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to noweh？〃
〃I am sure I wish I knew； Mr。 Leo；〃 said Job； edging
suspiciously past Ayesha； whom he still regarded with
the utmost disgust and horror； being by no means sure
that she was not an animated corpse； 〃but you mustn't
talk； Mr。 Leo； you've been very ill； and given us a
great deal of hanxiety； and； if this lady；〃 looking at
Ayesha； 〃would be so kind as to move； I'll bring you
your soup。〃
This turned Leo's attention to the 〃lady；〃 who was
standing by in perfect silence。 〃Hullo！〃 he said；
〃that is not Ustanewhere is Ustane？〃
Then； for the first time； Ayesha spoke to him； and her
first words were a lie。 〃She has gone from hence upon
a visit；〃 she said； 〃and； behold； in her place am I
here as thine handmaid。〃
Ayesha's silver notes seemed to puzzle Leo's half…
awakened intellect； as also I did her corpselike
wrappings。 However； he said nothing at the time； but
drank off his soup greedily enough； and then turned
over and slept again till the evening。 When he woke
for the second time he saw me； and began to question
me as to what had happened； but I had to put him off
as best I could till the morrow； when he awoke almost
miraculously better。 Then I told him something of his
illness and of my doings； but as Ayesha was present I
could not tell him much except that she was the queen
of the country； and well disposed towards us； and that
it was her pleasure to go veiled； for； though of
course I spoke in English； I was afraid that she might
understand what we were saying from the expression of
our faces； and； besides； I remembered her warning。
On the following day Leo got up almost entirely
recovered。 The flesh wound in his side was healed； and
his constitution； naturally a vigorous one； had shaken
off the exhaustion consequent on his terrible fever
with a rapidity that I can only attribute to the
effects of the wonderful drug which Ayesha had given
to him； and also to the fact that his illness had been
too short to reduce him very much。 With his returning
health came back full recollection of all his
adventures up to the time when he had lost
consciousness in the marsh； and of course of Ustane
also； to whom I had discovered he had grown
considerably attached。 Indeed； he overwhelmed me with
questions about the poor girl； which I did not dare to
answer； for after Leo's first wakening _i_ She _i_ had
sent for me； and again warned me solemnly that I was
to reveal nothing of the story to him； delicately
hinting that if I did it would be the worse for me。
_i_ She _i_ also； for the second time； cautioned me
not to tell Leo anything more than I was obliged about
herself； saying that she would reveal herself to him
in her own time。
Indeed； her whole manner changed。 After all that I had
seen I had expected that she would take the earliest
opportunity of claiming the man she believed to be her
old…world lover； but this； for some reason of her own；
which was at the time quite inscrutable to me； she did
not do。 All that she did was to attend to his wants
quietly； and with a humility which was in striking
contrast with her former imperious bearing； addressing
him always in a tone of something very like respect；
and keeping him with her as much as possible。 Of
course his curiosity was as much excited about this
mysterious woman as my own had been； and he was
particularly anxious to see her face； which I had；
without entering into particulars； told him was as
lovely as her form and voice。 This in itself was
enough to raise the expectations of any young man to a
dangerous pitch； and had it not been that he had not
as yet completely shaken off the effects of illness；
and was much troubled in his mind about Ustane； of
whose affection and brave devotion he spoke in
touching terms； I have no doubt that he would have
entered into her plans； and fallen in love with her by
anticipation。 As it was； however； he was simply wildly
curious； and also； like myself； considerably awed； for
though no hint had been given to him by Ayesha of her
extraordinary age； he not unnaturally came to identify
her with the woman spoken of on the potsherd。 At last；
quite driven into a corner by his continual questions；
which he showered on me while he was dressing on this
third morning； I referred him to Ayesha； saying； with
perfect truth； that I did not know where Ustane was。
Accordingly； after Leo had eaten a hearty breakfast；
we adjourned into _i_ She _i_ 's presence； for her
mutes had orders to admit us at all hours。
