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　will；〃　I　answered；　my　curiosity　overpowering　me。
  She　lifted　her　white　and　rounded　armsnever　had　I
  seen　such　arms　before…and　slowly；　very　slowly；
  withdrew　some　fastening　beneath　her　hair。　Then　all　of
  a　sudden　the　long；　corpse…like　wrappings　fell　from　her
  to　the　ground；　and　my　eyes　travelled　up　her　form；　now
  only　robed　in　a　garb　of　clinging　white　that　did　but
  serve　to　show　its　perfect　and　imperial　shape；　instinct
  with　a　life　that　was　more　than　life；　and　with　a
  certain　serpent…like　grace　that　was　more　than　human。
  On　her　little　feet　were　sandals；　fastened　with　studs
  of　gold。　Then　came　ankles　more　perfect　than　ever
  sculptor　dreamed　of。　About　the　waist　her　white　kirtle
  was　fastened　by　a　double…headed　snake　of　solid　gold；
  above　which　her　gracious　form　swelled　up　in　lines　as
  pure　as　they　were　lovely；　till　the　kirtle　ended　on　the
  snowy　argent　of　her　breast；　whereon　her　arms　were
  folded。　I　gazed　above　them　at　her　face；　andI　do　not
  exaggerate　shrank　back　blinded　and　amazed。　I　have
  heard　of　the　beauty　of　celestial　beings；　now　I　saw　it；
  only　this　beauty；　with　all　its　awful　loveliness　and
  purity；　was　evilat　least；　at　the　time；　it　struck　me
  as　evil。　How　am　I　to　describe　it？　I　cannotsimply；　I
  cannot！　The　man　does　not　live　whose　pen　could　convey　a
  sense　of　what　I　saw。　I　might　talk　of　the　great
  changing　eyes　of　deepest；　softest　black；　of　the　tinted
  face；　of　the　broad　and　noble　brow；　on　which　the　hair
  grew　low；　and　delicate；　straight　features。　But；
  beautiful；　surpassingly　beautiful　as　they　all　were；
  her　loveliness　did　not　lie　in　them。　It　lay　rather；　if
  it　can　be　said　to　have　had　any　fixed　abiding…place；　in
  a　visible　majesty；　in　an　imperial　grace；　in　a　godlike
  stamp　of　softened　power；　which　shone　upon　that　radiant
  countenance　like　a　living　halo。　Never　before　had　I
  guessed　what　beauty　made　sublime　could　be；　and　yet　the
  sublimity　was　a　dark　one；　the　glory　was　not　all　of
  heaven；　though　none　the　less　was　it　glorious。　Though
  the　face　before　me　was　that　of　a　young　woman　of
  certainly　not　more　than　thirty　years；　in　perfect
  health；　and　the　first　flush　of　ripened　beauty；　yet　it
  had　stamped　upon　it　a　look　of　unutterable　experience；
  and　of　deep　acquaintance　with　grief　and　passion。　Not
  even　the　lovely　smile　that　crept　about　the　dimples　of
  her　mouth　could　hide　this　shadow　of　sin　and　sorrow。　It
  shone　even　in　the　light　of　the　glorious　eyes；　it　was
  present　in　the　air　of　majesty；　and　it　seemed　to　say：
  〃Behold　me；　lovely　as　no　woman　was　or　is；　undying　and
  half　divine；　memory　haunts　me　from　age　to　age；　and
  passion　leads　me　by　the　hand；　evil　have　I　done；　and
  with　sorrow　have　I　made　acquaintance　from　age　to　age；
  and　from　age　to　age　evil　I　shall　do；　and　sorrow　shall
  I　know　till　my　redemption　comes。〃
  Drawn　by　some　magnetic　force　which　I　could　not　resist；
  I　let　my　eyes　rest　upon　her　shining　orbs；　and　felt　a
  current　pass　from　them　to　me　that　bewildered　and　half
  blinded　me。
  She　laughedah；　how　musically！　and　nodded　her　little
