inate in my own mind.

"It seems quite easy," I said in a superior tone. "The figure symbolises
Life and is draped because we only see the face of Life, the rest is
hidden. The arms are bare because Life is real and active. One cup is
black and one is white because Life brings both good and evil gifts;
that is why the streams mingle, to be lost beneath in the darkness of
death. The features are stern and even terrifying rather than lovely,
because such is the aspect of Life. The eyes look upward and far away
from present things, because the real life is not here."

"Of course one may say anything," said Bastin, "but I don't understand
all that."

"Imagination goes a long way," broke in Bickley, who was vexed that he
had not thought of this interpretation himself. But Yva said:

"I begin to think that you are quite clever, Humphrey. I wonder whence
the truth came to you, for such is the meaning of the figure and the
cups. Had I told it to you myself, it could not have been better said,"
and she glanced at me out of the corners of her eyes. "Now, Strangers,
will you drink? Once that gate was guarded, and only at a great price or
as a great reward were certain of the Highest Blood given the freedom of
this fountain which might touch no common lips. Indeed it was one of the
causes of our last war, for all the world which was, desired this water
which now is lapped by a stranger's hound."

"I suppose there is nothing medicinal in it?" said Bastin. "Once when I
was very thirsty, I made a mistake and drank three tumblers of something
of the sort in the dark, thinking that it was Apollinaris, and I don't
want to do it again."

"Just the sort of thing you would do," said Bickley. "But, Lady Yva,
what are the properties of this water?"

"It is very health-giving," she answered, "and if drunk continually, not
less than once each thirty days, it wards off sickness, lessens hunger
and postpones death for many, many years. That is why those of the High
Blood endured so long and became the rulers of the world, and that, as
I have said, is the greatest of the reasons why the peoples who dwelt in
the ancient outer countries and never wished to die, made war upon them,
to win this secret fountain. Have no fear, O Bastin, for see, I will
pledge you in this water."

Then she lifted a strange-looking, shallow, metal cup whereof the
handles were formed of twisted serpents, that lay in the basin, filled
it from the trickling stream,