worship of wealth, and the selfishness that eats like a corroding
poison into the purer metal of the rich man's nature. Your wealth will
only bring you happiness in so far as you use it to benefit others less
fortunate though equally deserving. It is given you as a trial, not as
a reward.'--To you, oh Cynic, this message have I also: `Your eyes see
but through a veil of dulled and vainglorious senses. Some truths you
have learned, but in the passage through your mind they take the colour
and shape of a distorted and embittered fancy. You have a work to do,
and influence to do it; but your _will_ must become humble, and then you
will learn the sweets of true knowledge, and be able to disseminate
truth and wisdom. Now you absorb it into your own mind, for your own
satisfaction, and for the poor triumph of discouraging those of lower
mental stature, and of natures lighter and grosser than your own. To
the true Prophet and the true Philosopher, he himself is insignificant
before the great truths he has learnt, and his personal identity
willingly sinks into obscurity, so only that these truths may live.'"

For a moment she ceased, and the different faces looked curiously
uncomfortable and startled at so keen a vivisection of their inner
natures. Mrs Ray Jefferson, however, feeling that she had been left
out in the cold, and anxious for a special message to herself, broke the
spell of silence.

"Have you nothing to say to me, Princess?" she asked beseechingly.

Then the beautiful head moved restlessly to and fro, and the face grew
less placid and child-like. She began to speak, but now the words came
in quick disjointed fragments. "They are standing beside you," she
said. "I must go. You may come with us, but not Julian. Keep Julian
away... keep Julian away--"

"What does she mean?" cried Mrs Jefferson, turning pale. "And--oh
gracious!" she cried to her husband, "look at Colonel Estcourt. Is he
going to faint?"

All eyes turned on the Colonel. He lay back on his chair white and
gasping. "My God," he cried in a stifled voice. "My power is gone. I
can't hold her. I can't keep her back."

"She is speaking again," cried Mrs Jefferson, in low, terrified
accents. "Oh, I don't half like this. I wish we had never come."

Then a great awe and stillness fell upon them, and, despite their terror
and their dread, every ear strained to catch the quick disjointed words
that fell from those strange lips.

"I am