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amidst the roots of a giant parasite plant； the leaves and blossoms
of which climbed up the sides of the cave with its antediluvian
relics。 The gleam was the gleam of gold； and on removing the loose
earth round the roots of the plant； we came on No； I will not； I
dare not； describe it。 The gold digger would cast it aside； the
naturalist would pause not to heed it； and did I describe it； and
chemistry deign to subject it to analysis； could chemistry alone
detach or discover its boasted virtues？
Its particles； indeed； are very minute； not seeming readily to
crystallize with each other； each in itself of uniform shape and
size； spherical as the egg which contains the germ of life； and
small as the egg from which the life of an insect may quicken。
But Margrave's keen eye caught sight of the atoms upcast by the
light of the moon。 He exclaimed to me； 〃Found！ I shall live！〃
And then； as he gathered up the grains with tremulous hands； he
called out to the Veiled Woman； hitherto still seated motionless on
the crag。 At his word she rose and went to the place hard by；
where the fuel was piled； busying herself there。 I had no leisure
to heed her。 I continued my search in the soft and yielding soil
that time and the decay of vegetable life had accumulated over the
pre…Adamite strata on which the arch of the cave rested its mighty
keystone。
When we had collected of these particles about thrice as much as a
man might hold in his hand； we seemed to have exhausted their bed。
We continued still to find gold； but no more of the delicate
substance to which； in our sight； gold was as dross。
〃Enough；〃 then said Margrave； reluctantly desisting。 〃What we have
gained already will suffice for a life thrice as long as legend
attributes to Haroun。 I shall liveI shall live through the
centuries。〃
〃Forget not that I claim my share。〃
〃Your shareyours！ Trueyour half of my life！ It is true。〃 He
paused with a low； ironical； malignant laugh； and then added； as he
rose and turned away； 〃But the work is yet to be done。〃
VI
While we had thus labored and found； Ayesha had placed the fuel
where the moonlight fell fullest on the sward of the tablelanda
part of it already piled as for a fire； the rest of it heaped
confusedly close at hand； and by the pile she had placed the
coffer。 And； there she stood； her arms folded under her mantle；
her dark image seeming darker still as the moonlight whitened all
the ground from which the image rose motionless。 Margrave opened
his coffer； the Veiled Woman did not aid him； and I watched in
silence； while he as silently made his weird and wizard…like
preparations。
VII
On the ground a wide circle was traced by a small rod； tipped
apparently with sponge saturated with some combustible naphtha…like
fluid； so that a pale； lambent flame followed the course of the rod
as Margrave guided it； burning up the herbage over which it played；
and leaving a distinct ring； like that which； in our lovely native
fable talk； we call the 〃Fairy's ring；〃 but yet more visible
because marked in phosphorescent light。 On the ring thus formed
were placed twelve small lamps； fed with the fluid from the same
vessel； and lighted by the same rod。 The light emitted by the
lamps was more vivid and brilliant than that which circled round
the ring。
Within the circumference； and immediately round the woodpile；
Margrave traced certain geometrical figures； in whichnot without
a shudder； that I overcame at once by a strong effort of will in
murmuring to myself the name of 〃Lilian〃I recognized the
interlaced triangles which my own hand； in the spell enforced on a
sleepwalker； had described on the floor of the wizard's pavilion。
The figures were traced like the circle； in flame； and at the point
of each triangle （four in number） was placed a lamp； brilliant as
those on the ring。 This task performed； the caldron； based on an
iron tripod； was placed on the woodpile。 And then the woman；
before inactive and unheeding； slowly advanced； knelt by the pile
and lighted it。 The dry wood crackled and the flame burst forth；
licking the rims of the caldron with tongues of fire。
Margrave flung into the caldron the particles we had collected；
poured over them first a liquid； colorless as water； from the
largest of the vessels drawn from his coffer； and then； more
sparingly； drops from small crystal phials； like the phials I had
seen in the hand of Philip Derval。
Having surmounted my first impulse of awe； I watched these
proceedings； curious yet disdainful； as one who watches the
