“This cup,” he said--“if it contains anything, contains the true elixir for which all scientists have searched through countless ages. They failed, because they never prepared the cells of the human body to receive it. I have done all this preparatory work with you, and I have done it more successfully than I ever hoped. Every tiniest cell or group of cells that goes to form your composition as a human entity is now ready to absorb this distillation of the particles which generate and shape existence. This is the Sacramental Cup of Life! It is what early mystics dreamed of as the Holy Grail. Do not think that I blaspheme!--no!--I seek to show the world what Science can give it of true and positive communion with the mind of God! The elements that commingle to make this Universe and all that is therein, are the real ‘bread and wine’ of God’s love!--and whoever can and will absorb such food may well ‘preserve body and soul unto everlasting life.’ Such is the great union of Spirit with Matter--such is the truth after which the Churches have been blindly groping in their symbolic ‘holy communion’ feebly materialised in ‘bread and wine’ as God’s ‘body and blood.’ But the actual ‘body and blood’ of the Divine are the ever-changing but never destructible elements of all positive Life and Consciousness. And you are prepared to receive them.” A thrill of strange awe ran through Diana as she heard. His reasoning was profound, yet lucid,--it was true enough, she thought; that God,--that is to say, the everlasting spirit of creative power,--is everywhere and in everything,--yet to the average mind it never occurs to inquire deeply as to the subtle elements wherewith Divine Intelligence causes this “everywhere” and “everything” to be made. She remained silent, her eyes fixed on the crystal cup, knowing that for her it held destiny. “You are prepared,” resumed Dimitrius. “I have left nothing undone. And yet--you are but woman----” “Not weaker than man!” she interrupted him, quickly. “Though men have sought to make her so in order to crush her more easily! Give me the cup!” He looked at her in undisguised admiration. “Wait!” he said. “You shall not lose yourself in the infinite profound, without knowing something of the means whereby you are moved. This cup, as you see, is of purest crystal, hewn rough from rocks that may have been fused in the fires of the world’s foundation. Within it are all the known discoverable particles of life’s essence, and when I say ‘discoverable,’ I wish you to understand that many of these particles were not discovered or discoverable at all till I set my soul to the work of a spy on the secrets of Nature. I have already told you that this test may be life or death to you--if it should be death, then I have failed utterly! For, by all the closest and most minute mathematical measurements, it should be life!” Smiling, she stretched out her hand: “Give me the cup!” she repeated.