The Washington times., 1906-02-25
CHAPTER xxIII-(Continued)

Listen. now. while I sing 10 thee.
and hear that song Alright, for in its mel
ody at length thou shalt learn the truth
which, unwed might not tell TO thee.
Thou shalt learn who and what I am,
and who and what thou art. and of the
high purposes of our love, and this dead
woman's hate, and of all that 7 have
hid from thee in yelled, bewildering
words and visions.
Listen. then. my love and lord. TO
the burden of the Song of Fate"
She ceased speaking and gazed heav-
onward with a rapt look, as though
she waited for some inspiration to fall
upon her. and never. never-not even in
the fires of Kor-had Ayesha seemed so
divine as she did now
Ny eyes wandered from her to Leo
who stood before her pale and still
still as the Khania's Icy shape which
stared upward from the ground. What
was passing in his mind, I wondered.
that ne could remain thus insensible
while in all her might and awful beau
ty this proud being worshiped him.
Hark. she began to sing in a voice 50
rich and perfect that its hOneyed notes
seemed to cloy my blood and stop my
breath.
The world was not, was not. and in the
womb of Silence
Slep the souls Of men.
Yet ] was and thou
Suddenly Ayesha stopped. and 1 felt
rather than saw the horror on her face.
Look Leo swaped to and fro, as
though the stones beneath him were but
a rocking boat To and fro ne swayed,
stretched out his blind arms to clasp
her-then suddenly fell backward and
lay still.
Oh! what a shrek was that she gave.
Surely it must have wakeued the very
corpses upon the plain Surely it must
have echoed in the stars. One shrek
oniy-then throbbing silence.
I sprang to him. and there. wfthered
in Ayesha's kiss, slain by the FIRE of
her love, Leo lay dead-lay dead upon
The breast of dead AteneI
/ heard Ayesha say presently, and
The words struck me as dreadful I'm
their hopeless acceptance of d doom
against which even she had no strength
to struggle:
1t seems that my lord has left me
for while; I must hasten to my lord
sfar."
After that L DO not quite know
what happened. / had lost the man
Who was all in all TO me- friend and
child in one. and / was crushed as
had never been before. 7, seemed 90
sad that ], old and outworn. should
still live on, whilst he. IN the flower
OF his age, snatched from JOY and
greatness such as no man hath known
lay thus asleep.
I think that. by an afterthourbt.
Ayesha and Oros tried to restore him.
tried without result, for here her
powers were of no avail Indeed. nv
conviction is that, although some lin
geing life still kept him on his feet.
Leo had really died at the moment Of
her embrace. since when I looked at
him before he fell, his face was that
OF a dead man.
Yes, I believe that last speech of
hers, although she knew it not. was
addressed to his spirit. for in her
burning kiss his flesh had persisted.
When, at length, I recovered myself
. little. it was to hear Ayesha. in q
cold, calm yoice-her face / could not
zee, for she had yelled herself-com-
handing certain priests. who had been
summoned. to bear away the body
Of that aCcursed woman. ana bury her
- BELTS her rank Even then I be-
thought me, 1 remember. of the tale of
Jshu and Jezebel
Leo. looking strangely calm and
happy, lay now upon a couch, the arms
folded on his breast When the priests
had tramped away. bearing their royal
burden, Ayesha, who sat by his BODY
brOOdinE, seemed to awake. for she
rose and said,
I need a messenger, and for no
common journey, since he must search
out the habitations Of the Shades" and
she turned herself toward Oros and an
peared To look at him.
Now, fer the first time, I saw that
priest change cOuntenance a little for
the eternal smile, Of which even this
scene had not quite rid it, left his face.
and he grew pale and trembled.
Thou art afraid" she said. con-
tsmptuously. BE at rest, Oros, I will
not send one who is afraid. Holly.
wilt thou go for me-and hin?"
Ay, answered. I am weary OF
life and desire no other end Only let
IT be swift and painless.