Happiness danceth ever a pace before him, like the marsh-fires in the swamps, and he must catch the fire, and he must hold the star! Beauty is naught to him, because there are lips more honey-sweet; and wealth is naught, because others can weigh him down with heavier shekels; and fame is naught, because there have been greater men than he.Thyself thou saidst it, and Iturn thy words against thee.Well, thou dreamest that thou shalt pluck the star.I believe it not, and Ithink thee a fool, my Holly, to throw away the lamp."I made no answer, for I could notespecially before Leotell her that since I had seen her face I knew that it would always be before my eyes, and that I had no wish to prolong an existence which must always be haunted and tortured by her memory, and by the last bitterness of unsatisfied love.But so it was, and so, alas, is it to this hour!
"And now," went on _i_ She _i_ , changing her tone and the subject together, "tell me, my Kallikrates, for as yet I know it not, how came ye to seek me here?
Yesternight thou didst say that Kallikrateshim whom thou sawestwas thine ancestor.How was it? Tell methou dost not speak overmuch!"
Thus adjured, Leo told her the wonderful story of the casket and of the potsherd that, written on by his ancestress, the Egyptian Amenartas, had been the means of guiding us to her.Ayesha listened intently, and, when he had finished; spoke to me.
"Did I not tell thee one day, when we did talk of good and evil, O Hollyit was when my beloved lay so illthat out of good came evil, and out of evil goodthat they who sowed knew not what the crop should be, nor he who struck where the blow should fall? See, now: