“That is good,” answered Maie, thoughtfully. “But it is not enough.”
“What would you have?” he asked, impatiently. “I have suborned every servant in the palace; I have followed every plan you have suggested; intrigue2 and cunning each moment battle for our great object.”
“Yet the Persian sits beside Burah Khan and baffles our every plot,” replied the girl. “I will go to him myself, my father.”
“You! Impossible.”
“No one shall ever know but yourself, and you will guard my secret. But see the Persian I must. Despite his pretended loyalty3 he is a mere4 man—and surely there is a way to influence any man that lives.”
An hour later Agahr secretly introduced Maie into the palace, and while he himself guarded the passage leading to the chamber5 of Burah the girl boldly pushed aside the draperies at the entrance and confronted the physician.
The Persian was standing6 beside the couch as she entered, and after a glance at his visitor he quietly drew a silken coverlet over the still form and advanced to where the girl stood awaiting him.
“I am the daughter of the vizier,” she said, softly.
“You are welcome,” declared the Persian; but he passed one hand over his forehead as he spoke7, and his voice sounded weary and discouraged.
Maie threw back her veil and smiled, while the physician, leaning upon the low table that bore the shaded lamp, gazed wonderingly at the beautiful face revealed.
“May I rest myself?” she asked, in her sweet voice, and without awaiting permission she passed between the table and Burah’s couch and sank gracefully8 upon a low divan9.
The Persian hesitated an instant, and cast an uneasy glance at his patient. Then he seated himself beside the table and bowed.
“It is the same old tale, I suppose?” he said, enquiringly. “You do not wish the Khan to live to acknowledge his son?”
The girl gave a little laugh.
“It is very pleasant to find you both frank and comprehensive,” she returned, “for now many useless words may be spared. Tell me, Persian, why you insist upon interfering10 with our plans to depose11 the sons of Ugg and restore the throne to the former rulers of Baluchistan? What is it to you, a stranger, whether Burah Khan dies tonight—this very moment—or lives to acknowledge his son two days hence?”
“Only this,” he answered quietly. “I have given my word.”
“Do you fear for your reputation as a skillful physician? Elai! You have already accomplished12 wonders enough to make you famous. Had you not arrived in Mekran, Burah Khan long since would have passed away.”
“It was a draught13 of my own invention,” said the man, musingly14. “I am anxious to test its powers. If it will hold Death at bay for seven days I shall have solved an important problem in medical science.”
“But why is it necessary to test your draught on the Khan of Baluchistan? There may be thousands of similar cases wherein the matter of life and death is unimportant. Perhaps, in spite of your great fame, you lack money. See!”
With a quick gesture she arose and approached the table, emptying upon its spread the contents of a chamois bag. Before the physician’s eyes sparkled a score of exquisite15 gems16—diamonds, rubies17, sapphires18 and emeralds of enormous value.
He gave them but a glance and looked into the girl’s eyes. They sparkled as brilliantly as the jewels, but were equally mystifying. What she read in his own eyes is uncertain, but a moment later she sank at his feet and clasped his knees in her rounded arms.
“For the cause of science,” she murmured, looking up into his face with a ravishing smile, “I will gladly promise the great physician ten gems, equally as flawless and pure, for every one now before him! It is a rare treasure, my Persian. All I ask in return is permission to attend the Khan until morning.”
His brow flushed, but he did not withdraw his gaze from her dark eyes.
“Ah, do not refuse me,” she pleaded, resting her head against him so that the fragrance19 of her hair saluted20 his nostrils21 like an enchanting22 perfume. “It is so little for you to do, when you may ask so much in return!” Her bosom23 heaved with emotion and pressed against his knee. “You shall have a palace of your own, my friend, here in Mekran, where you may woo Science at your will and command a thousand slaves to do your bidding. Are we not playing for a throne? And who shall have greater power than the man that enables the new khan to sit therein and rule a kingdom? I am the daughter of the vizier, my Persian, and hereafter no physician but you shall attend me.”
She nestled closer, with a little sigh of content that seemed to indicate the battle was won to their mutual24 satisfaction, and for a moment both maintained the pose, silent and motionless.
Suddenly the physician stood up, freeing himself from the girl’s embrace. With an abrupt25 motion he swept the glittering gems into the little bag and tossed it at the girl’s feet. Then, with folded arms, he stood looking down at where she still crouched26 by the empty chair, her lovely features convulsed with a passion terrible to witness.
But the mood quickly passed. Her face cleared. She raised her hand and rearranged the disordered masses of her hair, laughing the while in low tones and lifting her eyes unabashed to the man who had repulsed27 her.
Slowly rising to her feet she made him a mocking bow and said, jestingly:
“The chisel29 must indeed be dull that can carve no emblem30 on the marble. No man, believe me, is incorruptible; I have failed merely because I overestimated31 my own powers. Well, I will go.”
She looked around for her cloak. It lay over the divan, and she passed the Persian as if to get it. But in the act of picking it up she paused, straightened, and in two bounds stood beside the couch of the unconscious khan. A dagger32 flashed, and once—twice—thrice she plunged33 it deep into the bosom of the form hidden by the silken coverlet. Then she turned with a laugh of triumph toward the physician, the dagger still clasped in her jewelled fingers.
The Persian smiled.
Without a word he walked to the couch, and as she shrank aside he seized the coverlet and thrust it back, revealing nothing more than a mass of bolsters34 and cushions cleverly placed to outline the form of a man.
“Where is he?” she whispered.
He took her wrist, fearless of the dagger she still held, and led her to an alcove36. Throwing back the curtains he allowed her to gaze upon the still form of Burah Khan, lying peacefully beside a window through which the moon’s rays flooded the small apartment with mellow37 light.
Maie made no attempt to escape the grasp upon her wrist. She permitted the man to lead her back to the larger room, where he wrapped the cloak around her shoulders and placed the bag of jewels in her hand.
A moment later she rejoined the vizier in the passage.
“We must pin our faith to the men of Raab,” she replied, between her set teeth. “The Persian is not human—he is a fiend!”
《The Tin Woodman of Oz》
《The Tin Woodman of Oz》
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1
impulsive
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| adj.冲动的，刺激的；有推动力的 | |
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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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loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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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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gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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divan
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| n.长沙发；（波斯或其他东方诗人的）诗集 | |
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interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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depose
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| vt.免职；宣誓作证 | |
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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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draught
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| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
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musingly
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| adv.沉思地，冥想地 | |
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exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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gems
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| growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长 | |
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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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sapphires
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| n.蓝宝石，钢玉宝石( sapphire的名词复数 )；蔚蓝色 | |
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fragrance
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| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
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saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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21
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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enchanting
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| a.讨人喜欢的 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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repulsed
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| v.击退( repulse的过去式和过去分词 )；驳斥；拒绝 | |
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28
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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chisel
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| n.凿子；v.用凿子刻，雕，凿 | |
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emblem
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| n.象征，标志；徽章 | |
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overestimated
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| 对（数量）估计过高，对…作过高的评价( overestimate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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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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bolsters
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| n.长枕( bolster的名词复数 )；垫子；衬垫；支持物v.支持( bolster的第三人称单数 )；支撑；给予必要的支持；援助 | |
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rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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alcove
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| n.凹室 | |
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mellow
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| adj.柔和的；熟透的；v.变柔和；(使)成熟 | |
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enquired
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| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
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