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only in the hours of night； so that； as his form filled up the jaws
of the dull arch； obscuring the moonbeam that strove to pierce the
shadows that slept within； it stood nowwan and blightedas I had
seen it first； radiant and joyous； literally 〃framed in blooms。〃
IV
〃So；〃 said Margrave； turning to me； 〃under the soil that spreads
around us lies the gold which to you and to me is at this moment of
no value； except as a guide to its twin…bornthe regenerator of
life！〃
〃You have not yet described to me the nature of the substance which
we are to explore； nor the process by which the virtues you impute
to it are to be extracted。〃
〃Let us first find the gold； and instead of describing the life…
amber； so let me call it； I will point it out to your own eyes。 As
to the process； your share in it is so simple that you will ask me
why I seek aid from a chemist。 The life…amber； when found； has but
to be subjected to heat and fermentation for six hours； it will be
placed in a small caldron which that coffer contains； over the fire
which that fuel will feed。 To give effect to the process； certain
alkalies and other ingredients are required； but these are
prepared； and mine is the task to commingle them。 From your
science as chemist I need and ask naught。 In you I have sought
only the aid of a man。〃
〃If that be so； why； indeed； seek me at all？ Why not confide in
those swarthy attendants； who doubtless are slaves to your orders？〃
〃Confide in slaves； when the first task enjoined to them would be
to discover； and refrain from purloining gold！ Seven such
unscrupulous knaves； or even one such； and I； thus defenseless and
feeble！ Such is not the work that wise masters confide to fierce
slaves。 But that is the least of the reasons which exclude them
from my choice； and fix my choice of assistant on you。 Do you
forget what I told you of the danger which the Dervish declared no
bribe I could offer could tempt him a second time to brave？〃
〃I remember now； those words had passed away from my mind。〃
〃And because they had passed away from your mind； I chose you for
my comrade。 I need a man by whom danger is scorned。〃
〃But in the process of which you tell me I see no possible danger
unless the ingredients you mix in your caldron have poisonous
fumes。〃
〃It is not that。 The ingredients I use are not poisons。〃
〃What other danger； except you dread your own Eastern slaves？ But；
if so； why lead them to these solitudes； and； if so； why not bid me
be armed？〃
〃The Eastern slaves； fulfilling my commands； wait for my summons；
where their eyes cannot see what we do。 The danger is of a kind in
which the boldest son of the East would be more craven； perhaps；
that the daintiest Sybarite of Europe； who would shrink from a
panther and laugh at a ghost。 In the creed of the Dervish； and of
all who adventure into that realm of Nature which is closed to
philosophy and open to magic； there are races in the magnitude of
space unseen as animalcules in the world of a drop。 For the tribes
of the drop science has its microscope。 Of the host of yon azure
Infinite magic gains sight； and through them gains command over
fluid conductors that link all the parts of creation。 Of these
races； some are wholly indifferent to man； some benign to him； and
some deadly hostile。 In all the regular and prescribed conditions
of mortal being； this magic realm seems as blank and tenantless as
yon vacant air。 But when a seeker of powers beyond the rude
functions by which man plies the clockwork that measures his hours；
and stops when its chain reaches the end of its coil； strives to
pass over those boundaries at which philosophy says； 'Knowledge
ends'then； he is like all other travelers in regions unknown； he
must propitiate or brave the tribes that are hostilemust depend
for his life on the tribes that are friendly。 Though your science
discredits the alchemist's dogmas； your learning informs you that
all alchemists were not ignorant impostors； yet those whose
discoveries prove them to have been the nearest allies to your
practical knowledge； ever hint in their mystical works at the
reality of that realm which is open to magicever hint that some
means less familiar than furnace and bellows are essential to him
who explores the elixir of life。 He who once quaffs that elixir；
obtains in his very veins the bright fluid by which he transmits
the force of his will to agencies dormant in Nature； to giants
unseen in the space。 And here； as he passes the boundary which
divides his allotted and normal mortality from the regions and
