I looked, and the liquid which glowed in the caldron had now taken a splendor that mocked all comparisons borrowed from the luster of gems.  In its prevalent color it had, indeed, the dazzle and flash of the ruby; but out from the mass of the molten red, broke coruscations of all prismal hues, shooting, shifting, in a play that made the wavelets themselves seem living things, sensible of their joy.  No longer was there scum or film upon the surface; only ever and anon a light, rosy vapor floating up, and quick lost in the haggard, heavy, sulphurous air, hot with the conflagration rushing toward us from behind.  And these coruscations formed, on the surface of the molten ruby, literally the shape of a rose, its leaves made distinct in their outlines by sparks of emerald and diamond and sapphire.

Even while gazing on this animated liquid luster, a buoyant delight seemed infused into my senses; all terrors conceived before were annulled; the phantoms, whose armies had filled the wide spaces in front, were forgotten; the crash of the forest behind was unheard.  In the reflection of that glory, Margrave’s wan cheek seemed already restored to the radiance it wore when I saw it first in the framework of blooms.

As I gazed, thus enchanted, a cold hand touched my own.

“Hush!” whispered Ayesha, from the black veil, against which the rays of the caldron fell blunt, and absorbed into Dark.  “Behind us, the light of the circle is extinct; but there, we are guarded from all save the brutal and soulless destroyers.  But, before!—­ but, before!—­see, two of the lamps have died out!—­see the blank of the gap in the ring!  Guard that breach—­there the demons will enter.”

“Not a drop is there left in this vessel by which to replenish the lamps on the ring.”

“Advance, then; thou hast still the light of the soul, and the demons may recoil before a soul that is dauntless and guiltless.  If not, Three are lost!—­as it is, One is doomed.”

Thus adjured, silently, involuntarily, I passed from the Veiled Woman’s side, over the sear lines on the turf which had been traced by the triangles of light long since extinguished, and toward the verge of the circle.  As I advanced, overhead rushed a dark cloud of wings—­birds dislodged from the forest on fire, and screaming, in dissonant terror, as they flew toward the farthermost mountains; close by my feet hissed and glided the snakes, driven forth from their blazing coverts, and glancing through the ring, unscared by its waning lamps; all undulating by me, bright-eyed, and hissing, all made innocuous by fear—­even the terrible Death-adder, which I trampled on as I halted at the verge of the circle, did not turn to bite, but crept harmless away.  I halted at the gap between the two dead lamps, and bowed my head to look again into the crystal vessel.  Were there, indeed, no lingering drops yet left, if but to recruit the lamps for some priceless minutes