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with the rest of humanity。
As we were returning Billali met us； and informed us
that it was _i_ She _i_ 's pleasure that we should
wait upon her； and accordingly we entered her
presence； not without trepidation； for Ayesha was
certainly an exception to the rule。 Familiarity with
her might and did breed passion and wonder and horror；
but it certainly did not breed contempt。
We were as usual shown in by the mutes； and after
these had retired Ayesha unveiled； and once more bade
Leo embrace her； which； notwithstanding his heart…
searchings of the previous night； he did with more
alacrity and fervor than strict courtesy required。
_i_ She _i_ laid her white hand on his head； and
looked him fondly in the eyes。 〃Dost thou wonder； my
Kallikrates；〃 she said； 〃when thou shalt call me all
thine own； and when we shall of a truth be for one
another and to one another？ I will tell thee。 First；
must thou be even as I am； not immortal indeed； for
that I am not； but so cased and hardened against the
attacks of Time that his arrows shall glance from the
armor of thy vigorous life as the sunbeams glance from
water。 As yet I may not mate with thee； for thou and I
are different； and the very brightness of my being
would burn thee up； and perchance destroy thee。 Thou
couldst not even endure to look upon me for too long a
time lest thine eyes should ache； and thy senses swim；
and therefore （with a little coquettish nod） shall I
presently veil myself again。〃 （This； by the way； she
did not do。） 〃No： listen； thou shalt not be tried
beyond endurance； for this very evening； an hour
before the sun goes down； shall we start hence； and by
to…morrow's dark； if all goes well； and the road is
not lost to me； which I pray it may not be； shall we
stand in the Place of Life； and thou shalt bathe in
the fire； and come forth glorified； as no man ever was
before thee； and then； Kallikrates； shalt thou call me
wife； and I will call thee husband。〃
Leo muttered something in answer to this astonishing
statement； I do not know what； and she laughed a
little at his confusion； and went on。
〃And thou； too； O Holly； on thee also will I confer
this boon； and then of a truth shalt thou be an
evergreen tree； and this will I dowell； because thou
hast pleased me； Holly； for thou art not altogether a
fool； like most of the sons of men； and because；
though thou hast a school of philosophy as full of
nonsense as those of the old days； yet hast thou not
forgotten how to turn a pretty phrase about a lady's
eyes。〃
〃Hullo； old fellow！〃 whispered Leo； with a return of
his old cheerfulness； 〃have you been paying
compliments？ I should never have thought it of you！〃
〃I thank thee； O Ayesha；〃 I replied； with as much
dignity as I could command； 〃but if there be such a
place as thou dost describe； and if in this strange
place there may be found a fiery virtue that can hold
off Death when he comes to pluck us by the hand； yet
would I none of it。 For me； O Ayesha； the world has
not proved so soft a nest that I would lie in it
forever。 A stony…hearted mother is our earth； and
stones are the bread she gives her children for their
daily food。 Stones to eat and bitter water for their
thirst； and stripes for tender nurture。 Who would
endure this for many lives？ Who would so load up his
back with memories of lost hours and loves； and of his
neighbor's sorrows that he cannot lessen； and wisdom
that brings not consolation？ Hard is it to die；
because our delicate flesh doth shrink back from the
worm it will not feel； and from that unknown which the
winding…sheet doth curtain from our view。 But harder
still； to my fancy； would it be to live on； green in
the leaf and fair； but dead and rotten at the core；
and feel that other secret worm of recollection
gnawing ever at the heart。〃
〃Bethink thee； Holly；〃 she said； 〃yet doth long life
and strength and beauty beyond measure mean power and
all things that are dear to man。〃
〃And what O queen；〃 I answered； 〃are those things that
are dear to man？ Are they not bubbles？ Is not ambition
but an endless ladder by which no height is ever
climbed till the last unreachable rung is mounted？ For
height leads on to height； and there is no resting…
place upon them； and rung doth grow upon rung； and
there is no limit to the number。 Doth not wealth
satiate and become nauseous； and no longer serve to
satisfy or pleasure； or to buy an hour's ease of mind？
And is there any end to wisdom that we may hope to
reach it？ Rather； the more we learn shall we not
thereby be able only to better compass out our
ignorance？ Did we live ten thousand years could we
hope to solve the secrets of the suns； and of the
space beyond the suns； and of the Hand that hung them
in the heavens？ Would not our wisdom be but as a
gnawing hunger calling our consciousness day by day to
a knowledge。 of the empty craving of our souls？ Would
it not be but as a light in one of these great
caverns； that though bright it burn； and brighter yet；
doth but the more serve to show the depths of the
gloom around it？ And what good thing is there beyond
that we may gain by length of days？〃
〃Nay； my Holly； there is lovelove which makes all
things beautiful； and doth breathe divinity into the
very dust we tread。 With love shall life roll
gloriously on from year to year； like the voice of
some great music that hath power to hold the hearer's
heart poised on eagle's wings above the sordid shame
and folly of the earth。〃
〃It may be so；〃 I answered； 〃but if the loved one
prove a broken reed to pierce us； or if the love be
loved in vainwhat then？ Shall a man grave his
sorrows upon a stone when he hath but need to write
them on the water？ Nay； O _i_ She _i_ ； I will live my
day and grow old with my generation； and die my
appointed death； and be forgotten。 For I do hope for
an immortality to which the little span that perchance
thou canst confer will be but as a finger's length
laid against the measure of the great world； and； mark
this！ the immortality to which I look； and which my
faith doth promise to me； shall be free from the bonds
that here must tie my spirit down。 For； while the
flesh endures； sorrow and evil and the scorpion whips
of sin must endure also； but when the flesh hath
fallen from us； then shall the spirit shine forth clad
in the brightness of eternal good； and for its common
air shall breathe so rare an ether of most noble
thoughts that the highest aspiration of our manhood；
or the purest incense of a maiden's prayer； would
prove too earthly gross to float therein。〃
〃Thou lookest high；〃 answered Ayesha； with a little
laugh； 〃and speakest clearly as a trumpet and with no
uncertain sound。 And yet methinks that but now didst
thou talk of that Unknown from which the winding…sheet
doth curtain us。 But perchance thou seest with the
eye； of Faith； gazing on this brightness that is to
be； through the painted glass of thy imagination。
Strange are the pictures of the future that mankind
can thus draw with this brush of faith and this many…
colored pigment of imagination！ Strange； too； that no
one of them doth agree with another！ I could tell
theebut there； what is the use？ why rob a fool of
his bauble？ Let it pass； and I pray； O Holly； that
when thou dost feel old age creeping slowly towards
thyself； and the confusion of senility making havoc in
thy brain； thou mayest not bitterly regret that thou
didst cast away the imperial boon I would have given
to thee。 But so it hath ever been； man can never be
content with that which his hand can pluck。 If a lamp
be in his reach to light him through the darkness； he
must needs cast it down because it is no star。
Happiness danceth ever a pace before him； like the
marsh…fires in the swamps； and he must catch the fire；
and he must hold the star！ Beauty is naught to him；
because there are lips more honey…sweet； and wealth is
naught； because others can weigh him down with heavier
shekels； and fame is naught； because there have been
greater men than he。 Thyself thou saidst it； and I
turn thy words against thee。 Well； thou dreamest that
thou shalt pluck the star。 I believe it not； and I
think thee a fool； my Holly； to throw away the lamp。〃
I made no answer； for I could notespecially before
Leotell her that since I had seen her face I knew
that it would always be before my eyes； and that I had
no wish to prolong an existence which must always be
haunted and tortured by her memory； and by the last
bitterness of unsatisfied love。 But so it was； and so；
alas； is it to this hour！
〃And now；〃 went on _i_ She _i_ ； changing her tone and
the subject together； 〃tell me； my Kallikrates； for as
yet I know it not； how came ye to seek me here？
Yesternight thou didst say that Kallikrateshim whom
thou sawestwas thine ancestor。 How was it？ Tell me
thou dost not speak overmuch！〃
Thus adjured； Leo told her the wonderful story of the
casket and of the potsherd that； written on by his
ancestress； the Egyptian Amenartas； had been the means
of guiding us to her。 Ayesha li