“Never!” I exclaimed indignantly.  “Never! it is not true.”

“Then I pray pardon, Allan, who only judged of thee by others that were as men are made, and being such, not to be blamed if perchance from time to time, they turned to look on women, who alas! were as they are made.  So at least it was when I knew the world, but mayhap since then its richest wine has turned to water, whereby I hope it has been bettered.  At the least this was thy thought, that those women who had been thine for an hour, through all eternity could dream of naught else save thy perfections, and hope for naught else than to see thee at their sides through that eternity, or such part of thee as thou couldst spare to each of them.  For thou didst forget that where they have gone there may be others even more peerless than thou art and more fit to hold a woman’s love, which as we know on earth was ever changeful, and perhaps may so remain where it is certain that new lights must shine and new desires beckon.  Dost understand me, Allan?”

“I think so,” I answered with a groan.  “I understand you to mean that worldly impressions soon wear out and that people who have departed to other spheres may there form new ties and forget the old.”

“Yes, Allan, as do those who remain upon this earth, whence these others have departed.  Do men and women still re-marry in the world, Allan, as in my day they were wont to do?”

“Of course—­it is allowed.”

“As many other things, or perchance this same thing, may be allowed elsewhere, for when there are so many habitations from which to choose, why should we always dwell in one of them, however strait the house or poor the prospect?”

Now understanding that I was symbolised by the “strait house” and the “poor prospect” I should have grown angry, had not a certain sense of humour come to my rescue, who remembered that after all Ayesha’s satire was profoundly true.  Why, beyond the earth, should anyone desire to remain unalterably tied to and inextricably wrapped up in such a personality as my own, especially if others of superior texture abounded about them?  Now that I came to think of it, the thing was absurd and not to be the least expected in the midst of a thousand new and vivid interests.  I had met with one more disillusionment, that was all.

“Dost understand, Allan,” went on Ayesha, who evidently was determined that I should drink this cup to the last drop, “that these dwellers in the sun, or the far planet where thou hast been according to thy tale, saw thee not and knew naught of thee?  It may chance therefore that at this time thou wast not in their minds which at others dream of thee continually.  Or it may chance that they never dream of thee at all, having quite forgotten thee, as the weaned cub forgets its mother.”

“At least there was one who seemed to remember,” I exclaimed, for her poisoned mocking stung the words out of me, “one woman and—­a dog.”