A. Merritt's Fantasy Magazine, February 1950 — page 62: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

62 springing from three corners of the oddly shaped little chamber and meeting in a rosette in the centre of the ceiling. Then I was aware of a bandage that had been fitted around my forehead, and of the sting of the wound under it, and of twenty other burning places where the fire had cut through to my flesh. I was feverish and cold, at the same time. And I was still trembling a good deal. “He lives!” said a woman’s voice. “He was marked for life by the god- dess,” said another. I turned my head and saw a pair of old women close beside the bed. They were huddled up in what looked like Mother Hubbards; they had white neckerchiefs done about their shoulders, little white three-cornered hats on their heads, like pictures I had seen of sixteenth or seven- teenth century village women. I liked their faces, They looked wise and calm as only old women can look. No man ever reads through such a book of ex- perience as a woman comes to know. The print is too fine for man’s grosser eyes. When they saw me turn my head, one of them came up still closer and-asked me how I was. I said that I was well enough, and I wanted to know where the girl could be. At this they both looked dark and shook their heads. They were so exceedingly gloomy about it that I sat up at once and repeated my question. They only shook their heads again. Said the older of the two, “Thou know- est that the will of the goddess must be accomplished. She hath delivered her priestess through the forbidden gate. Surely death must follow.” T had gooseflesh from head to foot when I heard this. ‘“‘But look here,” said I, “you don’t mean that they'll throw her into the crater of the volcano? They wouldn’t do that!” One of the dames smiled a little at my simplicity. ‘‘Truly, if the goddess would have taken her by fire, with her own terri- ble hand she would have seized her and made her her own. But instead, she de- livered her over to the hands of men, and sent her through the forbidden door, and tobbed her wf her senses.”’ “Yes,’’ said the other old woman, “and _ laid her finger upon your forehead, that A. MERRITT’S FANTASY every man might know that you were her messenger. There was never a manifesta- tion of her will more direct than this!” I stared at the pair of them. ‘Exactly what will happen to Sylvia?” said I. “What should happen to her except the headsman’s ax?” said the oldest woman. “Now you are better, taste this cup. It will give you sudden strength and lighten your heart,” With that she held out a goblet of glass of the finest rock crystal. Crystal, I should have said, by the weight of it, and I looked into a rich, dark red liquid that had faint sparklings of light in it. The fragrance of it filled the room; but I was not of a mind to be drinking liquors when there was murder in the air—mur- der planned for Sylvia. I got to my feet, forgetting my burns and other aches and pains. There was no window in this room, and yet a current of cool sweet air blew lightly against my face. I had been lying on a long divan, or couch, and opposite me there was a stately four-poster, draped with rich and tasseled curtains that had the sheen of velvet. They were blue and red, and handsome enough for a king to sleep behind, A very thick carpet covered the floor, and made footfalls silent, and in the center of the room was a table on which lay all of my belongings that had been taken from me when I first arrived in the moun- tain. There was my good old Colt’s, and the long stiletto-like knife, and there were even my sooty, travel worn furs, and my little heap of ammunition. Not many bullets, but enough to count in some pinch, perhaps. I stared at them wonderingly trying to decide how they got there. At the order of the mountain men when I had laid off my things? Probably. Ap- parently little happened on the island that the mountain men were unaware of. I took in these quarters and decided that if they had been assigned for my use, I was being very handsomely treated. However, I wanted to get the frightful thought of a judicial murder out of my mind. I was seeing Sylvia led up to a block, with her hands tied behind her, and a black mask tied across her brave, patient face. I could see her still smiling, as she had smiled when she stepped for-— — + xe oe