at. Learn now the truth, for I may keep naught back from
thee. When I unveil it is decreed that thou must make thy choice for
the last time on this earth between yonder woman, my rival from the
beginning, and that Ayesha to whom thou art sworn. Thou canst reject me
if thou wilt, and no ill shall come to thee, but many a blessing, as
men reckon them--power and wealth and love. Only then thou must tear my
memory from thy heart, for then I leave thee to follow thy fate alone,
till at the last the purpose of these deeds and sufferings is made
clear.

"Be warned. No light ordeal lies before thee. Be warned. I can promise
thee naught save such love as woman never gave to man, love that
perchance--I know not--must yet remain unsatisfied upon the earth."

Then she turned to me and said:

"Oh! thou, Holly, thou true friend, thou guardian from of old, thou,
next to him most beloved by me, to thy clear and innocent spirit
perchance wisdom may be given that is denied to us, the little children
whom thine arms protect. Counsel thou him, my Holly, with the counsel
that is given thee, and I will obey thy words and his, and, whatever
befalls, will bless thee from my soul. Aye, and should he cast me off,
then in the Land beyond the lands, in the Star appointed, where all
earthly passions fade, together will we dwell eternally in a friendship
glorious, thou and I alone.

"For _thou_ wilt not reject; thy steel, forged in the furnace of pure
truth and power, shall not lose its temper in these small fires of
temptation and become a rusted chain to bind thee to another woman's
breast--until it canker to her heart and thine."

"Ayesha, I thank thee for thy words," I answered simply, "and by them
and that promise of thine, I, thy poor friend--for more I never thought
to be--am a thousandfold repaid for many sufferings. This I will add,
that for my part I know that thou art She whom we have lost, since,
whatever the lips that speak them, those thoughts and words are Ayesha's
and hers alone."

Thus I spoke, not knowing what else to say, for I was filled with a
great joy, a calm and ineffable satisfaction, which broke thus feebly
from my heart. For now I knew that I was dear to Ayesha as I had always
been dear to Leo; the closest of friends, from whom she never would be
parted. What more could I desire?

We fell back; we spoke together, whilst they watched us silently. What
we said I do not quite remember, but the end of it was that, as t