Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1888-01-07
SEIZE
A HISTORY OF ADVENTURE.
BY II. RIDER HAGGARD.

-
re stood in a third cavern, some fifty
feet in length by, perhaps. rs great IA
heiGhtxpn thirty wide. 1t was carpeted
with fine white sand, and its walls had
been worn smooth by the action of | know
not what. The cavern was not dark like
the other = was filed with Il soft glow
or rose-C0Lt.eI light, more beautiful to look
on h anything that can be conceived.
hut mt first we Saw no flashes, and heard
no more OF the ~thunderous sound. Pres
entity, however. rs we stood in amaze, gGZ-
ing at the wonderful sight, and wondering
whence the rosy radiance flowed, II dread
and beautiful thing happened. Across the
far end Of the cavern with "A grinding and
crashing nOiSe-a noise SO dreadful and
aWe-inSplrlng that we all tremDled, and
JOB actually sank to his knees-there
named out an awful cloud or pillar Of fire,
like n rainbow, many cOlOred, and, like the
lightning, bright. For a space, perhaps
forty seconds, it famed and roared thus,
turning slowly round aad round, and then
with the fire it passed nway-I know not
Misunderstanding behind it the same rosy
glow that we had first seen.
"Draw near. draw near,' cried Aycsha,
with n voice of thrilling eXultation. BE
hold the very Fountain and Heart OF Life
* II beats in the bosom of the great world.
Behold the substance from which allthings
draw their energy. the bright Spirit OF the
Globe, without which il cannot live. but
must grow cold and dead rs the dead
moon. Draw near, n wash ye in the liv-
ing flames, and take their virtue into your
poor frames i'm all its virgin strengthened
ms il now feebly CLOVIS within your bosoms-
filtered thereto through all the fine strain,
ers OF II Thousand intermediate lives, but
"a it is here in the very fount and seat OF
Being.
w followed her through the rosy glow
| nm IN the hand nf tha payn fill M last wa
stood before the spot where the great pulse
beat and the great flame passed. Aud rs
we went we became sensible of "A wild and
splendid cYhilaration. of n glorious sense
OF such a fierce intensity Of Life that the
most buovant moments Of orr strength
seemed flat and tame and feeble beside it.
1t was the mere effluvium Of the fame, tho
subtle ether that IL east of as it passed,
working OF us, and making us feel strong
rs giants and swift az eagles.
We reached the head OF the cave, and
Cazed m each other in the glorious glow,
and laughed aloud-cvcn job laughed, and
he had not laughed for n week-in the
liChtneSs OF our hearts aud the divine in
toXicatiOn of our brains. | know that |
felt as though all the varied genius OF
which the human intellect is capable had
descended upon me. could have spoken
in blank verse OF ShaksDearian beauty,
all'sorts Of great ideas flashed through my
mind, ii was as though the bonds OF my
flesh had been lOOsened, and left the spirit
free to soar TO the cmpyrcan OF its native
power. The sensations that poured In up
on me are indescribabln. | seemed TO live
more keenlv, to reach TO n higher Joy, and
sip the goblet Of n subtler thought than
ever ii had been my lot to do before. Twas
another and most Cloriiied self, and all the
avenues Of the Possible were for q space
laid open 10 the footsteps Of the Real.
Then suddenly, whilst | reiOiced in this
CnlnnHiI yinDr of a rpNr-fny1nI Gnlf frAy1,
far, far away there came Il dreadful NUT
tering noise. that grew and grew TO n
crash and a roar. which combined in itself
all that il terrible and yet splendid in the
possibilities Of sound. Nearer it came. II
nearer vet, till it was close upon us, rolling
down like all the thunder-wheels Of heaven
behind the horses Of the lightning. On it
zane and with it came the glorious blind
ing cloud of many-colored light, and stood
before us for q space, turning, asst seemed
to us, slowly round and round, and then,
accompanied by its attendant pomp OF
sound, passed away | know not whittier.
So astonishing was the wondrous sight
that one and all of us, save She, who stood
mp and stretched out her hands toward the
fire, sunk down before it, and hid our faces
in the sand.
When it was gone, Avesha spoke.
NOW, Kallikrates,' she said. "the
mighty moment is ar hand. When the
great flame coAles again thou must stand
in it. First throw aside thy garments, for
it will burn them, though thee it will not
hurt. Thou must stand in the flame while
thy senses will endure, and when it en-
braces thee suck the fire down into thy
very heart, and let it leap and play around
thy every part, so that thou lose nc moiety
of It's virtue. Nearest thou me, KALI
krates'"
II hear thee, Ayesha," answered Leo,
'but, of a truth am no cOward-but i
| ln1,h t ma nf thnt m gip u Hama How now
] that il will not utterly destroy me, so
that | lose myself and lose thee also? New
ertheless will | do it," he added.
Ayesha thought for a minute, and then
said:
ut is not wonderful that thou shouldst
me stand in the flame and come forth un-
harmed, wilt thou enter also?"
yes" no answered, II will enter, even
II it Stay me. have said that / will enter.'
And that will ! Also" ! cried.
What, my Holly" she laughed aloud;
length of days. Why, how is this?"
Nay, | know not" | answered, "but
there is that in my heart tina calleth me
to taste OF the flame and live" =
at is well" she said. Thou art not al
together lost in folly. See, now, | will for
bath. Fain would | add TO my beauty and
my length Of days if that be possible. If
it be not possible, at the least it cannot
harm me.
Also" she continued, after a m
tary pause, sis there another and n deeper
cause why | would once again dip me in
the flame. When first / tasted Of It's virtue
full was my heart of passion and of hatred
of that Egyptian AmenartaS, II there
fore, despite my Striyings TO be rid there
of. hath passion and hatred been stamped
upon my soul from that sad hour to this.
But now is ii otherwise. Now is my mood
a happy mood, and filled am / with the
pureSt part Of thought, and so would ever
be. Therefore, kailikrates, will | once
more wash and make me clean, 4 yet
more fit for thee. Therefore, also, when
thou dost in turn stand in the fire, empty
all thy heart Of evil, and let sweet con
tentment hold the balance OF thy mind,
Shake loose thy spirits wings. and take
thy stand upon the utter verge OF holy con-
temptation; ay, dream upon thy mothers
kiss, and turn toward the vision OF the
highest good that hath ever swept on sill
yer wings across the silence of thy dreams.
For from the germ Of what thou art in
that dread ONE shall grow the fruit of
what thou shalt be for all uureckoned time.
Now prepare thee, prepare even ~
though thy last hour was at hand, and thou
vast about to cross TO the Ian of shadows,
ana not through the Gates of most glorious
life. rcegare, / said!'
CHAPTER XXvL-wHATw WE SAW.
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