  head　at　me　with　an　air　of　sublimated　coquetry　that
  would　have　done　credit　to　a　Venus　Victrix。
  〃Rash　man！〃　she　said；　〃like　Actaeon；　thou　hast　had　thy
  will；　be　careful　lest；　like　Actaeon；　thou　too　dost
  perish　miserably；　torn　to　pieces　by　the　ban…hounds　of
  thine　own　passions。　I　too；　O　Holly；　am　a　virgin
  goddess；　not　to　be　moved　of　any　man；　save　one；　and　it
  is　not　thou。　Say；　hast　thou　seen　enough？〃
  〃I　have　looked　on　beauty；　and　I　am　blinded；〃　I　said；
  hoarsely；　lifting　my　hand　to　cover　up　my　eyes。
  〃So！　what　did　I　tell　thee？　Beauty　is　like　the
  lightning；　it　is　lovely；　but　it　destroysspecially
  trees；　O　Holly！〃　And　again　she　nodded　and　laughed。
  Suddenly　she　paused；　and　through　my　fingers　I　saw　an
  awful　change　come　over　her　countenance。　Her　great　eyes
  suddenly　fixed　themselves　into　an　expression　in　which
  horror　seemed　to　struggle　with　some　tremendous　hope
  arising　through　the　depths　of　her　dark　soul。　The
  lovely　face　grew　rigid；　and　the　gracious；　willowy　form
  seemed　to　erect　itself。
  〃Man；〃　she　half　whispered；　half　hissed；　throwing　back
  her　head　like　a　snake　about　to　strike〃man；　where
  didst　thou　get　that　scarab　on　thy　hand？　Speak；　or　by
  the　Spirit　of　Life　I　will　blast　thee　where　thou
  standest！〃　and　she　took　one　light　step　towards　me；　and
  from　her　eyes　there　shone　such　an　awful　lightto　me
  it　seemed　almost　like　a　flamethat　I　fell；　then　and
  there；　on　the　ground　before　her；　babbling　confusedly
  in　my　terror。
  〃Peace；〃　she　said；　with　a　sudden　change　of　manner；　and
  speaking　in　her　former　soft　voice；　〃I　did　affright
  thee！　Forgive　me！　But　at　times；　O　Holly；　the　almost
  infinite　mind　grows　impatient　of　the　slowness　of　the
  very　finite；　and　I　am　tempted　to　use　my　power　out　of
  pure　vexationvery　nearly　wast　thou　dead；　but　I
  rememberedBut　the　scarababout　the　scarabaeus！〃
  〃I　picked　it　up；〃　I　gurgled　feebly；　as　I　got　on　to　my
  feet　again；　and　it　is　a　solemn　fact　that　my　mind　was
  so　disturbed　that　at　the　moment　I　could　remember
  nothing　else　about　the　ring　except　that　I　had　picked
  it　up　in　Leo's　cave。
  〃It　is　very　strange；〃　she　said；　with　a　sudden　access
  of　woman…like　trembling　and　agitation　which　seemed　out
  of　place　in　this　awful　woman〃but　once　I　knew　a
  scarab　like　that。　Ithung　round　the　neckof　one　I
  loved；〃　and　she　gave　a　little　sob；　and　I　saw　that
  after　all　she　was　only　a　woman；　although　she　might　be
  a　very　old　one。　〃There；〃　she　went　on；　〃it　must　be　one
  like　it；　and　yet　never　did　I　see　one　like　it；　for
  thereto　hung　a　history；　and　he　who　wrote　it　prized　it
  much。　But　the　scarab　that　I　knew　was　not　set　thus　in
  the　bezel　of　a　ring。　Go　now；　Holly；　go；　and；　if　thou
  canst；　try　to　forget　that　thou　hast　looked　upon
  Ayesha's　beauty；〃　and；　turning　from　me；　she　flung
  herself　on　her　couch；　and　buried　her　face　in　the
  cushions。
  As　for　me；　I　stumbled　from　her　presence；　and　I　do　not
  remember　how　I　reached　my　own　cave。
  CHAPTER　XIV
  A　SOUL　IN　HELL
  It　was　nearly　ten　o'clock　at　night　when　I　cast　myself
  down　upon　my　bed；　and　began　to　gather　my　scattered
  wits；　and　re