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decent。 Still； sir；〃 and poor Job turned a shade paler
as he said it； 〃I do hope it won't be that hot…pot
game。〃
〃Nonsense；〃 I broke in； angrily； 〃nonsense。〃
〃Very well； sir；〃 said Job； 〃it isn't my place to
differ from you； sir； but if you happen to be going
anywhere； sir； I should be obliged if you could manage
to take me with you； seeing that I shall be glad to
have a friendly face to look at when the time comes；
just to help one through； as it were。 And now； sir；
I'll be getting the breakfast；〃 and he went； leaving
me in a very uncomfortable state of mind。 I was deeply
attached to old Job； who was one of the best and
honestest men I have ever had to do with in any class
of life； and really more of a friend than a servant；
and the mere idea of anything happening to him brought
a lump into my throat。 Beneath all his ludicrous talk
I could see that he himself was quite convinced that
something was going to happen； and though in most
cases these convictions turn out to be utter
moonshineand this particular one especially was to
be amply accounted for by the gloomy and unaccustomed
surroundings in which its victim was placedstill it
did more or less carry a chill to my heart； as any
dread that is obviously a genuine object of belief is
apt to do； however absurd the belief may be。 Presently
the breakfast arrived； and with it Leo； who had been
taking a walk outside the caveto clear his mind； he
saidand very glad I was to see both； for they gave
me a respite from my gloomy thoughts。 After breakfast
we went for another walk； and watched some of the
Amahagger sowing a plot of ground with the grain from
which they make their beer。 This they did in
scriptural fashiona man with a bag made of goat's…
hide fastened round his waist walking up and down the
plot and scattering the seed as he went。 It was a
positive relief to see one of these dreadful people do
anything so homely and pleasant as sow a field；
perhaps because it seemed to link them； as it were；
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 aro