CHAPTER XXXIV. MALEVOLA.

psofnativelace,apetticoatandjacketofcloth,andsabotsmorelikelittleboatsthanshoes,itseemedallright,andsoothinglyincharacter. TheexpressionofherfacewasnotquitesosoothingasthecutofhercostumeanythingmorecantankerousIhaveseldomseenshewouldscarcelyreplytomyinquiryafterMadameWalravensIbelieveshewouldhavesnatchedthebasketoffruitfrommyhand,hadnottheoldpriest,hobblingup,checkedher,andhimselflentaneartothemessagewithwhichIwascharged. HisapparentdeafnessrendereditalittledifficulttomakehimfullyunderstandthatImustseeMadameWalravens,andconsignthefruitintoherownhands.Atlast,however,hecomprehendedthefactthatsuchweremyorders,andthatdutyenjoinedtheirliteralfulfilment.Addressingtheagedbonne,notinFrench,butintheaboriginaltongueofLabassecour,hepersuadedher,atlast,toletmecrosstheinhospitablethreshold,andhimselfescortingmeup-stairs,Iwasusheredintoasortofsalon,andthereleft. Theroomwaslarge,andhadafineoldceiling,andalmostchurch-likewindowsofcoloured-glassbutitwasdesolate,andintheshadowofacomingstorm,lookedstrangelylowering.Within—openedasmallerroomthere,however,theblindofthesinglecasementwasclosedthroughthedeepgloomfewdetailsoffurniturewereapparent.ThesefewIamusedmyselfbypuzzlingtomakeoutand,inparticular,Iwasattractedbytheoutlineofapictureonthewall. By-and-bythepictureseemedtogiveway:tomybewilderment,itshook,itsunk,itrolledbackintonothingitsvanishingleftanopeningarched,leadingintoanarchedpassage,withamysticwindingstairbothpassageandstairwereofcoldstone,uncarpetedandunpainted.Downthisdonjonstairdescendedatap,tap,likeasticksoontherefellonthestepsashadow,andlastofall,Iwasawareofasubstance. Yet,wasitactualsubstance,thisappearanceapproachingme?thisobstruction,partiallydarkeningthearch? Itdrewnear,andIsawitwell.IbegantocomprehendwhereIwas.WellmightthisoldsquarebenamedquarteroftheMagi—wellmightthethreetowers,overlookingit,ownforgodfathersthreemysticsagesofadeadanddarkart.Hoarenchantmenthereprevailedaspellhadopenedformeelf-land—thatcell-likeroom,thatvanishingpicture,thatarchandpassage,andstairofstone,wereallpartsofafairytale.Distinctereventhanthesescenicdetailsstoodthechieffigure—Cunegonde,thesorceress!Malevola,theevilfairy.Howwasshe? Shemightbethreefeethigh,butshehadnoshapeherskinnyhandsresteduponeachother,andpressedthegoldknobofawand-likeivorystaff.Herfacewaslarge,set,notuponhershoulders,butbeforeherbreastsheseemedtohavenoneckIshouldhavesaidtherewereahundredyearsinherfeatures,andmoreperhapsinhereyes—hermalign,unfriendlyeyes,withthickgreybrowsabove,andlividlidsallround.Howseverelytheyviewedme,withasortofdulldispleasure! Thisbeingworeagownofbrocade,dyedbrightblue,full-tintedasthegentianellaflower,andcoveredwithsatinfoliageinalargepatternoverthegownacostlyshawl,gorgeouslybordered,andsolargeforher,thatitsmany-colouredfringesweptthefloor.Butherchiefpointswereherjewels:shehadlong,clearearrings,blazingwithalustrewhichcouldnotbeborrowedorfalseshehadringsonherskeletonhands,withthickgoldhoops,andstones—purple,green,andblood-red.Hunchbacked,dwarfish,anddoting,shewasadornedlikeabarbarianqueen. “Quemevoulez-vous?”saidshe,hoarsely,withthevoiceratherofmalethanoffemaleoldageand,indeed,asilverbeardbristledherchin. Ideliveredmybasketandmymessage. “Isthatall?”shedemanded. “Itisall,”saidI. “Truly,itwaswellworthwhile,”sheanswered.“ReturntoMadameBeck,andtellherIcanbuyfruitwhenIwantit,etquantàsesfélicitations,jem’enmoque!”Andthiscourteousdameturnedherback. Justassheturned,apealofthunderbroke,andaflashoflightningblazedbroadoversalonandboudoir.Thetaleofmagicseemedtoproceedwithdueaccompanimentoftheelements.Thewanderer,decoyedintotheenchantedcastle,heardrising,outside,thespell-wakenedtempest. What,inallthis,wasItothinkofMadameBeck?Sheownedstrangeacquaintancesheofferedmessagesandgiftsatanuniqueshrine,andinauspiciousseemedthebearingoftheuncouththingsheworshipped.TherewentthatsullenSidonia,totteringandtremblinglikepalsyincarnate,tappingherivorystaffonthemosaicparquet,andmutteringvenomouslyasshevanished. Downwashedtherain,deeploweredthewelkintheclouds,ruddyawhileago,hadnow,throughalltheirblackness,turneddeadlypale,asifinterror.Notwithstandingmylateboastaboutnotfearingashower,Ihardlylikedtogooutunderthiswaterspout.Thenthegleamsoflightningwereveryfierce,thethundercrashedverynear