mummeries of an enchanter on the stage。
〃If；〃 thought I； 〃these are but artful devices to inebriate and
fool my own imagination； my imagination is on its guard； and reason
shall not； this time； sleep at her post！〃
〃And now；〃 said Margrave； 〃I consign to you the easy task by which
you are to merit your share of the elixir。 It is my task to feed
and replenish the caldron； it is Ayesha's to feed the fire； which
must not for a moment relax in its measured and steady heat。 Your
task is the lightest of all： it is but to renew from this vessel
the fluid that burns in the lamps； and on the ring。 Observe； the
contents of the vessel must be thriftily husbanded； there is
enough； but not more than enough； to sustain the light in the
lamps； on the lines traced round the caldron； and on the farther
ring； for six hours。 The compounds dissolved in this fluid are
scarceonly obtainable in the East； and even in the East months
might have passed before I could have increased my supply。 I had
no months to waste。 Replenish； then； the light only when it begins
to flicker or fade。 Take heed； above all； that no part of the
outer ringno； not an inchand no lamp of the twelve； that are to
its zodiac like stars； fade for one moment in darkness。〃
I took the crystal vessel from his hand。
〃The vessel is small；〃 said I； 〃and what is yet left of its
contents is but scanty； whether its drops suffice to replenish the
lights I cannot guessI can but obey your instructions。 But； more
important by far than the light to the lamps and the circle； which
in Asia or Africa might scare away the wild beasts unknown to this
landmore important than light to a lamp is the strength to your
frame； weak magician！ What will support you through six weary
hours of night watch？〃
〃Hope；〃 answered Margrave； with a ray of his old dazzling style。
〃Hope！ I shall liveI shall live through the centuries！〃
VIII
One hour passed away； the fagots under the caldron burned clear in
the sullen； sultry air。 The materials within began to seethe； and
their color； at first dull and turbid； changed into a pale…rose
hue； from time to time the Veiled Woman replenished the fire； after
she had done so reseating herself close by the pyre； with her head
bowed over her knees； and her face hid under her veil。
The lights in the lamps and along the ring and the triangles now
began to pale。 I resupplied their nutriment from the crystal
vessel。 As yet nothing strange startled my eye or my ear beyond
the rim of the circlenothing audible； save； at a distance； the
musical wheel…like click of the locusts； and； farther still； in the
forest； the howl of the wild dogs that never bark； nothing visible；
but the trees and the mountain range girding the plains silvered by
the moon； and the arch of the cavern； the flush of wild blooms on
its sides； and the gleam of dry bones on its floor； where the
moonlight shot into the gloom。
The second hour passed like the first。 I had taken my stand by the
side of Margrave； watching with him the process at work in the
caldron； when I felt the ground slightly vibrate beneath my feet；
and looking up； it seemed as if all the plains beyond the circle
were heaving like the swell of the sea； and as if in the air itself
there was a perceptible tremor。
I placed my hand on Margrave's shoulder and whispered； 〃To me earth
and air seem to vibrate。 Do they seem to vibrate to you？〃
〃I know not； I care not；〃 he answered impetuously。 〃The essence is
bursting the shell that confined it。 Here are my air and my earth！
Trouble me not。 Look to the circlefeed the lamps if they fail！〃
I passed by the Veiled Woman as I walked toward a place in the ring
in which the flame was waning dim； and I whispered to her the same
question which I had whispered to Margrave。 She looked slowly
around and answered； 〃So is it before the Invisible make themselves
visible！ Did I not bid him forbear？〃 Her head again drooped on
her breast； and her watch was again fixed on the fire。
I advanced to the circle and stooped to replenish the light where
it waned。 As I did so； on my arm； which stretched somewhat beyond
the line of the ring； I felt a shock like that of electricity。 The
arm fell to my side numbed and nerveless； and from my hand dropped；
but within the ring； the vessel that contained the fluid。
Recovering my surprise or my stun； hastily with the other hand I
caught up the vessel； but some of the scanty liquid was already
spilled on the sward； and I saw with a thrill of dismay； that
contrasted indeed the tranquil indifference with which I had first
undertaken my charge；