who hadst wandered hither with the beautiful Egyptian Amenartas, and I learned to love for the first and last time, once and for ever, so that it entered into my mind to come hither with thee, and receive the gift of Life for thee and me.  Therefore came we, with that Egyptian who would not be left behind, and, behold, we found the old man Noot lying but newly dead. There he lay, and his white beard covered him like a garment,” and she pointed to a spot near where I was sitting; “but surely he hath long since crumbled into dust, and the wind hath borne his ashes hence.”

Here I put out my hand and felt in the dust, and presently my fingers touched something.  It was a human tooth, very yellow, but sound.  I held it up and showed it to Ayesha, who laughed.

“Yes,” she said, “it is his without a doubt.  Behold what remaineth of Noot, and the wisdom of Noot—­one little tooth!  And yet that man had all life at his command, and for his conscience’ sake would have none of it.  Well, he lay there newly dead, and we descended whither I shall lead you, and then, gathering up all my courage, and courting death that I might perchance win so glorious a crown of life, I stepped into the flames, and behold! life such as ye can never know until ye feel it also, flowed into me, and I came forth undying, and lovely beyond imagining.  Then did I stretch out mine arms to thee, Kallikrates, and bid thee take thine immortal bride, and behold, as I spoke, thou, blinded by my beauty, didst turn from me, and throw thine arms about the neck of Amenartas.  And then a great fury filled me, and made me mad, and I seized the javelin that thou didst bear, and stabbed thee, so that there, at my very feet, in the place of Life, thou didst groan and go down into death.  I knew not then that I had strength to slay with mine eyes and by the power of my will, therefore in my madness slew I with the javelin.[*]

[*] It will be observed that Ayesha’s account of the death of Kallikrates differs materially from that written on the potsherd by Amenartas.  The writing on the sherd says, “Then in her rage did she smite him by her magic, and he died.”  We never ascertained which was the correct version, but it will be remembered that the body of Kallikrates had a spear- wound in the breast, which seems conclusive, unless, indeed, it was inflicted after death.  Another thing that we never ascertained was how the two women—­She and the Egyptian Amenartas—­were able to bear the corpse of the man they both loved across the dread gulf and along the shaking spur.  What a spectacle the two distracted creatures must have presented in their grief and loveliness as they toiled along that awful place with the dead man between them!  Probably however the passage was easier then.—­L.  H. H.

“And when thou wast dead, ah!  I wept, because I was undying and thou wast dead.  I wept there in the place of Life so that had I been mortal any