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thee； Kallikrates。 And now one thing before the final
moment of thy trial。 We go down into the presence of
Death； for Life and Death are very near together； and…
…who knoweth？that might happen which should separate
us for another space of waiting。 I am but a woman； and
no prophetess； and I cannot read the future。 But this
I knowfor I learned it from the lips of the wise man
Nootthat my life is but prolonged and made more
bright。 I cannot live for aye。 Therefore； before we
go； tell me； O Kallikrates； that of a truth thou
dost forgive me； and dost love me from thy heart。 See；
Kallikrates： much evil have I doneperchance it was
evil but two nights gone to strike that girl who loved
thee cold in deathbut she disobeyed me and angered
me； prophesying misfortune to me； and I smote。 Be
careful when power comes to thee also； lest thou too
shouldst smite in thine anger or thy jealousy； for
unconquerable strength is a sore weapon in the hands
of erring man。 Yea； I have sinnedout of the
bitterness born of a great love have I sinnedbut yet
do I know the good from the evil； nor is my heart
altogether hardened。 Thy love； O Kallikrates； shall be
the gate of my redemption； even as aforetime my
passion was the path down which I ran to evil。 For
deep love unsatisfied is the hell of noble hearts and
a portion for the accursed； but love that is mirrored
back more perfect from the soul of our desired doth
fashion wings to lift us above ourselves； and make us
what we might be。 Therefore； Kallikrates； take me by
the hand； and lift my veil with no more fear than
though I were some peasant girl； and not the wisest
and most beauteous woman in this wide world； and look
me in the eyes； and tell me that thou dost forgive me
with all thine heart； and that with all thine heart
thou dost worship me。〃
_i_ She _i_ paused； and the strange tenderness in her
voice seemed to hover round us like a memory。 I know
that the sound of it moved me more even than her
words； it was so very humanso very womanly。 Leo；
too； was strangely touched。 Hitherto he had been
fascinated against his better judgment； something as a
bird is fascinated by a snake； but now I think that
all this passed away； and he realized that he really
loved this strange and glorious creature； as； alas！ I
loved her also。 At any rate； I saw his eyes fill with
tears； and he stepped swiftly to her and undid the
gauzy veil； and then took her by the hand； and； gazing
into her deep eyes； said aloud；
〃Ayesha； I love thee with all my heart； and so far as
forgiveness is possible I forgive thee the death of
Ustane。 For the rest； it is between thee and thy
Maker； I know naught of it。 I only know that I love
thee as I never loved before； and that I will cleave
to thee to the end。〃
〃Now；〃 answered Ayesha； with proud humility〃now when
my lord doth speak thus royally and give with so free
a hand； it cannot become me to lag behind in words；
and be beggared of my generosity。 Behold！〃 and she
took his hand and placed it upon her shapely head； and
then bent herself slowly down till one knee for an
instant touched the ground〃Behold！ in token of
submission do I bow me to my lord！ Behold！〃 and she
kissed him on the lips； 〃in token of my wifely love do
I kiss my lord。 Behold！〃 and she laid her hand upon
his heart； 〃by the sin I sinned； by my lonely
centuries of waiting wherewith it was wiped out； by
the great love wherewith I love； and by the Spirit
the Eternal Thing that doth beget all life； from whom
it ebbs； to whom it doth return againI swear：
〃I swear； even in this first most holy hour of
completed womanhood； that I will abandon Evil and
cherish Good。 I swear that I will be ever guided by
thy voice in the straightest path of Duty。 I swear
that I will eschew Ambition； and through all my length
of endless days set Wisdom over me as a guiding star
to lead me unto Truth and a knowledge of the Right。 I
swear also that I will honor and will cherish thee；
Kallikrates； who hast been swept by the wave of time
back into my arms； ay； till the very end； come it soon
or late。 I swearnay； I will swear no more； for what
are words？ Yet shalt thou learn that Ayesha hath no
false tongue。
〃So I have sworn； and thou； my Holly； art witness to
my oath。 Here； too； are we wed； my husband； with the
gloom for bridal canopywed till the end of all
things； here do we write our marriage vows upon the
rushing winds which shall bear them up to heaven； and
round and continually round this rolling world。
