,,lord ,,of ,,the ,,world ,,by ,,robert ,,hugh ,,benson ,dedication ,,clavi ,,domus ,,david ,,preface ,i am perfectly aware that this is a terribly sensational book1 and open to innumerable criticisms on that account1 as well as on many others4 ,but ,i did not know how else to express the principles ,i desired 7and which ,i passionately believe to be true7 except by producing their lines to a sensational point4 ,i have tried1 however1 not to scream unduly loud1 and to retain1 so far as possible1 reverence and consideration for the opinions of other people4 ,whether ,i have succeeded in that attempt is quite another matter4 ,robert ,hugh ,benson4 ,,cambridge #aijg4 ,,contents ,,prologue ,,book ,i ,,the ,,advent ,,book ,,ii ,,the ,,encounter ,,book ,,iii ,,the ,,victory ,persons who do not like tiresome prologues1 need not read this one4 ,it is essential only to the situation1 not to the story4 ,,prologue 8,you must give me a moment10 said the old man1 leaning back4 ,percy resettled himself in his chair and waited1 chin on hand4 ,it was a very silent room in which the three men sat1 furnished with the extreme common sense of the period4 ,it had neither window nor door2 for it was now sixty years since the world1 recognising that space is not confined to the surface of the globe1 had begun to burrow in earnest4 ,old ,mr4 ,templeton's house stood some forty feet below the level of the ,thames embankment1 in what was considered a somewhat commodious position1 for he had only a hundred yards to walk before he reached the station of the ,second ,central ,motor-circle1 and a quarter of a mile to the volor-station at ,blackfriars4 ,he was over ninety years old1 however1 and seldom left his house now4 ,the room itself was lined throughout with the delicate green jade-enamel prescribed by the ,board of ,health1 and was suffused with the artificial sunlight discovered by the great ,reuter forty years before2 it had the colour-tone of a spring wood1 and was warmed and ventilated through the classical frieze grating to the exact temperature of #ah degrees ,centigrade4 ,mr4 ,templeton was a plain man1 content to live as his father had lived before him4 ,the furniture1 too1 was a little old-fashioned in make and design1 constructed however according to the prevailing system of soft asbestos enamel welded over iron1 indestructible1 pleasant to the touch1 and resembling mahogany4 ,a couple of book-cases well filled ran on either side of the bronze pedestal electric fire before which sat the three men2 and in the further corners stood the hydraulic lifts that gave entrance1 the one to the bedroom1 the other to the corridor fifty feet up which opened on to the ,embankment4 ,father ,percy ,franklin1 the elder of the two priests1 was rather a remarkable-looking man1 not more than thirty-five years old1 but with hair that was white throughout2 his grey eyes1 under black eyebrows1 were peculiarly bright and almost passionate2 but his prominent nose and chin and the extreme decisiveness of his mouth reassured the observer as to his will4 ,strangers usually looked twice at him4 ,father ,francis1 however1 sitting in his upright chair on the other side of the hearth1 brought down the average2 for1 though his brown eyes were pleasant and pathetic1 there was no strength in his face2 there was even a tendency to feminine melancholy in the corners of his mouth and the marked droop of his eyelids4 ,mr4 ,templeton was just a very old man1 with a strong face in folds1 clean-shaven like the rest of the world1 and was now lying back on his water-pillows with the quilt over his feet4 99 99 99 99 99 ,at last he spoke1 glancing first at ,percy1 on his left4 8,well10 he said1 8it is a great business to remember exactly2 but this is how ,i put it to myself40 8,in ,england our party was first seriously alarmed at the ,labour ,parliament of #aiag4 ,that showed us how deeply ,herveism had impregnated the whole social atmosphere4 ,there had been ,socialists before1 but none like ,gustave ,herve in his old age--at least no one of the same power4 ,he1 perhaps you have read1 taught absolute ,materialism and ,socialism developed to their logical issues4 ,patriotism1 he said1 was a relic of barbarism2 and sensual enjoyment was the only certain good4 ,of course1 every one laughed at him4 ,it was said that without religion there could be no adequate motive among the masses for even the simplest social order4 ,but he was right1 it seemed4 ,after the fall of the ,french ,church at the beginning of the century and the massacres of #aiad1 the bourgeoisie settled down to organise itself2 and that extraordinary movement began in earnest1 pushed through by the middle classes1 with no patriotism1 no class distinctions1 practically no army4 ,of course1 ,freemasonry directed it all4 ,this spread to ,germany1 where the influence of ,karl ,marx had already---0 8,yes1 sir10 put in ,percy smoothly1 8but what of ,england1 if you don't mind---0 8,ah1 yes2 ,england4 ,well1 in #aiag the ,labour party gathered up the reins1 and ,communism really began4 ,that was long before ,i can remember1 of course1 but my father used to date it from then4 ,the only wonder was that things did not go forward more quickly2 but ,i suppose there was a good deal of ,tory leaven left4 ,besides1 centuries generally run slower than is expected1 especially after beginning with an impulse4 ,but the new order began then2 and the ,communists have never suffered a serious reverse since1 except the little one in '#be4 ,blenkin founded #8,the ,new ,people' then2 and the #8,times' dropped out2 but it was not1 strangely enough1 till '#ce that the ,house of ,lords fell for the last time4 ,the ,established ,church had gone finally in '#bi40 8,and the religious effect of that80 asked ,percy swiftly1 as the old man paused to cough slightly1 lifting his inhaler4 ,the priest was anxious to keep to the point4 8,it was an effect itself10 said the other1 8rather than a cause4 ,you see1 the ,ritualists1 as they used to call them1 after a desperate attempt to get into the ,labour swim1 came into the ,church after the ,convocation of '#ai1 when the ,nicene ,creed dropped out2 and there was no real enthusiasm except among them4 ,but so far as there was an effect from the final ,disestablishment1 ,i think it was that what was left of the ,state ,church melted into the ,free ,church1 and the ,free ,church was1 after all1 nothing more than a little sentiment4 ,the ,bible was completely given up as an authority after the renewed ,german attacks in the twenties2 and the ,divinity of our ,lord1 some think1 had gone all but in name by the beginning of the century4 ,the ,kenotic theory had provided for that4 ,then there was that strange little movement among the ,free ,churchmen even earlier2 when ministers who did no more than follow the swim--who were sensitive to draughts1 so to speak--broke off from their old positions4 ,it is curious to read in the history of the time how they were hailed as independent thinkers4 ,it was just exactly what they were not4444 ,where was ,i8 ,oh1 yes4444 ,well1 that cleared the ground for us1 and the ,church made extraordinary progress for a while--extraordinary1 that is1 under the circumstances1 because you must remember1 things were very different from twenty1 or even ten1 years before4 ,i mean that1 roughly speaking1 the severing of the sheep and the goats had begun4 ,the religious people were practically all ,catholics and ,individualists2 the irreligious people rejected the supernatural altogether1 and were1 to a man1 ,materialists and ,communists4 ,but we made progress because we had a few exceptional men--,delaney the philosopher1 ,mc,arthur and ,largent1 the philanthropists1 and so on4 ,it really seemed as if ,delaney and his disciples might carry everything before them4 ,you remember his #8,analogy'8 ,oh1 yes1 it is all in the text-books4444 8,well1 then1 at the close of the ,vatican ,council1 which had been called in the nineteenth century1 and never dissolved1 we lost a great number through the final definitions4 ,the #8,exodus of the ,intellectuals' the world called it---0 8,the ,biblical decisions10 put in the younger priest4 8,that partly2 and the whole conflict that began with the rise of ,modernism at the beginning of the century but much more the condemnation of ,delaney1 and of the ,new ,transcendentalism generally1 as it was then understood4 ,he died outside the ,church1 you know4 ,then there was the condemnation of ,sciotti's book on ,comparative ,religion4444 ,after that the ,communists went on by strides1 although by very slow ones4 ,it seems extraordinary to you1 ,i dare say1 but you cannot imagine the excitement when the ,necessary ,trades ,bill became law in '#fj4 ,people thought that all enterprise would stop when so many professions were nationalised2 but1 you know1 it didn't4 ,certainly the nation was behind it40 8,what year was the ,two-,thirds ,majority ,bill passed80 asked ,percy4 8,oh6 long before--within a year or two of the fall of the ,house of ,lords4 ,it was necessary1 ,i think1 or the ,individualists would have gone raving mad4444 ,well1 the ,necessary ,trades ,bill was inevitable3 people had begun to see that even so far back as the time when the railways were municipalised4 ,for a while there was a burst of art2 because all the ,individualists who could went in for it 7it was then that the ,toller school was founded72 but they soon drifted back into ,government employment2 after all1 the six-per-cent limit for all individual enterprise was not much of a temptation2 and ,government paid well40 ,percy shook his head4 8,yes2 but ,i cannot understand the present state of affairs4 ,you said just now that things went slowly80 8,yes10 said the old man1 8but you must remember the ,poor ,laws4 ,that established the ,communists for ever4 ,certainly ,braithwaite knew his business40 ,the younger priest looked up inquiringly4 8,the abolition of the old workhouse system10 said ,mr4 ,templeton4 8,it is all ancient history to you1 of course2 but ,i remember as if it was yesterday4 ,it was that which brought down what was still called the ,monarchy and the ,universities40 8,ah10 said ,percy4 8,i should like to hear you talk about that1 sir40 8,presently1 father4444 ,well1 this is what ,braithwaite did4 ,by the old system all paupers were treated alike1 and resented it4 ,by the new system there were the three grades that we have now1 and the enfranchisement of the two higher grades4 ,only the absolutely worthless were assigned to the third grade1 and treated more or less as criminals--of course after careful examination4 ,then there was the reorganisation of the ,old ,age ,pensions4 ,well1 don't you see how strong that made the ,communists8 ,the ,individualists--they were still called ,tories when ,i was a boy--the ,individualists have had no chance since4 ,they are no more than a worn-out drag now4 ,the whole of the working classes--and that meant ninety-nine of a hundred--were all against them40 ,percy looked up2 but the other went on4 8,then there was the ,prison ,reform ,bill under ,macpherson1 and the abolition of capital punishment2 there was the final ,education ,act of '#ei1 whereby dogmatic secularism was established2 the practical abolition of inheritance under the reformation of the ,death ,duties---0 8,i forget what the old system was10 said ,percy4 8,why1 it seems incredible1 but the old system was that all paid alike4 ,first came the ,heirloom ,act1 and then the change by which inherited wealth paid three times the duty of earned wealth1 leading up to the acceptance of ,karl ,marx's doctrines in '#hi--;but the former came in '#gg4444 ,well1 all these things kept ,england up to the level of the ,continent2 she had only been just in time to join in with the final scheme of ,western ,free ,trade4 ,that was the first effect1 you remember1 of the ,socialists' victory in ,germany40 8,and how did we keep out of the ,eastern ,war80 asked ,percy anxiously4 8,oh6 that's a long story2 but1 in a word1 ,america stopped us2 so we lost ,india and ,australia4 ,i think that was the nearest to the downfall of the ,communists since '#be4 ,but ,braithwaite got out of it very cleverly by getting us the protectorate of ,south ,africa once and for all4 ,he was an old man then1 too40 ,mr4 ,templeton stopped to cough again4 ,father ,francis sighed and shifted in his chair4 8,and ,america80 asked ,percy4 8,ah6 all that is very complicated4 ,but she knew her strength and annexed ,canada the same year4 ,that was when we were at our weakest40 ,percy stood up4 8,have you a ,comparative ,atlas1 sir80 he asked4 ,the old man pointed to a shelf4 8,there10 he said4 99 99 99 99 99 ,percy looked at the sheets a minute or two in silence1 spreading them on his knees4 8,it is all much simpler1 certainly10 he murmured1 glancing first at the old complicated colouring of the beginning of the twentieth century1 and then at the three great washes of the twenty-first4 ,he moved his finger along ,asia4 ,the words ,,eastern ,,empire ran across the pale yellow1 from the ,ural ,mountains on the left to the ,behring ,straits on the right1 curling round in giant letters through ,india1 ,australia1 and ,new ,zealand4 ,he glanced at the red2 it was considerably smaller1 but still important enough1 considering that it covered not only ,europe proper1 but all ,russia up to the ,ural ,mountains1 and ,africa to the south4 ,the blue-labelled ,,american ,,republic swept over the whole of that continent1 and disappeared right round to the left of the ,western ,hemisphere in a shower of blue sparks on the white sea4 8,yes1 it's simpler10 said the old man drily4 ,percy shut the book and set it by his chair4 8,and what next1 sir8 ,what will happen80 ,the old ,tory statesman smiled4 8,god knows10 he said4 8,if the ,eastern ,empire chooses to move1 we can do nothing4 ,i don't know why they have not moved4 ,i suppose it is because of religious differences40 8,europe will not split80 asked the priest4 8,no1 no4 ,we know our danger now4 ,and ,america would certainly help us4 ,but1 all the same1 ,god help us--or you1 ,i should rather say--if the ,empire does move6 ,she knows her strength at last40 ,there was silence for a moment or two4 ,a faint vibration trembled through the deep-sunk room as some huge machine went past on the broad boulevard overhead4 8,prophesy1 sir10 said ,percy suddenly4 8,i mean about religion40 ,mr4 ,templeton inhaled another long breath from his instrument4 ,then again he took up his discourse4 8,briefly10 he said1 8there are three forces--,catholicism1 ,humanitarianism1 and the ,eastern religions4 ,about the third ,i cannot prophesy1 though ,i think the ,sufis will be victorious4 ,anything may happen2 ,esotericism is making enormous strides--and that means ,pantheism2 and the blending of the ,chinese and ,japanese dynasties throws out all our calculations4 ,but in ,europe and ,america1 there is no doubt that the struggle lies between the other two4 ,we can neglect everything else4 ,and1 ,i think1 if you wish me to say what ,i think1 that1 humanly speaking1 ,catholicism will decrease rapidly now4 ,it is perfectly true that ,protestantism is dead4 ,men do recognise at last that a supernatural ,religion involves an absolute authority1 and that ,private ,judgment in matters of faith is nothing else than the beginning of disintegration4 ,and it is also true that since the ,catholic ,church is the only institution that even claims supernatural authority1 with all its merciless logic1 she has again the allegiance of practically all ,christians who have any supernatural belief left4 ,there are a few faddists left1 especially in ,america and here2 but they are negligible4 ,that is all very well2 but1 on the other hand1 you must remember that ,humanitarianism1 contrary to all persons' expectations1 is becoming an actual religion itself1 though anti-supernatural4 ,it is ,pantheism2 it is developing a ritual under ,freemasonry2 it has a creed1 #8,god is ,man1' and the rest4 ,it has therefore a real food of a sort to offer to religious cravings2 it idealises1 and yet it makes no demand upon the spiritual faculties4 ,then1 they have the use of all the churches except ours1 and all the ,cathedrals2 and they are beginning at last to encourage sentiment4 ,then1 they may display their symbols and we may not3 ,i think that they will be established legally in another ten years at the latest4 8,now1 we ,catholics1 remember1 are losing2 we have lost steadily for more than fifty years4 ,i suppose that we have1 nominally1 about one-fortieth of ,america now--and that is the result of the ,catholic movement of the early twenties4 ,in ,france and ,spain we are nowhere2 in ,germany we are less4 ,we hold our position in the ,east1 certainly2 but even there we have not more than one in two hundred--so the statistics say--and we are scattered4 ,in ,italy8 ,well1 we have ,rome again to ourselves1 but nothing else2 here1 we have ,ireland altogether and perhaps one in sixty of ,england1 ,wales and ,scotland2 but we had one in forty seventy years ago4 ,then there is the enormous progress of psychology--all clean against us for at least a century4 ,first1 you see1 there was ,materialism1 pure and simple that failed more or less--it was too crude--until psychology came to the rescue4 ,now psychology claims all the rest of the ground2 and the supernatural sense seems accounted for4 ,that's the claim4 ,no1 father1 we are losing2 and we shall go on losing1 and ,i think we must even be ready for a catastrophe at any moment40 8,but---0 began ,percy4 8,you think that weak for an old man on the edge of the grave4 ,well1 it is what ,i think4 ,i see no hope4 ,in fact1 it seems to me that even now something may come on us quickly4 ,no2 ,i see no hope until---0 ,percy looked up sharply4 8,until our ,lord comes back10 said the old statesman4 ,father ,francis sighed once more1 and there fell a silence4 99 99 99 99 99 8,and the fall of the ,universities80 said ,percy at last4 8,my dear father1 it was exactly like the fall of the ,monasteries under ,henry ,,viii--the same results1 the same arguments1 the same incidents4 ,they were the strongholds of ,individualism1 as the ,monasteries were the strongholds of ,papalism2 and they were regarded with the same kind of awe and envy4 ,then the usual sort of remarks began about the amount of port wine drunk2 and suddenly people said that they had done their work1 that the inmates were mistaking means for ends2 and there was a great deal more reason for saying it4 ,after all1 granted the supernatural1 ,religious ,houses are an obvious consequence2 but the object of secular education is presumably the production of something visible--either character or competence2 and it became quite impossible to prove that the ,universities produced either--which was worth having4 ,the distinction between and is not an end in itself2 and the kind of person produced by its study was not one which appealed to ,england in the twentieth century4 ,i am not sure that it appealed even to me much 7and ,i was always a strong ,individualist7--except by way of pathos---0 8,yes80 said ,percy4 8,oh1 it was pathetic enough4 ,the ,science ,schools of ,cambridge and the ,colonial ,department of ,oxford were the last hope2 and then those went4 ,the old dons crept about with their books1 but nobody wanted them--they were too purely theoretical2 some drifted into the poorhouses1 first or second grade2 some were taken care of by charitable clergymen2 there was that attempt to concentrate in ,dublin2 but it failed1 and people soon forgot them4 ,the buildings1 as you know1 were used for all kinds of things4 ,oxford became an engineering establishment for a while1 and ,cambridge a kind of ,government laboratory4 ,i was at ,king's ,college1 you know4 ,of course it was all as horrible as it could be--though ,i am glad they kept the chapel open even as a museum4 ,it was not nice to see the chantries filled with anatomical specimens4 ,however1 ,i don't think it was much worse than keeping stoves and surplices in them40 8,what happened to you80 8,oh6 ,i was in ,parliament very soon2 and ,i had a little money of my own1 too4 ,but it was very hard on some of them2 they had little pensions1 at least all who were past work4 ,and yet1 ,i don't know3 ,i suppose it had to come4 ,they were very little more than picturesque survivals1 you know2 and had not even the grace of a religious faith about them40 ,percy sighed again1 looking at the humorously reminiscent face of the old man4 ,then he suddenly changed the subject again4 8,what about this ,european parliament80 he said4 ,the old man started4 8,oh6444 ,i think it will pass10 he said1 8if a man can be found to push it4 ,all this last century has been leading up to it1 as you see4 ,patriotism has been dying fast2 but it ought to have died1 like slavery and so forth1 under the influence of the ,catholic ,church4 ,as it is1 the work has been done without the ,church2 and the result is that the world is beginning to range itself against us3 it is an organised antagonism-- a kind of ,catholic anti-,church4 ,democracy has done what the ,divine ,monarchy should have done4 ,if the proposal passes ,i think we may expect something like persecution once more4444 ,but1 again1 the ,eastern invasion may save us1 if it comes off4444 ,i do not know44440 ,percy sat still yet a moment2 then he stood up suddenly4 8,i must go1 sir10 he said1 relapsing into ,esperanto4 8,it is past nineteen o'clock4 ,thank you so much4 ,are you coming1 father80 ,father ,francis stood up also1 in the dark grey suit permitted to priests1 and took up his hat4 8,well1 father10 said the old man again1 8come again some day1 if ,i haven't been too discursive4 ,i suppose you have to write your letter yet80 ,percy nodded4 8,i did half of it this morning10 he said1 8but ,i felt ,i wanted another bird's-eye view before ,i could understand properly3 ,i am so grateful to you for giving it me4 ,it is really a great labour1 this daily letter to the ,cardinal-,protector4 ,i am thinking of resigning if ,i am allowed40 8,my dear father1 don't do that4 ,if ,i may say so to your face1 ,i think you have a very shrewd mind2 and unless ,rome has balanced information she can do nothing4 ,i don't suppose your colleagues are as careful as yourself40 ,percy smiled1 lifting his dark eyebrows deprecatingly4 8,come1 father10 he said4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the two priests parted at the steps of the corridor1 and ,percy stood for a minute or two staring out at the familiar autumn scene1 trying to understand what it all meant4 ,what he had heard downstairs seemed strangely to illuminate that vision of splendid prosperity that lay before him4 ,the air was as bright as day2 artificial sunlight had carried all before it1 and ,london now knew no difference between dark and light4 ,he stood in a kind of glazed cloister1 heavily floored with a preparation of rubber on which footsteps made no sound4 ,beneath him1 at the foot of the stairs1 poured an endless double line of persons severed by a partition1 going to right and left1 noiselessly1 except for the murmur of ,esperanto talking that sounded ceaselessly as they went4 ,through the clear1 hardened glass of the public passage showed a broad sleek black roadway1 ribbed from side to side1 and puckered in the centre1 significantly empty1 but even as he stood there a note sounded far away from ,old ,westminster1 like the hum of a giant hive1 rising as it came1 and an instant later a transparent thing shot past1 flashing from every angle1 and the note died to a hum again and a silence as the great ,government motor from the south whirled eastwards with the mails4 ,this was a privileged roadway2 nothing but state-vehicles were allowed to use it1 and those at a speed not exceeding one hundred miles an hour4 ,other noises were subdued in this city of rubber2 the passenger-circles were a hundred yards away1 and the subterranean traffic lay too deep for anything but a vibration to make itself felt4 ,it was to remove this vibration1 and silence the hum of the ordinary vehicles1 that the ,government experts had been working for the last twenty years4 ,once again before he moved there came a long cry from overhead1 startlingly beautiful and piercing1 and1 as he lifted his eyes from the glimpse of the steady river which alone had refused to be transformed1 he saw high above him against the heavy illuminated clouds1 a long slender object1 glowing with soft light1 slide northwards and vanish on outstretched wings4 ,that musical cry1 he told himself1 was the voice of one of the ,european line of volors announcing its arrival in the capital of ,great ,britain4 8,until our ,lord comes back10 he thought to himself2 and for an instant the old misery stabbed at his heart4 ,how difficult it was to hold the eyes focussed on that far horizon when this world lay in the foreground so compelling in its splendour and its strength6 ,oh1 he had argued with ,father ,francis an hour ago that size was not the same as greatness1 and that an insistent external could not exclude a subtle internal2 and he had believed what he had then said2 but the doubt yet remained till he silenced it by a fierce effort1 crying in his heart to the ,poor ,man of ,nazareth to keep his heart as the heart of a little child4 ,then he set his lips1 wondering how long ,father ,francis would bear the pressure1 and went down the steps4 ,,book ,i-,,the ,,advent ,,chapter ,i ,i ,oliver ,brand1 the new member for ,croydon 7#d71 sat in his study1 looking out of the window over the top of his typewriter4 ,his house stood facing northwards at the extreme end of a spur of the ,surrey ,hills1 now cut and tunnelled out of all recognition2 only to a ,communist the view was an inspiriting one4 ,immediately below the wide windows the embanked ground fell away rapidly for perhaps a hundred feet1 ending in a high wall1 and beyond that the world and works of men were triumphant as far as eye could see4 ,two vast tracks like streaked race-courses1 each not less than a quarter of a mile in width1 and sunk twenty feet below the surface of the ground1 swept up to a meeting a mile ahead at the huge junction4 ,of those1 that on his left was the ,first ,trunk road to ,brighton1 inscribed in capital letters in the ,railroad ,guide1 that to the right the ,second ,trunk to the ,tunbridge and ,hastings district4 ,each was divided length-ways by a cement wall1 on one side of which1 on steel rails1 ran the electric trams1 and on the other lay the motor-track itself again divided into three1 on which ran1 first the ,government coaches at a speed of one hundred and fifty miles an hour1 second the private motors at not more than sixty1 third the cheap ,government line at thirty1 with stations every five miles4 ,this was further bordered by a road confined to pedestrians1 cyclists and ordinary cars on which no vehicle was allowed to move at more than twelve miles an hour4 ,beyond these great tracks lay an immense plain of house-roofs1 with short towers here and there marking public buildings1 from the ,caterham district on the left to ,croydon in front1 all clear and bright in smokeless air2 and far away to the west and north showed the low suburban hills against the ,april sky4 ,there was surprisingly little sound1 considering the pressure of the population2 and1 with the exception of the buzz of the steel rails as a train fled north or south1 and the occasional sweet chord of the great motors as they neared or left the junction1 there was little to be heard in this study except a smooth1 soothing murmur that filled the air like the murmur of bees in a garden4 ,oliver loved every hint of human life--all busy sights and sounds--and was listening now1 smiling faintly to himself as he stared out into the clear air4 ,then he set his lips1 laid his fingers on the keys once more1 and went on speech-constructing4 99 99 99 99 99 ,he was very fortunate in the situation of his house4 ,it stood in an angle of one of those huge spider-webs with which the country was covered1 and for his purposes was all that he could expect4 ,it was close enough to ,london to be extremely cheap1 for all wealthy persons had retired at least a hundred miles from the throbbing heart of ,england2 and yet it was as quiet as he could wish4 ,he was within ten minutes of ,westminster on the one side1 and twenty minutes of the sea on the other1 and his constituency lay before him like a raised map4 ,further1 since the great ,london termini were but ten minutes away1 there were at his disposal the ,first ,trunk lines to every big town in ,england4 ,for a politician of no great means1 who was asked to speak at ,edinburgh on one evening and in ,marseilles on the next1 he was as well placed as any man in ,europe4 ,he was a pleasant-looking man1 not much over thirty years old2 black wire-haired1 clean-shaven1 thin1 virile1 magnetic1 blue-eyed and white-skinned2 and he appeared this day extremely content with himself and the world4 ,his lips moved slightly as he worked1 his eyes enlarged and diminished with excitement1 and more than once he paused and stared out again1 smiling and flushed4 ,then a door opened2 a middle-aged man came nervously in with a bundle of papers1 laid them down on the table without a word1 and turned to go out4 ,oliver lifted his hand for attention1 snapped a lever1 and spoke4 8,well1 ,mr4 ,phillips80 he said4 8,there is news from the ,east1 sir10 said the secretary4 ,oliver shot a glance sideways1 and laid his hand on the bundle4 8,any complete message80 he asked4 8,no1 sir2 it is interrupted again4 ,mr4 ,felsenburgh's name is mentioned40 ,oliver did not seem to hear2 he lifted the flimsy printed sheets with a sudden movement1 and began turning them4 8,the fourth from the top1 ,mr4 ,brand10 said the secretary4 ,oliver jerked his head impatiently1 and the other went out as if at a signal4 ,the fourth sheet from the top1 printed in red on green1 seemed to absorb ,oliver's attention altogether1 for he read it through two or three times1 leaning back motionless in his chair4 ,then he sighed1 and stared again through the window4 ,then once more the door opened1 and a tall girl came in4 8,well1 my dear80 she observed4 ,oliver shook his head1 with compressed lips4 8,nothing definite10 he said4 8,even less than usual4 ,listen40 ,he took up the green sheet and began to read aloud as the girl sat down in a window-seat on his left4 ,she was a very charming-looking creature1 tall and slender1 with serious1 ardent grey eyes1 firm red lips1 and a beautiful carriage of head and shoulders4 ,she had walked slowly across the room as ,oliver took up the paper1 and now sat back in her brown dress in a very graceful and stately attitude4 ,she seemed to listen with a deliberate kind of patience2 but her eyes flickered with interest4 8#8,irkutsk--,april fourteen--,yesterday--as--usual--,but--r umoured-- defection--from--,sufi--party--,troops-- continue--gathering-- ,felsenburgh--addressed--,buddhist--crow d--,attempt--on--,llama--last-- ,friday--work--of--,anarchists--,felsenb urgh--leaving--for--,moscow--as --arranged--he4444' ,there--that is absolutely all10 ended ,oliver dispiritedly4 8,it's interrupted as usual40 ,the girl began to swing a foot4 8,i don't understand in the least10 she said4 8,who is ,felsenburgh1 after all80 8,my dear child1 that is what all the world is asking4 ,nothing is known except that he was included in the ,american deputation at the last moment4 ,the ,herald published his life last week2 but it has been contradicted4 ,it is certain that he is quite a young man1 and that he has been quite obscure until now40 8,well1 he is not obscure now10 observed the girl4 8,i know2 it seems as if he were running the whole thing4 ,one never hears a word of the others4 ,it's lucky he's on the right side40 8,and what do you think80 ,oliver turned vacant eyes again out of the window4 8,i think it is touch and go10 he said4 8,the only remarkable thing