to believe it.
He had a better argument than any of these in reserve, however. If the Englishman really succeeded{143} in winning Aneth’s love in the end, then Kāra knew how to compel the girl to obedience7.
As he left his room he found the dragoman leaning against a pillar of the courtyard.
“Is Nephthys here?” he inquired.
“I suppose so,” answered the dragoman, yawning sleepily. “She was due to arrive this afternoon, wasn’t she?”
Kāra looked at him with sudden suspicion.
“Have you seen her?” he demanded.
“Am I the keeper of your harem?” retorted Tadros, indignantly. “Old Tilga has been hidden in the women’s quarters for hours. Probably she is attending to your Nephthys.”
He eyed his master disdainfully, and Kāra walked on and entered the carriage. He had barely time to join the company at dinner, and Nephthys could wait.
Winston was not present this evening, and the prince found Aneth unusually gracious. She chatted so pleasantly, her manner was so friendly and her clear eyes so sweet and intelligent, that Kāra gave way to the moment’s enchantment8 and forgot all else in the delight of her society.
Nor did he recover readily from the spell. After returning home he paced the floor for an hour, recalling the English girl’s fair face and every change of its expression. Then he gave a guilty start as a recollection of Hatatcha swept over him, impressing upon his memory his fearful oath.{144}
Kāra’s nature, despite his cold exterior9, was fervid10 in the extreme. He had sworn to hate this girl, yet to-night he loved her passionately11. But Hatatcha’s training had not entirely12 failed. He calmed himself, and examined his danger critically, as an outsider might have done.
To yield to his love for Aneth would mean enslavement by the enemy, a condition from which his judgment13 instinctively14 revolted. To steel his heart against her charms would be difficult, but its necessity was obvious. He determined15 to pursue his plot with relentless16 hatred17, and to raise between the girl and himself as many bars as possible. He scorned his own weakness, and since he knew that it existed, he resolved to conquer it.
Once Hatatcha had said to him: “You are cold, selfish and cruel, and I have made you so.” True; these qualities had been carefully instilled18 into his nature. He was proud that he possessed19 them, for he had a mission to fulfil. And if he desired any peace in his future life, that mission must be fully3 accomplished20.
In the morning he went to see Nephthys, and his face brightened as he realized how remarkably21 beautiful she was. The Orientals generally admire only the form of a woman, being indifferent to the face; but Kāra was modern enough to appreciate beauty of feature, while holding to an extent the Eastern prejudice that a fat and soft form is the chief attraction of the female{145} sex. So he found Nephthys admirable in every way; and if her indifference22 and perfect subjection to his will in any way annoyed him, he was at this time unaware23 of the fact. He wished this girl to replace Aneth Consinor in his affection and esteem24, and would forgive much in Nephthys if she could manage to bring about this excellent result.
After this he devoted25 much of his attention to the Nile girl, striving in his association with her to exclude all outside interests. He purchased for her marvelous costumes and hired two Arab maidens26 to attend her and keep her royally attired27. Kāra’s most splendid diamonds and rubies28 were set by Andalaft in many coronets, brooches and bracelets29 to deck her person, and many of the wonderful pearls he had brought from the secret tomb were carefully sized and strung to form a necklace for the Egyptian girl’s portly neck.
Nephthys was pleased with these possessions. They drew her from the dull lassitude in which she had existed, and aroused in her breast a womanly exultation30 that even her mother could never have imagined her able to develop. It may be the girl began to think and to dream; yet if so, there was little outward indication of the fact. To comprehend any woman’s capabilities31 is difficult; to comprehend those of Nephthys seemed impossible. She was luxury-loving by nature, as are all Orientals, and accepted the comforts of her surroundings without questioning why they were bestowed32 upon her. Whatever sensibilities she possessed had long{146} lain dormant33. They might be awakening34 now; her delight in adornment35 seemed the first step in that direction.
Kāra purposely remained away from the club for several evenings following that in which he had won Consinor’s ten thousand pounds. Perhaps he wished his enemy to become uneasy and fret36 at the delay in wiping out the debt, and if so, it would have gratified him to know the feverish37 anxiety with which the viscount haunted the club, and watched every new arrival in the hope that Kāra would appear.
At last the Egyptian judged that he had waited long enough, and prepared to still further enmesh his victim. In his room that evening he took from a secret drawer of his cabinet a small roll of papyrus38, on which were closely written hieroglyphics39. To refresh his memory he read the scroll40 carefully, although it was not the first time he had studied it since it had fallen at his feet when the bust41 of Isis was overturned at the tomb of Ahtka-Rā.
