The Washington times., 1906-02-18

thees ike mountain top on gIjttering
mountain top, making a stairway for
thy mortal feet TO the very dome ~
heaven. thou wouIdst stiu clutch at
they native earth and ask of it-but the
common boon of woman's love.
''Ohi Leo I thought that thy soul was
set upon nobler aims, that thou wouIdst
pray me for wider powers, for a more
vast dominion; that as though thev
were but yonder fallen door of wood
and iron, / should break for thee the
bars of Hades, and like the Eurydice
Of old fable draw thee living down the
sleeps of death, or throne thee midst
the fires of the furthest sun to watch
its subject worlds at play.
OR I thought that thou wouldst bid
me reveal what no woman ever told, the
bitter. naked truth-alI my sins and sor-
rows. all the wandering fancies of my
tickle thought; even what thou knowest
not. and perchance. ne'er shalt know,
who 1 am and whence / came. and how
to thy charmed eyes seemed to change
from foul to fair, and what Is the pur-
pose of my love for thee. and what the
meaning of that tale of an angry god
dess-Who never was except in dreams.
Il thOught-nay, no matter what I
wise than thou art. my Leo. and in so
high moment that thou wouldst seek
TO pass the mystic gates my glory can
throw wide and with me tread an air
supernsI to the hidden heart of things.
Yet thy prayer is but the same that the
whole world whispers beneath the silent
moon, in the palace and the cottage.
among the SHOWS and on the burning
deserts waste. oh my love. thy lips,
thy lips. Oh. my love. be mine. now.
now. beneath the moon, beneath the
moonI'
Leo. thought better. higher, of
thee"
'Mayhap. Ayesha. thou wouldst have
thought worse of me had I been con-
tent with my suns and consultations
and spiritual gifts and nominations that
/ neither desire nor understand
If / had said to thee. Be thou nv
angel, not my wife; divide the ocean
that may walk its bed: pierce the firm
arnent and show me how grow the stars:
tell me the origins of being and of death
and instruct me in their issues: give up
the races of mankind to my sword. and
the wealth Of all the earth to fill my
treasures. Teach me also how to drive
the hurricane as thou canst do. and
to bend the laws of nature TO nv Dur
pose; on earth make me half a god
as thou art
But Ayesha. am not god; I am a
man. and as d man seek the woman
whom I love Oh, divest thyself Of
ali these wrappings cf thy power-that
power which strews thy path with dead
and keeps me apart from thee. If only
for one little hour forget the ambi-
ton that gnaws increasingly at thy soul;
] say. forget thy greatness and be a
woman and-n1y wife
She made no answer. only looked a.
MIN and shook her head. causing he-
glorious hair 20 ripple like water be
meath a gentle breeze.
Thou denisst me-" he went on with
gathering strength, and that thou
canst not DO, that thou mayest not do.
for, Ayesha, thou hast sworn. and I
demand the fulhlIment Of thine oath.
'Hark, thou I refuse thy gifts;
viii have none of thy rule. who ask no
Pharaoh's throne and wish to do good
70 men and not to kill them-that the
world may profit. ] VIII not go with
thee to Kor. nor be bathed in the
breath of life ] will leave thee and
cross the mountains, or perish on them,
nor with all thy strength canst thou
hold me to thy side. who, indeed. need
est NE not No longer viii / endure
this daily torment, the torment of thy
presence and thy sweet words; thy low
ing looks. thy promises for next year,
next year-next year. So keep thine
oath or let me begone"
Still Ayesha stood silent, only now
her head dropped and her breast be-
gan to heave. Then Leo stepped for
ward; he seized her in his arms and
kissed her. She broke from his en-
brace ] know not how, for, though un-
returned, it was close enough. and
again stood before him. but at a little
distance.
Did I not warn Holly" she whis-
pered. with sigh, ito bid thee beware
lest ] should catch thy human fire?
Man. ] say to thee. it begins TO smolder
in my heart, and should il grow 10
fiame-'
Why, then" he answered, laughing,
I'VE will be happy for a little while"
'Ay. Leo but how long? Why vert
thou sole lord of this loneliness of mine
and not set above their harmiug? Night
and day a hundred jealous daggers
would seek thy heart and-find it
How long AyeSha? A lifetime a
year q month a Hiuute-l neither
know nor care. and while thou art true
to me / fear no stabs of envy"
rs II so? Wilt take the risk2 I can
promise thee nothing. Thou miEhtesf
yes, in this way or in that. thou
rnig1test-die.
And if die. what then? Shall we
be separated?''
Nay, nay, Leo. that it not possible
We never can be severed, Of this I am
sure; it is sworn to me- But then
through other lives and other spheres
higher lives and higher spheres. NAV
hap. our fates must force painful
path TO their last goal of union"
Why. then. I take the hazard. Ave
sha. Shall the life that I can risk to
slay a leopard or d lion in the sport of
an idle day, be too great a price to
offer for the splcndors of thy breast?
Thine oath. A!-esha, I claim thine
OATH
Then it was t'lat IN Ayesha there be
gan the most my sterious and thrilling
OF her many changes. Yet how to de
scribe it / know rot, unless it be by
simile.