As I gazed, thus enchanted, a cold hand touched my own.

"Hush!" whispered Ayesha, from the black veil, against which the rays of
the caldron fell blunt, and absorbed into Dark. "Behind us, the light of
the circle is extinct, but there we are guarded from all save the brutal
and soulless destroyers. But before!--but before !--see, two of the lamps
have died out!--see the blank of the gap in the ring Guard that
breach,--there the demons will enter."

"Not a drop is there left in his vessel by which to replenish the lamps on
the ring."

"Advance, then; thou hast still the light of the soul, and the demons may
recoil before a soul that is dauntless and guiltless. If not, Three are
lost!--as it is, One is doomed."

Thus adjured, silently, involuntarily, I passed from the Veiled Woman's
side, over the sere lines on the turf which had been traced by the
triangles of light long since extinguished, and towards the verge of the
circle. As I advanced, overhead rushed a dark cloud of wings,--birds
dislodged from the forest on fire, and screaming, in dissonant terror, as
they flew towards the farthermost mountains; close by my feet hissed and
glided the snakes, driven forth from their blazing coverts, and glancing
through the ring, unscared by its waning lamps; all undulating by me,
bright-eyed and hissing, all made innocuous by fear,--even the terrible
Death-adder, which I trampled on as I halted at the verge of the circle,
did not turn to bite, but crept harmless away. I halted at the gap
between the two dead lamps, and bowed my head to look again into the
crystal vessel. Were there, indeed, no lingering drops yet left, if but
to recruit the lamps for some priceless minutes more? As I thus stood,