Margrave, more than ever intent on the caldron, in which, from time to
time, he kept dropping powders or essences drawn forth from his coffer,
looked up, defyingly, fiercely.

"Ye come," he said, in a low mutter, his once mighty voice sounding hollow
and labouring, but fearless and firm,--"ye come,--not to conquer, vain
rebels!--ye whose dark chief I struck down at my feet in the tomb where my
spell had raised up the ghost of your first human master, the Chaldee!
Earth and air have their armies still faithful to me, and still I remember
the war-song that summons them up to confront you! Ayesha! Ayesha!
recall the wild troth that we pledged amongst roses; recall the dread bond
by which we united our sway over hosts that yet own thee as queen, though
my sceptre is broken, my diadem reft from my brows!"

The Veiled Woman rose at this adjuration. Her veil now was withdrawn, and
the blaze of the fire between Margrave and herself flushed, as with the
rosy bloom of youth, the grand beauty of her softened face. It was seen,
detached as it were, from her dark-mantled form; seen through the mist of
the vapours which rose from the caldron, framing it round like the clouds.
that are yieldingly pierced by the light of the evening star.

Through the haze of the vapour came her voice, more musical, more
plaintive than I had heard it before, but far softer, more tender; still
in her foreign tongue; the words unknown to me, and yet their sense,
perhaps, made intelligible by the love, which has one common language and
one common look to all who have loved,--the love unmistakably heard in the
loving tone, unmistakably seen in the loving face.

A moment or so more, and she had come round from the opposite side of the
fire-pile, and bending over Margrave's upturned brow, kissed it quietly,