第53章

"Then gaze upon that water," and she pointed to the font like vessel, and then, bending forward, held her hand over it.

I rose and gazed, and instantly the water darkened.

Then it cleared and I saw as distinctly as I ever saw anything in my lifeI saw, I say, our boat upon that horrible canal.There was Leo lying at the bottom asleep in it, with a coat thrown over him to keep off the mosquitoes, in such a fashion as to hide his face, and myself, Job, and Mahomed towing on the bank.

I stared back aghast, and cried out that it was magic, for I recognized the whole scene; it was one which had actually occurred, "Nay, nay, O Holly," she answered, "it is no magic;that is a fiction of ignorance.There is no such thing as magic, though there is such a thing as knowledge of the secrets of Nature.That water is my glass; in it Isee what passes if I care to summon up the pictures, which is not often.Therein I can show thee what thou wilt of the past, if it be anything to do with this country and with what I have known, or anything that thou, the gazer, hast known.Think of a face if thou wilt, and it shall be reflected from thy mind upon the water.I know not all the secret yetI can read nothing in the future.But it is an old secret; I did not find it.In Arabia and in Egypt the sorcerers knew it centuries ago.So one day I chanced to bethink me of that old canalsome twenty centuries ago I sailed upon it, and I was minded to look thereon again.And so I looked, and there I saw the boat and three men walking, and one, whose face I could not see, but a youth of a noble form, sleeping in the boat, and so Isent and saved ye.And now, farewell.But stay, tell me of this youththe Lion, as the old man calls him.

I would look upon him, but he is sick, thou sayestsick with the fever, and also wounded in the fray.""He is very sick," I answered, sadly; "canst thou do nothing for him, O queen! who knowest so much?""Of a surety I can.I can cure him; but why speakest thou so sadly? Doth thou love the youth? Is he perchance thy son?""He is my adopted son, O queen! Shall he be brought in before thee?""Nay.How long hath the fever taken him?""This is the third day."

"Good; then let him lie another day.Then will he perchance throw it off by his own strength, and that is better than that I should cure him, for my medicine is of a sort to shake the life in its very citadel.

If, however, by tomorrow night, at that hour when the fever first took him, he doth not begin to mend, then will I come to him and cure him.Stay, who nurses him?""Our white servant, him whom Billali names the Pig;also," and here I spoke with some little hesitation, "a woman named Ustane, a very handsome woman of this country, who came and embraced him when first she saw him, and hath stayed by him ever since, as Iunderstand is the fashion of thy people, O queen.""My people! speak not to me of my people," she answered, hastily;-"these slaves are no people of mine, they are but dogs to do my bidding till the day of my deliverance comes; and, as for their customs, naught have I to do with them.Also, call me not queenI am sick of flattery and titlescall me Ayesha, the name hath a sweet sound in mine ears, it is an echo from the past.As for this Ustane, I know not.I wonder if it be she against whom I was warned, and whom I in turn did warn? Hath shestay, I will see"; and, bending forward, she passed her hand over the font of water and gazed intently into it."See,"she said, quietly, "is that the woman?"

I looked into the water, and there, mirrored upon its placid surface, was the silhouette of Ustane's stately face.She was bending forward, with a look of infinite tenderness upon her features, watching something beneath her, and with her chestnut locks falling on to her right shoulder.

"It is she," I said, in a low voice, for once more Ifelt much disturbed at this most uncommon sight."She watches Leo asleep.""Leo!" said Ayesha, in an absent voice; "why, that is 'lion'.in the Latin tongue.The old man hath named happily for once.It is very strange," she went on, speaking to herself, "very.So likebut it is not possible!" With an impatient gesture she passed her hand over the water once more.It darkened, and the image vanished silently and mysteriously as it had risen, and once more the lamplight, and the lamplight only, shone on the placid surface of that limpid, living mirror.