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up and caught the girl by either arm。 With an oath Leo
sprang upon the nearest； and hurled him to the ground；
and then stood over him with his face set； and his
fist ready。
Again Ayesha laughed。 〃It was well thrown； my guest；
thou hast a strong arm for one who so late was sick。
But now out of thy courtesy I pray thee let that man
live and do my bidding。 He shall not harm the girl；
the night air grows chill； and I would welcome her in
mine own place。 Surely she whom thou dost favor shall
be favored of me also。〃
I took Leo by the arm； and pulled him from the
prostrate mute； and he； half bewildered； obeyed the
pressure。 Then we all set out for the cave across the
plateau； where a pile of white human ashes was all
that remained of the fire that had lit the dancing；
for the dancers had vanished。
In due course we gained Ayesha's boudoirall too soon
it seemed to me； having a sad presage of what was to
come lying heavy on my heart。
Ayesha seated herself upon her cushions； and； having
dismissed Job and Billali； by signs bade the mutes
tend the lamps and retire。 all save one girl； who was
her favorite personal attendant。 We three remained
standing； the unfortunate Ustane a little to the left
of the rest of us。
〃Now； O Holly；〃 Ayesha began； 〃how came it that thou；
who didst hear my words bidding this evil…doer〃and
she pointed to Ustane〃to go from hence…thou at whose
prayer I did weakly spare her life…how came it； I say；
that thou wast a sharer in what I saw to…night？
Answer； and for thine own sake； I say； speak all the
truth； for I am not minded to hear lies upon this
matter！〃
〃It was by accident； O queen；〃 I answered。 〃I knew
naught of it。〃
〃I do believe thee； O Holly；〃 she answered； coolly；
〃and well it is for thee that I dothen does the
whole guilt rest upon her。〃
〃I do not find any guilt therein；〃 broke in Leo。 〃She
is not another man's wife； and it appears that she has
married me according to the custom of this awful
place； so who is the worse？ Any way； madam；〃 he went
on； 〃whatever she has done I have done too； so if she
is to be punished let me be punished also； and I tell
thee；〃 he went on； working himself up into a fury；
〃that if thou biddest one of those deaf…and…dumb
villains to touch her again； I will tear him to
pieces！〃 And he looked as though he meant it。
Ayesha listened in icy silence； and made no remark。
When he had finished； however； she addressed Ustane。
〃Hast thou aught to say； woman？ Thou silly straw； thou
feather； who didst think to float towards thy
passion's petty ends； even against the great wind of
my will！ Tell me； for I fain would understand。 Why
didst thou this thing？〃
And then I think I saw the most tremendous exhibition
of moral courage and intrepidity that it is possible
to conceive。 For the poor； doomed girl； knowing what
she had to expect at the hands of her terrible queen；
knowing； too； from bitter experience how great was her
adversary's power； yet gathered herself together； and
out of the very depths of her despair drew materials
to defy her。
〃I did it； O _i_ She _i_ ；〃 she answered； drawing
herself up to the full of her stately height； and
throwing back the leopard skin from her head； 〃because
my love is stronger than the grave。 I did it because
my life without this man whom my heart chose would be
but a living death。 Therefore did I risk my life； and
now that I know that it is forfeit to thine anger； yet
am I glad that I did risk it； and pay it away in the
risking； ay； because he embraced me once； and told me
that he loved me yet。〃
Here Ayesha half rose from her couch； and then sank
down again。
〃I have no magic；〃 went on Ustane； her rich voice
ringing strong and full； 〃and I am not a queen； nor do
I live forever； but a woman's heart is heavy to sink
through waters； however deep； O queen！ and a woman's
eyes are quick to see； even through thy veil； O queen！
〃Listen： I know it； thou dost love this man thyself；
and therefore wouldst thou destroy me who stand across
thy path。 Ay； I dieI die； and go into the darkness；
nor know I whither I go。 But this I know。 There is a
light shining in my breast； and by that light； as by a
lamp； I see the truth； and the future that I shall not
share unroll itself before me like a scroll。 When
first I knew my lord；〃 and she pointed to Leo； 〃I knew
also that death would be the bridal gift he gave me
it rushed upon me of a sudden； but I turned not back；
being ready to pay the price； and； behold； death is
