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more perchance than any who were before me。 Now； to
thee I doubt not that this thing is a great mystery；
therefore I will not overcome thee with it now。
Another time will I tell thee more if the mood be on
me； though perchance I shall never speak thereof
again。 Dost thou wonder how I knew that ye were coming
to this land； and so saved your heads from the hot
pot？〃
〃Ay； O queen；〃 I answered； feebly。
〃Then gaze upon that water；〃 and she pointed to the
font like vessel； and then； bending forward； held her
hand over it。
I rose and gazed； and instantly the water darkened。
Then it cleared and I saw as distinctly as I ever saw
anything in my lifeI saw； I say； our boat upon that
horrible canal。 There was Leo lying at the bottom
asleep in it； with a coat thrown over him to keep off
the mosquitoes； in such a fashion as to hide his face；
and myself； Job； and Mahomed towing on the bank。
I stared back aghast； and cried out that it was magic；
for I recognized the whole scene； it was one which had
actually occurred；
〃Nay； nay； O Holly；〃 she answered； 〃it is no magic；
that is a fiction of ignorance。 There is no such thing
as magic； though there is such a thing as knowledge of
the secrets of Nature。 That water is my glass； in it I
see what passes if I care to summon up the pictures；
which is not often。 Therein I can show thee what thou
wilt of the past； if it be anything to do with this
country and with what I have known； or anything that
thou； the gazer； hast known。 Think of a face if thou
wilt； and it shall be reflected from thy mind upon the
water。 I know not all the secret yetI can read
nothing in the future。 But it is an old secret； I did
not find it。 In Arabia and in Egypt the sorcerers knew
it centuries ago。 So one day I chanced to bethink me
of that old canalsome twenty centuries ago I sailed
upon it； and I was minded to look thereon again。 And
so I looked； and there I saw the boat and three men
walking； and one； whose face I could not see； but a
youth of a noble form； sleeping in the boat； and so I
sent and saved ye。 And now； farewell。 But stay； tell
me of this youththe Lion； as the old man calls him。
I would look upon him； but he is sick； thou sayest
sick with the fever； and also wounded in the fray。〃
〃He is very sick；〃 I answered； sadly； 〃canst thou do
nothing for him； O queen！ who knowest so much？〃
〃Of a surety I can。 I can cure him； but why speakest
thou so sadly？ Doth thou love the youth？ Is he
perchance thy son？〃
〃He is my adopted son； O queen！ Shall he be brought in
before thee？〃
〃Nay。 How long hath the fever taken him？〃
〃This is the third day。〃
〃Good； then let him lie another day。 Then will he
perchance throw it off by his own strength； and that
is better than that I should cure him； for my medicine
is of a sort to shake the life in its very citadel。
If； however； by tomorrow night； at that hour when the
fever first took him； he doth not begin to mend； then
will I come to him and cure him。 Stay； who nurses
him？〃
〃Our white servant； him whom Billali names the Pig；
also；〃 and here I spoke with some little hesitation；
〃a woman named Ustane； a very handsome woman of this
country； who came and embraced him when first she saw
him； and hath stayed by him ever since； as I
understand is the fashion of thy people； O queen。〃
〃My people！ speak not to me of my people；〃 she
answered； hastily；…〃these slaves are no people of
mine； they are but dogs to do my bidding till the day
of my deliverance comes； and； as for their customs；
naught have I to do with them。 Also； call me not
queenI am sick of flattery and titlescall me
Ayesha； the name hath a sweet sound in mine ears； it
is an echo from the past。 As for this Ustane； I know
not。 I wonder if it be she against whom I was warned；
and whom I in turn did warn？ Hath shestay； I will
see〃； and； bending forward； she passed her hand over
the font of water and gazed intently into it。 〃See；〃
she said； quietly； 〃is that the woman？〃
I looked into the water； and there； mirrored upon its
placid surface； was the silhouette of Ustane's stately
face。 She was bending forward； with a look of infinite
tenderness upon her features； watching something
beneath her； and with her chestnut locks falling on to
her right shoulder。
〃It is she；〃 I said； in a low voice； for once more I
felt much disturbed at this most uncommon sight。 〃She
watches Leo asleep。〃
〃Leo！〃 said Ayesha； in an absent voice； 〃why； that is
'lion'。 in the Latin tongue。 The old man hath named
happily for once。 It is very strange；〃 she went on；
speaking to herself； 〃very。 So likebut it is not
possible！〃 With an impatient gesture she passed her
hand over the water once more。 It darkened； and the
image vanished silently and mysteriously as it had
risen； and once more the lamplight； and the lamplight
only； shone on the placid surface of that limpid；
living mirror。
〃Hast thou aught to ask me before thou goest； O
Holly？〃 she said； after a few moments' reflection。 〃It
is but a rude life that thou must live here； for these
people are savages； and know not the ways of
cultivated man。 Not that I am troubled thereby； for；
behold my food；〃 and she pointed to the fruit upon the
little table。 〃Naught but fruit doth ever pass my
lipsfruit and cakes of flour； and a little water。 I
have bidden my girls to wait upon thee。 They are
mutes； thou knowest； deaf are they and dumb； and
therefore the safest of servants； save to those who
can read their faces and their signs。 I bred them so
it hath taken many centuries and much trouble； but
last I have triumphed。 Once I succeeded before； but
the race was too ugly； so I let it die away； but now；
as thou seest； they are otherwise。 Once； too； I reared
a race of giants； but after a while Nature would no
more of it； and it died away。 Hast thou aught to ask
of me？〃
〃Ay； one thing； O Ayesha；〃 I said； boldly； but feeling
by no means as bold as I trust I looked。 〃I would gaze
upon thy face。〃
She laughed out in her bell…like notes。 〃Bethink thee；
Holly；〃 she answered； 〃bethink thee。 It seems that
thou knowest the old myths of the gods of Greece。 Was
there not one Actaeon who perished miserably because
he looked on too much beauty？ If I show thee my face；
perchance thou wouldst perish miserably also；
perchance thou wouldst eat out thy heart in impotent
desire； for know I am not for theeI am for no man；
save one； who hath been； but is not yet。〃
〃As thou wilt； Ayesha；〃 I said。 〃I fear not thy
beauty。 I have put my heart away from such vanity as
woman's loveliness； that passes like a flower。〃
〃Nay； thou errest；〃 she said； 〃that does not pass。 My
beauty endures even as I endure； still if thou wilt； O
rash man； have thy will； but blame not me if passion
mount thy reason； as the Egyptian breakers used to
mount a colt； and guide it whither thou wilt not。
Never may the man to whom my beauty hath been unveiled
put it from his mind； and therefore even with these
savages do I go veiled； lest they vex me； and I should
slay them。 Say； wilt thou see？〃
〃I w