"It is well," she said; "prepare to enter the very womb of the Earth, wherein she doth conceive the Life that ye see brought forth in man and beastay, and in every tree and flower."Swiftly she sped along, and after her we stumbled as best we might, our hearts filled like a cup with mingled dread and curiosity.What were we about to see? We passed down the tunnel; stronger and stronger the light beamed, reaching us in great flashes like the rays from a lighthouse, as one by one they are thrown wide upon the darkness of the waters.Nor was this all, for with the flashes came a soul-shaking sound like that of thunder and of crashing trees.Now we were through it, andoh, heavens!
We stood in a third cavern, some fifty feet in length by perhaps as great a height, and thirty wide.It was carpeted with fine white sand, and its walls had been worn smooth by the action of I know not what.The cavern was not dark like the others, it was filled with a soft glow of rose-colored light, more beautiful to look on than anything that can be conceived.But at first we saw no flashes, and heard no more of the thunderous sound.Presently, however, as we stood in amaze, gazing at the wonderful sight, and wondering whence the rosy radiance flowed, a dread and beautiful thing happened.Across the far end of the cavern, with a grinding and crashing noisea noise so dreadful and awe-inspiring that we all trembled, and Job actually sank to his kneesthere flamed out an awful cloud or pillar of fire, like a rainbow many-colored, and like the lightning bright.For a space, perhaps forty seconds, it flamed and roared thus, turning slowly round and round, and then by degrees the terrible noise ceased, and with the fire it passed awayI know not whereleaving behind it the same rosy glow that we had first seen.
"Draw near, draw near!" cried Ayesha, with a voice of thrilling exultation."Behold the very Fountain and Heart of Life as it beats in the bosom of the great world.Behold the substance from which all things draw their energy, the bright Spirit of the Globe, without which it cannot live, but must grow cold and dead as the dead moon.Draw near, and wash you in the living flames, and take their virtue into your poor frames in all its virgin strengthnot as it now feebly glows within your bosoms, filtered thereto through all the fine strainers of a thousand intermediate lives, but as it is here in the very fount and seat of earthly Being."We followed her through the rosy glow up to the head of the cave, till at last we stood before the spot where the great pulse beat and the great flame passed.