is that here hardly anybody seems to realise it4 ,it's too big for the imagination1 ,i suppose4 ,there is no doubt that the ,east has been preparing for a descent on ,europe for these last five years4 ,they have only been checked by ,america2 and this is one last attempt to stop them4 ,but why ,felsenburgh should come to the front---0 he broke off4 8,he must be a good linguist1 at any rate4 ,this is at least the fifth crowd he has addressed2 perhaps he is just the ,american interpreter4 ,christ6 ,i wonder who he is40 8,has he any other name80 8,julian1 ,i believe4 ,one message said so40 8,how did this come through80 ,oliver shook his head4 8,private enterprise10 he said4 8,the ,european agencies have stopped work4 ,every telegraph station is guarded night and day4 ,there are lines of volors strung out on every frontier4 ,the ,empire means to settle this business without us40 8,and if it goes wrong80 8,my dear ,mabel--if hell breaks loose---0 he threw out his hands deprecatingly4 8,and what is the ,government doing80 8,working night and day2 so is the rest of ,europe4 ,it'll be ,armageddon with a vengeance if it comes to war40 8,what chance do you see80 8,i see two chances10 said ,oliver slowly3 8one1 that they may be afraid of ,america1 and may hold their hands from sheer fear2 the other that they may be induced to hold their hands from charity2 if only they can be made to understand that co-operation is the one hope of the world4 ,but those damned religions of theirs---0 ,the girl sighed1 and looked out again on to the wide plain of house-roofs below the window4 ,the situation was indeed as serious as it could be4 ,that huge ,empire1 consisting of a federalism of ,states under the ,son of ,heaven 7made possible by the merging of the ,japanese and ,chinese dynasties and the fall of ,russia71 had been consolidating its forces and learning its own power during the last thirty-five years1 ever since1 in fact1 it had laid its lean yellow hands upon ,australia and ,india4 ,while the rest of the world had learned the folly of war1 ever since the fall of the ,russian republic under the combined attack of the yellow races1 the last had grasped its possibilities4 ,it seemed now as if the civilisation of the last century was to be swept back once more into chaos4 ,it was not that the mob of the ,east cared very greatly2 it was their rulers who had begun to stretch themselves after an almost eternal lethargy1 and it was hard to imagine how they could be checked at this point4 ,there was a touch of grimness too in the rumour that religious fanaticism was behind the movement1 and that the patient ,east proposed at last to proselytise by the modern equivalents of fire and sword those who had laid aside for the most part all religious beliefs except that in ,humanity4 ,to ,oliver it was simply maddening4 ,as he looked from his window and saw that vast limit of ,london laid peaceably before him1 as his imagination ran out over ,europe and saw everywhere that steady triumph of common sense and fact over the wild fairy-stories of ,christianity1 it seemed intolerable that there should be even a possibility that all this should be swept back again into the barbarous turmoil of sects and dogmas2 for no less than this would be the result if the ,east laid hands on ,europe4 ,even ,catholicism would revive1 he told himself1 that strange faith that had blazed so often as persecution had been dashed to quench it2 and1 of all forms of faith1 to ,oliver's mind ,catholicism was the most grotesque and enslaving4 ,and the prospect of all this honestly troubled him1 far more than the thought of the physical catastrophe and bloodshed that would fall on ,europe with the advent of the ,east4 ,there was but one hope on the religious side1 as he had told ,mabel a dozen times1 and that was that the ,quietistic ,pantheism which for the last century had made such giant strides in ,east and ,west alike1 among ,mohammedans1 ,buddhists1 ,hindus1 ,confucianists and the rest1 should avail to check the supernatural frenzy that inspired their exoteric brethren4 ,pantheism1 he understood1 was what he held himself2 for him 8,god0 was the developing sum of created life1 and impersonal ,unity was the essence of ,his being2 competition then was the great heresy that set men one against another and delayed all progress2 for1 to his mind1 progress lay in the merging of the individual in the family1 of the family in the commonwealth1 of the commonwealth in the continent1 and of the continent in the world4 ,finally1 the world itself at any moment was no more than the mood of impersonal life4 ,it was1 in fact1 the ,catholic idea with the supernatural left out1 a union of earthly fortunes1 an abandonment of individualism on the one side1 and of supernaturalism on the other4 ,it was treason to appeal from ,god ,immanent to ,god ,transcendent2 there was no ,god transcendent2 ,god1 so far as ,he could be known1 was man4 ,yet these two1 husband and wife after a fashion--for they had entered into that terminable contract now recognised explicitly by the ,state--these two were very far from sharing in the usual heavy dulness of mere materialists4 ,the world1 for them1 beat with one ardent life blossoming in flower and beast and man1 a torrent of beautiful vigour flowing from a deep source and irrigating all that moved or felt4 ,its romance was the more appreciable because it was comprehensible to the minds that sprang from it2 there were mysteries in it1 but mysteries that enticed rather than baffled1 for they unfolded new glories with every discovery that man could make2 even inanimate objects1 the fossil1 the electric current1 the far-off stars1 these were dust thrown off by the ,spirit of the ,world--fragrant with ,his ,presence and eloquent of ,his ,nature4 ,for example1 the announcement made by ,klein1 the astronomer1 twenty years before1 that the inhabitation of certain planets had become a certified fact--how vastly this had altered men's views of themselves4 ,but the one condition of progress and the building of ,jerusalem1 on the planet that happened to be men's dwelling place1 was peace1 not the sword which ,christ brought or that which ,mahomet wielded2 but peace that arose from1 not passed1 understanding2 the peace that sprang from a knowledge that man was all and was able to develop himself only by sympathy with his fellows4 ,to ,oliver and his wife1 then1 the last century seemed like a revelation2 little by little the old superstitions had died1 and the new light broadened2 the ,spirit of the ,world had roused ,himself1 the sun had dawned in the west2 and now with horror and loathing they had seen the clouds gather once more in the quarter whence all superstition had had its birth4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mabel got up presently and came across to her husband4 8,my dear10 she said1 8you must not be downhearted4 ,it all may pass as it passed before4 ,it is a great thing that they are listening to ,america at all4 ,and this ,mr4 ,felsenburgh seems to be on the right side40 ,oliver took her hand and kissed it4 ,,ii ,oliver seemed altogether depressed at breakfast1 half an hour later4 ,his mother1 an old lady of nearly eighty1 who never appeared till noon1 seemed to see it at once1 for after a look or two at him and a word1 she subsided into silence behind her plate4 ,it was a pleasant little room in which they sat1 immediately behind ,oliver's own1 and was furnished1 according to universal custom1 in light green4 ,its windows looked out upon a strip of garden at the back1 and the high creeper-grown wall that separated that domain from the next4 ,the furniture1 too1 was of the usual sort2 a sensible round table stood in the middle1 with three tall arm-chairs1 with the proper angles and rests1 drawn up to it2 and the centre of it1 resting apparently on a broad round column1 held the dishes4 ,it was thirty years now since the practice of placing the dining-room above the kitchen1 and of raising and lowering the courses by hydraulic power into the centre of the dining-table1 had become universal in the houses of the well-to-do4 ,the floor consisted entirely of the asbestos cork preparation invented in ,america1 noiseless1 clean1 and pleasant to both foot and eye4 ,mabel broke the silence4 8,and your speech to-morrow80 she asked1 taking up her fork4 ,oliver brightened a little1 and began to discourse4 ,it seemed that ,birmingham was beginning to fret4 ,they were crying out once more for free trade with ,america3 ,european facilities were not enough1 and it was ,oliver's business to keep them quiet4 ,it was useless1 he proposed to tell them1 to agitate until the ,eastern business was settled3 they must not bother the ,government with such details just now4 ,he was to tell them1 too1 that the ,government was wholly on their side2 that it was bound to come soon4 8,they are pig-headed10 he added fiercely2 8pig-headed and selfish2 they are like children who cry for food ten minutes before dinner-time3 it is bound to come if they will wait a little40 8,and you will tell them so80 8,that they are pig-headed8 ,certainly40 ,mabel looked at her husband with a pleased twinkle in her eyes4 ,she knew perfectly well that his popularity rested largely on his outspokenness3 folks liked to be scolded and abused by a genial bold man who danced and gesticulated in a magnetic fury2 she liked it herself4 8,how shall you go80 she asked4 8,volor4 ,i shall catch the eighteen o'clock at ,blackfriars2 the meeting is at nineteen1 and ,i shall be back at twenty-one40 ,he addressed himself vigorously to his entree1 and his mother looked up with a patient1 old-woman smile4 ,mabel began to drum her fingers softly on the damask4 8,please make haste1 my dear10 she said2 8,i have to be at ,brighton at three40 ,oliver gulped his last mouthful1 pushed his plate over the line1 glanced to see if all plates were there1 and then put his hand beneath the table4 ,instantly1 without a sound1 the centre-piece vanished1 and the three waited unconcernedly while the clink of dishes came from beneath4 ,old ,mrs4 ,brand was a hale-looking old lady1 rosy and wrinkled1 with the mantilla head-dress of fifty years ago2 but she1 too1 looked a little depressed this morning4 ,the entree was not very successful1 she thought2 the new food-stuff was not up to the old1 it was a trifle gritty3 she would see about it afterwards4 ,there was a clink1 a soft sound like a push1 and the centre-piece snapped into its place1 bearing an admirable imitation of a roasted fowl4 ,oliver and his wife were alone again for a minute or two after breakfast before ,mabel started down the path to catch the #ad o'clock #dth grade sub-trunk line to the junction4 8,what's the matter with mother80 he said4 8,oh6 it's the food-stuff again3 she's never got accustomed to it2 she says it doesn't suit her40 8,nothing else80 8,no1 my dear1 ,i am sure of it4 ,she hasn't said a word lately40 ,oliver watched his wife go down the path1 reassured4 ,he had been a little troubled once or twice lately by an odd word or two that his mother had let fall4 ,she had been brought up a ,christian for a few years1 and it seemed to him sometimes as if it had left a taint4 ,there was an old 8,garden of the ,soul0 that she liked to keep by her1 though she always protested with an appearance of scorn that it was nothing but nonsense4 ,still1 ,oliver would have preferred that she had burned it3 superstition was a desperate thing for retaining life1 and1 as the brain weakened1 might conceivably reassert itself4 ,christianity was both wild and dull1 he told himself1 wild because of its obvious grotesqueness and impossibility1 and dull because it was so utterly apart from the exhilarating stream of human life2 it crept dustily about still1 he knew1 in little dark churches here and there2 it screamed with hysterical sentimentality in ,westminster ,cathedral which he had once entered and looked upon with a kind of disgusted fury2 it gabbled strange1 false words to the incompetent and the old and the half-witted4 ,but it would be too dreadful if his own mother ever looked upon it again with favour4 ,oliver himself1 ever since he could remember1 had been violently opposed to the concessions to ,rome and ,ireland4 ,it was intolerable that these two places should be definitely yielded up to this foolish1 treacherous nonsense3 they were hot-beds of sedition2 plague-spots on the face of humanity4 ,he had never agreed with those who said that it was better that all the poison of the ,west should be gathered rather than dispersed4 ,but1 at any rate1 there it was4 ,rome had been given up wholly to that old man in white in exchange for all the parish churches and cathedrals of ,italy1 and it was understood that mediaeval darkness reigned there supreme2 and ,ireland1 after receiving ,home ,rule thirty years before1 had declared for ,catholicism1 and opened her arms to ,individualism in its most virulent form4 ,england had laughed and assented1 for she was saved from a quantity of agitation by the immediate departure of half her ,catholic population for that island1 and had1 consistently with her ,communist-colonial policy1 granted every facility for ,individualism to reduce itself there ad absurdum4 ,all kinds of funny things were happening there3 ,oliver had read with a bitter amusement of new appearances there1 of a ,woman in ,blue and shrines raised where her feet had rested2 but he was scarcely amused at ,rome1 for the movement to ,turin of the ,italian ,government had deprived the ,republic of quite a quantity of sentimental prestige1 and had haloed the old religious nonsense with all the meretriciousness of historical association4 ,however1 it obviously could not last much longer3 the world was beginning to understand at last4 ,he stood a moment or two at the door after his wife had gone1 drinking in reassurance from that glorious vision of solid sense that spread itself before his eyes3 the endless house-roofs2 the high glass vaults of the public baths and gymnasiums2 the pinnacled schools where ,citizenship was taught each morning2 the spider-like cranes and scaffoldings that rose here and there2 and even the few pricking spires did not disconcert him4 ,there it stretched away into the grey haze of ,london1 really beautiful1 this vast hive of men and women who had learned at least the primary lesson of the gospel that there was no ,god but man1 no priest but the politician1 no prophet but the schoolmaster4 ,then he went back once more to his speech-constructing4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mabel1 too1 was a little thoughtful as she sat with her paper on her lap1 spinning down the broad line to ,brighton4 ,this ,eastern news was more disconcerting to her than she allowed her husband to see2 yet it seemed incredible that there could be any real danger of invasion4 ,this ,western life was so sensible and peaceful2 folks had their feet at last upon the rock1 and it was unthinkable that they could ever be forced back on to the mud-flats3 it was contrary to the whole law of development4 ,yet she could not but recognise that catastrophe seemed one of nature's methods4444 ,she sat very quiet1 glancing once or twice at the meagre little scrap of news1 and read the leading article upon it3 that too seemed significant of dismay4 ,a couple of men were talking in the half-compartment beyond on the same subject2 one described the ,government engineering works that he had visited1 the breathless haste that dominated them2 the other put in interrogations and questions4 ,there was not much comfort there4 ,there were no windows through which she could look2 on the main lines the speed was too great for the eyes2 the long compartment flooded with soft light bounded her horizon4 ,she stared at the moulded white ceiling1 the delicious oak-framed paintings1 the deep spring-seats1 the mellow globes overhead that poured out radiance1 at a mother and child diagonally opposite her4 ,then the great chord sounded2 the