Freely translated, the writing was as follows:
“Being finally prepared to join Anubis in the nether42 world, I, Ahtka-Rā, son of the Sun and High Priest of āmen, have caused to be added to the decoration of my sarcophagus the precious Stone of Fortune given to me by the King of Kesh[A] in return for having preserved him and his people from the wrath43 of Rameses. It is my belief that this wondrous44 stone will guard my tomb when my spirit has departed, and by its powers preserve{147} my body and my treasure from being despoiled45, until that time when I shall return to Qemt[B] to live again. Let no descendant of my house remove it from its place, for the Stone of Fortune is mine, and I bequeath it not to any of those who may come after me. In time of need my children may take of the treasure what they require, but to disturb my Stone of Fortune will be to draw upon the offender46 the bitterest curse of my spirit. It may be known to all from its changing color, being never the same for long; and the color of it is not bright, as is the ruby47 or the carnelian or amethyst48, but ever gloomy and mysterious. That none may mistake its location, I have embedded49 it in a triple band of gold, and it is placed at the head of my sarcophagus. There shall it remain. Since it came into my possession I have ever worn it in my bosom50, and by its magic I have been able to control Rameses the son of Seti, to rule his kingdom as if it were my own, to confound all my enemies and accusers, and to amass51 such riches as no man of Qemt has ever before possessed. Also has it brought to me health and many years in which to accomplish the purpose of my present existence. For this reason do I refuse to part with it in the ages during which I await the new life. Whatever else may happen to my tomb, I implore52 those who live in the days to come to leave to me this one treasure.”
[A] Ethiopia.
[B] Egypt.
It was signed by Ahtka-Rā and sealed with his seal, being doubtless the work of his own hand.{148}
Kāra rerolled the papyrus and put it away, pausing to glance with a smile at the strange ring he wore upon his hand.
“My great ancestor was selfish,” he murmured, “and wished to prevent any of his descendants from becoming as famous as he himself was. Nevertheless, had I read the script before I removed the stone from the sarcophagus, I would have respected Ahtka-Rā’s wish; but I did not know what treasure I had gained until afterward53, when it was too late to restore the stone without another visit to the tomb. A curse is a dreadful thing, especially from one’s ancestor, and it is even to avoid Hatatcha’s curse that I am now fulfilling her vengeance54. But Ahtka-Rā may rest content; I have merely borrowed his talisman55, and it shall be returned to him when I have obtained full satisfaction from my grandmother’s enemies. Meantime, the stone will protect me from evil fortune, and when it is restored the curse will be averted56.”
Something in this expression struck him as incongruous. He thought deeply for a moment, a frown gathering57 upon his brow. Then he said: “I must not deceive myself with sophistries58. What if the curse is already working, and because of it the English girl has turned my strength to weakness? But that cannot be. Whenever I have worn this ring I have mastered all difficulties and triumphed as I desired; and I will triumph in my undertaking59 to-night, in spite of the reproach I can already see in Aneth’s eyes. I am still the controller{149} of my own destiny as well as the destinies of others; for if the talisman did so much for Ahtka-Rā as he claims, it will surely prove stronger than any curse.”
With a laugh he shook off the uncanny feeling that had for the moment oppressed him, and went to the club.
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1
intrigue
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| vt.激起兴趣，迷住；vi.耍阴谋；n.阴谋，密谋 | |
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adverse
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| adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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gauged
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| adj.校准的；标准的；量规的；量计的v.（用仪器）测量( gauge的过去式和过去分词 )；估计；计量；划分 | |
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antiquities
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| n.古老( antiquity的名词复数 )；古迹；古人们；古代的风俗习惯 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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enchantment
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| n.迷惑，妖术，魅力 | |
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exterior
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| adj.外部的，外在的；表面的 | |
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fervid
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| adj.热情的；炽热的 | |
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passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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relentless
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| adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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18
instilled
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| v.逐渐使某人获得（某种可取的品质），逐步灌输( instill的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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19
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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unaware
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| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
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esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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maidens
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| 处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球 | |
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attired
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| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28
rubies
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| 红宝石( ruby的名词复数 )； 红宝石色，深红色 | |
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bracelets
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| n.手镯，臂镯( bracelet的名词复数 ) | |
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exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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capabilities
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| n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力 | |
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32
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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dormant
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| adj.暂停活动的；休眠的；潜伏的 | |
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awakening
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| n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的 | |
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adornment
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| n.装饰；装饰品 | |
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36
fret
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| v.(使)烦恼；(使)焦急；(使)腐蚀，(使)磨损 | |
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feverish
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| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
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38
papyrus
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| n.古以纸草制成之纸 | |
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hieroglyphics
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| n.pl.象形文字 | |
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40
scroll
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| n.卷轴，纸卷；(石刻上的)漩涡 | |
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41
bust
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| vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部 | |
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42
nether
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| adj.下部的，下面的；n.阴间；下层社会 | |
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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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44
wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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45
despoiled
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| v.掠夺，抢劫( despoil的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46
offender
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| n.冒犯者，违反者，犯罪者 | |
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47
ruby
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| n.红宝石，红宝石色 | |
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48
amethyst
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| n.紫水晶 | |
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49
embedded
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| a.扎牢的 | |
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50
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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51
amass
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| vt.积累，积聚 | |
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52
implore
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| vt.乞求，恳求，哀求 | |
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53
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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54
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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55
talisman
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| n.避邪物，护身符 | |
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56
averted
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| 防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移 | |
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57
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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58
sophistries
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| n.诡辩术( sophistry的名词复数 )；（一次）诡辩 | |
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59
undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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