old would have told you how some chance； trivial； unlooked…for；
foiled their grand hope at the very point of fruition； some doltish
mistake； some improvident oversight； a defect in the sulphur； a
wild overflow in the quicksilver； or a flaw in the bellows； or a
pupil who failed to replenish the fuel； by falling asleep by the
furnace。 The invisible foes seldom vouchsafe to make themselves
visible where they can frustrate the bungler as they mock at his
toils from their ambush。 But the mightier adventurers； equally
foiled in despite of their patience and skill； would have said；
'Not with us rests the fault； we neglected no caution； we failed
from no oversight。 But out from the caldron dread faces arose； and
the specters or demons dismayed and baffled us。' Such； then； is
the danger which seems so appalling to a son of the East； as it
seemed to a seer in the dark age of Europe。 But we can deride all
its threats； you and I。 For myself； I own frankly I take all the
safety that the charms and resources of magic bestow。 You； for
your safety； have the cultured and disciplined reason which reduces
all fantasies to nervous impressions； and I rely on the courage of
one who has questioned； unquailing； the Luminous Shadow； and
wrested from the hand of the magician himself the wand which
concentered the wonders of will！〃
To this strange and long discourse I listened without interruption；
and now quietly answered：
〃I do not merit the trust you affect in my courage； but I am now on
my guard against the cheats of the fancy； and the fumes of a vapor
can scarcely bewilder the brain in the open air of this mountain
land。 I believe in no races like those which you tell me lie
viewless in space； as do gases。 I believe not in magic； I ask not
its aids； and I dread not its terrors。 For the rest； I am
confident of one mournful couragethe courage that comes from
despair。 I submit to your guidance； whatever it be； as a sufferer
whom colleges doom to the grave submits to the quack who says；
'Take my specific and live！' My life is naught in itself； my life
lives in another。 You and I are both brave from despair； you would
turn death from yourselfI would turn death from one I love more
than myself。 Both know how little aid we can win from the
colleges； and both； therefore； turn to the promises most
audaciously cheering。 Dervish or magician； alchemist or phantom；
what care you and I？ And if they fail us； what then？ They cannot
fail us more than the colleges do！〃
V
The gold has been gained with an easy labor。 I knew where to seek
for it； whether under the turf or in the bed of the creek。 But
Margrave's eyes； hungrily gazing round every spot from which the
ore was disburied； could not detect the substance of which he alone
knew the outward appearance。 I had begun to believe that； even in
the description given to him of this material； he had been
credulously duped； and that no such material existed； when； coming
back from the bed of the watercourse； I saw a faint； yellow gleam
amidst the roots of a giant parasite plant； the leaves and blossoms
of which climbed up the sides of the cave with its antediluvian
relics。 The gleam was the gleam of gold； and on removing the loose
earth round the roots of the plant； we came on No； I will not； I
dare not； describe it。 The gold digger would cast it aside； the
naturalist would pause not to heed it； and did I describe it； and
chemistry deign to subject it to analysis； could chemistry alone
detach or discover its boasted virtues？
Its particles； indeed； are very minute； not seeming readily to
crystallize with each other； each in itself of uniform shape and
size； spherical as the egg which contains the germ of life； and
small as the egg from which the life of an insect may quicken。
But Margrave's keen eye caught sight of the atoms upcast by the
light of the moon。 He exclaimed to me； 〃Found！ I shall live！〃
And then； as he gathered up the grains with tremulous hands； he
called out to the Veiled Woman； hitherto still seated motionless on
the crag。 At his word she rose and went to the place hard by；
where the fuel was piled； busying herself there。 I had no leisure
to heed her。 I continued my search in the soft and yielding soil
that time and the decay of vegetable life had accumulated over the
pre…Adamite strata on which the arch of the cave rested its mighty
keystone。
When we had collected of these particles about thrice as much as a
man might hold in his hand； we seemed to have exhausted their bed。
We continued still to find gold； but no more of the delicate
substance to which； in our sight； gold was as dross。
〃Enough；〃 then said Margrave； reluctantly desisting。 〃What we have
gained already will suffice for a life thrice as long as legend
attributes to Haroun。 I shall liveI shall live through the
centuries。〃
〃Forget not that I claim my share。〃
〃Your shareyours！ Trueyour half of my life！ It is true。〃 He
paused with a low； ironical； malignant laugh； and then added； as he
rose and turned away； 〃But the work is yet to be done。〃
VI
