the sun rose so did Ayesha's spirits, till by breakfast-time they had
regained their normal level, and she laughingly set down her previous
depression to the associations of the spot where she had slept.

"These barbarians swear that Kor is haunted," she said, "and of a truth
I do believe their saying, for never did I know so ill a night save one.
I remember it now. It was on that very spot when thou didst lie dead at
my feet, Kallikrates. Never will I visit it again; it is a place of evil
omen."

After a very brief halt for breakfast we pressed on with such good will
that by two o'clock in the afternoon we were at the foot of the vast
wall of rock that formed the lip of the volcano, and which at this point
towered up precipitously above us for fifteen hundred or two thousand
feet. Here we halted, certainly not to my astonishment, for I did not
see how it was possible that we should go any farther.

"Now," said Ayesha, as she descended from her litter, "doth our labour
but commence, for here do we part with these men, and henceforward must
we bear ourselves;" and then, addressing Billali, "do thou and these
slaves remain here, and abide our coming. By to-morrow at the midday
shall we be with thee--if not, wait."

Billali bowed humbly, and said that her august bidding should be obeyed
if they stopped there till they grew old.

"And this man, oh Holly," said _She_, pointing to Job; "best is it
that he should tarry also, for if his heart be not high and his courage
great, perchance some evil might overtake him. Also, the secrets of the
place whither we go are not fit for common eyes."

I translated this to Job, who instantly and earnestly entreated me,
almost with tears in his eyes, not to leave him behind. He said he was
sure that he could see nothing worse than he had already seen, and that
he was terrified to death at the idea of being left alone with those
"dumb folk," who, he thought, would probably take the opportunity to
hot-pot him.

I translated what he said to Ayesha, who shrugged her shoulders, and
answered, "Well, let him come, it is naught to me; on his own head be
it, and he will serve to bear the lamp and this," and she pointed to a
narrow plank, some sixteen feet in length, which had been bound above
the long bearing-pole of her hammock, as I had thought to make curtains
spread out better, but, as it now appeared, for some unknown purpose
connected with our extraordinary undertaking.

Accordingly,