interest　you；　but　rather　to　acquaint　you　with　certain　occurrences
  which　I　now　deem　it　wise　you　should　know。　　Time　only　intensified　our
  love　for　each　other；　and　for　several　months　all　went　well。　　One
  serious　obstacle　to　our　union　presented　itself；　…　that　of　caste。
  Her　people；　Lona　said；　would　never　permit　her　to　marry　outside　her
  own　station　in　life；　besides　which　there　was　another　ground　upon
  which　we　might　be　equally　sure　of　their　opposition。　　They　had　already
  chosen　for　her　and　she　was　betrothed　to　Rama　Ragobah。　　It　is　of　this
  man　that　I　have　chiefly　to　speak。　　By　birth　he　was　of　the　same　Vaisya
  caste　as　Lona。　　Early　in　life　his　lot　had　fallen　among　fakirs　and
  he　had　acquired　all　their　secrets。　　This　did　not　satisfy　his
  ambitions；　for　he　wished　to　be　numbered　among　the　rishis　or　adepts；
  and　subjected　himself　to　the　most　horrible　asceticism　to　qualify
  himself　for　adeptship。　　His　indifference　to　physical　pain　was　truly
  marvellous。　　He　had　rolled　his　naked　body　to　the　Ganges　over
  hundreds　of　miles　of　burning　sands！　　He　had　held　his　hands　clinched
  until　the　nails　had　worn　through　the　palm　and　out　at　the　back　of　the
  hand。　　He　had　at　one　time　maintained　for　weeks　a　slow　fire　upon　the
  top　of　his　head；　keeping　the　skin　burned　to　the　skull。
  When　he　came　wooing　Lona；　his　rigid　asceticism　had　much　relaxed；　but
  he　would　still　seek　to　amuse　her　by　driving　knives　into　his　body
  until　she　would　sicken　at　the　blood；　a　condition　of　affairs　which；
  she　said；　afforded　him　great　enjoyment。　　Ragobah　was　a　man　of
  gigantic　build　and　immense　physical　strength。　　His　features　were
  heavy　and　forbidding。　　You　are　familiar　with　pictures　of　Nana　Sahib。
  If　I　had　not　known　this　fiend　to　have　died　while　beset　in　a　swamp；
  I　should　have　mistaken　Ragobah　for　him。　　It　was　to　such　a　being　that
  Lona　was　betrothed　in　spite　of　the　loathing　her　parents　knew　she
  felt　for　him。　　　She　told　me　all　this　one　night　at　our　accustomed
  tryst　on　Malabar　Hill。　　We　had　chosen　to　meet　here　on　account　of
  the　beauty　of　the　place　and　the　seclusion　it　offered。　　There；　on
  bright　moonlit　nights；　with　the　sea　and　the　city　below　me；　the
  〃Tower　of　Silence〃　in　the　Parsees'　burial　plot　ablaze　with　reflected
  glory；　the　majestic　banyan　over　me　rustling　gently　in　the　soft　sea
  breeze；　while　Lona　nestled　close　beside　me；　…　the　exquisite　perfume
  of　the　luxuriant　garden　less　welcome　than　the　delicious　fragrance
  of　her　breath；　…　hours　fraught　with　years　of　bliss　would　pass　as　if
  but　pulse…beats。　　In　the　world　of　love　the　heart　is　the　only　true
  timepiece。　　On　one　or　two　occasions　Lona　had　thought　she　had　been
  followed　when　coming　to　meet　me；　and　she　began　to　conceive　a　strange
  dislike　for　a　little　cavelike　recess　in　the　rocks　just　back　of　the
  tree　by　which　we　sat。　　I　tried　on　one　occasion　to　reassure　her　by
  telling　her　it　was　so　shallow　that；　with　the　moonlight　streaming
  into　it；　I　could　see　clear　to　the　back　wall；　and　arose　to　enter　it
  to　convince　her　there　was　no　one　there；　but　she　clung　to　me　in
  terror；　saying：　〃Don't　go！　　Don't　leave　me！　　I　was　foolish　to
