and would have driven her from the throne. Thereon
the Mountain blazed and thundered, the light from the fiery pillars
died, and great terror fell upon the souls of men. Then from the deep
darkness above the altar where stands the statue of the Mother of Men,
the voice of the living goddess spoke, saying--"'Accept ye her whom
I have set to rule over you, that my judgments and my purposes may be
fulfilled.'

"The Voice ceased, the fiery torches burnt again, and we bowed the knee
to the new Hesea, and named her Mother in the ears of all. That is the
tale to which hundreds can bear witness."

"Thou hearest, Atene," said the Hesea. "Dost thou still doubt?"

"Aye," answered the Khania, "for I hold that Oros also lies, or if he
lies not, then he dreams, or perchance that voice he heard was thine
own. Now if thou art this undying woman, this Ayesha, let proof be
made of it to these two men who knew thee in the past. Tear away those
wrappings that guard thy loveliness thus jealously. Let thy shape
divine, thy beauty incomparable, shine out upon our dazzled sight.
Surely thy lover will not forget such charms; surely he will know thee,
and bow the knee, saying, 'This is my Immortal, and no other woman.'

"Then, and not till then, will I believe that thou art even what thou
declarest thyself to be, an evil spirit, who bought undying life with
murder and used thy demon loveliness to bewitch the souls of men."

Now the Hesea on the throne seemed to be much troubled, for she rocked
herself to and fro, and wrung her white-draped hands.

"Kallikrates," she said in a voice that sounded like a moan, "is this
thy will? For if it be, know that I must obey. Yet I pray thee command
it not, for the time is not yet come; the promise unbreakable is not yet
fulfilled. _I am somewhat changed_, Kallikrates, since I kissed thee on
the brow and named thee mine, yonder in the Caves of Kor."

Leo looked about him desperately, till his eyes fell upon the mocking
face of Atene, who cried--"Bid her unveil, my lord. I swear to thee I'll
not be jealous."

At that taunt he took fire.

"Aye," he said, "I bid her unveil, that I may learn the best or worst,
who otherwise must die of this suspense. Howsoever changed, if she be
Ayesha I shall know her, and if she be Ayesha, I shall love her."

"Bold words, Kallikrates," answered the Hesea; "yet from my very heart I
thank thee for them: those sweet words of trust and faithfulness to thou
knowest not wh