A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder James De Mille

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172 interior, but our athalebs found you at last by their scent. And we rejoice to have found you in time, and that you are both so well, for we have been afraid that you had been suffering. Nay, Atam-or, do not thank us; thanks are distasteful to the Kosekin: these brave followers of mine will all be amply rewarded for this, for they will all be made paupers; but as for myself, I want no higher reward than the delightful thought that I have saved you from suffering." The beautiful, smiling Layelah, who addressed me in this way with her sweet voice, was certainly not to be treated as an enemy. Against her a rifle could not be levelled; she would have looked at me with the same sweet smile, and that smile would have melted all my resolution. Nor could I even persist in my determination to remain. Remain! For what? For utter despair! And yet where else could we go? "You do not know where lie the lands of the Orin," said Layelah. "The athaleb does not know. You could not guide him if you did know. You are helpless on his back. The art of driving an athaleb is difficult, and cannot be learned without long and severe practice. My fear was that the athaleb might break away from you and return, leaving you to perish here. Had you tried to leave this place he would have brought you back to the amir." To this I said nothing--partly because it was so true that I had no answer to make, and partly also out of deep mortification and dejection. My pride was wounded at being thus so easily baffled by a girl like Layelah, and all my grief was stirred by the sadness of Almah. In her eyes there seemed even now the look of one who sees death inevitable, and the glance she gave to me was like an eternal farewell. Almah now spoke, addressing herself to Layelah. "Death," said she, in a voice of indescribable mournfulness, "is better here than with you. We would rather die here than go back. Let us, I pray you, receive the blessing of death here. Let us be paupers and exiles, and die on Magones." Layelah heard this, and stood for a moment in deep thought. "No one but a stranger," said she at length, "would ask such a favor
173 as that. Do you not know that what you ask is among the very highest honors of the Kosekin? Who am I that I can venture to grant such a request as that? Ask for anything in my power, and I will be glad to grant it. I have already arranged that you shall be separated from Atam-or; and that, surely, is a high privilege. I might consent to bind you hand and foot, after the manner of the more distinguished Asirin; you may also be blindfolded if you wish it. I might even promise, after we return to the amir, to keep you confined in utter darkness, with barely sufficient food to keep you alive until the time of the sacrifice; in short, there is no blessing known among the Kosekin that I will not give so long as it is in my power. And so, beloved Almah," continued Layelah, "you have every reason for happiness; you have all the highest blessings known among the Kosekin: separation from your lover, poverty, want, darkness; and, finally, the prospect of inevitable death ever before you as the crowning glory of your lot." These words seemed to the Kosekin the very excess of magnanimity, and involuntary murmurs of admiration escaped them; although it is just possible that they murmured at the greatness of the favor that was offered. But to me it sounded like fiendish mockery, and to Almah it sounded the same; for a groan escaped her, her fortitude gave way, she sank on her knees, buried her head in her hands, and wept. "Almah," cried I, in a fury, "we will not go back--we will not be separated! I will destroy all the athalebs, and we shall all perish here together. At least, you and I will not be separated." At this Almah started up. "No, no," said she--"no; let us go back. Here we have nothing but death." "But we have death also at the amir, and a more terrible one," said I. "If you kill the athalebs," said Layelah, "I will give Almah the blessing of death." At this I recoiled in horror, and my resolution again gave way. "You have some mysterious power of conferring death," continued
Page 1 and 2:
1 A Strange Manuscript Found in a C
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3 pitch out a bit of wood." Upon th
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5 And as he said this he reached ou
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7 attacked the copper cylinder, and
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9 "It looks like Egyptian papyrus,"
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11 extended far out from the promon
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13 was nowhere visible, nor were th
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15 consisted of a vast sheet of flo
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17 "Well, I do," said he, "and they
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19 THE LETTER. "Bristol April 20. 1
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21 attached to a piece of rock. "Th
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23 can have but one ending--there m
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25 thin, shrivelled, black, with lo
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27 run, but there was nothing of th
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29 chief attention, and while all l
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31 for this I would have burst thro
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33 not stop for one moment, but pur
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35 terror in my heart, I waited for
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37 the surface were but the tiniest
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39 that a new peril had arisen from
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41 roads winding far away along the
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43 experience other sensations. I b
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45 scrupulous delicacy and a carefu
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47 wide space where four cross-road
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49 Next came Noel Oxenden, late of
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51 "Do you know what is is?" asked
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53 have been written at least three
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55 and his low position on the hori
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57 "That's a complicated question,"
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59 difficulty that I could see anyt
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61 mutual inquiry. I was full of am
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63 I was always rather quick at lea
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65 The "Kohen" did not remain long,
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67 likely that if we had ordered ou
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69 looking forward. On its head was
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71 CHAPTER X THE SACRED HUNT On tha
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73 but not a man quailed. Never had
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75 that I felt. "It was honor to th
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77 The speed was amazing; the faste
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79 I was senseless for I know not h
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81 hiding. But I saw that she had a
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83 them to go abroad, to travel by
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85 the victims! Rejoice! Give thank
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87 the eyes that weep over the path
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89 dark season with a feast. From w
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91 "This is beyond my comprehension
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93 Almah shuddered. "If you had tol
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95 and gentle and sympathetic, and
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97 and for you, and for the reason
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99 fate." "Fate!" I repeated, looki
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101 "You don't understand," said sh
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103 you--are you not to be envied i
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105 We give up everything for life.
