a place who can say what might or
might not chance?"

"That we shall learn in its season, Leo. Or, rather, if it be against
thy wish, we will not turn this hidden page. Since thou dost desire it,
that old evil, the love of lucre, shall still hold its mastery upon the
earth. Let the peoples keep their yellow king, I'll not crown another
in his place, as I was minded--such as that living Strength thou sawest
burning eternally but now; that Power whereof I am the mistress, which
can give health to men, or even change the character of metals, and in
truth, if I so desire, obedient to my word, destroy a city or rend this
Mountain from its roots.

"But see, Holly is wearied with much wondering and needs his rest. Oh,
Holly! thou wast born a critic of things done, not a doer of them. I
know thy tribe for even in my day the colleges of Alexandria echoed with
their wranglings and already the winds blew thick with the dust of their
forgotten bones. Holly, I tell thee that at times those who create and
act are impatient of such petty doubts and cavillings. Yet fear not, old
friend, nor take my anger ill. Already thy heart is gold without alloy,
so what need have I to gild thy bones?"

I thanked Ayesha for her compliment, and went to my bed wondering which
was real, her kindness or her wrath, or if both were but assumed. Also
I wondered in what way she had fallen foul of the critics of Alexandria.
Perhaps once she had published a poem or a system of philosophy and been
roughly handled by them! It is quite possible, only if Ayesha had ever
written poetry I think that it would have endured, like Sappho's.

In the morning I discovered that whatever else about her might be false,
Ayesha was a true chemist, the very greatest, I suppose, who ever
lived. For as I dressed myself, those priests whom we had seen in
the laboratory, staggered into the room carrying between them a heavy
burden, that was covered with a cloth, and, directed by Oros, placed it
upon the floor.

"What is that?" I asked of Oros.

"A peace-offering sent by the Hesea," he said, "with whom, as I am told,
you dared to quarrel yesterday."

Then he withdrew the cloth, and there beneath it shone that great lump
of metal which, in the presence of myself and Leo, had been marked with
the Symbol of Life, that still appeared upon its surface. Only now it
was gold, not iron, gold so good and soft that I could write my name
upon it with a nail. My knife lay with it also,