A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder James De Mille

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96 her soft touch, her tender, affectionate smile, her mournful yet trustful look--oh, heavens! would all these be mine no more? I could not endure the thought. At first I wandered about, seeking rest and finding none; and at length I sat in my own room, and passed the time in listening, in questioning the attendants, in wondering what I should do if she should be taken from me. At length on one blessed jom, the Kohen came to me with a bright smile. "Our darling Almah is better," said he. "Eat, I beseech you. She is very dear to all of us, and we have all felt for her and for you. But now all danger is past. The physicians say that she will soon be well." There were tears in his eyes as he spoke. It may have been caused by the bright light, but I attributed this to his loving heart, and I forgot that he was a cannibal. I took his hands in mine and pressed them in deep emotion. He looked at me with a sweet and gentle smile. "I see it all," said he, in a low voice--"you love her, Atam-or." I pressed his hands harder, but said nothing. Indeed, I could not trust myself to speak. "I knew it," said he; "it is but natural. You are both of a different race from us; you are both much alike, and in full sympathy with one another. This draws you together. When I first saw you I thought that you would be a fit companion for her here--that you would lessen her gloom, and that she would be pleasant to you. I found out soon that I was right, and I felt glad, for you at once showed the fullest sympathy with one another. Never till you came was Almah happy with us; but since you have come she has been a different being, and there has been a joyousness in her manner that I never saw before. You have made her forget how to weep; and as for yourself, I hope she has made your life in this strange land seem less painful, Atam-or." At all this I was so full of amazement that I could not say one word. "Pardon me," continued he, "if I have said anything that may seem like an intrusion upon your secret and most sacred feelings. I could not have said it had it not been for the deep affection I feel for Almah
97 and for you, and for the reason that I am just now more moved than usual, and have less control over my feelings." Saying this, he pressed my hand and left me. It was not the custom here to shake hands, but with his usual amiability he had adopted my custom, and used it as naturally as though he had been to the manner born. I was encouraged now. The mild Kohen came often to cheer me. He talked much about Almah--about her sweet and gracious disposition, the love that all felt for her, the deep and intense interest which her illness had aroused. In all this he seemed more like a man of my own race than before, and in his eager desire for her recovery he failed to exhibit that love for death which was his nature. So it seemed: yet this desire for her recovery did not arise out of any lack of love for death; its true cause I was to learn afterward; and I was to know that if he desired Almah's recovery now, it was only that she might live long enough to encounter death in a more terrific form. But just then all this was unknown, and I judged him by myself. At last I learned that she was much better, and would be out on the following jom. This intelligence filled me with a fever of eager anticipation, so great that I could think of nothing else. Sleep was impossible. I could only wait, and try as best I might to quell my impatience. At last the time came. I sat waiting. The curtain was drawn aside. I sprang up, and, hurrying toward her, I caught her in my arms and wept for joy. Ah me, how pale she looked! She bore still the marks of her illness. She seemed deeply embarrassed and agitated at the fervor of my greeting; while I, instead of apologizing or trying to excuse myself, only grew more agitated still. "Oh, Almah," I cried. "I should have died if you had not come back to me! Oh, Almah, I love you better than life and I never knew how dearly I loved you till I thought that I had lost you! Oh, forgive me, but I must tell you--and don't weep, darling." She was weeping as I spoke. She said nothing, but twined her arms around my neck and wept on my breast. After this we had much to say that we had never mentioned before. I cannot tell the sweet words that she said to me; but I now learned that she had loved me from the first--when I came to her in her loneliness, when she was homesick and
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
Page 45 and 46: 45 scrupulous delicacy and a carefu
Page 47 and 48: 47 wide space where four cross-road
Page 49 and 50: 49 Next came Noel Oxenden, late of
Page 51 and 52: 51 "Do you know what is is?" asked
Page 53 and 54: 53 have been written at least three
Page 55 and 56: 55 and his low position on the hori
Page 57 and 58: 57 "That's a complicated question,"
Page 59 and 60: 59 difficulty that I could see anyt
Page 61 and 62: 61 mutual inquiry. I was full of am
Page 63 and 64: 63 I was always rather quick at lea
Page 65 and 66: 65 The "Kohen" did not remain long,
Page 67 and 68: 67 likely that if we had ordered ou
Page 69 and 70: 69 looking forward. On its head was
Page 71 and 72: 71 CHAPTER X THE SACRED HUNT On tha
Page 73 and 74: 73 but not a man quailed. Never had
Page 75 and 76: 75 that I felt. "It was honor to th
Page 77 and 78: 77 The speed was amazing; the faste
Page 79 and 80: 79 I was senseless for I know not h
Page 81 and 82: 81 hiding. But I saw that she had a
Page 83 and 84: 83 them to go abroad, to travel by
Page 85 and 86: 85 the victims! Rejoice! Give thank
Page 87 and 88: 87 the eyes that weep over the path
Page 89 and 90: 89 dark season with a feast. From w
Page 91 and 92: 91 "This is beyond my comprehension
Page 93 and 94: 93 Almah shuddered. "If you had tol
Page 95: 95 and gentle and sympathetic, and
Page 99 and 100: 99 fate." "Fate!" I repeated, looki
Page 101 and 102: 101 "You don't understand," said sh
Page 103 and 104: 103 you--are you not to be envied i
Page 105 and 106: 105 We give up everything for life.
Page 107 and 108: 107 anguish beyond expression--angu
Page 109 and 110: 109 To such a story I had nothing t
Page 111 and 112: 111 fear of death. This desire for
Page 113 and 114: 113 There are many other crimes, al
Page 115 and 116: 115 observed that women are a littl
Page 117 and 118: 117 "Why, it must be a dodo, of cou
Page 119 and 120: 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
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161 said: "I should like to fly in
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163 a basin-shaped world--an immens
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165 molten lava; between us and it
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167 did. I went back to the shore,
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169 which was cooling and hardening
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171 triumph, was Layelah. "Ataesmzo
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173 as that. Do you not know that w
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175 intervals apart, flying in a st
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177 This, however, was intolerable;
Page 179 and 180:
179 from Layelah. She started back,
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181 to reach before life was extinc
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183 life or death, it is all the sa
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185 Magones, and had searched over
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187 rot and rubbish to the Germania
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189 part do not suspect him of exag
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191 "That very difference can be sh
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193 ring-shaped, but the action of
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195 a different view of the case. I
Page 197 and 198:
197 The Council of State gathered f
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199 this respect with the great pau
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201 inconceivable horror of that em
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203 class had a mania for doing wha
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205 I turned away in despair. At le
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207 darkness, faintly illuminating
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209 sacrifice?" "What?" he asked, w
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211 have heard of it, as the Koseki
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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
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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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