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〃Oh； my love； my love！〃 she murmured； 〃wilt thou ever
know how I have loved thee？〃 and she kissed him on the
forehead； and then went and stood in the pathway of
the flame of Life。
There was； I remember； to my mind something very
touching about her words and that embrace upon the
forehead。 It was like a mother's kiss； and seemed to
convey a benediction with it。
On came the crashing； rolling noise； and the sound
thereof was as the sound of a forest being swept flat
by a mighty wind； and then tossed up by it like so
much grass； and thundered down a mountain…side。 Nearer
and nearer it came； now flashes of light； forerunners
of the revolving pillar of flame； were passing like
arrows through the rosy air； and now the edge of the
pillar itself appeared。 Ayesha turned towards it； and
stretched out her arms to greet it。 On it came very
slowly； and lapped her round with flame。 I saw the
fire run up her form。 I saw her lift it with both
hands as though it were water； and pour it over her
head。 I even saw her open her mouth and draw it down
into her lungs； and a dread and wonderful sight it
was。
Then she paused； and stretched out her arms； and stood
there quite still； with a heavenly smile upon her
face； as though she were the very Spirit of the Flame。
The mysterious fire played up and down her dark and
rolling locks； twining and twisting itself through and
around them like threads of golden lace； it gleamed
upon her ivory breast and shoulder； from which the
hair had slipped aside； it slid along her pillared
throat and delicate features； and seemed to find a
home in the glorious eyes that shone and shone； more
brightly even than the spiritual essence。
Oh； how beautiful she looked there in the flame！ No
angel out of heaven could have worn a greater
loveliness。 Even now my heart faints before the
recollection of it； as she stood and smiled at our
awed faces； and I would give half my remaining time
upon this earth to see her once like that again。
But suddenlymore suddenly than I can describea
kind of change came over her face； a change which I
could not define or explain on paper； but none the
less a change。 The smile vanished； and in its place
there came a dry； hard look； the rounded face seemed
to grow pinched； as though some great anxiety were
leaving its impress upon it。 The glorious eyes； too；
lost their light； and； as I thought； the form its
perfect shape and erectness。
I rubbed my eyes； thinking that I was the victim of
some hallucination； or that the refraction from the
intense light produced an optical delusion； and； as I
did so； the flaming pillar slowly twisted and
thundered off whithersoever it passes to in the bowels
of the great earth； leaving Ayesha standing where it
had been。
As soon as it was gone； she stepped forward to Leo's
sideit seemed to me that there was no spring in her
step and stretched out her hand to lay it on his
shoulder。 I gazed at her arm。 Where was its wonderful
roundness and beauty？ It was getting thin and angular。
And her faceby Heaven！ _i_ her face was growing
old before my eyes！ _i_ I suppose that Leo saw it
alsocertainly he recoiled a step or two。
〃What is it； my Kallikrates？〃 she said； and her voice…
…what was the matter with those deep and thrilling
notes？ They were quite high and cracked。
〃Why； what is itwhat is it？〃 she said； confusedly。
〃I feel dazed。 Surely the quality of the fire hath not
altered。 Can the principle of Life alter？ Tell me；
Kallikrates； is there aught wrong with my eyes？ I see
not clear；〃 and she put her hand to her head and
touched her hairand oh； _i_ horror of horrors！ _i_
it all fell upon the floor。
〃Oh； _i_ look！look！look！ _i_ 〃 shrieked Job； in a
shrill falsetto of terror； his eyes nearly dropping
out of his head； and foam upon his lips。 〃 _i_ Look！
look！look！ _i_ she's shrivelling up！ she's turning
into a monkey；〃 and down he fell upon the ground；
foaming and gnashing in a fit。
True enoughI faint even as I write it in the living
presence of that terrible recollectionshe was
shrivelling up； the golden snake that had encircled
her gracious form slipped over her hips and to the
ground； smaller and smaller she grew； her skin changed
color； and in place of the perfect whiteness of its
lustre it turned dirty brown and yellow； like an old
piece of withered parchment。 _i_ She _i_ felt at her
head： the delicate hand was nothing but a claw now； a
human talon like that of a badly preserved Egyptian
