Therefore did I risk my life, and, now that I know that it is forfeit
to thine anger, yet am I glad that I did risk it, and pay it away in the
risking, ay, because he embraced me once, and told me that he loved me
yet."
Here Ayesha half rose from her couch, and then sank down again.
"I have no magic," went on Ustane, her rich voice ringing strong and
full, "and I am not a Queen, nor do I live for ever, but a woman's heart
is heavy to sink through waters, however deep, oh Queen! and a woman's
eyes are quick to see--even through thy veil, oh Queen!
"Listen: I know it, thou dost love this man thyself, and therefore
wouldst thou destroy me who stand across thy path. Ay, I die--I die, and
go into the darkness, nor know I whither I go. But this I know. There is
a light shining in my breast, and by that light, as by a lamp, I see
the truth, and the future that I shall not share unroll itself before
me like a scroll. When first I knew my lord," and she pointed to Leo, "I
knew also that death would be the bridal gift he gave me--it rushed upon
me of a sudden, but I turned not back, being ready to pay the price,
and, behold, death is here! And now, even as I knew that, so do I,
standing on the steps of doom, know that thou shalt not reap the profit
of thy crime.
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