faint vibration increased ever so slightly2 and an instant later the automatic doors ran back1 and she stepped out on to the platform of ,brighton station4 ,as she went down the steps leading to the station square she noticed a priest going before her4 ,he seemed a very upright and sturdy old man1 for though his hair was white he walked steadily and strongly4 ,at the foot of the steps he stopped and half turned1 and then1 to her surprise1 she saw that his face was that of a young man1 fine-featured and strong1 with black eyebrows and very bright grey eyes4 ,then she passed on and began to cross the square in the direction of her aunt's house4 ,then without the slightest warning1 except one shrill hoot from overhead1 a number of things happened4 ,a great shadow whirled across the sunlight at her feet1 a sound of rending tore the air1 and a noise like a giant's sigh2 and1 as she stopped bewildered1 with a noise like ten thousand smashed kettles1 a huge thing crashed on the rubber pavement before her1 where it lay1 filling half the square1 writhing long wings on its upper side that beat and whirled like the flappers of some ghastly extinct monster1 pouring out human screams1 and beginning almost instantly to crawl with broken life4 ,mabel scarcely knew what happened next2 but she found herself a moment later forced forward by some violent pressure from behind1 till she stood shaking from head to foot1 with some kind of smashed body of a man moaning and stretching at her feet4 ,there was a sort of articulate language coming from it2 she caught distinctly the names of ,jesus and ,mary2 then a voice hissed suddenly in her ears3 8,let me through4 ,i am a priest40 ,she stood there a moment longer1 dazed by the suddenness of the whole affair1 and watched almost unintelligently the grey-haired young priest on his knees1 with his coat torn open1 and a crucifix out2 she saw him bend close1 wave his hand in a swift sign1 and heard a murmur of a language she did not know4 ,then he was up again1 holding the crucifix before him1 and she saw him begin to move forward into the midst of the red-flooded pavement1 looking this way and that as if for a signal4 ,down the steps of the great hospital on her right came figures running now1 hatless1 each carrying what looked like an old-fashioned camera4 ,she knew what those men were1 and her heart leaped in relief4 ,they were the ministers of euthanasia4 ,then she felt herself taken by the shoulder and pulled back1 and immediately found herself in the front rank of a crowd that was swaying and crying out1 and behind a line of police and civilians who had formed themselves into a cordon to keep the pressure back4 ,,iii ,oliver was in a panic of terror as his mother1 half an hour later1 ran in with the news that one of the ,government volors had fallen in the station square at ,brighton just after the #ad train had discharged its passengers4 ,he knew quite well what that meant1 for he remembered one such accident ten years before1 just after the law forbidding private volors had been passed4 ,it meant that every living creature in it was killed and probably many more in the place where it fell--and what then8 ,the message was clear enough2 she would certainly be in the square at that time4 ,he sent a desperate wire to her aunt asking for news2 and sat1 shaking in his chair1 awaiting the answer4 ,his mother sat by him4 8,please ,god---0 she sobbed out once1 and stopped confounded as he turned on her4 ,but ,fate was merciful1 and three minutes before ,mr4 ,phillips toiled up the path with the answer1 ,mabel herself came into the room1 rather pale and smiling4 8,christ60 cried ,oliver1 and gave one huge sob as he sprang up4 ,she had not a great deal to tell him4 ,there was no explanation of the disaster published as yet2 it seemed that the wings on one side had simply ceased to work4 ,she described the shadow1 the hiss of sound1 and the crash4 ,then she stopped4 8,well1 my dear80 said her husband1 still rather white beneath the eyes as he sat close to her patting her hand4 8,there was a priest there10 said ,mabel4 8,i saw him before1 at the station40 ,oliver gave a little hysterical snort of laughter4 8,he was on his knees at once10 she said1 8with his crucifix1 even before the doctors came4 ,my dear1 do people really believe all that80 8,why1 they think they do10 said her husband4 8,it was all so--so sudden2 and there he was1 just as if he had been expecting it all4 ,oliver1 how can they80 8,why1 people will believe anything if they begin early enough40 8,and the man seemed to believe it1 too--the dying man1 ,i mean4 ,i saw his eyes40 ,she stopped4 8,well1 my dear80 8,oliver1 what do you say to people when they are dying80 8,say6 ,why1 nothing6 ,what can ,i say8 ,but ,i don't think ,i've ever seen any one die40 8,nor have ,i till to-day10 said the girl1 and shivered a little4 8,the euthanasia people were soon at work40 ,oliver took her hand gently4 8,my darling1 it must have been frightful4 ,why1 you're trembling still40 8,no2 but listen4444 ,you know1 if ,i had had anything to say ,i could have said it too4 ,they were all just in front of me3 ,i wondered2 then ,i knew ,i hadn't4 ,i couldn't possibly have talked about ,humanity40 8,my dear1 it's all very sad2 but you know it doesn't really matter4 ,it's all over40 8,and--and they've just stopped80 8,why1 yes40 ,mabel compressed her lips a little2 then she sighed4 ,she had an agitated sort of meditation in the train4 ,she knew perfectly that it was sheer nerves2 but she could not just yet shake them off4 ,as she had said1 it was the first time she had seen death4 8,and that priest--that priest doesn't think so80 8,my dear1 ,i'll tell you what he believes4 ,he believes that that man whom he showed the crucifix to1 and said those words over1 is alive somewhere1 in spite of his brain being dead3 he is not quite sure where2 but he is either in a kind of smelting works being slowly burned2 or1 if he is very lucky1 and that piece of wood took effect1 he is somewhere beyond the clouds1 before ,three ,persons who are only ,one although ,they are ,three2 that there are quantities of other people there1 a ,woman in ,blue1 a great many others in white with their heads under their arms1 and still more with their heads on one side2 and that they've all got harps and go on singing for ever and ever1 and walking about on the clouds1 and liking it very much indeed4 ,he thinks1 too1 that all these nice people are perpetually looking down upon the aforesaid smelting-works1 and praising the ,three ,great ,persons for making them4 ,that's what the priest believes4 ,now you know it's not likely2 that kind of thing may be very nice1 but it isn't true40 ,mabel smiled pleasantly4 ,she had never heard it put so well4 8,no1 my dear1 you're quite right4 ,that sort of thing isn't true4 ,how can he believe it8 ,he looked quite intelligent60 8,my dear girl1 if ,i had told you in your cradle that the moon was green cheese1 and had hammered at you ever since1 every day and all day1 that it was1 you'd very nearly believe it by now4 ,why1 you know in your heart that the euthanatisers are the real priests4 ,of course you do40 ,mabel sighed with satisfaction and stood up4 8,oliver1 you're a most comforting person4 ,i do like you6 ,there6 ,i must go to my room3 ,i'm all shaky still40 ,half across the room she stopped and put out a shoe4 8,why---0 she began faintly4 ,there was a curious rusty-looking splash upon it2 and her husband saw her turn white4 ,he rose abruptly4 8,my dear10 he said1 8don't be foolish40 ,she looked at him1 smiled bravely1 and went out4 99 99 99 99 99 ,when she was gone1 he still sat on a moment where she had left him4 ,dear me6 how pleased he was6 ,he did not like to think of what life would have been without her4 ,he had known her since she was twelve--that was seven years ago-and last year they had gone together to the district official to make their contract4 ,she had really become very necessary to him4 ,of course the world could get on without her1 and he supposed that he could too2 but he did not want to have to try4 ,he knew perfectly well1 for it was his creed of human love1 that there was between them a double affection1 of mind as well as body2 and there was absolutely nothing else3 but he loved her quick intuitions1 and to hear his own thought echoed so perfectly4 ,it was like two flames added together to make a third taller than either3 of course one flame could burn without the other--in fact1 one would have to1 one day--but meantime the warmth and light were exhilarating4 ,yes1 he was delighted that she happened to be clear of the falling volor4 ,he gave no more thought to his exposition of the ,christian creed2 it was a mere commonplace to him that ,catholics believed that kind of thing2 it was no more blasphemous to his mind so to describe it1 than it would be to laugh at a ,fijian idol with mother-of-pearl eyes1 and a horse-hair wig2 it was simply impossible to treat it seriously4 ,he1 too1 had wondered once or twice in his life how human beings could believe such rubbish2 but psychology had helped him1 and he knew now well enough that suggestion will do almost anything4 ,and it was this hateful thing that had so long restrained the euthanasia movement with all its splendid mercy4 ,his brows wrinkled a little as he remembered his mother's exclamation1 8,please ,god02 then he smiled at the poor old thing and her pathetic childishness1 and turned once more to his table1 thinking in spite of himself of his wife's hesitation as she had seen the splash of blood on her shoe4 ,blood6 ,yes2 that was as much a fact as anything else4 ,how was it to be dealt with8 ,why1 by the glorious creed of ,humanity--that splendid ,god who died and rose again ten thousand times a day1 who had died daily like the old cracked fanatic ,saul of ,tarsus1 ever since the world began1 and who rose again1 not once like the ,carpenter's ,son1 but with every child that came into the world4 ,that was the answer2 and was it not overwhelmingly sufficient8 ,mr4 ,phillips came in an hour later with another bundle of papers4 8,no more news from the ,east1 sir10 he said4 ,,chapter ,,ii ,i ,percy ,franklin's correspondence with the ,cardinal-,protector of ,england occupied him directly for at least two hours every day1 and for nearly eight hours indirectly4 ,for the past eight years the methods of the ,holy ,see had once more been revised with a view to modern needs1 and now every important province throughout the world possessed not only an administrative metropolitan but a representative in ,rome whose business it was to be in touch with the ,pope on the one side and the people he represented on the other4 ,in other words1 centralisation had gone forward rapidly1 in accordance with the laws of life2 and1 with centralisation1 freedom of method and expansion of power4 ,england's ,cardinal-,protector was one ,abbot ,martin1 a ,benedictine1 and it was ,percy's business1 as of a dozen more bishops1 priests and laymen 7with whom1 by the way1 he was forbidden to hold any formal consultation71 to write a long daily letter to him on affairs that came under his notice4 ,it was a curious life1 therefore1 that ,percy led4 ,he had a couple of rooms assigned to him in ,archbishop's ,house at ,westminster1 and was attached loosely to the ,cathedral staff1 although with considerable liberty4 ,he rose early1 and went to meditation for an hour1 after which he said his mass4 ,he took his coffee soon after1 said a little office1 and then settled down to map out his letter4 ,at ten o'clock he was ready to receive callers1 and till noon he was generally busy with both those who came to see him on their own responsibility and his staff of half-a-dozen reporters whose business it was to bring him marked paragraphs in the newspapers and their own comments4 ,he then breakfasted with the other priests in the house1 and set out soon after to call on people whose opinion was necessary1 returning for a cup of tea soon after sixteen o'clock4 ,then he settled down1 after the rest of his office and a visit to the ,blessed ,sacrament1 to compose his letter1 which though short1 needed a great deal of care and sifting4 ,after dinner he made a few notes for next day1 received visitors again1 and went to bed soon after twenty-two o'clock4 ,twice a week it was his business to assist at ,vespers in the afternoon1 and he usually sang high mass on ,saturdays4 ,it was1 therefore1 a curiously distracting life1 with peculiar dangers4 ,it was one day1 a week or two after his visit to ,brighton1 that he was just finishing his letter1 when his servant looked in to tell him that ,father ,francis was below4 8,in ten minutes10 said ,percy1 without looking up4 ,he snapped off his last lines1 drew out the sheet1 and settled down to read it over1 translating it unconsciously from ,latin to ,english4 8,,westminster1 ,may #adth4 8,,eminence3 ,since yesterday ,i have a little more information4 ,it appears certain that the ,bill establishing ,esperanto for all ,state purposes will be brought in in ,june4 ,i have had this from ,johnson4 ,this1 as ,i have pointed out before1 is the very last stone in our consolidation with the continent1 which1 at present1 is to be regretted4444 ,a great access of ,jews to ,freemasonry is to be expected2 hitherto they have held aloof to some extent1 but the #8abolition of the ,idea of ,god' is tending to draw in those ,jews1 now greatly on the increase once more1 who repudiate all notion of a personal ,messiah4 ,it is #8,humanity' here1 too1 that is at work4 ,to-day ,i heard the ,rabbi ,simeon speak to this effect in the ,city1 and was impressed by the applause he received4444 ,yet among others an expectation is growing that a man will presently be found to lead the ,communist movement and unite their forces more closely4 ,i enclose a verbose cutting from the ,new ,people to that effect2 and it is echoed everywhere4 ,they say that the cause must give birth to one such soon2 that they have had prophets and precursors for a hundred years past1 and lately a cessation of them4 ,it is strange how this coincides superficially with ,christian ideas4 ,your ,eminence will observe that a simile of the #8ninth wave' is used with some eloquence4444 ,i hear to-day of the secession of an old ,catholic family1 the ,wargraves of ,norfolk1 with their chaplain ,micklem1 who it seems has been busy in this direction for some while4 ,the ,epoch announces it with satisfaction1 owing to the peculiar circumstances2 but unhappily such events are not uncommon now4444 ,there is much distrust among the laity4 ,seven priests in ,westminster diocese have left us within the last three months2 on the other hand1 ,i have pleasure in telling your ,eminence that his ,grace received into ,catholic ,communion this morning the ex-,anglican ,bishop of ,carlisle1 with half-a-dozen of his clergy4 ,this has been expected for some weeks past4 ,i append also cuttings from the ,tribune1 the ,london ,trumpet1 and the ,observer1 with my comments upon them4 ,your ,eminence will see how great the excitement is with regard to the last4 8,recommendation4 ,that formal excommunication of the ,wargraves and these eight priests should be issued in ,norfolk and ,westminster respectively1 and no further notice taken40 ,percy laid down the sheet1 gathered up the half dozen other papers that contained his extracts and running commentary1 signed the last1 and slipped the whole into the printed envelope that lay ready4 ,then he took up his biretta and went to the lift4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the moment he came into the glass-doored parlour he saw that the crisis was come1 if not passed already4 ,father ,francis looked miserably ill1 but there was a curious hardness1 too1 about his eyes and mouth1 as he stood waiting4 ,he shook his head abruptly4 8,i have come to say good-bye1 father4 ,i can bear it no more40 ,percy was careful to show no emotion at all4 ,he made a little sign to a chair1 and