While we had thus labored and found； Ayesha had placed the fuel
where the moonlight fell fullest on the sward of the tablelanda
part of it already piled as for a fire； the rest of it heaped
confusedly close at hand； and by the pile she had placed the
coffer。 And； there she stood； her arms folded under her mantle；
her dark image seeming darker still as the moonlight whitened all
the ground from which the image rose motionless。 Margrave opened
his coffer； the Veiled Woman did not aid him； and I watched in
silence； while he as silently made his weird and wizard…like
preparations。
VII
On the ground a wide circle was traced by a small rod； tipped
apparently with sponge saturated with some combustible naphtha…like
fluid； so that a pale； lambent flame followed the course of the rod
as Margrave guided it； burning up the herbage over which it played；
and leaving a distinct ring； like that which； in our lovely native
fable talk； we call the 〃Fairy's ring；〃 but yet more visible
because marked in phosphorescent light。 On the ring thus formed
were placed twelve small lamps； fed with the fluid from the same
vessel； and lighted by the same rod。 The light emitted by the
lamps was more vivid and brilliant than that which circled round
the ring。
Within the circumference； and immediately round the woodpile；
Margrave traced certain geometrical figures； in whichnot without
a shudder； that I overcame at once by a strong effort of will in
murmuring to myself the name of 〃Lilian〃I recognized the
interlaced triangles which my own hand； in the spell enforced on a
sleepwalker； had described on the floor of the wizard's pavilion。
The figures were traced like the circle； in flame； and at the point
of each triangle （four in number） was placed a lamp； brilliant as
those on the ring。 This task performed； the caldron； based on an
iron tripod； was placed on the woodpile。 And then the woman；
before inactive and unheeding； slowly advanced； knelt by the pile
and lighted it。 The dry wood crackled and the flame burst forth；
licking the rims of the caldron with tongues of fire。
Margrave flung into the caldron the particles we had collected；
poured over them first a liquid； colorless as water； from the
largest of the vessels drawn from his coffer； and then； more
sparingly； drops from small crystal phials； like the phials I had
seen in the hand of Philip Derval。
Having surmounted my first impulse of awe； I watched these
proceedings； curious yet disdainful； as one who watches the
mummeries of an enchanter on the stage。
〃If；〃 thought I； 〃these are but artful devices to inebriate and
fool my own imagination； my imagination is on its guard； and reason
shall not； this time； sleep at her post！〃
〃And now；〃 said Margrave； 〃I consign to you the easy task by which
you are to merit your share of the elixir。 It is my task to feed
and replenish the caldron； it is Ayesha's to feed the fire； which
must not for a moment relax in its measured and steady heat。 Your
task is the lightest of all： it is but to renew from this vessel
the fluid that burns in the lamps； and on the ring。 Observe； the
contents of the vessel must be thriftily husbanded； there is
enough； but not more than enough； to sustain the light in the
lamps； on the lines traced round the caldron； and on the farther
ring； for six hours。 The compounds dissolved in this fluid are
scarceonly obtainable in the East； and even in the East months
might have passed before I could have increased my supply。 I had
no months to waste。 Replenish； then； the light only when it begins
to flicker or fade。 Take heed； above all； that no part of the
outer ringno； not an inchand no lamp of the twelve； that are to
its zodiac like stars； fade for one moment in darkness。〃
I took the crystal vessel from his hand。
〃The vessel is small；〃 said I； 〃and what is yet left of its
contents is but scanty； whether its drops suffice to replenish the
lights I cannot guessI can but obey your instructions。 But； more
important by far than the light to the lamps and the circle； which
in Asia or Africa might scare away the wild beasts unknown to this
landmore important than light to a lamp is the strength to your
frame； weak magician！ What will support you through six weary
hours of night watch？〃
〃Hope；〃 answered Margrave； with a ray of his old dazzling style。
〃Hope！ I shall liveI shall live through the centuries！〃
VIII
One hour passed away； the fagots under the caldron burned clear in
the sullen； sultry air。 The materials within began to seethe； and
their color； at first dull and turbid； changed into a pale…rose
hue； from time to time the Veiled Woman replenished the fire； after
she had done so reseating herself close by the pyre； with her head
bowed over her knees； and her face hid under her veil。
The lights in the lamps and along the ring and the triangles now
began to pale。 I resupplied their nutriment from the crystal
vessel。 As yet nothing strange startled my eye or my ear beyond
the rim of the circlenothing audible； save； at a distance； the
musical wheel…like click of the lo