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love me； Holly； because he could not save himself
therefrom any more than thou couldst save thyself from
dying； if by chance I slew thee； O Holly。 And yet；
maybe there is truth in what thou dost say； for in
some way it presseth on my mind。 If it may be I will
spare this woman； for have I not told thee that I am
not cruel for the sake of cruelty？ I love not to see
suffering or to cause it。 Let her come before me
quick； now； before my mood changes；〃 and she hastily
covered her face with its gauzy wrapping。
Well pleased to have succeeded even to this extent； I
passed out into the passage and called to Ustane；
whose white garment I caught sight of some yards away；
huddled up against one of the earthenware lamps that
were placed at intervals along the tunnel。 She rose；
and ran towards me。
〃Is my lord dead？ Oh； say not he is dead；〃 she cried；
lifting her noble…looking face； all stained as it was
with tears； up to me with an air of infinite
beseeching that went straight to my heart。
〃Nay； he lives；〃 I answered。 〃 _i_ She _i_ hath saved
him。 Enter。〃
She sighed deeply； entered； and fell upon her hands
and knees； after the custom of the Amahagger people；
in the presence of the dread _i_ She _i_。
〃Stand；〃 said Ayesha； in her coldest voice； 〃and come
hither。〃
Ustane obeyed； standing before her with bowed head。
Then came a pause； which Ayesha broke。
〃Who is this man？〃 she said； pointing to the sleeping
form of Leo。
〃The man is my husband；〃 she answered in a low voice。
〃Who gave him to thee for a husband？〃
〃I took him according to the custom of our country； O
_i_ She _i_ 。〃
〃Thou hast done evil； woman； in taking this man； who
is a stranger。 He is not a man of thine own race； and
the custom fails。 Listen： perchance thou didst this
thing through ignorance； therefore； woman； do I spare
thee； otherwise hadst thou died。 Listen again。 Go from
hence back to thine own place； and never dare to speak
to or set thine eyes upon this man again。 He is not
for thee。 Listen a third time。 If thou breakest this
my law； that moment thou diest。 Go。〃
But Ustane did not move。
〃Go； woman！〃
Then she looked up； and I saw that her face was torn
with passion。
〃Nay； O _i_ She _i_ ； I will not go；〃 she answered； in
a choked voice： 〃the man is my husband； and I love
himI love him； and I will not leave him。 What right
hast thou to command me to leave my husband？〃
I saw a little quiver pass down Ayesha's frame； and
shuddered myself； fearing the worst。
〃Be pitiful；〃 I said in Latin； 〃it is but Nature
working。〃
〃I am pitiful；〃 she answered； coldly； in the same
language； 〃had I not been pitiful she had been dead
even now。〃 Then addressing Ustane： 〃Woman； I say to
thee； go before I destroy thee where thou art！〃
〃I will not go！ He is minemine！〃 she cried； in
anguish。 〃I took him； and I saved his life！ Destroy
me； then； if thou hast the power！ I will not give thee
my husbandnevernever！〃
Ayesha made a movement so swift that I could scarcely
follow it； but it seemed to me that she lightly struck
the poor girl upon the head with her hand。 I looked at
Ustane； and then staggered back in horror； for there
upon her hair； right across her bronze…like tresses；
were three finger…marks white as snow。 As for the girl
herself； she had put her hands to her head； and was
looking dazed。
〃Great heavens！〃 I said； perfectly aghast at this
dreadful manifestation of inhuman power； but _i_ She
_i_ did but laugh a little。
〃Thou thinkest； poor； ignorant fool；〃 she said to the
bewildered woman； 〃that I have not power to slay。
Stay； there lies a mirror；〃 and she pointed to Leo's
round shaving…glass that had been arranged by Job with
other things upon his portmanteau； 〃give it to this
woman； my Holly； and let her see that which lies
across her hair； and whether or not I have power to
slay。〃
I picked up the glass； and held it before Ustane's
eyes。 She gazed； then felt at her hair； then gazed
again； and then sank upon the ground with a sort of
sob。
〃Now； wilt thou go； or must I strike a second time？〃
asked Ayesha； in mockery。 〃Look； I have set my seal
upon thee so that I may know thee till thy hair is all
as white as it。 If I see thy face here again； be sure
too； that thy bones shall soon be whiter than my mark
upon thy hair。〃
Utterly awed and broken down； the poor creature rose
and； marked with that awful mark； crept from the room
sobbing bitterly。
〃Look not so frighted； my Holly；〃 said Ayesha； when
