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not know if he would live or die。 Five minutes slowly
passed； and I saw that she was abandoning hope； her
lovely oval face seemed to fall in and grow visibly
thinner beneath the pressure of a mental agony whose
pencil drew black lines about the hollows of her eyes。
The coral faded even from her lips； till they were as
white as Leo's face； and quivering pitifully。 It was
shocking to see her： even in my own grief I felt for
hers。
〃Is it too late？〃 I gasped。
_i_ She _i_ hid her face in her hands and made no
answer； and I too turned away。 But as I did so I heard
a deep…drawn breath； and looking down perceived a line
of color creeping up Leo's face； then another and
another； and then； wonder of wonders； the man we had
thought dead turned…over on his side。
〃Thou seest；〃 I said； in a whisper。
〃I see；〃 she answered； hoarsely。 〃He is saved。 I
thought we were too lateanother momentone little
moment moreand he had been gone！〃 and she burst into
an awful flood of tears； sobbing as though her heart
would break； and yet looking lovelier than ever as she
did it。 At last she ceased。
〃Forgive me； my Hollyforgive me for my weakness；〃
she said。 〃Thou seest after all I am a very woman。
Thinknow think of it！ This morning didst thou speak
of the place of torment appointed by this new religion
of thine。 Hell or Hades thou didst call ita place
where the vital essence lives and retains an
individual memory； and where all the errors and faults
of judgment； and unsatisfied passions and the
unsubstantial terrors of the mind wherewith it hath at
any time had to do； come to mock and haunt and gibe
and wring the heart forever and forever with the
vision of its own hopelessness。 Thus； even thus； have
I lived for full two thousand yearsfor some six…and…
sixty generations； as ye reckon timein a Hell； as
thou callest ittormented by the memory of a crime；
tortured day and night with an unfulfilled desire
without companionship； without comfort； without death；
and led on only down my dreary road by the marsh
lights of Hope； which； though they flickered here and
there； and now glowed strong； and now were not； yet；
as my skill told me； would one day lead unto my
deliverer。
〃And thenthink of it still； O Holly； for never shalt
thou hear such another tale； or see such another
scene； nay； not even if I give thee ten thousand years
of lifeand thou shalt have it in payment if thou
wiltthink： at last my deliverer camehe for whom I
had watched and waited through the generationsat the
appointed time he came to seek me； as I knew that he
must come； for my wisdom could not err； though I knew
not when or how。 Yet see how ignorant I was！ See how
small my knowledge； and how faint my strength！ For
hours he lay here sick unto death； and I felt it not
I who had waited for him for two thousand yearsI
knew it not。 And then at last I see him； and behold；
my chance is gone but by a hair's…breadth even before
I have it； for he is in the very jaws of death； whence
no power of mine can draw him。 And if he die； surely
must the Hell be lived through once moreonce more
must I face the weary centuries； and wait； and wait
till the time in its fulness shall bring my beloved
back to me。 And then thou gavest him the medicine； and
that five minutes dragged along before I knew if he
would live or die； and I tell thee that all the sixty
generations that are gone were not so long as that
five minutes。 But they passed at length； and still he
showed no sign； and I knew that if the drug works not
then； so far as I have had knowledge； it works not at
all。 Then thought I that he was once more dead； and
all the tortures of all the years gathered themselves
into a single venomed spear； and pierced me through
and through； because once again I had lost
Kallikrates！ And then； when all was done； behold！ he
sighed； behold！ he lived； and I knew that he would
live； for none die on whom the drug takes hold。 Think
of it now； my Hollythink of the wonder of it！ He
will sleep for twelve hours； and then the fever will
have left him！〃
_i_ She _i_ stopped； and laid her hand upon the
golden head； and then bent down and kissed the brow
with a chastened abandonment of tenderness that would
have been beautiful to behold had not the sight cut me
to the heartfor I was jealous！
CHAPTER XVIII
GO； WOMAN！
THEN followed a silence of a minute or so； during
which _i_ She _i_ appeared； if one might judge from
the almost angelic rapture of her facefor she looked
angelic sometimesto be plunged in a happy ecstasy。
Suddenly； however； a new thought struck her； and her
expression became the very reverse of angelic。
〃Almost had I forgotten；〃 she said； 〃that woman；
Ustane。 What is she to Kallikrateshis servant； or〃
and she paused； and her voice trembled。
I shrugged my shoulders。 〃I understand that she is wed
to him according to the custom of the Amahagger；〃 I
answered； 〃but I know not。〃
Her face grew dark as a thundercloud。 Old as she was；
Ayesha had not outlived jealousy。
〃Then there is an end；〃 she said； 〃she must die； even
now！〃
〃For what crime？〃 I asked； horrified。 〃She is guilty
of naught that thou art not guilty of thyself； O
Ayesha。 She loves the man； and he has been pleased to
accept her love： where； then； is her Sin？〃
〃Truly； O Holly； thou art foolish；〃 she answered；
almost petulantly。 〃Where is her sin？ Her sin is that
she stands between me and my desire。 Well I know that
I can take him from herfor dwells there a man upon
this earth； O Holly； who could resist me if I put out
my strength？ Men are faithful for so long only as
temptations pass them by。 If the temptation be but
strong enough； then will the man yield； for every man；
like every rope； hath his breaking strain； and passion
is to men what gold and power are to womenthe weight
upon their weakness。 Believe me； ill will it go with
mortal women in that heaven of which thou speakest； if
only the spirits be more fair； for their lords will
never turn to look upon them； and their heaven will
become their hell。 For man can be bought with woman's
beauty； if it be but beautiful enough； and woman's
beauty can be ever bought with gold； if only there be
gold enough。 So was it in my day； and so it will be to
the end of time。 The world is a great mart； my Holly；
where all things are for sale to him who bids the
highest in the currency of our desires。〃
These remarks； which were as cynical as might have
been expected from a woman of Ayesha's age and
experience； jarred upon me； and I answered； testily；
that in our heaven there was no marriage or giving in
marriage。
〃Else would it not be heaven； dost thou mean？〃 she put
in。 〃Fie upon thee； Holly； to think so ill of us poor
women！ Is it； then； marriage that marks the line
between thy heaven and thy hell？ But enough of this。
This is no time for disputing and the challenge of our
wits。 Why dost thou always dispute？ Art thou also a
philosopher of these latter days？ As for this woman；
she must die； for though I can take her lover from
her； yet； while she live