himself sat down too4 8,it is an end of everything10 said the other again in a perfectly steady voice4 8,i believe nothing4 ,i have believed nothing for a year now40 8,you have felt nothing1 you mean10 said ,percy4 8,that won't do1 father10 went on the other4 8,i tell you there is nothing left4 ,i can't even argue now4 ,it is just good-bye40 ,percy had nothing to say4 ,he had talked to this man during a period of over eight months1 ever since ,father ,francis had first confided in him that his faith was going4 ,he understood perfectly what a strain it had been2 he felt bitterly compassionate towards this poor creature who had become caught up somehow into the dizzy triumphant whirl of the ,new ,humanity4 ,external facts were horribly strong just now2 and faith1 except to one who had learned that ,will and ,grace were all and emotion nothing1 was as a child crawling about in the midst of some huge machinery3 it might survive or it might not2 but it required nerves of steel to keep steady4 ,it was hard to know where blame could be assigned2 yet ,percy's faith told him that there was blame due4 ,in the ages of faith a very inadequate grasp of religion would pass muster2 in these searching days none but the humble and the pure could stand the test for long1 unless indeed they were protected by a miracle of ignorance4 ,the alliance of ,psychology and ,materialism did indeed seem1 looked at from one angle1 to account for everything2 it needed a robust supernatural perception to understand their practical inadequacy4 ,and as regards ,father ,francis's personal responsibility1 he could not help feeling that the other had allowed ceremonial to play too great a part in his religion1 and prayer too little4 ,in him the external had absorbed the internal4 ,so he did not allow his sympathy to show itself in his bright eyes4 8,you think it my fault1 of course10 said the other sharply4 8,my dear father10 said ,percy1 motionless in his chair1 8,i know it is your fault4 ,listen to me4 ,you say ,christianity is absurd and impossible4 ,now1 you know1 it cannot be that6 ,it may be untrue--,i am not speaking of that now1 even though ,i am perfectly certain that it is absolutely true--but it cannot be absurd so long as educated and virtuous people continue to hold it4 ,to say that it is absurd is simple pride2 it is to dismiss all who believe in it as not merely mistaken1 but unintelligent as well---0 8,very well1 then10 interrupted the other2 8then suppose ,i withdraw that1 and simply say that ,i do not believe it to be true40 8,you do not withdraw it10 continued ,percy serenely2 8you still really believe it to be absurd3 you have told me so a dozen times4 ,well1 ,i repeat1 that is pride1 and quite sufficient to account for it all4 ,it is the moral attitude that matters4 ,there may be other things too---0 ,father ,francis looked up sharply4 8,oh6 the old story60 he said sneeringly4 8,if you tell me on your word of honour that there is no woman in the case1 or no particular programme of sin you propose to work out1 ,i shall believe you4 ,but it is an old story1 as you say40 8,i swear to you there is not10 cried the other4 8,thank ,god then60 said ,percy4 8,there are fewer obstacles to a return of faith40 ,there was silence for a moment after that4 ,percy had really no more to say4 ,he had talked to him of the inner life again and again1 in which verities are seen to be true1 and acts of faith are ratified2 he had urged prayer and humility till he was almost weary of the names2 and had been met by the retort that this was to advise sheer self-hypnotism2 and he had despaired of making clear to one who did not see it for himself that while ,love and ,faith may be called self-hypnotism from one angle1 yet from another they are as much realities as1 for example1 artistic faculties1 and need similar cultivation2 that they produce a conviction that they are convictions1 that they handle and taste things which when handled and tasted are overwhelmingly more real and objective than the things of sense4 ,evidences seemed to mean nothing to this man4 ,so he was silent now1 chilled himself by the presence of this crisis1 looking unseeingly out upon the plain1 little old-world parlour1 its tall window1 its strip of matting1 conscious chiefly of the dreary hopelessness of this human brother of his who had eyes but did not see1 ears and was deaf4 ,he wished he would say good-bye1 and go4 ,there was no more to be done4 ,father ,francis1 who had been sitting in a lax kind of huddle1 seemed to know his thoughts1 and sat up suddenly4 8,you are tired of me10 he said4 8,i will go40 8,i am not tired of you1 my dear father10 said ,percy simply4 8,i am only terribly sorry4 ,you see ,i know that it is all true40 ,the other looked at him heavily4 8,and ,i know that it is not10 he said4 8,it is very beautiful2 ,i wish ,i could believe it4 ,i don't think ,i shall be ever happy again--but--but there it is40 ,percy sighed4 ,he had told him so often that the heart is as divine a gift as the mind1 and that to neglect it in the search for ,god is to seek ruin1 but this priest had scarcely seen the application to himself4 ,he had answered with the old psychological arguments that the suggestions of education accounted for everything4 8,i suppose you will cast me off10 said the other4 8,it is you who are leaving me10 said ,percy4 8,i cannot follow1 if you mean that40 8,but--but cannot we be friends80 ,a sudden heat touched the elder priest's heart4 8,friends80 he said4 8,is sentimentality all you mean by friendship8 ,what kind of friends can we be80 ,the other's face became suddenly heavy4 8,i thought so40 8,john60 cried ,percy4 8,you see that1 do you not8 ,how can we pretend anything when you do not believe in ,god8 ,for ,i do you the honour of thinking that you do not40 ,francis sprang up4 8,well---0 he snapped4 8,i could not have believed--,i am going40 ,he wheeled towards the door4 8,john60 said ,percy again4 8,are you going like this8 ,can you not shake hands80 ,the other wheeled again1 with heavy anger in his face4 8,why1 you said you could not be friends with me60 ,percy's mouth opened4 ,then he understood1 and smiled4 8,oh6 that is all you mean by friendship1 is it8--,i beg your pardon4 ,oh6 we can be polite to one another1 if you like40 ,he still stood holding out his hand4 ,father ,francis looked at it a moment1 his lips shook3 then once more he turned1 and went out without a word4 ,,ii ,percy stood motionless until he heard the automatic bell outside tell him that ,father ,francis was really gone1 then he went out himself and turned towards the long passage leading to the ,cathedral4 ,as he passed out through the sacristy he heard far in front the murmur of an organ1 and on coming through into the chapel used as a parish church he perceived that ,vespers were not yet over in the great choir4 ,he came straight down the aisle1 turned to the right1 crossed the centre and knelt down4 ,it was drawing on towards sunset1 and the huge dark place was lighted here and there by patches of ruddy ,london light that lay on the gorgeous marble and gildings finished at last by a wealthy convert4 ,in front of him rose up the choir1 with a line of white surpliced and furred canons on either side1 and the vast baldachino in the midst1 beneath which burned the six lights as they had burned day by day for more than a century2 behind that again lay the high line of the apse-choir with the dim1 window-pierced vault above where ,christ reigned in majesty4 ,he let his eyes wander round for a few moments before beginning his deliberate prayer1 drinking in the glory of the place1 listening to the thunderous chorus1 the peal of the organ1 and the thin mellow voice of the priest4 ,there on the left shone the refracted glow of the lamps that burned before the ,lord in the ,sacrament1 on the right a dozen candles winked here and there at the foot of the gaunt images1 high overhead hung the gigantic cross with that lean1 emaciated ,poor ,man ,who called all who looked on ,him to the embraces of a ,god4 ,then he hid his face in his hands1 drew a couple of long breaths1 and set to work4 ,he began1 as his custom was in mental prayer1 by a deliberate act of self-exclusion from the world of sense4 ,under the image of sinking beneath a surface he forced himself downwards and inwards1 till the peal of the organ1 the shuffle of footsteps1 the rigidity of the chair-back beneath his wrists--all seemed apart and external1 and he was left a single person with a beating heart1 an intellect that suggested image after image1 and emotions that were too languid to stir themselves4 ,then he made his second descent1 renounced all that he possessed and was1 and became conscious that even the body was left behind1 and that his mind and heart1 awed by the ,presence in which they found themselves1 clung close and obedient to the will which was their lord and protector4 ,he drew another long breath1 or two1 as he felt that ,presence surge about him2 he repeated a few mechanical words1 and sank to that peace which follows the relinquishment of thought4 ,there he rested for a while4 ,far above him sounded the ecstatic music1 the cry of trumpets and the shrilling of the flutes2 but they were as insignificant street-noises to one who was falling asleep4 ,he was within the veil of things now1 beyond the barriers of sense and reflection1 in that secret place to which he had learned the road by endless effort1 in that strange region where realities are evident1 where perceptions go to and fro with the swiftness of light1 where the swaying will catches now this1 now that act1 moulds it and speeds it2 where all things meet1 where truth is known and handled and tasted1 where ,god ,immanent is one with ,god ,transcendent1 where the meaning of the external world is evident through its inner side1 and the ,church and its mysteries are seen from within a haze of glory4 ,so he lay a few moments1 absorbing and resting4 ,then he aroused himself to consciousness and began to speak4 8,lord1 ,i am here1 and ,thou art here4 ,i know ,thee4 ,there is nothing else but ,thou and ,i4444 ,i lay this all in ,thy hands--,thy apostate priest1 ,thy people1 the world1 and myself4 ,i spread it before ,thee--,i spread it before ,thee40 ,he paused1 poised in the act1 till all of which he thought lay like a plain before a peak4 444 8,myself1 ,lord--there but for ,thy grace should ,i be going1 in darkness and misery4 ,it is ,thou ,who dost preserve me4 ,maintain and finish ,thy work within my soul4 ,let me not falter for one instant4 ,if ,thou withdraw ,thy hand ,i fall into utter nothingness40 ,so his soul stood a moment1 with outstretched appealing hands1 helpless and confident4 ,then the will flickered in self-consciousness1 and he repeated acts of faith1 hope and love to steady it4 ,then he drew another long breath1 feeling the ,presence tingle and shake about him1 and began again4 8,lord2 look on ,thy people4 ,many are falling from ,thee4 ,ne in aeternum irascaris nobis4 ,ne in aeternum irascaris nobis4444 ,i unite myself with all saints and angels and ,mary ,queen of ,heaven2 look on them and me1 and hear us4 ,emitte lucem tuam et veritatem tuam4 ,thy light and ,thy truth6 ,lay not on us heavier burdens than we can bear4 ,lord1 why dost ,thou not speak60 ,he writhed himself forward in a passion of expectant desire1 hearing his muscles crack in the effort4 ,once more he relaxed himself2 and the swift play of wordless acts began which he knew to be the very heart of prayer4 ,the eyes of his soul flew hither and thither1 from ,calvary to heaven and back again to the tossing troubled earth4 ,he saw ,christ dying of desolation while the earth rocked and groaned2 ,christ reigning as a priest upon ,his ,throne in robes of light1 ,christ patient and inexorably silent within the ,sacramental species2 and to each in turn he directed the eyes of the ,eternal ,father4444 ,then he waited for communications1 and they came1 so soft and delicate1 passing like shadows1 that his will sweated blood and tears in the effort to catch and fix them and correspond4444 ,he saw the ,body ,mystical in its agony1 strained over the world as on a cross1 silent with pain2 he saw this and that nerve wrenched and twisted1 till pain presented it to himself as under the guise of flashes of colour2 he saw the life-blood drop by drop run down from ,his head and hands and feet4 ,the world was gathered mocking and good-humoured beneath4 8,he saved others3 ,himself ,he cannot save4444 ,let ,christ come down from the ,cross and we will believe40 ,far away behind bushes and in holes of the ground the friends of ,jesus peeped and sobbed2 ,mary herself was silent1 pierced by seven swords2 the disciple whom ,he loved had no words of comfort4 ,he saw1 too1 how no word would be spoken from heaven2 the angels themselves were bidden to put sword into sheath1 and wait on the eternal patience of ,god1 for the agony was hardly yet begun2 there were a thousand horrors yet before the end could come1 that final sum of crucifixion4444 ,he must wait and watch1 content to stand there and do nothing2 and the ,resurrection must seem to him no more than a dreamed-of hope4 ,there was the ,sabbath yet to come1 while the ,body ,mystical must lie in its sepulchre cut off from light1 and even the dignity of the ,cross must be withdrawn and the knowledge that ,jesus lived4 ,that inner world1 to which by long effort he had learned the way1 was all alight with agony2 it was bitter as brine1 it was of that pale luminosity that is the utmost product of pain1 it hummed in his ears with a note that rose to a scream 444 it pressed upon him1 penetrated him1 stretched him as on a rack4444 ,and with that his will grew sick and nerveless4 8,lord6 ,i cannot bear it60 he moaned4444 ,in an instant he was back again1 drawing long breaths of misery4 ,he passed his tongue over his lips1 and opened his eyes on the darkening apse before him4 ,the organ was silent now1 and the choir was gone1 and the lights out4 ,the sunset colour1 too1 had faded from the walls1 and grim cold faces looked down on him from wall and vault4 ,he was back again on the surface of life2 the vision had melted2 he scarcely knew what it was that he had seen4 ,but he must gather up the threads1 and by sheer effort absorb them4 ,he must pay his duty1 too1 to the ,lord that gave ,himself to the senses as well as to the inner spirit4 ,so he rose1 stiff and constrained1 and passed across to the ,chapel of the ,holy ,sacrament4 ,as he came out from the block of chairs1 very upright and tall1 with his biretta once more on his white hair1 he saw an old woman watching him very closely4 ,he hesitated an instant1 wondering whether she were a penitent1 and as he hesitated she made a movement towards him4 8,i beg your pardon1 sir10 she began4 ,she was not a ,catholic then4 ,he lifted his biretta4 8,can ,i do anything for you80 he asked4 8,i beg your pardon1 sir1 but were you at ,brighton1 at the accident two months ago80 8,i was40 8,ah6 ,i thought so3 my daughter-in-law saw you then40 ,percy had a spasm of impatience3 he was a little tired of being identified by his white hair and young face4 8,were you there1 madam80 ,she looked at him doubtfully and curiously1 moving her old1 eyes up and down his figure4 ,then she recollected herself4 8,no1 sir2 it was my daughter-in-law--,i beg your pardon1 sir1 but---0 8,well80 asked ,percy1 trying to keep the impatience out of his voice4 8,are you the ,archbishop1 sir80 ,the priest smiled1 showing his white teeth4 8,no1 madam2 ,i am just a poor priest4 ,dr4 ,cholmondeley is ,archbishop4 ,i am ,father ,percy ,franklin40 ,she said nothing1 but still looking at him made a little old-world movement of a bow2 and ,percy passed on to the dim1 splendid chapel to pay his devotions4 ,,iii ,there was great talk that night at dinner among the priests as to the extraordinary spread of ,freemasonry4 ,it had been going on for many years now1 and ,catholics perfectly recognised its dangers1 for the