AND TRIUMPHANT OVER DEATH.]

Handing my precious burden back to Charka again, I addressed the
congregation as follows:

"Priests and priestesses of Egyplosis, wayleals and amazons of the
sacred and victorious army, I thank you from the depths of my heart
for your loyal salutation, but I particularly thank the grand sorcerer
Charka, and you his hierophants, for your glorious restoration of her
majesty to life, king and crown, thus defeating the cowardly crime of
the ex-king. By reason of our victory, their majesties King Bhoolmakar
and Queen Toplissy of Atvatabar are deposed from the throne, and his
ex-majesty, by reason of his great crime, is condemned to death.

"The causes that led to this revolution are already known to you. The
time was ripe for a reform in Egyplosis. Regulation and not
suppression will be our aim, and they who have helped us to this great
conquest will not go unrewarded.

"After her tremendous experiences, the queen will require a season of
absolute rest to restore her to perfect health. I will intrust the
task of establishing a reform of Egyplosis in competent hands,
assisted by a council of your own representatives. The present crisis
is too overwhelmingly happy to permit me to say more to you. On
another occasion I will thank you more effectively."

This speech was received with enthusiastic applause.

On a litter, supported by six twin-souls, Lyone was tenderly borne out
of the temple. We departed amid joyful peans of music, our pathway
being strewn with flowers. We reached the supernal palace, and saw
from every roof floating the flag of Lyone, in token of our victory.

In her palace, on a couch of pale green velvet, lay the reincarnated
form of Lyone, filled with a sense of luxurious rest. The experiences
of the past few days demanded a period of profound repose. Her face
wore a blessed and triumphant smile. She had paid with suffering for
that Nirvana of joy. With reincarnation, or rather resurrection, had
come a holier transfiguration of form and face. She was still too weak
physically to discuss at length the great changes that had come to her
or to the history of Atvatabar.

She was the symbol of the more sensitive souls of humanity, who,
capable of intense suffering and delirious rapture, must needs
purchase all their joys with heart-rending experiences. The culture
that comes from agony is our most priceless possession, and brings the
soul to every feast, as well as the body.