races that magic alone can explore； so； here； he breaks down the
safeguard between himself and the tribes that are hostile。 Is it
not ever thus between man and man？ Let a race the most gentle and
timid and civilized dwell on one side a river or mountain； and
another have home in the region beyond； each； if it pass not the
intervening barrier； may with each live in peace。 But if ambitious
adventurers scale the mountain； or cross the river； with design to
subdue and enslave the population they boldly invade； then all the
invaded arise in wrath and defiancethe neighbors are changed into
foes。 And therefore this processby which a simple though rare
material of Nature is made to yield to a mortal the boon of a life
which brings； with its glorious resistance to Time； desires and
faculties to subject to its service beings that dwell in the earth
and the air and the deephas ever been one of the same peril which
an invader must brave when he crosses the bounds of his nation。 By
this key alone you unlock all the cells of the alchemist's lore； by
this alone understand how a labor； which a chemist's crudest
apprentice could perform； has baffled the giant fathers of all your
dwarfed children of science。 Nature； that stores this priceless
boon； seems to shrink from conceding it to manthe invisible
tribes that abhor him oppose themselves to the gain that might give
them a master。 The duller of those who were the life…seekers of
old would have told you how some chance； trivial； unlooked…for；
foiled their grand hope at the very point of fruition； some doltish
mistake； some improvident oversight； a defect in the sulphur； a
wild overflow in the quicksilver； or a flaw in the bellows； or a
pupil who failed to replenish the fuel； by falling asleep by the
furnace。 The invisible foes seldom vouchsafe to make themselves
visible where they can frustrate the bungler as they mock at his
toils from their ambush。 But the mightier adventurers； equally
foiled in despite of their patience and skill； would have said；
'Not with us rests the fault； we neglected no caution； we failed
from no oversight。 But out from the caldron dread faces arose； and
the specters or demons dismayed and baffled us。' Such； then； is
the danger which seems so appalling to a son of the East； as it
seemed to a seer in the dark age of Europe。 But we can deride all
its threats； you and I。 For myself； I own frankly I take all the
safety that the charms and resources of magic bestow。 You； for
your safety； have the cultured and disciplined reason which reduces
all fantasies to nervous impressions； and I rely on the courage of
one who has questioned； unquailing； the Luminous Shadow； and
wrested from the hand of the magician himself the wand which
concentered the wonders of will！〃
To this strange and long discourse I listened without interruption；
and now quietly answered：
〃I do not merit the trust you affect in my courage； but I am now on
my guard against the cheats of the fancy； and the fumes of a vapor
can scarcely bewilder the brain in the open air of this mountain
land。 I believe in no races like those which you tell me lie
viewless in space； as do gases。 I believe not in magic； I ask not
its aids； and I dread not its terrors。 For the rest； I am
confident of one mournful couragethe courage that comes from
despair。 I submit to your guidance； whatever it be； as a sufferer
whom colleges doom to the grave submits to the quack who says；
'Take my specific and live！' My life is naught in itself； my life
lives in another。 You and I are both brave from despair； you would
turn death from yourselfI would turn death from one I love more
than myself。 Both know how little aid we can win from the
colleges； and both； therefore； turn to the promises most
audaciously cheering。 Dervish or magician； alchemist or phantom；
what care you and I？ And if they fail us； what then？ They cannot
fail us more than the colleges do！〃
V
The gold has been gained with an easy labor。 I knew where to seek
for it； whether under the turf or in the bed of the creek。 But
Margrave's eyes； hungrily gazing round every spot from which the
ore was disburied； could not detect the substance of which he alone
knew the outward appearance。 I had begun to believe that； even in
the description given to him of this material； he had been
credulously duped； and that no such material existed； when； coming
back from the bed of the watercourse； I saw a faint； yellow gleam
amidst the roots of a giant parasite plant； the leaves and blossoms
of which climbed up the sides of the cave wit