profession of ,masonry had been for some centuries rendered incompatible with religion through the ,church's unswerving condemnation of it4 ,a man must choose between that and his faith4 ,things had developed extraordinarily during the last century4 ,first there had been the organised assault upon the ,church in ,france2 and what ,catholics had always suspected then became a certainty in the revelations of #aiah1 when ,p4 ,gerome1 the ,dominican and ex-,mason1 had made his disclosures with regard to the ,mark-,masons4 ,it had become evident then that ,catholics had been right1 and that ,masonry1 in its higher grades at least1 had been responsible throughout the world for the strange movement against religion4 ,but he had died in his bed1 and the public had been impressed by that fact4 ,then came the splendid donations in ,france and ,italy--to hospitals1 orphanages1 and the like2 and once more suspicion began to disappear4 ,after all1 it seemed--and continued to seem--for seventy years and more that ,masonry was nothing more than a vast philanthropical society4 ,now once more men had their doubts4 8,i hear that ,felsenburgh is a ,mason10 observed ,monsignor ,macintosh1 the ,cathedral ,administrator4 8,a ,grand-,master or something40 8,but who is ,felsenburgh80 put in a young priest4 ,monsignor pursed his lips and shook his head4 ,he was one of those humble persons as proud of ignorance as others of knowledge4 ,he boasted that he never read the papers nor any book except those that had received the imprimatur2 it was a priest's business1 he often remarked1 to preserve the faith1 not to acquire worldly knowledge4 ,percy had occasionally rather envied his point of view4 8,he's a mystery10 said another priest1 ,father ,blackmore2 8but he seems to be causing great excitement4 ,they were selling his #8,life' to-day on the ,embankment40 8,i met an ,american senator10 put in ,percy1 8three days ago1 who told me that even there they know nothing of him1 except his extraordinary eloquence4 ,he only appeared last year1 and seems to have carried everything before him by quite unusual methods4 ,he is a great linguist1 too4 ,that is why they took him to ,irkutsk40 8,well1 the ,masons---0 went on ,monsignor4 8,it is very serious4 ,in the last month four of my penitents have left me because of it40 8,their inclusion of women was their master-stroke10 growled ,father ,blackmore1 helping himself to claret4 8,it is extraordinary that they hesitated so long about that10 observed ,percy4 ,a couple of the others added their evidence4 ,it appeared that they1 too1 had lost penitents lately through the spread of ,masonry4 ,it was rumoured that a ,pastoral was a-preparing upstairs on the subject4 ,monsignor shook his head ominously4 8,more is wanted than that10 he said4 ,percy pointed out that the ,church had said her last word several centuries ago4 ,she had laid her excommunication on all members of secret societies1 and there was really no more that she could do4 8,except bring it before her children again and again10 put in ,monsignor4 8,i shall preach on it next ,sunday40 99 99 99 99 99 ,percy dotted down a note when he reached his room1 determining to say another word or two on the subject to the ,cardinal-,protector4 ,he had mentioned ,freemasonry often before1 but it seemed time for another remark4 ,then he opened his letters1 first turning to one which he recognised as from the ,cardinal4 ,it seemed a curious coincidence1 as he read a series of questions that ,cardinal ,martin's letter contained1 that one of them should be on this very subject4 ,it ran as follows3 8,what of ,masonry8 ,felsenburgh is said to be one4 ,gather all the gossip you can about him4 ,send any ,english or ,american biographies of him4 ,are you still losing ,catholics through ,masonry80 ,he ran his eyes down the rest of the questions4 ,they chiefly referred to previous remarks of his own1 but twice1 even in them1 ,felsenburgh's name appeared4 ,he laid the paper down and considered a little4 ,it was very curious1 he thought1 how this man's name was in every one's mouth1 in spite of the fact that so little was known about him4 ,he had bought in the streets1 out of curiosity1 three photographs that professed to represent this strange person1 and though one of them might be genuine they all three could not be4 ,he drew them out of a pigeon-hole1 and spread them before him4 ,one represented a fierce1 bearded creature like a ,cossack1 with round staring eyes4 ,no2 intrinsic evidence condemned this3 it was exactly how a coarse imagination would have pictured a man who seemed to be having a great influence in the ,east4 ,the second showed a fat face with little eyes and a chin-beard4 ,that might conceivably be genuine3 he turned it over and saw the name of a ,new ,york firm on the back4 ,then he turned to the third4 ,this presented a long1 clean-shaven face with pince-nez1 undeniably clever1 but scarcely strong3 and ,felsenburgh was obviously a strong man4 ,percy inclined to think the second was the most probable2 but they were all unconvincing2 and he shuffled them carelessly together and replaced them4 ,then he put his elbows on the table1 and began to think4 ,he tried to remember what ,mr4 ,varhaus1 the ,american senator1 had told him of ,felsenburgh2 yet it did not seem sufficient to account for the facts4 ,felsenburgh1 it seemed1 had employed none of those methods common in modern politics4 ,he controlled no newspapers1 vituperated nobody1 championed nobody3 he had no picked underlings2 he used no bribes2 there were no monstrous crimes alleged against him4 ,it seemed rather as if his originality lay in his clean hands and his stainless past--that1 and his magnetic character4 ,he was the kind of figure that belonged rather to the age of chivalry3 a pure1 clean1 compelling personality1 like a radiant child4 ,he had taken people by surprise1 then1 rising out of the heaving dun-coloured waters of ,american socialism like a vision--from those waters so fiercely restrained from breaking into storm over since the extraordinary social revolution under ,mr4 ,hearst's disciples1 a century ago4 ,that had been the end of plutocracy2 the famous old laws of #aiad had burst some of the stinking bubbles of the time2 and the enactments of #aiaf and #aiag had prevented their forming again in any thing like their previous force4 ,it had been the salvation of ,america1 undoubtedly1 even if that salvation were of a dreary and uninspiring description2 and now out of the flat socialistic level had arisen this romantic figure utterly unlike any that had preceded it4444 ,so the senator had hinted4444 ,it was too complicated for ,percy just now1 and he gave it up4 ,it was a weary world1 he told himself1 turning his eyes homewards4 ,everything seemed so hopeless and ineffective4 ,he tried not to reflect on his fellow-priests1 but for the fiftieth time he could not help seeing that they were not the men for the present situation4 ,it was not that he preferred himself2 he knew perfectly well that he1 too1 was fully as incompetent3 had he not proved to be so with poor ,father ,francis1 and scores of others who had clutched at him in their agony during the last ten years8 ,even the ,archbishop1 holy man as he was1 with all his childlike faith--was that the man to lead ,english ,catholics and confound their enemies8 ,there seemed no giants on the earth in these days4 ,what in the world was to be done8 ,he buried his face in his hands4444 ,yes2 what was wanted was a new ,order in the ,church2 the old ones were rule-bound through no fault of their own4 ,an ,order was wanted without habit or tonsure1 without traditions or customs1 an ,order with nothing but entire and whole-hearted devotion1 without pride even in their most sacred privileges1 without a past history in which they might take complacent refuge4 ,they must be franc-tireurs of ,christ's ,army2 like the ,jesuits1 but without their fatal reputation1 which1 again1 was no fault of their own4 444 ,but there must be a ,founder--,who1 in ,god's ,name8 --a ,founder nudus sequens ,christum nudum4444 ,yes--,franc-tireurs --priests1 bishops1 laymen and women--with the three vows of course1 and a special clause forbidding utterly and for ever their ownership of corporate wealth4--,every gift received must be handed to the bishop of the diocese in which it was given1 who must provide them himself with necessaries of life and travel4 ,oh6--what could they not do8444 ,he was off in a rhapsody4 ,presently he recovered1 and called himself a fool4 ,was not that scheme as old as the eternal hills1 and as useless for practical purposes8 ,why1 it had been the dream of every zealous man since the ,first ,year of ,salvation that such an ,order should be founded6444 ,he was a fool4444 ,then once more he began to think of it all over again4 ,surely it was this which was wanted against the ,masons2 and women1 too4--,had not scheme after scheme broken down because men had forgotten the power of women8 ,it was that lack that had ruined ,napoleon3 he had trusted ,josephine1 and she had failed him2 so he had trusted no other woman4 ,in the ,catholic ,church1 too1 woman had been given no active work but either menial or connected with education3 and was there not room for other activities than those8 ,well1 it was useless to think of it4 ,it was not his affair4 ,if ,papa ,angelicus who now reigned in ,rome had not thought of it1 why should a foolish1 conceited priest in ,westminster set himself up to do so8 ,so he beat himself on the breast once more1 and took up his office-book4 ,he finished in half an hour1 and again sat thinking2 but this time it was of poor ,father ,francis4 ,he wondered what he was doing now2 whether he had taken off the ,roman collar of ,christ's familiar slaves8 ,the poor devil6 ,and how far was he1 ,percy ,franklin1 responsible8 ,when a tap came at his door presently1 and ,father ,blackmore looked in for a talk before going to bed1 ,percy told him what had happened4 ,father ,blackmore removed his pipe and sighed deliberately4 8,i knew it was coming10 he said4 8,well1 well40 8,he has been honest enough10 explained ,percy4 8,he told me eight months ago he was in trouble40 ,father ,blackmore drew upon his pipe thoughtfully4 8,father ,franklin10 he said1 8things are really very serious4 ,there is the same story everywhere4 ,what in the world is happening80 ,percy paused before answering4 8,i think these things go in waves10 he said4 8,waves1 do you think80 said the other4 8,what else80 ,father ,blackmore looked at him intently4 8,it is more like a dead calm1 it seems to me10 he said4 8,have you ever been in a typhoon80 ,percy shook his head4 8,well10 went on the other1 8the most ominous thing is the calm4 ,the sea is like oil2 you feel half-dead3 you can do nothing4 ,then comes the storm40 ,percy looked at him1 interested4 ,he had not seen this mood in the priest before4 8,before every great crash there comes this calm4 ,it is always so in history4 ,it was so before the ,eastern ,war2 it was so before the ,french ,revolution4 ,it was so before the ,reformation4 ,there is a kind of oily heaving2 and everything is languid4 ,so everything has been in ,america1 too1 for over eighty years4444 ,father ,franklin1 ,i think something is going to happen40 8,tell me10 said ,percy1 leaning forward4 8,well1 ,i saw ,templeton a week before he died1 and he put the idea in my head4444 ,look here1 father4 ,it may be this ,eastern affair that is coming on us2 but somehow ,i don't think it is4 ,it is in religion that something is going to happen4 ,at least1 so ,i think4444 ,father1 who in ,god's name is ,felsenburgh80 ,percy was so startled at the sudden introduction of this name again1 that he stared a moment without speaking4 ,outside1 the summer night was very still4 ,there was a faint vibration now and again from the underground track that ran twenty yards from the house where they sat2 but the streets were quiet enough round the ,cathedral4 ,once a hoot rang far away1 as if some ominous bird of passage were crossing between ,london and the stars1 and once the cry of a woman sounded thin and shrill from the direction of the river4 ,for the rest there was no more than the solemn1 subdued hum that never ceased now night or day4 8,yes2 ,felsenburgh10 said ,father ,blackmore once more4 8,i cannot get that man out of my head4 ,and yet1 what do ,i know of him8 ,what does any one know of him80 ,percy licked his lips to answer1 and drew a breath to still the beating of his heart4 ,he could not imagine why he felt excited4 ,after all1 who was old ,blackmore to frighten him8 ,but old ,blackmore went on before he could speak4 8,see how people are leaving the ,church6 ,the ,wargraves1 the ,hendersons1 ,sir ,james ,bartlet1 ,lady ,magnier1 and then all the priests4 ,now they're not all knaves--,i wish they were2 it would be so much easier to talk of it4 ,but ,sir ,james ,bartlet1 last month6 ,now1 there's a man who has spent half his fortune on the ,church1 and he doesn't resent it even now4 ,he says that any religion is better than none1 but that1 for himself1 he just can't believe any longer4 ,now what does all that mean8444 ,i tell you something is going to happen4 ,god knows what6 ,and ,i can't get ,felsenburgh out of my head4444 ,father ,franklin---0 8,yes80 8,have you noticed how few great men we've got8 ,it's not like fifty years ago1 or even thirty4 ,then there were ,mason1 ,selborne1 ,sherbrook1 and half-a-dozen others4 ,there was ,brightman1 too1 as ,archbishop3 and now6 ,then the ,communists1 too4 ,braithwaite is dead fifteen years4 ,certainly he was big enough2 but he was always speaking of the future1 not of the present2 and tell me what big man they have had since then6 ,and now there's this new man1 whom no one knows1 who came forward in ,america a few months ago1 and whose name is in every one's mouth4 ,very well1 then60 ,percy knitted his forehead4 8,i am not sure that ,i understand10 he said4 ,father ,blackmore knocked his pipe out before answering4 8,well1 this10 he said1 standing up4 8,i can't help thinking ,felsenburgh is going to do something4 ,i don't know what2 it may be for us or against us4 ,but he is a ,mason1 remember that4444 ,well1 well2 ,i dare say ,i'm an old fool4 ,good-night40 8,one moment1 father10 said ,percy slowly4 8,do you mean--8 ,good ,lord6 ,what do you mean80 ,he stopped1 looking at the other4 ,the old priest stared back under his bushy eyebrows2 it seemed to ,percy as if he1 too1 were afraid of something in spite of his easy talk2 but he made no sign4 99 99 99 99 99 ,percy stood perfectly still a moment when the door was shut4 ,then he moved across to his prie-dieu4 ,,chapter ,,iii ,i ,old ,mrs4 ,brand and ,mabel were seated at a window of the new ,admiralty ,offices in ,trafalgar ,square to see ,oliver deliver his speech on the fiftieth anniversary of the passing of the ,poor ,laws ,reform4 ,it was an inspiriting sight1 this bright ,june morning1 to see the crowds gathering round ,braithwaite's statue4 ,that politician1 dead fifteen years before1 was represented in his famous attitude1 with arms outstretched and down dropped1 his head up and one foot slightly advanced1 and to-day was decked1 as was becoming more and more usual on such occasions1 in his ,masonic insignia4 ,it was he who had given immense impetus to that secret movement by his declaration in the ,house that the key of future progress and brotherhood of nations was in the hands of the ,order4 ,it was through this alone that the false unity of the ,church with its fantastic spiritual fraternity could be counteracted4 ,st4 ,paul had been right1 he declared1 in his desire to break down the partition-walls between nations1 and wrong only in his exaltation of ,jesus ,christ4 ,thus he had preluded his speech on the ,poor ,law question1 pointing to the true charity that existed among ,masons apart from religious motive1 and appealing to the famous benefactions on the ,continent2 and in the enthusiasm of the ,bill's success the ,order had received a great accession of members4 ,old ,mrs4 ,brand was in her best to-day1 and looked out with considerable excitement at the huge throng gathered to hear her son speak4 ,a platform was erected round the bronze statue at such a height that the statesman appeared to be one of the speakers1 though at a slightly higher elevation1 and this platform was hung with roses1 surmounted by a sounding-board1 and set with a chair and table4 ,the whole square round about was paved with heads and resonant with sound1 the murmurs of thousands of voices1 overpowered now and again by the crash of brass and thunder of drums as the ,benefit ,societies and democratic ,guilds1 each headed by a banner1 deployed from ,north1 ,south1 ,east and ,west1 and converged towards the wide railed space about the platform where room was reserved for them4 ,the windows on every side were packed with faces2 tall stands were erected along the front of the ,national ,gallery and ,st4 ,martin's ,church1 garden-beds of colour behind the mute1 white statues that faced outwards round the square2 from ,braithwaite in front1 past the ,victorians--,john ,davidson1 ,john ,burns1 and the rest--round to ,hampden and de ,montfort towards the north4 ,the old column was gone1 with its lions4 ,nelson had not been found advantageous to the ,entente ,cordiale1 nor the lions to the new art2 and in their place stretched a wide pavement broken by slopes of steps that led up to the ,national ,gallery4 ,overhead the roofs showed crowded friezes of heads against the blue summer sky4 ,not less than one hundred thousand persons1 it was estimated in the evening papers1 were collected within sight and sound of the platform by noon4 ,as the clocks began to tell the hour1 two figures appeared from behind the statue and came forward1 and1 in an instant1 the murmurs of talk rose into cheering4 ,old ,lord ,pemberton came first1 a grey-haired1 upright man1 whose father had been active in denouncing the ,house of which he was a member on the occasion of its fall over seventy years ago1 and his son had succeeded him worthily4 ,this man was now a member of the ,government1 and sat for ,manchester 7#c72 and it was he who was to be chairman on this auspicious occasion4 ,behind him came ,oliver1 bareheaded and spruce1 and even at that distance his mother and wife could see his brisk movement1 his sudden smile and nod as his name emerged from the storm of sound that surged round the platform4 ,lord ,pemberton came forward1 lifted his hand and made a signal2 and in a moment the thin cheering died under the sudden roll of drums beneath that preluded the ,masonic ,hymn4 ,there was no doubt that these ,londoners could sing4 ,it was as if a giant voice hummed the sonorous melody1 rising to enthusiasm till the music of massed bands followed it as a flag follows a flag-stick4 ,the hymn was one composed ten years before1 and all ,england was familiar with it4 ,old ,mrs4 ,bland lifted the printed paper mechanically to her eyes1 and saw the words that she knew so well3 8,the ,lord that dwells in earth and sea40 444 ,she glanced down the verses1 that from the ,humanitarian point of view had been composed with both skill and ardour4 ,they had a religious ring2 the unintelligent ,christian could sing them without a qualm2 yet their sense was plain enough--the old human creed that man was all4 ,even ,christ's1 words themselves were quoted4 ,the kingdom of ,god1 it was said1 lay within the human heart1 and the greatest of all graces was ,charity4 ,she glanced at ,mabel1 and saw that the girl was singing with all her might1 with her eyes fixed on her husband's dark figure a hundred yards away1 and her soul pouring through them4 ,so the mother1 too1 began to move her lips in chorus with that vast volume of sound4 ,as the hymn died away1 and before the cheering could begin again1 old ,lord ,pemberton was standing forward on the edge of the platform1 and his thin1 metallic voice piped a sentence or two across the tinkling splash of the fountains behind him4 ,then he stepped back1 and ,oliver came forward4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it was too far for the two to hear what was said1 but ,mabel slipped a paper1 smiling tremulously1 into the old lady's hand1 and herself bent forward to listen4 ,old ,mrs4 ,brand looked at that1 too1 knowing that it was an analysis of her son's speech1 and aware that she would not be able to hear his words4 ,there was an exordium first1 congratulating all who were present to do honour to the great man who presided from his pedestal on the occasion of this great anniversary4 ,then there came a retrospect1 comparing the old state of ,england with the present4 ,fifty years ago1 the speaker said1 poverty was still a disgrace1 now it was so no longer4 ,it was in the causes that led to poverty that the disgrace or the merit lay4 ,who would not honour a man worn out in the service of his country1 or overcome at last by circumstances against which his efforts could not prevail8444 ,he enumerated the reforms passed fifty years before on this very day1 by which the nation once and for all declared the glory of poverty and man's sympathy with the unfortunate4 ,so he had told them he was to sing the praise of patient poverty and its reward1 and that1 he supposed1 together with a few periods on the reform of the prison laws1 would form the first half of his speech4 ,the second part was to be a panegyric of ,braithwaite1 treating him as the ,precursor of a movement that even now had begun4 ,old ,mrs4 ,brand leaned back in her seat1 and looked about her4 ,the window where they sat had been reserved for them2 two arm-chairs filled the space1 but immediately behind there were others1 standing very silent now1 craning forward1 watching1 too1 with parted lips3 a couple of women with an old man directly behind1 and other faces visible again behind them4 ,their obvious absorption made the old lady a little ashamed of her distraction1 and she turned resolutely once more to the square4 ,ah6 he was working up now to his panegyric6 ,the tiny dark figure was back1 a yard nearer the statue1 and as she looked1 his hand went up and he wheeled1 pointing1 as a murmur of applause drowned for an instant the minute1 resonant voice4 ,then again he was forward1 half crouching--for he was a born actor--and a storm of laughter rippled round the throng of heads4 ,she heard an indrawn hiss behind her chair1 and the next instant an exclamation from ,mabel4444 ,what was that8 ,there was a sharp crack1 and the tiny gesticulating figure staggered back a step4 ,the old man at the table was up in a moment1 and simultaneously a violent commotion bubbled and heaved like water about a rock at a point in the crowd immediately outside the railed space where the bands were massed1 and directly opposite the front of the platform4 ,mrs4 ,brand1 bewildered and dazed1 found herself standing up1 clutching the window rail1 while the girl gripped her1 crying out something she could not understand4 ,a great roaring filled the square1 the heads tossed this way and that1 like corn under a squall of wind4 ,then ,oliver was forward again1 pointing and crying out1 for she could see his gestures2 and she sank back quickly1 the blood racing through her old veins1 and her heart hammering at the base of her throat4 8,my dear1 my dear1 what is it80 she sobbed4 ,but ,mabel was up1 too1 staring out at her husband2 and a quick babble of talk and exclamations from behind made itself audible in spite of the roaring tumult of the square4 ,,ii ,oliver told them the explanation of the whole affair that evening at home1 leaning back in his chair1 with one arm bandaged and in a sling4 ,they had not been able to get near him at the time2 the excitement in the square had been too fierce2 but a messenger had come to his wife with the news that her husband was only slightly wounded1 and was in the hands of the doctors4 8,he was a ,catholic10 explained the drawn-faced ,oliver4 8,he must have come ready1 for his repeater was found loaded4 ,well1 there was no chance for a priest this time40 ,mabel nodded slowly3 she had read of the man's fate on the placards4 8,he was killed--trampled and strangled instantly10 said ,oliver4 8,i did what ,i could3 you saw me4 ,but--well1 ,i dare say it was more merciful40 8,but you did what you could1 my dear80 said the old lady1 anxiously1 from her corner4 8,i called out to them1 mother1 but they wouldn't hear me40 ,mabel leaned forward--- 8,oliver1 ,i know this sounds stupid of me2 but--but ,i wish they had not killed him40 ,oliver smiled at her4 ,he knew this tender trait in her4 8,it would have been more perfect if they had not10 she said4 ,then she broke off and sat back4 8,why did he shoot just then80 she asked4 ,oliver turned his eyes for an instant towards his mother1 but she was knitting tranquilly4 ,then he answered with a curious deliberateness4 8,i said that ,braithwaite had done more for the world by one speech than ,jesus and all ,his saints put together40 ,he was aware that the knitting-needles stopped for a second2 then they went on again as before4 8,but he must have meant to do it anyhow10 continued ,oliver4 8,how do they know he was a ,catholic80 asked the girl again4 8,there was a rosary on him2 and then he just had time to call on his ,god40 8,and nothing more is known80 8,nothing more4 ,he was well dressed1 though40 ,oliver leaned back a little wearily and closed his eyes2 his arm still throbbed intolerably4 ,but he was very happy at heart4 ,it was true that he had been wounded by a fanatic1 but he was not sorry to bear pain in such a cause1 and it was obvious that the sympathy of ,england was with him4 ,mr4 ,phillips even now was busy in the next room1 answering the telegrams that poured in every moment4 ,caldecott1 the ,prime ,minister1 ,maxwell1 ,snowford and a dozen others had wired instantly their congratulations1 and from every part of ,england streamed in message after message4 ,it was an immense stroke for the ,communists2 their spokesman had been assaulted during the discharge of his duty1 speaking in defence of his principles2 it was an incalculable gain for them1 and loss for the ,individualists1 that confessors were not all on one side after all4 ,the huge electric placards over ,london had winked out the facts in ,esperanto as ,oliver stepped into the train at twilight4 8,oliver ,brand wounded4444 ,catholic assailant4444 ,indignation of the country4444 ,well-deserved fate of assassin40 ,he was pleased1 too1 that he honestly had done his best to save the man4 ,even in that moment of sudden and acute pain he had cried out for a fair trial2 but he had been too late4 ,he had seen the starting eyes roll up in the crimson face1 and the horrid grin come and go as the hands had clutched and torn at his throat4 ,then the face had vanished and a heavy trampling began where it had disappeared4 ,oh6 there was some passion and loyalty left in ,england6 ,his mother got up presently and went out1 still without a word2 and ,mabel turned to him1 laying a hand on his knee4 8,are you too tired to talk1 my dear80 ,he opened his eyes4 8,of course not1 my darling4 ,what is it80 8,what do you think will be the effect80 ,he raised himself a little1 looking out as usual through the darkening windows on to that astonishing view4 ,everywhere now lights were glowing1 a sea of mellow moons just above the houses1 and above the mysterious heavy blue of a summer evening4 8,the effect80 he said4 8,it can be nothing but good4 ,it was time that something happened4 ,my dear1 ,i feel very downcast sometimes1 as you know4 ,well1 ,i do not think ,i shall be again4 ,i have been afraid sometimes that we were losing all our spirit1 and that the old ,tories were partly right when they prophesied what ,communism would do4 ,but after this---0 8,well80 8,well2 we have shown that we can shed our blood too4 ,it is in the nick of time1 too1 just at the crisis4 ,i don't want to exaggerate2 it is only a scratch--but it was so deliberate1 and--and so dramatic4 ,the poor devil could not have chosen a worse moment4 ,people won't forget it40 ,mabel's eyes shone with pleasure4 8,you poor dear60 she said4 8,are you in pain80 8,not much4 ,besides1 ,christ6 what do ,i care8 ,if only this infernal ,eastern affair would end60 ,he knew he was feverish and irritable1 and made a great effort to drive it down4 8,oh1 my dear60 he went on1 flushed a little4 8,if they would not be such heavy fools3 they don't understand2 they don't understand40 8,yes1 ,oliver80 8,they don't understand what a glorious thing it all is3 ,humanity1 ,life1 ,truth at last1 and the death of ,folly6 ,but haven't ,i told them a hundred times80 ,she looked at him with kindling eyes4 ,she loved to see him like this1 his confident1 flushed face1 the enthusiasm in his blue eyes2 and the knowledge of his pain pricked her feeling with passion4 ,she bent forward and kissed him suddenly4 8,my dear1 ,i am so proud of you4 ,oh1 ,oliver60 ,he said nothing2 but she could see what she loved to see1 that response to her own heart2 and so they sat in silence while the sky darkened yet more1 and the click of the writer in the next room told them that the world was alive and that they had a share in its affairs4 ,oliver stirred presently4 8,did you notice anything just now1 sweetheart--when ,i said that about ,jesus ,christ80 8,she stopped knitting for a moment10 said the girl4 ,he nodded4 8,you saw that too1 then4444 ,mabel1 do you think she is falling back80 8,oh6 she is getting old10 said the girl lightly4 8,of course she looks back a little40 8,but you don't think--it would be too awful60 ,she shook her head4 8,no1 no1 my dear2 you're excited and tired4 ,it's just a little sentiment4444 ,oliver1 ,i don't think ,i would say that kind of thing before her40 8,but she hears it everywhere now40 8,no1 she doesn't4 ,remember she hardly ever goes out4 ,besides1 she hates it4 ,after all1 she was brought up a ,catholic40 ,oliver nodded1 and lay back again1 looking dreamily out4 8,isn't it astonishing the way in which suggestion lasts8 ,she can't get it out of her head1 even after fifty years4 ,well1 watch her1 won't you8444 ,by the way 4440 8,yes80 8,there's a little more news from the ,east4 ,they say ,felsenburgh's running the whole thing now4 ,the ,empire is sending him everywhere-- ,tobolsk1 ,benares1 ,yakutsk--everywhere2 and he's been to ,australia40 ,mabel sat up briskly4 8,isn't that very hopeful80 8,i suppose so4 ,there's no doubt that the ,sufis are winning2 but for how long is another question4 ,besides1 the troops don't disperse40 8,and ,europe80 8,europe is arming as fast as possible4 ,i hear we are to meet the ,powers next week at ,paris4 ,i must go40 8,your arm1 my dear80 8,my arm must get well4 ,it will have to go with me1 anyhow40 8,tell me some more40 8,there is no more4 ,but it is just as certain as it can be that this is the crisis4 ,if the ,east can be persuaded to hold its hand now1 it will never be likely to raise it again4 ,it will mean free trade all over the world1 ,i suppose1 and all that kind of thing4 ,but if not---0 8,well80 8,if not1 there will be a catastrophe such as never has been even imagined4 ,the whole human race will be at war1 and either ,east or ,west will be simply wiped out4 ,these new ,benninschein explosives will make certain of that40 8,but is it absolutely certain that the ,east has got them80 8,absolutely4 ,benninschein sold them simultaneously to ,east and ,west2 then he died1 luckily for him40 ,mabel had heard this kind of talk before1 but her imagination simply refused to grasp it4 ,a duel of ,east and ,west under these new conditions was an unthinkable thing4 ,there had been no ,european war within living memory1 and the ,eastern wars of the last century had been under the old conditions4 ,now1 if tales were true1 entire towns would be destroyed with a single shell4 ,the new conditions were unimaginable4 ,military experts prophesied extravagantly1 contradicting one another on