_i_ She _i_ was； as usual； seated in what； for want
of a better term； we called her boudoir； and on the
curtains being drawn she rose from her couch and；
stretching out both hands； came forward to greet us；
or rather Leo； for I； as may be imagined； was now
quite left in the cold。 It was a pretty sight to see
her veiled form gliding towards the sturdy young
Englishman； dressed in his gray…flannel suit； for
though he is half a Greek in blood； Leo is； with the
exception of his hair； one of the most English…looking
men I ever saw。 He has nothing of the supple form or
slippery manner of the modern Greek about him； though
I presume that he got his remarkable personal beauty
from his foreign mother； whose portrait he resembles
not a little。 He is very tall and big…chested； and yet
not awkward； as so many big men are； and his head is
set upon him in such a fashion as to give him a proud
and vigorous air； which was well translated in his
Amahagger name of the 〃Lion。〃
〃Greeting to thee； my young stranger lord；〃 she said；
in her softest voice。 〃Right glad am I to see thee
upon thy feet。 Believe me； had I not saved thee at the
last； never wouldst thou have stood upon those feet
again。 But the danger is done； and it shall be my
care〃and she flung a world of meaning into the
words〃that it doth return no more。〃
Leo bowed to her； and then； in his best Arabic；
thanked her for all her kindness and courtesy in
caring for one unknown to her。
〃Nay；〃 she answered； softly； 〃ill could the world
spare such a man。 Beauty is too rare upon it。 Give me
no thanks； who am made happy by thy coming。〃
〃Humph！ old fellow；〃 said Leo aside to me； in English；
〃the lady is very civil。 We seem to have tumbled into
clover。 I hope that you have made the most of your
opportunities。 By Jove！ what a pair of arms she has
got！〃
I nudged him in the ribs to make him keep quiet； for I
caught sight of a gleam from Ayesha's veiled eyes；
which were regarding me curiously。
〃I trust；〃 went on Ayesha； 〃that my servants have
attended well upon thee； if there can be comfort in
this poor place； be sure it waits on thee。 Is there
aught that I can do for thee more？〃
〃Yes； O _i_ She _i_ ；〃 answered Leo； hastily。 〃I would
fain know whither the young lady who was looking after
me has gone to。〃
〃Ah；〃 said Ayesha： 〃the girl…yes； I saw her。 Nay； I
know not； she said that she would go； I know not
whither。 Perchance she will return； perchance not。 It
is wearisome waiting on the sick； and these savage
women are fickle。〃
Leo looked both sulky and distressed at this
intelligence。
〃It's very odd；〃 he said to me； in English； and then
addressing _i_ She _i_ ； 〃I cannot understand；〃 he
said； 〃the young lady and Iwell； in short； we had a
regard for each other。〃
Ayesha laughed a little very musically； and then
turned the subject。
CHAPTER XIX
〃GIVE ME A BLACK GOAT！〃
THE； conversation after this was of such a desultory
order that I do not quite recollect it。 For some
reason； perhaps from a desire to keep her identity and
character in reserve； Ayesha did not talk freely； as
she usually did。 Presently； however； she informed Leo
that she had arranged a dance that night for our
amusement。 I was astonished to hear this； as： I
fancied that the Amahagger were much too gloomy a folk
to indulge in any such frivolity； but； as will
presently more clearly appear； it turned out an
Amahagger dance has little in common with such
fantastic festivities in other countries； savage or
civilized。 Then； as we were about to withdraw； she
suggested that Leo might like to see some of the
wonders of the caves； and； as he gladly assented；
thither we departed； accompanied by Job and Billali。
To describe our visit would only be to repeat a great
deal of what I have already said。 The tombs we entered
were indeed。 different； for the whole rock was a
honeycomb of sepulchres； but the contents were nearly
always similar。 Afterwards we visited the pyramid of
bones that had haunted my dreams on the previous
night； and from thence went down a long passage to one
of the great vaults occupied by the bodies of the
poorer citizens of Imperial Ko^r。 These bodies were
not nearly so well preserved as were those of the
wealthier classes。 Many of them had no linen covering
on them； also they were buried from five hundred to
one thousand in a single large vault； the corpses in
some instances being thickly piled one upon another；
like a heap of slain。
Leo was of course intensely interested in this
stupendous and unequalle