〃And for a bridal gift I crown thee with my beauty's
starry crown； and enduring life； and wisdom without
measure； and wealth that none can count。 Behold！ the
great ones of the earth shall creep about thy feet；
and their fair women shall cover up their eyes because
of the shining glory of thy countenance； and their
wise ones shall be abased before thee。 Thou shalt read
the hearts of men as an open writing； and hither and
thither shalt thou lead them as thy pleasure listeth。
Like that old Sphinx of Egypt shalt thou sit aloft
from age to age； and ever shall they cry to thee to
solve the riddle of thy greatness that doth not pass
away； and ever shalt thou mock them with thy silence！
〃Behold！ once more I kiss thee； and by that kiss I
give to thee dominion over sea and earth； over the
peasant in his hovel； over the monarch in his palace
halls； and cities crowned with towers； and those who
breathe therein。 Whate'er the sun shakes out his
spears； and the lonesome waters mirror up the moon；
whate'er storms roll； and heaven's painted bows arch
in the skyfrom the pure North clad in snows； across
the middle spaces of the world； to where the amorous
South； lying like a bride upon her blue couch of seas；
breathes in sighs made sweet with the odor of myrtles…
…there shall thy power pass and thy dominion find a
home。 Nor sickness； nor icy…fingered fear； nor sorrow；
and pale waste of form and mind hovering ever o'er
humanity； shall so much as shadow thee with the shadow
of their wings。 As a god shalt thou be； holding good
and evil in the hollow of thy hand； and I； even I； I
humble myself before thee。 Such is the power of Love；
and such is the bridal gift I give unto thee；
Kallikrates； beloved of Ra； my Lord and Lord of All。
〃And now it is done； and； come storm； come shine； come
good； come evil； come life； come death； it never；
never can be undone。 For； of a truth； that which is；
is； and being done； is done for aye； and cannot be
altered。 I have saidLet us hence； that all things
may be accomplished in their order；〃 and； taking one
of the lamps； she advanced towards the end of the
chamber that was roofed in by the swaying stone； where
she halted。
We followed her； and perceived that in the wall of the
cone there was a stair； or； to be more accurate； that
some projecting knobs of rock had been so shaped as to
form a good imitation of a stair。 Down this Ayesha
began to climb； springing from step to step； like a
chamois； and after her we followed with less grace。
When we had descended some fifteen or sixteen steps we
found that they ended in a tremendous rocky slope；
running first outward and then inwardlike the slope
of an inverted cone； or tunnel。 The slope was very
steep； and often precipitous； but it was nowhere
impassable； and by the light of the lamps we went down
it with no great difficulty； though it was gloomy work
enough travelling on thus； no one of us knew whither；
into the dead heart of a volcano。 As we went； however；
I took the precaution of noting our route as well as I
could； and this was not difficult； owing to the
extraordinary and most fantastic shape of the rocks
that were strewn about； many of which； in that dim
light； looked more like the grim faces carven upon
mediaeval gargoyles than ordinary boulders。
For a long period we travelled on thus； half an hour I
should say； till； after we had descended for many
hundreds of feet； I perceived that we were reaching
the point of the inverted cone。 In another minute we
were there； and found that at the very apex of the
funnel was a passage； so low and narrow that we had to
stoop as we crept along it in Indian file。 After some
fifty yards of this creeping； the passage suddenly
widened into a cave； so huge that we could see neither
the roof nor the sides。 We only knew that it was a
cave by the echo of our tread and the perfect quiet of
the heavy air。 On we went for many minutes in absolute
awed silence； like lost souls in the depths of Hades；
Ayesha's white and ghostlike form flitting in front of
us； till once more the cavern ended in a passage which
opened into a second cavern much smaller than the
first。 Indeed； we could clearly make out the arch and
stony banks of this second cave； and； from their rent
and jagged appearance； discovered that； like the first
long passage down which we had passed through the
cliff before we reached the quivering spur； it had to
all appearance been torn in the bowels of the rock by
the terrific force of some explosive gas。 At length
this cave