mummy； and then she seemed to realize what kind of
change was passing over her； and she shriekedah； she
shrieked！she rolled upon the floor and shrieked！
Smaller she grew； and smaller yet； till she was no
larger than a baboon。 Now the skin was puckered into a
million wrinkles； and on the shapeless face was the
stamp of unutterable age。 I never saw anything like
it； nobody ever saw anything like the frightful age
that was graven on that fearful countenance； no bigger
now than that of a two months' child； though the skull
remained the same size； or nearly so； and let all men
pray to God they never may； if they wish to keep their
reason。
At last she lay still； or only feebly moving。 _i_ She
_i_ ； who but two minutes before had gazed upon us the
loveliest； noblest； most splendid woman the world has
ever seen； she lay still before us； near the masses of
her own dark hair； no larger than a big monkey； and
hideousah； too hideous for words。 And yet； think of
thisat that very moment I thought of itit was the
same woman！
_i_ She _i_ was dying： we saw it； and thanked God
for while she lived she could feel； and what must she
have felt？ _i_ She _i_ raised herself upon her bony
hands； and blindly gazed around her； swaying her head
slowly from side to side； as a tortoise does。 _i_ She
_i_ could not see； for her whitish eyes were covered
with a horny film。 Oh； the horrible pathos of the
sight！ But she could still speak。
〃Kallikrates；〃 she said； in husky； trembling notes。
〃Forget me not； Kallikrates。 Have pity on my shame； I
shall come again； and shall once more be beautiful； I
swear itit is true！ _i_ Ohhh _i_ 〃 and she
fell upon her face； and was still。
On the very spot where more than twenty centuries
before she had slain Kallikrates the priest； she
herself fell down and died。
Overcome with the extremity of horror； we too fell on
the sandy floor of that dread place； and swooned away。
I know not how long we remained thus。 Many hours； I
suppose。 When at last I opened my eyes； the other two
were still outstretched upon the floor。 The rosy light
yet beamed like a celestial dawn； and the thunder…
wheels of the Spirit of Life yet rolled upon their
accustomed track； for as I awoke the great pillar was
passing away。 There； too； lay the hideous little
monkey frame； covered with crinkled yellow parchment；
that once had been the glorious _i_ She _i_ 。 Alas！ it
was no hideous dreamit was an awful and unparalleled
fact！
What had happened to bring this shocking change about？
Had the nature of the life…giving Fire changed！ Did
it； perhaps； from time to time send forth an essence
of Death instead of an essence of Life？ Or was it that
the frame once charged with its marvellous virtue
could bear no more； so that were the process repeated…
…it mattered not at what lapse of timethe two
impregnations neutralized each other； and left the
body on which they acted as it was before it ever came
into contact with the very essence of life？ This； and
this alone； would account for the sudden and terrible
aging of Ayesha； as the whole length of her two
thousand years took effect upon her。 I have not the
slightest doubt myself but that the frame now lying
before me was just what the frame of a woman would be
by any extraordinary means life could preserved in her
till at length she died at the age of two…and…twenty
centuries。
But who can tell what had happened？ There was the
fact。 Often since that awful hour I have reflected
that it requires no great stretch of imagination to
see the finger of Providence in the matter。
Ayesha locked up in her living tomb； waiting from age
to age for the coming of her lover； worked but a small
change in the order of the World。 But Ayesha strong
and happy in her love； clothed in immortal youth and
godlike beauty； and the wisdom of the centuries； would
have revolutionized society； and even perchance have
changed the destiny of mankind。 Thus she opposed
herself against the eternal Law； and； strong though
she was； by it was swept back to nothingnessswept
back with shame and hideous mockery！
For some minutes I lay faintly turning these terrors
over in my mind； while my physical strength came back
to me； which it quickly did in that buoyant
atmosphere。 Then I bethought me of the others； and
staggered to my feet； to see if I could arouse them。
But first I took up Ayesha's kirtle and the gauzy
scarf with which she had been wont to hide her
dazzling loveliness from the eyes of men； and；
averting my head so that I might not look upon it；
covered up that d