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107 anguish beyond expression--angu
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109 To such a story I had nothing t
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111 fear of death. This desire for
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113 There are many other crimes, al
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115 observed that women are a littl
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117 "Why, it must be a dodo, of cou
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119 shoulder-bones like those of th
Page 121 and 122: 121 "All these stories of strange a
Page 123 and 124: 123 Latin or Greek word begins with
Page 125 and 126: 125 question, and gives us the conn
Page 127 and 128: 127 that. It seemed better to go, f
Page 129 and 130: 129 "Then I see by this that Almah
Page 131 and 132: 131 He laughed joyously. "There's n
Page 133 and 134: 133 tide as crowded and as busy as
Page 135 and 136: 135 that I made this discovery; for
Page 137 and 138: 137 they were all regarded with gre
Page 139 and 140: 139 up--no, not even if they could
Page 141 and 142: 141 "And then," said I, "if so, wou
Page 143 and 144: 143 of my race--and the fear that I
Page 145 and 146: 145 up." "She never will," said I.
Page 147 and 148: 147 help joining in, and so we both
Page 149 and 150: 149 I thought that perhaps it would
Page 151 and 152: 151 For a moment I stood almost lif
Page 153 and 154: 153 No sooner had I found myself ac
Page 155 and 156: 155 "No." I was amazed at this. "Bu
Page 157 and 158: 157 "Oh yes." "How many?" "Four." "
Page 159 and 160: 159 utterly unable to show to Layel
Page 161 and 162: 161 said: "I should like to fly in
Page 163 and 164: 163 a basin-shaped world--an immens
Page 165 and 166: 165 molten lava; between us and it
Page 167 and 168: 167 did. I went back to the shore,
Page 169 and 170: 169 which was cooling and hardening
Page 171: 171 triumph, was Layelah. "Ataesmzo
Page 175 and 176: 175 intervals apart, flying in a st
Page 177 and 178: 177 This, however, was intolerable;
Page 179 and 180: 179 from Layelah. She started back,
Page 181 and 182: 181 to reach before life was extinc
Page 183 and 184: 183 life or death, it is all the sa
Page 185 and 186: 185 Magones, and had searched over
Page 187 and 188: 187 rot and rubbish to the Germania
Page 189 and 190: 189 part do not suspect him of exag
Page 191 and 192: 191 "That very difference can be sh
Page 193 and 194: 193 ring-shaped, but the action of
Page 195 and 196: 195 a different view of the case. I
Page 197 and 198: 197 The Council of State gathered f
Page 199 and 200: 199 this respect with the great pau
Page 201 and 202: 201 inconceivable horror of that em
Page 203 and 204: 203 class had a mania for doing wha
Page 205 and 206: 205 I turned away in despair. At le
Page 207 and 208: 207 darkness, faintly illuminating
Page 209 and 210: 209 sacrifice?" "What?" he asked, w
Page 211 and 212: 211 have heard of it, as the Koseki
Page 213 and 214: 213 "I'll die first!" said I, fierc
Page 215 and 216: 215 with one common impulse came pr
Page 217 and 218: 217 CHAPTER XXXI CONCLUSION In the
Page 219 and 220: 219 Meleks, for we will take the mo
Page 221: 221 "What do you mean?" I exclaimed
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A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder James De Mille

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