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me； and those calculations were long and difficult。 Also twice he
must visit the place whither we shall go tomorrow； and that took
time。〃
〃Then it is close at hand？〃 I said。
〃Humphrey； be not foolish。 Do you not remember； who have
travelled with him； that Oro can throw his soul afar and bring it
back again laden with knowledge； as the feet of a bee are laden
with golden dust？ Well； he went and went again； and I must wait。
And then the robes and shields； they must be prepared by his arts
and mine。 Oh！ ask not what they are； there is no time to tell；
and it matters nothing。 Some folk are wise and some are foolish；
but all which matters is that within them flows the blood of life
and that life breeds love； and that love； as I believe； although
Oro does not； breeds immortality。 And if so； what is Time but as
a grain of sand upon the shore？〃
〃This； Yva； it is ours； who can count on nothing else。〃
〃Oh！ Humphrey； if I thought that； no more wretched creature
would breathe tonight upon this great world。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 I asked； growing fearful； more at her
manner and her look than at her words。
〃Nothing； nothing； except that Time is so very short。 A kiss； a
touch； a little light and a little darkness； and it is gone。 Ask
my father Oro who has lived a thousand years and slept for tens
of thousands； as I have； and he will say the same。 It is against
Time that he fights； he who； believing in nothing beyond； will
inherit nothing； as Bastin says； he to whom Time has brought
nothing save a passing； blood…stained greatness； and triumph
ending in darkness and disaster； and hope that will surely suffer
hope's eclipse； and power that must lay down its coronet in
dust。〃
〃And what has it brought to you； Yva； beyond a fair body and a
soul of strength？〃
〃It has brought a spirit； Humphrey。 Between them the body and
the soul have bred a spirit； and in the fires of tribulation from
that spirit has been distilled the essence of eternal love。 That
is Time's gift to me； and therefore； although still he rules me
here； I mock at Fate；〃 and she waved her hand with a gesture of
defiance at the stern…faced； sexless effigy which sat above us；
the sword across its knees。
〃Look！ Look！〃 she went on in a swelling voice of music；
pointing to the statues of the dotard and the beauteous woman。
〃They implore Fate； they worship Fate。 I do not implore； I do not
worship or ask a sign as even Oro does and as did his
forefathers。 I rise above and triumph。 As Fate； the god of my
people； sets his foot upon the sun； so I set my foot upon Fate；
and thence； like a swimmer from a rock； leap into the waters of
Immortality。〃
I looked at her whose presence； as happened from time to time；
had grown majestic beyond that of woman； I studied her deep eyes
which were full of lights； not of this world； and I grew afraid。
〃What do you mean？〃 I asked。 〃Yva； you talk like one who has
finished with life。〃
〃It passes；〃 she answered quickly。 〃Life passes like breath
fading from a mirror。 So should all talk who breathe beneath the
sun。〃
〃Yes； Yva； but if you went and left me still breathing on that
mocking glass〃
〃If so； what of it？ Will not your breath fade also and join
mine where all vapours go？ Or if it were yours that faded and
mine that remained for some few hours； is it not the same？ I
think； Humphrey； that already you have seen a beloved breath melt
from the glass of life；〃 she added； looking at me earnestly。
I bowed my head and answered：
〃Yes； and therefore I am ashamed。〃
〃Oh！ why should you be ashamed； Humphrey； who are not sure but
that two breaths may yet be one breath？ How do you know that
there is a difference between them？〃
〃You drive me mad； Yva。 I cannot understand。〃
〃Nor can I altogether； Humphrey。 Why should I； seeing that I am
no more than woman； as you are no more than man？ I would always
have you remember； Humphrey； that I am no spirit or sorceress；
but just a womanlike her you lost。〃
I looked at her doubtfully and answered：
〃Women do not sleep for two hundred thousand years。 Women do
not take dream journeys to the stars。 Women do not make the dead
past live again before the watcher's eyes。 Their hair does not
glimmer in the dusk nor do their bodies gleam； nor have they such
strength of soul or eyes so wonderful； or loveliness so great。〃
