ove. You shall learn all my secrets. You shall see into the
depths of the earth. The whole world shall come and pour out gold at
thy feet. See here, my bride, I give you the true diamond,
_Vengeance_. I know you, rogue; I know your most hidden desires. Ay,
our hearts on that point understand each other well! Therein at least
shall I have full possession of you. You shall behold your enemy on
her knees at your feet, begging and praying for mercy, and only too
happy to earn her release by doing whatever she has made you do. She
will burst into tears; and you will graciously say, _No_: whereon she
will cry, 'Death and damnation!' ... Come, I will make this my special
business."

"Sir, I am at your service. I was thankless indeed, for you have
always heaped favours on me. I am yours, my master, my god! None other
do I desire. Sweet are your endearments, and very mild your service."

And so she worships him, tumbling on all-fours. At first she pays him,
after the forms of the Temple, such homage as betokens the utter
abandonment of the will. Her master, the Prince of this World, the
Prince of the Winds, breathes upon her in his turn, like an eager
spirit. She receives at once the three sacraments, in reverse
order--baptism, priesthood, and marriage. In this new Church, the
exact opposite of the other, everything must be done the wrong way.
Meekly, patiently, she endures the cruel initiation,[35] borne up by
that one word, "Vengeance!"

[35] This will be explained further on. We must guard against
the pedantic additions of the sixteenth century writers.

* * * * *

Far from being crushed or weakened by the infernal thunderbolt, she
arose with an awful vigour and flashing eyes. The moon, which for a
moment had chastely covered herself, took flight on seeing her again.
Blown out to an amazing degree by the hellish vapour, filled with
fire, with fury, and with some new ineffable desire, she grew for a
while enormous with excess of fulness, and displayed a terrible
beauty. She looked around her, and all nature was changed. The trees
had gotten a tongue, and told of things gone by. The herbs became
simples. The plants which yesterday she trod upon as so much hay, were
now as people discoursing on the art of medicine.

She awoke on the morrow far, very far, from her enemies, in a state of
thorough security. She had been sought after, but they had only found
some scattered shreds of her