She had gone。 〃I tell thee I deal not in magicthere
is no such thing。 'Tis only a force that thou dost not
understand。 I marked her to strike terror to her
heart； else must I have slain her。 And now I will bid
my servants bear my Lord Kallikrates to a chamber near
mine own； that I may watch over him； and be ready to
greet him when he wakes； and thither； too； shalt thou
come； my Holly； and the white man； thy servant。 But
one thing remember at thy peril。 Naught shalt thou say
to Kallikrates as to how this woman went； and as
little as may be of me。 Now； I have warned thee！〃 and
she slid away to give her orders； leaving me more
absolutely confounded than ever。 Indeed； so bewildered
was I； and racked and torn with such a succession of
various emotions； that I began to think that I must be
going mad。 However； perhaps fortunately； I had but
little time to reflect； for presently the mutes
arrived to carry the sleeping Leo and our possessions
across the central cave； so for a while all was
bustle。 Our new rooms were situated immediately behind
what we used to call Ayesha's boudoirthe curtained
space where I had first seen her。 Where she herself
slept I did not then know； but it was somewhere quite
close。
That night I passed in Leo's room； but he slept
through it like the dead； never once stirring。 I also
slept fairly well； as； indeed； I needed to do； but my
sleep was full of dreams of all the horrors and
wonders I had undergone。 Chiefly； however； I was
haunted by that frightful piece of _i_ diablerie _i_
by which Ayesha left her finger…marks upon her rival's
hair。 There was something so terrible about the swift；
snakelike movement； and the instantaneous blanching of
that threefold line； that； if the results to Ustane
had been much more tremendous； I doubt if they would
have impressed me so deeply。 To this day I often dream
of that awful scene； and see the weeping woman；
bereaved； and marked like Cain； cast a last look at
her lover； and creep from the presence of her dread
queen。
Another dream that troubled me originated in the huge
pyramid of bones。 I dreamed that they all stood up and
marched past me in thousands and tens of thousandsin
squadrons； companies； and armieswith the sunlight
shining through their hollow ribs。 On they rushed
across the plain to Ko^r； their imperial home； I saw
the drawbridges fall before them； and heard their
bones clank through the brazen gates。 On they went； up
the splendid streets； on past fountains； palaces； and
temples such as the eye of man never saw。 But there
was no man to greet them in the market…place； and no
woman's face appeared at the windowsonly a bodiless
voice went before them； calling： 〃Fallen is Imperial
Ko^rfallen！fallen！fallen！〃 On； right through the
city； marched those gleaming phalanxes； and the rattle
of their bony tread echoed through the silent air as
they pressed grimly on。 They passed through the city
and climbed the wall； and marched along the great
roadway that was made upon the wall； till at length
they once more reached the drawbridge。 Then； as the
sun was sinking； they returned again towards their
sepulchre； and luridly his light shone in the sockets
of their empty eyes； throwing gigantic shadows of
their bones； that stretched away； and crept and crept
like huge spider's legs as their armies wound across
the plain。 Then they came to the cave； and once more
one by one flung themselves in unending files through
the hole into the pit of bones； and I awoke；
shuddering； to see _i_ She _i_ ； who had evidently
been standing between my couch and Leo's； glide like a
shadow from the room。
After this I slept again； soundly this time； till
morning； when I awoke much refreshed； and got up。 At
last the hour drew near at which； according to Ayesha；
Leo was to awake； and with it came _i_ She _i_
herself； as usual； veiled。
〃Thou shalt see； O Holly；〃 she said； 〃presently shall
he awake in his right mind； the fever having left
him。〃
Hardly were the words out of her mouth； when Leo
turned round and stretched out his arms； yawned；
opened his eyes； and； perceiving a female form bending
over him； threw his arms round her and kissed her；
mistaking her； perhaps； for Ustane。 At any rate； he
said； in Arabic； 〃Hullo！ Ustane； why have you tied
your head up like that？ Have you got the toothache？〃
and then； in English； 〃I say； I'm awfully hungry。 Why；
Job； you old son…of…a…gun； where the deuce have we got
to noweh？〃
〃I am sure I wish I knew； Mr。 Leo；〃 said Job； edging
suspiciously past Ayesha； whom he