The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1926-07-15
Love
or
!, Death
Rafael sabatini
tcopyrixht.i =.
(copyrixht.l
wNu Service

She caught her breath at this,
and then, as if something had still
been needed to scatter what re-
NAMED of her wits, great pillar
of fire leapt suddenly into being
in midchamber, momentarily to
blind her and to wiring from her
a cry of fear. AS suddenly it van
ished, leaving a stencil of sulphur
in the air; and then a voice deep,
booming and immensely calm
rang in her ears: "Fear not, Bian-
ca de- Fioravanti. am here. What
do you seek of me 2"
The poor, overweight lady
looked before her in the direction
of the voice, and witnessed the
third miracle.
Gradually before her eyes, where
there had been impenetrable gloom
where, indeed, it had seemed to
her that the chamber ended in a
wall-she saw man, an entire
scene, gradually assume shape and
being as she watched. Nor did it
occur to her that it might be her
eyesight's slow recovery from the
binding flash of light that con-
veyed to her this impression of
gradual naturalization. Soon it
was complete in focus, as it were,
and quite distinct.
She beheld small table or pull
pit upon which stood a gigantic
open tome, it's leaves yellow with
great age, it's colossal silver
clasps cleaning in the light from
the three beaks of a tall-stemmed
bronze lamp of ancient Greek de-
sign, in which some aromatic oil
was being burned. At the lamps
foot a human skull grinning hor-
ribly. To the right Of the table
stood a tripod supporting bra
zier in which a mass of charcoal
was glowing ruddily. At the table
itself, in high-backed chair, sat
man in a scarlet gown, his head
covered by a hat like an inverted
saucepan. His face was lean and
gaunt, the nose and cheekbones
very prominent; his forehead was
high and narrow, his red beard
befurcated, and his eyes, which
were turned full upon his visitor,
rejecting the cunningly set light,
CLEANED with an uncanny pene-
tration.
Behind him, in the background,
stood crucible and alembic, and
above these an array of shelves
laden with phials, Golfers and re-
torts. But of all this she had the
most fleeting and subconscious Of
impressions. All attention upon the
man himself. She was, too, as one
in a dream, so bewildered had her
senses grown by all that she had
witnessed.
"Speak Madonna" the magician
calmly urged her. 81 am here to
do thy will"
It was encouraging, and would
have been still more encouraging
had she but held some explanation
of the extraordinary manner OF
his advent. Still overawed, she
spoke at last, her voice unsteady.
81 need your help" said she. Il
need it very sorely."
"It is yours, Madonna, to the
entire extent of my vast science"
"You, you have great learning?
she half-questioned, half-affirmed.
"The limitless ocean," he an
swered modestly, els neither so
wide nor so deep as my knowledge.
What is your need?"
She was mastering herself now,
and if she faltered still and hest
tated it was because the thing she
craved was not such as maid
may boldly speak of. She ap-
preached her subject gradually.
"You posses the secret of great
medicines" said she, "of elixirs
that will do. their work not only
upon the body, but at need upon
the very spirit"
'Madonna," he answered sober
ly, 81 can arrest the decay of age,
or compel the departed spirit of
the dead to return to the body and
restore its life. And since it is
Natures law that the greater must
include the less, let that reply
suffice you" f~-~ - -~ 80
"But can you" She paused
Then impelled by her need, her
last fear forgotten now that she
was well embarked upon the bust.
ness, she rose and approached him
"Can you command love?' she
ascked, and gulped. "Can you com.
pei the cold to grow imprisoned
the Indifferent to be filled with
longings? Can you-can you dc
this ?"
He pondered her at some length
''Is this your need?" quoth he
and there was wonder in his voice
"Yours or another's 2"
at is my need" she answered
low. "My own"
He sat back, and further con
sidered the pale beauty Of her, thf