These words appeared to distress her who； as it seemed to me；
was above all things anxious to prove herself woman and no more。
〃All these qualities are nothing； Humphrey；〃 she cried。 〃As for
the beauty； such as it is； it comes to me with my blood； and with
it the glitter of my hair which is the heritage of those who for
generations have drunk of the Life…water。 My mother was lovelier
than I； as was her mother； or so I have heard； since only the
fairest were the wives of the Kings of the Children of Wisdom。
For the rest； such arts as I have spring not from magic； but from
knowledge which your people will acquire in days to come； that
is； if Oro spares them。 Surely you above all should know that I
am only woman；〃 she added very slowly and searching my face with
her eyes。
〃Why； Yva？ During the little while that we have been together I
have seen much which makes me doubt。 Even Bickley the sceptic
doubts also。〃
〃I will tell you； though I am not sure that you will believe
me。〃 She glanced about her as though she were frightened lest
someone should overhear her words or read her thoughts。 Then she
stretched out her hands and drawing my head towards her； put her
lips to my ear and whispered：
〃Because once you saw me die； as women often diegiving life
for life。〃
〃I saw you die？〃 I gasped。
She nodded； then continued to whisper in my ear； not in her own
voice； but another's：
〃Go where you seem called to go； far away。 Oh！ the wonderful
place in which you will find me； not knowing that you have found
me。 Good…bye for a little while； only for a little while； my own；
my own！〃
I knew the voice as I knew the words； and knowing； I think that
I should have fallen to the ground； had she not supported me with
her strong arms。
〃Who told you？〃 I stammered。 〃Was it Bickley or Bastin？ They
knew； though neither of them heard those holy words。〃
〃Not Bickley nor Bastin；〃 she answered； shaking her head； 〃no；
nor you yourself； awake or sleeping； though once； by the lake
yonder； you said to me that when a certain one lay dying； she
bade you seek her elsewhere； for certainly you would find her。
Humphrey； I cannot say who told me those words because I do not
know。 I think they are a memory； Humphrey！〃
〃That would mean that you； Yva； are the same as one who was
not called Yva。〃
〃The same as one who was called Natalie； Humphrey；〃 she replied
in solemn accents。 〃One whom you loved and whom you lost。〃
〃Then you think that we live again upon this earth？〃
〃Again and yet again； until the time comes for us to leave the
earth for ever。 Of this； indeed； I am sure； for that knowledge
was part of the secret wisdom of my people。〃
〃But you were not dead。 You only slept。〃
〃The sleep was a death…sleep which went by like a flash； yes；
in an instant； or so it seemed。 Only the shell of the body
remained preserved by mortal arts； and when the returning spirit
and the light of life were poured into it again； it awoke。 But
during this long death…sleep； that spirit may have spoken through
other lips and that light may have shone through other eyes；
though of these I remember nothing。〃
〃Then that dream of our visit to a certain star may be no
dream？〃
〃I think no dream； and you； too； have thought as much。〃
〃In a way； yes； Yva。 But I could not believe and turned from
what I held to be a phantasy。〃
〃It was natural； Humphrey； that you should not believe。
Hearken！ In this temple a while ago I showed you a picture of
myself and of a man who loved me and whom I loved； and of his
death at Oro's hands。 Did you note anything about that man？〃
〃Bickley did；〃 I answered。 〃Was he right？〃
〃I think that he was right； since otherwise I should not have
loved you； Humphrey。〃
〃I remember nothing of that man； Yva。〃
〃It is probable that you would not； since you and he are very
far apart； while between you and him flow wide seas of death；
wherein are set islands of life； perhaps many of them。 But I
remember much who seem to have left him but a very little while
ago。〃
〃When you awoke in your coffin and threw your arms about me；
what did you think； Yva？〃
〃I thought you were that man； Humphrey。〃
There was silence between us and in that silence the truth came
home to me。 Then there before the effigy of Fate and in the
desolate； glowing temple we plighted anew our troth made holy by
a past。 that thus so wonderfully lived again。
Of this consecrated hour I say no