Part 5 (2/2)
Then I heard the gong; to me it sounded like the execution bell to a prisoner under sentence of death I crept downstairs feebly and found Lady Ragnall waiting for arnant that she could be so happy in such circu She looked me up and down and reht have seen the Ragnall ghost, or be going to be ainst your will, or--I don't knohat Also you have forgotten to fasten your tie”
I looked in the glass It was true, for there hung the ends downuntil at last she had to help ave ain and enabled me to say quite boldly that I only wanted my dinner
”Yes,” she replied, ”but you are not to eat much and you must only drink water The priestesses in Kendah Land told_Taduki_ in its strongest forht You know the prophet Hart only gave us the roaned and she laughed again
That dinner with nothing to drink, although to avoid suspicion I let Moxley fill lass once or twice, and little to eat for my appetite had vanished, went by like a bad dreanall tell Moxley to see that there was a good fire in the ht and must not be disturbed
Anotherthe door for her As she passed she paused to do so to her dress and whispered,
”Come in a quarter of an hour Mind--no port which clouds the intellect”
”I have none left to cloud,” I remarked after her
Then I went back and sat by the fire feelingat the decanters, for never inclock ticked and ticked and at last chireat lonely banqueting hall Then I rose and crept upstairs like an evil-doer and it seemed to me that the servants in the hall looked on ht
I reached the museum and found it brilliantly lit, but empty except for the cheerful colea but doubtful eyes So I sat down there in front of the fire, not even daring to smoke lest tobacco should cohter, looked up and nearly fell backwards, that is, metaphorically, for the chair prevented such a physical collapse
It was not wonderful since before me, like a bride of ancient days adorned for her husband, stood the Goddess Isis--white robes, feathered headdress, ancient bracelets, gold-studded sandals on bare feet, scented hair, ruby necklace and all the rest I stared, then there burst from me words which were the last I meant to say,
”Great Heavens! how beautiful you are”
”Alided across the roo, ”we had better get to business, that is unless you would like to worshi+p the Goddess Isis a little first, to bring yourself into a proper franity returning to me ”I do not wish to worshi+p any Goddess, especially when she isn't a Goddess It was not a part of the bargain”
”Quite so,” she said, nodding, ”but who knohat you will be worshi+pping before an hour is over? Oh! forgiveat you, but I can't help it You are so evidently frightened”
”Who wouldn't be frightened?” I answered, looking with gloomy apprehension at the sandal-wood box which had appeared upon a case full of scarabs ”Look here, Lady Ragnall,” I added, ”why can't you leave all this unholy business alone and let us spend a pleasant evening talking, now that those Sone? I have lots of stories about my African adventures which would interest you”
”Because I want to hear my own African adventures, and perhaps yours too, which I areat deal more,” she exclaimed earnestly ”You think it is all foolishness, but it is not Those Kendah priestesses toldtime I did not remee and I began to excavate that tements, you know, thatelse on earth And the worst of it has always been that fro I have known--and know--that this can only happen with you and through you, why I cannot say, or have forgotten That's what sent me nearly ith joy when I heard that you were not only alive, but in this country You won't disappointI can offer you which would have any value for you, so I can only beg you not to disappoint me--well, because I a, and when I looked up again I saw that her beautiful eyes were full of tears Naturally that settled the et on with the affair What aainst eventualities,” and going to a table I took a sheet of notepaper and wrote:
”Lady Ragnall and I, Allan Quatermain, are about to make an experio in Africa If by any chance this should result in accident to either or both of us, the Coroner is requested to understand that it is not a case of murder or of suicide, but merely of unfortunate scientific research”
This I dated, adding the hour, 947 PM, and signed, requesting her to do the sae that one who had lived a life of such constant danger aslady,” I replied with irritation, ”doesn't it occur to you that _I_ ed for it,” I added by an afterthought