the
form of romance."

"How is it done?" asked Bickley, almost fiercely.

"I do not altogether know," she answered. "This I do know, however, that
everything which has happened on this world can be seen from moment to
moment at some point in the depths of space, for thither the sun's light
takes it. There, too, it can be caught and thence in an instant returned
to earth again, to be reflected in the mirror of the present by those
who know how that mirror should be held. Ask me no more; one so wise as
you, O Bickley, can solve such problems for himself."

"If you don't mind, Lady Yva," said Bastin, "I think I should like to
get out of this place, interesting as it is. I have food to cook up
above and lots of things to attend to, especially as I understand I am
to come back here tomorrow. Would you mind showing me the way to that
lift or moving staircase?"

"Come," she said, smiling.

So we went past the image of Fate, out of the temple, down the vast and
lonely streets so unnaturally illuminated, to the place where we had
first found ourselves on arrival in the depths. There we stood.

A moment later and we were whirling up as we had whirled down. I suppose
that Yva came with us though I never saw her do so, and the odd thing
was that when we arrived in the sepulchre, she seemed already to be
standing there waiting to direct us.

"Really," remarked Bastin, "this is exactly like Maskelyne and Cook. Did
you ever see their performance, Bickley? If so, it must have given you
lots to explain for quite a long while."

"Jugglery never appealed to me, whether in London or in Orofena,"
replied Bickley in a sour voice as he extracted from his pocket an end
of candle to which he set light.

"What is jugglery?" asked Bastin, and they departed arguing, leaving me
alone with Yva in the sepulchre.

"What have I seen?" I asked her.

"I do not know, Humphrey. Everyone sees different things, but perhaps
something of the truth."

"I hope not, Yva, for amongst other things I seemed to see you swear
yourself to a man for ever."

"Yes, and this I did. What of it?"

"Only that it might be hard for another man."

"Yes, for another man it might be hard. You were once married, were you
not, Humphrey, to a wife who died?"

"Yes, I was married."

"And did you not swear to that wife that you would never look in love
upon another woman?"

"I did," I answered in a shamed voice. "But how do you know? I never
told you so."

"