Lilith

For she must think! Now what she called THINKING required a clear consciousness of herself, not as she
was, but as she chose to believe herself; and to aid her in the realisation of this consciousness, she had
suspended, a little way from and above her, itself invisible in the darkness of the hall, a mirror to receive the
full sunlight reflected from her person. For the resulting vision of herself in the splendour of her beauty, she
sat waiting the meridional sun.
Many a shadow moved about her in the darkness, but as often as, with a certain inner eye which she had, she
caught sight of one, she refused to regard it. Close under the mirror stood the Shadow which attended her
walks, but, self−occupied, him she did not see.
The city was taken; the inhabitants were cowering in terror; the Little Ones and their strange cavalry were
encamped in the square; the sun shone upon the princess, and for a few minutes she saw herself glorious. The
vision passed, but she sat on. The night was now come, and darkness clothed and filled the glass, yet she did
not move. A gloom that swarmed with shadows, wallowed in the palace; the servants shivered and shook, but
dared not leave it because of the beasts of the Little Ones; all night long the princess sat motionless: she must
see her beauty again! she must try again to think! But courage and will had grown weary of her, and would
dwell with her no more!
In the morning we chose twelve of the tallest and bravest of the boys to go with us to the palace. We rode our
great horses, and they small horses and elephants.
The princess sat waiting the sun to give her the joy of her own presence. The tide of the light was creeping up
the shore of the sky, but until the sun stood overhead, not a ray could enter the black hall.
He rose to our eyes, and swiftly ascended. As we climbed the steep way to the palace, he climbed the dome
of its great hall. He looked in at the eye of it−−and with sudden radiance the princess flashed upon her own
sight. But she sprang to her feet with a cry of despair: alas her whiteness! the spot covered half her side, and
was black as the marble around her! She clutched her robe, and fell back in her chair. The Shadow glided out,
and she saw him go.
We found the gate open as usual, passed through the paved grove up to the palace door, and entered the
vestibule. There in her cage lay the spotted leopardess, apparently asleep or lifeless. The Little Ones paused a
moment to look at her. She leaped up rampant against the cage. The horses reared and plunged; the elephants
retreated a step. The next instant she fell supine, writhed in quivering spasms, and lay motionless. We rode
into the great hall.
The princess yet leaned back in her chair in the shaft of sunlight, when from the stones of the court came to
her ears the noise of the horses' hoofs. She started, listened, and shook: never had such sound been heard in
her palace! She pressed her hand to her side, and gasped. The trampling came nearer and nearer; it entered the
hall itself; moving figures that were not shadows approached her through the darkness!
For us, we saw a splendour, a glorious woman centring the dark. Lona sprang from her horse, and bounded to
her. I sprang from mine, and followed Lona.
"Mother! mother!" she cried, and her clear, lovely voice echoed in the dome.
The princess shivered; her face grew almost black with hate, her eyebrows met on her forehead. She rose to
her feet, and stood.
"Mother! mother!" cried Lona again, as she leaped on the daïs, and flung her arms around the princess.
Lilith
Lilith 115