  mention　it。　　I　cannot　account　for　my　fear；　…　and　yet；　do　you　know；〃
  she　continued　in　a　low；　frightened　tone；　〃there　is　a　shaft　at　the
  back　of　the　cave　that　has；　they　say；　no　bottom；　but　goes　down；
  …　down；　…　down；　　…　hundreds　of　feet　to　the　sea？〃　　It　is　useless；
  as　you　know　only　too　well；　to　strive　to　reason　down　a　presentiment；
  and　so；　instead；　I　sought　to　make　use　of　her　fear　in　the
  accomplishment　of　my　dearest　wish。　　〃Why　need　we；〃　I　urged；　〃come
  here；　why　longer　continue　these　clandestine　meetings？　　Let　us　be
  brave；　darling；　in　our　loves。　　Your　people　have　chosen　another
  husband　for　you；　…　my　people　another　wife　for　me；　but　we　are　both
  quite　able　to　choose　for　ourselves。　　We　have　done　so；　and　it　is
  our　most　sacred　duty　to　adhere　to　and　consummate　that　choice。　　Let
  us；　I　beseech　you；　do　so　without　further　delay。　　Dearest；　meet　me
  here　to…morrow　night　prepared　for　a　journey。　　We　will　take　the
  late　train　for　Matheron　Station；　where　I　have　friends　who　can　be
  trusted。　　We　will　be　married　immediately　upon　our　arrival；　and
  can　communicate　by　post　with　our　respective　families；　remaining
  away　from　them　until　they　are　glad　to　welcome　us　with　open　arms。〃
  She　raised　some　few　objections　to　my　plan　and　expressed　some
  misgivings；　but　she　loved　me　and　I　was　able　to　reason　away　the
  one　and　kiss　away　the　other；　and　with　our　souls　upon　our　lips　we
  parted　for　the　night。　　The　last　thing　I　had　said　to　her；　…　I
  remember　it　as　if　it　all　happened　yesterday；　…　was：　〃Think　of
  it；　dear　heart；　there　will　be　no　more　such　partings　between　us
  after　to…night！〃　and　she　had　replied　by　silently　nestling　closer
  to　me　and　twining　her　arms　about　my　neck。　　And　so　we　parted　on
  that　never…to…be…forgotten　night　more　than　a　score　of　years
  ago。
  The　twenty…four　hours　intervening　between　this　parting　and　our
  next　meeting　may　be　passed　over　in　silence；　as　nothing　occurred
  during　that　time　at　all　essential　to　the　purpose　this　narrative
  subserves。　　The　longed…for　time　came　at　last　and；　with　a　depth　of
  happiness　I　had　never　known　before　…　a　peace　passing　all
  understanding　…　I　set　out　for　Malabar　Hill。　　The　night　was　perfect
  and　the　moonlight　so　bright　I　could　distinctly　see　the　air…roots
  of　our　trysting　tree　when　more　than　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away。　　I
  thought　at　the　time　how　this　tree；　with　its　crown　of　luxuriant
  foliage　and　its　writhing　roots；　might　well　pass　for　some　gigantic
  Medusa…head　with　its　streaming　serpent…hair。　　As　I　neared　the　tree
  Lona　stepped　from　behind　it　and　awaited　my　approach。　　She　was　even
  more　impatient　than　I；　I　thought；　and　my　heart　beat　more　wildly
  than　ever。　　〃Sweet　saint；　have　I　kept　you　waiting？〃　I　asked；　as
  I　came　within　speaking　distance　of　her。　　She　stood　motionless
  against　the　tree　and　apparently　did　not　hear　me。　　I　waited　till　I
  was　within　ten　feet　of　her　and　repeated　the　question；　but；　although
  she　fixed　her　unfathomable　eyes　full　upon　mine；　she　made　no　reply；
  and　gave　no　evidence　of　having　heard　me。　　I　stood　as　if　petrified。
  A　nameless　dread　was　settling　upon　me；　paralysing　my　faculties。
