to escape me, fled to the army of the aliens, and soon
had so ensnared the heart of the great Shadow, that he became her slave,
wrought her will, and made her queen of Hell. How it is with her now,
she best knows, but I know also. The one child of her body she fears and
hates, and would kill, asserting a right, which is a lie, over what God
sent through her into His new world. Of creating, she knows no more than
the crystal that takes its allotted shape, or the worm that makes two
worms when it is cloven asunder. Vilest of God's creatures, she lives
by the blood and lives and souls of men. She consumes and slays, but is
powerless to destroy as to create."

The animal lay motionless, its beryl eyes fixed flaming on the man: his
eyes on hers held them fixed that they could not move from his.

"Then God gave me another wife--not an angel but a woman--who is to this
as light is to darkness."

The cat gave a horrible screech, and began to grow bigger. She went on
growing and growing. At last the spotted leopardess uttered a roar that
made the house tremble. I sprang to my feet. I do not think Mr. Raven
started even with his eyelids.

"It is but her jealousy that speaks," he said, "jealousy self-kindled,
foiled and fruitless; for here I am, her master now whom she, would
not have for her husband! while my beautiful Eve yet lives, hoping
immortally! Her hated daughter lives also, but beyond her evil ken,
one day to be what she counts her destruction--for even Lilith shall
be saved by her childbearing. Meanwhile she exults that my human wife
plunged herself and me in despair, and has borne me a countless race of
miserables; but my Eve repented, and is now beautiful as never was woman
or angel, while her groaning, travailing world is the nursery of our
Father's children. I too have repented, and am blessed.--Thou, Lilith,
hast not yet repented; but thou must.--Tell me, is the great
Shadow beautiful? Knowest thou how long thou wilt thyself remain
beautiful?--Answer me, if thou knowest."

Then at last I understood that Mr. Raven was indeed Adam, the old and
the new man; and that his wife, ministering in the house of the dead,
was Eve, the mother of us all, the lady of the New Jerusalem.

The leopardess reared; the flickering and fleeing of her spots began;
the princess at length stood radiant in her perfect shape.

"I AM beautiful--and immortal!" she said--and she looked the goddess she
would be.

"As a bush that burns, a