efore my eyes, a thin, gauzy cloud which somehow
reminded me of the veil that Ayesha wore. Indeed at the moment, although
I could not see her, I would have sworn that she was present at my side,
and what is more, that she was mocking me who had set her down as so
impotent a trickstress, which doubtless was part of the dream.

At any rate I returned to my normal state, and there about me were the
miles of desolate streets and the thousands of broken walls, and the
black blots of roofless houses and the wide, untenanted plain bounded by
the battlemented line of encircling mountain crests, and above all, the
great moon shining softly in a tender sky.

I looked and thrilled, though oppressed by the drear and desolate beauty
of the scene around me, descended the wall and the ruined slope and made
my way homewards, afraid even of my own shadow. For I seemed to be the
only living thing among the dead habitations of immemorial Kor.

Reaching our camp I found Hans awake and watching for me.

"I was just coming to look for you, Baas," he said. "Indeed I should
have done so before, only I knew that you had gone to pay a visit to
that tall white 'Missis' who ties up her head in a blanket, and thought
that neither of you would like to be disturbed."

"Then you thought wrong," I answered, "and what is more, if you had made
that visit I think it might have been one from which you would never
have come back."

"Oh yes, Baas," sniggered Hans. "The tall white lady would not have
minded. It is you who are so particular, after the fashion of men whom
Heaven made very shy."

Without deigning to reply to the gibes of Hans I went to lie down,
wondering what kind of a bed poor Robertson occupied that night, and
soon fell asleep, as fortunately for myself I have the power to do,
whatever my circumstances at the moment. Men who can sleep are those who
do the work of the world and succeed, though personally I have had more
of the work than of the success.

I was awakened at the first grey dawn by Hans, who informed me that
Billali was waiting outside with litters, also that Goroko had already
made his incantations and doctored Umslopogaas and his two men for war
after the Zulu fashion when battle was expected. He added that these
Zulus had refused to be left behind to guard and nurse their wounded
companions, and said that rather than do so, they would kill them.

Somehow, he informed me, in what way he could not guess, this had