  She　had　always　before　sprung　forward　at　sight　of　me　and　thrown
  herself　with　a　bewitching　little　pirouette　into　my　arms；　now　she
  stood　coldly　aloof；　silent　and　motionless；　on　this；　our　wedding
  night！　　I　waited　for　some　word　of　explanation；　but　none　came。　　The
  suspense　became　unbearable　…　I　could　endure　it　no　longer！
  〃For　God's　sake；　what　has　happened？　　〃I　cried；　rushing　forward　to
  seize　her　in　my　arms。　　She　raised　her　right　hand　above　her　head
  and；　as　I　had　almost　reached　her；　threw　something　full　in　my　face！
  Instinctively　I　struck　at　it　with　my　walking…stick；　and　it　fell
  in　the　grass　at　my　feet；　…　it　was　a　young　Indian　cobra　…　Naja
  tripudians　…　a　serpent　of　the　deadliest　sort。　　I　did　not　pause　to
  reason　how　this　sweet　angel　had　been　so　quickly　changed　into　a
  venomous　fiend；　although　the　thought　that　somehow　she　had　been　led
  to　think　me　false　to　her；　and　that　this　act　was　the　swift　vengeance
  of　her　hot　Eastern　blood；　flashed　momentarily　through　my　mind；　…　all
  that　could　be　explained　as　soon　as　I　had　her　nestling　in　my　arms。
  I　reached　forward　to　embrace　her；　but　she　struck　me　in　the　face　and
  fled！　　For　an　instant　my　heart　stood　still。　　It　seemed　to　me　it
  would　never　start；　but　it　soon　began　to　throb　again　like　a　thing
  of　lead；　and　the　blood　it　pumped　was　cold；　for　the　winter　had
  closed　in　upon　it。　　The　elasticity　of　my　life；　that　ineffable
  resiliency　of　the　soul　which　makes　us　more　than　beasts　of　burden；
  was　gone　forever。　　An　automaton；　informed　only　with　the　material
  life；　remained；　…　the　spirit　followed　that　fleeting　figure　down
  the　hill。　　More　than　twenty　years　have　passed　and　still　the
  unrewarded　chase　continues！
  But　it　is　to　facts　I　have　to　call　your　attention；　rather　than　to
  their　effects。　　A　flutter　of　white　muslin　in　the　moonlit　distance
  was　all　that　was　visible　of　the　retreating　girl　when　I　started
  mechanically；　and　without　any　particular　purpose　in　view；　in　pursuit
  of　her。　　My　path　lay　by　the　banyan　tree　under　which　we　had　so　often
  sat；　but　every　air…root　seemed　changed　to　a　writhing　serpent。　　As　I
  threaded　my　way　among　them；　a　man　stepped　from　behind　the　trunk
  and　disputed　my　passage。　　His　gigantic　form　was　silhouetted　against
  the　mass　of　rock　forming　the　entrance　to　the　little　cave。　　The　bright
  moonlight　did　what　it　could　to　illumine　that　sinister　face。　　It　was
  Rama　Ragobah！　　For　fully　a　minute　we　stood　silently　face　to　face；
  each　expecting　the　assault　of　the　other。　　It　was　Ragobah　who　spoke
  first。　　〃She　is　mine；　body　and　soul；　and　the　English　cur　may　find
  a　mate　in　his　own　kennel！〃　　He　bent　toward　me　and　hissed　these　words
  in　my　very　face。　　His　hot　breath　seemed　to　poison　me。　　It　made　me
  beside　myself。　　I　knew　he　meant　to　take　advantage　of　his　physical
  superiority　and　attack　me；　by　the　narrow　watch　he　kept　upon　the
  heavy　walking…stick　I　still　carried　in　my　right　hand。　　He　had
  expected　I　would　attempt　to　strike　with　this；　but　my　constant
  practice　at　boxing　had　made　my　fists　the　more　natural　weapon。　　I
  was　so　enraged　I　did　not　notice　he　was　too　close　to　use　my　stick　to
  advantage。　　I　simply　acted　without　any　thought　whatever。　　His