here！ And now； even as I knew that； so do I； standing
on the steps of doom； know that thou shalt not reap
the profits of thy crime。 Mine he is； and； though thy
beauty shine like a sun among the stars； mine shall he
remain for thee。 Never here in this life shall he look
thee in the eyes and call thee spouse。 Thou too art
doomed； I see〃 and her voice rang like the cry of an
inspired prophetess； 〃ah； I see〃
Then came an answering cry of mingled rage and terror。
I turned my head。 Ayesha had risen； and was standing
with her outstretched hand pointing at Ustane； who had
suddenly stopped speaking。 I gazed at the poor woman；
and as I gazed there came upon her face that same
woeful； fixed expression of terror that I had seen
once before when she had broken out into her wild
chant。 Her eyes grew large； her nostrils dilated； and
her lips blanched。
Ayesha said nothing； she made no sound she only drew
herself up； stretched out her arm； and； her tall；
veiled frame quivering like an aspen leaf； appeared to
look fixedly at her victim。 Even as she did so Ustane
put her hands to her head； uttered one piercing
scream； turned round twice； and then fell backward
with a thudprone upon the floor。 Both Leo and myself
rushed to hershe was stone deadblasted into death
by some mysterious electric agency or overwhelming
will…force whereof the dread _i_ She _i_ had command。
For a moment Leo did not quite realize what had
happened。 But when he did his face was awful to see。
With a savage oath he rose from beside the corpse and；
turning； literally sprang at Ayesha。 But she was
watching； and； seeing him come； stretched out her hand
again； and he went staggering back towards me； and
would have fallen； had I not caught him。 Afterwards he
told me that he felt as though he had suddenly
received a violent blow in the chest； and； what is
more； utterly cowed； as if all the manhood had been
taken out of him。
Then Ayesha spoke。 〃Forgive me； my guest；〃 she said；
softly； addressing him； 〃if I have shocked thee with
my justice。〃
〃Forgive thee； thou fiend！〃 roared poor Leo； wringing
his hands in his rage and grief。 〃Forgive thee； thou
murderess！ By Heaven I will kill thee if I can！ '
〃Nay； nay；〃 she answered； in the same soft voice；
〃thou dost not understandthe time has come for thee
to learn。 Thou art my love； my Kallikrates； my
Beautiful； my Strong！ For two thousand years；
Kallikrates； have I waited for thee； and now at length
thou hast come back to me； and as for this woman；〃
pointing to the corpse； 〃she stood between me and
thee； and therefore have I removed her； Kallikrates。〃
〃It is an accursed lie！〃 said Leo。 〃My name is not
Kallikrates！ I am Leo Vincey； my ancestor was
Kallikratesat least； I believe he was。〃
〃Ah； thou sayest itthine ancestor was Kallikrates；
and thou； even thou； art Kallikrates reborn； come
backand mine own dear lord！〃
〃I am not Kallikrates； and as for being thy lord； or
having aught to do with thee； I had sooner be the lord
of a fiend from hell； for she would be better than
thou。〃
〃Sayest thou sosayest thou so； Kallikrates？ Nay； but
thou hast not seen me for so long a time that no
memory remains。 Yet I am very fair； Kallikrates！〃
〃I hate thee； murderess； and I have no wish to see
thee。 What is it to me how fair thou art？ I hate thee；
I say。〃
〃Yet within a very little space shalt thou creep to my
knee； and swear that thou dost love me；〃 answered
Ayesha； with a sweet； mocking laugh。 〃Come； there is
no time like the present time； here； before this dead
girl who loved thee； let us put it to the proof。
〃Look now on me； Kallikrates！〃 and with a sudden
motion she shook her gauzy covering from her； and
stood forth in her low kirtle and her snaky zone； in
her glorious； radiant beauty and her imperial grace；
rising from her wrappings； as it were； like Venus from
the wave； or Galatea from her marble； or a beatified
spirit from the tomb； _i_ She _i_ stood forth； and
fixed her deep and glowing eyes upon Leo's eyes； and I
saw his clenched fists unclasp； and his set and
quivering features relax beneath her gaze。 I saw his
wonder and astonishment grow into admiration； and then
into fascination； and the more he struggled the more I
saw the power of her dread beauty fasten on him and
take possession of his senses； drugging them； and
drawing the hear out of him。 Did I not know the
process？ Had not I； who was twice his age； gone
through it myself？ Was I not going through it afresh
even then； although her sweet and passionate gaze was
not