clad guardians that attend the goddess, leaving the great place empty save for Aphrodite and her throng, and for the soul of me, Ayesha, who watched and hearkened, wondering. The Pathian looked around and laughed, then glided to the vacant throne and seating herself thereon, laughed again, till the music of her mockery echoing from pillar to pillar, filled all the temple’s halls.
It is an omen,
she cried. What Isis leaves I take; henceforth her seat and power are mine. See now my ministers, I queen it here, though I wear no vulture cap or symbols of the moon, whose brow is better graced by these abundant locks and whose sceptre is a flower whereof the odours make men mad. Yes, I queen it here as everywhere, though in this solemn melancholy fane I lack a subject.
She glanced about her till her glorious, roving eyes fell upon that spirit which was I.
Come hither, thou,
she said, and do me homage.
Now in my dream I, that spirit who in the world am named Ayesha, came and stood before her, saying,
Nay, I am the child of Isis and to her I bow alone.
Thinkest thou so?
she answered, smiling and looking me up and down. Well, I have another mind. It seems to me that soon thou wilt descend from this sad realm to the joyous fields of earth, that there thou mayest fulfil a certain purpose, for such is the fate decreed for thee. Now, I, Aphrodite, add to that fate and lighten it. Look behind thee, Spirit that shall be woman!
I turned and looked, there to behold a shape of beauty that I knew for Man. So beautiful was he
