“It is life,--or it is death!” he answered. “It is my Great Experiment of which _you_ will be the practical test! Ah, now you look amazed indeed!--your eyes are almost young in wonder!--and yet I see no fear! That is well! Now think and understand! All this mechanism,--which is far more complex than you can imagine,--this dome of crystal above us,--this revolving wheel moved by Light alone,--the deep water beneath us through which the condensed and vibrating Light rushes with electric speed,--these million whirling atoms of fire,--all this, I say, is merely--remember!--merely to produce these miniature drops, smaller by many degrees than a drop of dew, and so slowly are they distilled, that it has taken me ten years to draw from these restless and opposing elements a sufficient quantity for my great purpose. Ten years!--and after all, who knows? All my thought and labour may be wasted!--I may have taken the wrong road! The fiery sword turns every way, and even now I may fail!” His face darkened,--the hope and radiance died out of it and left it grey and drawn--almost old. Diana laid her hand on his arm with a soft, consoling touch. “Why should you fail?” she asked, gently. “You yourself know the object of your quest and the problem you seek to solve,--and I am sure you have missed no point that could avail to lead you in the right direction. And if, as I now imagine, you need a human life to risk itself in the ultimate triumph of your work, you have mine entirely at your service. As I have told you several times already, I am not afraid!” He took the hand that lay upon his arm and kissed it with grave courtesy. “I thank you!” he said. “I feel that you are perfectly sincere--and honesty always breeds courage. Understand, my mother has never seen this workshop of mine--she would be terrified. The dome was built for me by my French architect, ostensibly for astronomical purposes--the rest of the mechanism, bit by bit, was sent to me from different parts of the world and I put it up myself assisted only by Vasho, my negro servant, who is dumb. So my secret is, as far as possible, well kept.” “I shall not betray it,” said Diana, simply. He smiled. “I know you will not,” he answered. With almost a miser’s care he locked the tiny door which concealed the mystery of the fiery-golden liquid dropping so slowly, almost reluctantly, into its crystal receptacle. The sun had sunk below the horizon, and shadows began to creep over the clearness of the dome above them, while the great Wheel turned at a slower pace--and ever more slowly as the light grew dim. “We will go now,” he said. “One or two ordinary people are coming to dine--and your luggage will have arrived. I want you to live happily here, and healthfully--your health is a most important consideration with me. You look thin and delicate----” “I am thin--to positive scragginess,” interrupted Diana, “but I am not delicate.”