When it was gone, Ayesha spoke.
"Now, Kallikrates," she said, "the mighty moment is at hand. When the
great flame comes again thou must stand in it. First throw aside thy
garments, for it will burn them, though thee it will not hurt. Thou must
stand in the flame while thy senses will endure, and when it embraces
thee suck the fire down into thy very heart, and let it leap and play
around thy every part, so that thou lose no moiety of its virtue.
Hearest thou me, Kallikrates?"
"I hear thee, Ayesha," answered Leo, "but, of a truth--I am no
coward--but I doubt me of that raging flame. How know I that it will
not utterly destroy me, so that I lose myself and lose thee also?
Nevertheless will I do it," he added.
Ayesha thought for a minute, and then said--
"It is not wonderful that thou shouldst doubt. Tell me, Kallikrates:
if thou seest me stand in the flame and come forth unharmed, wilt thou
enter also?"
"Yes," he answered, "I will enter even if it slay me. I have said that I
will enter now.
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