vital points2 the whole procedure of war was a matter of theory2 there were no precedents with which to compare it4 ,it was as if archers disputed as to the results of cordite4 ,only one thing was certain--that the ,east had every modern engine1 and1 as regards male population1 half as much again as the rest of the world put together2 and the conclusion to be drawn from these premisses was not reassuring to ,england4 ,but imagination simply refused to speak4 ,the daily papers had a short1 careful leading article every day1 founded upon the scraps of news that stole out from the conferences on the other side of the world2 ,felsenburgh's name appeared more frequently than ever3 otherwise there seemed to be a kind of hush4 ,nothing suffered very much2 trade went on2 ,european stocks were not appreciably lower than usual2 men still built houses1 married wives1 begat sons and daughters1 did their business and went to the theatre1 for the mere reason that there was no good in anything else4 ,they could neither save nor precipitate the situation2 it was on too large a scale4 ,occasionally people went mad--people who had succeeded in goading their imagination to a height whence a glimpse of reality could be obtained2 and there was a diffused atmosphere of tenseness4 ,but that was all4 ,not many speeches were made on the subject2 it had been found inadvisable4 ,after all1 there was nothing to do but to wait4 ,,iii ,mabel remembered her husband's advice to watch1 and for a few days did her best4 ,but there was nothing that alarmed her4 ,the old lady was a little quiet1 perhaps1 but went about her minute affairs as usual4 ,she asked the girl to read to her sometimes1 and listened unblenching to whatever was offered her2 she attended in the kitchen daily1 organised varieties of food1 and appeared interested in all that concerned her son4 ,she packed his bag with her own hands1 set out his furs for the swift flight to ,paris1 and waved to him from the window as he went down the little path towards the junction4 ,he would be gone three days1 he said4 ,it was on the evening of the second day that she fell ill2 and ,mabel1 running upstairs1 in alarm at the message of the servant1 found her rather flushed and agitated in her chair4 8,it is nothing1 my dear10 said the old lady tremulously2 and she added the description of a symptom or two4 ,mabel got her to bed1 sent for the doctor1 and sat down to wait4 ,she was sincerely fond of the old lady1 and had always found her presence in the house a quiet sort of delight4 ,the effect of her upon the mind was as that of an easy-chair upon the body4 ,the old lady was so tranquil and human1 so absorbed in small external matters1 so reminiscent now and then of the days of her youth1 so utterly without resentment or peevishness4 ,it seemed curiously pathetic to the girl to watch that quiet old spirit approach its extinction1 or rather1 as ,mabel believed1 its loss of personality in the reabsorption into the ,spirit of ,life which informed the world4 ,she found less difficulty in contemplating the end of a vigorous soul1 for in that case she imagined a kind of energetic rush of force back into the origin of things2 but in this peaceful old lady there was so little energy2 her whole point1 so to speak1 lay in the delicate little fabric of personality1 built out of fragile things into an entity far more significant than the sum of its component parts3 the death of a flower1 reflected ,mabel1 is sadder than the death of a lion2 the breaking of a piece of china more irreparable than the ruin of a palace4 8,it is syncope10 said the doctor when he came in4 8,she may die at any time2 she may live ten years40 8,there is no need to telegraph for ,mr4 ,brand80 ,he made a little deprecating movement with his hands4 8,it is not certain that she will die--it is not imminent80 she asked4 8,no1 no2 she may live ten years1 ,i said40 ,he added a word or two of advice as to the use of the oxygen injector1 and went away4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the old lady was lying quietly in bed1 when the girl went up1 and put out a wrinkled hand4 8,well1 my dear80 she asked4 8,it is just a little weakness1 mother4 ,you must lie quiet and do nothing4 ,shall ,i read to you80 8,no1 my dear2 ,i will think a little40 ,it was no part of ,mabel's idea to duty to tell her that she was in danger1 for there was no past to set straight1 no ,judge to be confronted4 ,death was an ending1 not a beginning4 ,it was a peaceful ,gospel2 at least1 it became peaceful as soon as the end had come4 ,so the girl went downstairs once more1 with a quiet little ache at her heart that refused to be still4 ,what a strange and beautiful thing death was1 she told herself--this resolution of a chord that had hung suspended for thirty1 fifty or seventy years--back again into the stillness of the huge ,instrument that was all in all to itself4 ,those same notes would be struck again1 were being struck again even now all over the world1 though with an infinite delicacy of difference in the touch2 but that particular emotion was gone3 it was foolish to think that it was sounding eternally elsewhere1 for there was no elsewhere4 ,she1 too1 herself would cease one day1 let her see to it that the tone was pure and lovely4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mr4 ,phillips arrived the next morning as usual1 just as ,mabel had left the old lady's room1 and asked news of her4 8,she is a little better1 ,i think10 said ,mabel4 8,she must be very quiet all day40 ,the secretary bowed and turned aside into ,oliver's room1 where a heap of letters lay to be answered4 ,a couple of hours later1 as ,mabel went upstairs once more1 she met ,mr4 ,phillips coming down4 ,he looked a little flushed under his sallow skin4 8,mrs4 ,brand sent for me10 he said4 8,she wished to know whether ,mr4 ,oliver would be back to-night40 8,he will1 will he not8 ,you have not heard80 8,mr4 ,brand said he would be here for a late dinner4 ,he will reach ,london at nineteen40 8,and is there any other news80 ,he compressed his lips4 8,there are rumours10 he said4 8,mr4 ,brand wired to me an hour ago40 ,he seemed moved at something1 and ,mabel looked at him in astonishment4 8,it is not ,eastern news80 she asked4 ,his eyebrows wrinkled a little4 8,you must forgive me1 ,mrs4 ,brand10 he said4 8,i am not at liberty to say anything40 ,she was not offended1 for she trusted her husband too well2 but she went on into the sick-room with her heart beating4 ,the old lady1 too1 seemed excited4 ,she lay in bed with a clear flush in her white cheeks1 and hardly smiled at all to the girl's greeting4 8,well1 you have seen ,mr4 ,phillips1 then80 said ,mabel4 ,old ,mrs4 ,brand looked at her sharply an instant1 but said nothing4 8,don't excite yourself1 mother4 ,oliver will be back to-night40 ,the old lady drew a long breath4 8,don't trouble about me1 my dear10 she said4 8,i shall do very well now4 ,he will be back to dinner1 will he not80 8,if the volor is not late4 ,now1 mother1 are you ready for breakfast80 99 99 99 99 99 ,mabel passed an afternoon of considerable agitation4 ,it was certain that something had happened4 ,the secretary1 who breakfasted with her in the parlour looking on to the garden1 had appeared strangely excited4 ,he had told her that he would be away the rest of the day3 ,mr4 ,oliver had given him his instructions4 ,he had refrained from all discussion of the ,eastern question1 and he had given her no news of the ,paris ,convention2 he only repeated that ,mr4 ,oliver would be back that night4 ,then he had gone of in a hurry half-an-hour later4 ,the old lady seemed asleep when the girl went up afterwards1 and ,mabel did not like to disturb her4 ,neither did she like to leave the house2 so she walked by herself in the garden1 thinking and hoping and fearing1 till the long shadow lay across the path1 and the tumbled platform of roofs was bathed in a dusty green haze from the west4 ,as she came in she took up the evening paper1 but there was no news there except to the effect that the ,convention would close that afternoon4 99 99 99 99 99 ,twenty o'clock came1 but there was no sign of ,oliver4 ,the ,paris volor should have arrived an hour before1 but ,mabel1 staring out into the darkening heavens had seen the stars come out like jewels one by one1 but no slender winged fish pass overhead4 ,of course she might have missed it2 there was no depending on its exact course2 but she had seen it a hundred times before1 and wondered unreasonably why she had not seen it now4 ,but she would not sit down to dinner1 and paced up and down in her white dress1 turning again and again to the window1 listening to the soft rush of the trains1 the faint hoots from the track1 and the musical chords from the junction a mile away4 ,the lights were up by now1 and the vast sweep of the towns looked like fairyland between the earthly light and the heavenly darkness4 ,why did not ,oliver come1 or at least let her know why he did not8 ,once she went upstairs1 miserably anxious herself1 to reassure the old lady1 and found her again very drowsy4 8,he is not come10 she said4 8,i dare say he may be kept in ,paris40 ,the old face on the pillow nodded and murmured1 and ,mabel went down again4 ,it was now an hour after dinner-time4 ,oh6 there were a hundred things that might have kept him4 ,he had often been later than this3 he might have missed the volor he meant to catch2 the ,convention might have been prolonged2 he might be exhausted1 and think it better to sleep in ,paris after all1 and have forgotten to wire4 ,he might even have wired to ,mr4 ,phillips1 and the secretary have forgotten to pass on the message4 ,she went at last1 hopelessly1 to the telephone1 and looked at it4 ,there it was1 that round silent mouth1 that little row of labelled buttons4 ,she half decided to touch them one by one1 and inquire whether anything had been heard of her husband3 there was his club1 his office in ,whitehall1 ,mr4 ,phillips's house1 ,parliament-house1 and the rest4 ,but she hesitated1 telling herself to be patient4 ,oliver hated interference1 and he would surely soon remember and relieve her anxiety4 ,then1 even as she turned away1 the bell rang sharply1 and a white label flashed into sight4--,,whitehall4 ,she pressed the corresponding button1 and1 her hand shaking so much that she could scarcely hold the receiver to her ear1 she listened4 8,who is there80 ,her heart leaped at the sound of her husband's voice1 tiny and minute across the miles of wire4 8,i--,mabel10 she said4 8,alone here40 8,oh6 ,mabel4 ,very well4 ,i am back3 all is well4 ,now listen4 ,can you hear80 8,yes1 yes40 8,the best has happened4 ,it is all over in the ,east4 ,felsenburgh has done it4 ,now listen4 ,i cannot come home to-night4 ,it will be announced in ,paul's ,house in two hours from now4 ,we are communicating with the ,press4 ,come up here to me at once4 ,you must be present4444 ,can you hear80 8,oh1 yes40 8,come then at once4 ,it will be the greatest thing in history4 ,tell no one4 ,come before the rush begins4 ,in half-an-hour the way will be stopped40 8,oliver40 8,yes8 ,quick40 8,mother is ill4 ,shall ,i leave her80 8,how ill80 8,oh1 no immediate danger4 ,the doctor has seen her40 ,there was silence for a moment4 8,yes2 come then4 ,we will go back to-night anyhow1 then4 ,tell her we shall be late40 8,very well40 8444 ,yes1 you must come4 ,felsenburgh will be there40 ,,chapter ,,iv ,i ,on the same afternoon ,percy received a visitor4 ,there was nothing exceptional about him2 and ,percy1 as he came downstairs in his walking-dress and looked at him in the light from the tall parlour-window1 came to no conclusion at all as to his business and person1 except that he was not a ,catholic4 8,you wished to see me10 said the priest1 indicating a chair4 8,i fear ,i must not stop long40 8,i shall not keep you long10 said the stranger eagerly4 8,my business is done in five minutes40 ,percy waited with his eyes cast down4 8,a--a certain person has sent me to you4 ,she was a ,catholic once2 she wishes to return to the ,church40 ,percy made a little movement with his head4 ,it was a message he did not very often receive in these days4 8,you will come1 sir1 will you not8 ,you will promise me80 ,the man seemed greatly agitated2 his sallow face showed a little shining with sweat1 and his eyes were piteous4 8,of course ,i will come10 said ,percy1 smiling4 8,yes1 sir2 but you do not know who she is4 ,it--it would make a great stir1 sir1 if it was known4 ,it must not be known1 sir2 you will promise me that1 too80 8,i must not make any promise of that kind10 said the priest gently4 8,i do not know the circumstances yet40 ,the stranger licked his lips nervously4 8,well1 sir10 he said hastily1 8you will say nothing till you have seen her8 ,you can promise me that40 8,oh6 certainly10 said the priest4 8,well1 sir1 you had better not know my name4 ,it--it may make it easier for you and for me4 ,and--and1 if you please1 sir1 the lady is ill2 you must come to-day1 if you please1 but not until the evening4 ,will twenty-two o'clock be convenient1 sir80 8,where is it80 asked ,percy abruptly4 8,it--it is near ,croydon junction4 ,i will write down the address presently4 ,and you will not come until twenty-two o'clock1 sir80 8,why not now80 8,because the--the others may be there4 ,they will be away then2 ,i know that40 ,this was rather suspicious1 ,percy thought3 discreditable plots had been known before4 ,but he could not refuse outright4 8,why does she not send for her parish-priest80 he asked4 8,she she does not know who he is1 sir2 she saw you once in the ,cathedral1 sir1 and asked you for your name4 ,do you remember1 sir8--an old lady80 ,percy did dimly remember something of the kind a month or two before2 but he could not be certain1 and said so4 8,well1 sir1 you will come1 will you not80 8,i must communicate with ,father ,dolan10 said the priest4 8,if he gives me permission---0 8,if you please1 sir1 ,father--,father ,dolan must not know her name4 ,you will not tell him80 8,i do not know it myself yet10 said the priest1 smiling4 ,the stranger sat back abruptly at that1 and his face worked4 8,well1 sir1 let me tell you this first4 ,this old lady's son is my employer1 and a very prominent ,communist4 ,she lives with him and his wife4 ,the other two will be away to-night4 ,that is why ,i am asking you all this4 ,and now1 you will come1 sir80 ,percy looked at him steadily for a moment or two4 ,certainly1 if this was a conspiracy1 the conspirators were feeble folk4 ,then he answered3 8,i will come1 sir2 ,i promise4 ,now the name40 ,the stranger again licked his lips nervously1 and glanced timidly from side to side4 ,then he seemed to gather his resolution2 he leaned forward and whispered sharply4 8,the old lady's name is ,brand1 sir--the mother of ,mr4 ,oliver ,brand40 ,for a moment ,percy was bewildered4 ,it was too extraordinary to be true4 ,he knew ,mr4 ,oliver ,brand's name only too well2 it was he who1 by ,god's permission1 was doing more in ,england at this moment against the ,catholic cause than any other man alive2 and it was he whom the ,trafalgar ,square incident had raised into such eminent popularity4 ,and now1 here was his mother--- ,he turned fiercely upon the man4 8,i do not know what you are1 sir--whether you believe in ,god or not2 but will you swear to me on your religion and your honour that all this is true80 ,the timid eyes met his1 and wavered2 but it was the wavering of weakness1 not of treachery4 8,i--,i swear it1 sir2 by ,god ,almighty40 8,are you a ,catholic80 ,the man shook his head4 8,but ,i believe in ,god10 he said4 8,at least1 ,i think so40 ,percy leaned back1 trying to realise exactly what it all meant4 ,there was no triumph in his mind--that kind of emotion was not his weakness2 there was fear of a kind1 excitement1 bewilderment1 and under all a satisfaction that ,god's grace was so sovereign4 ,if it could reach this woman1 who could be too far removed for it to take effect8 ,presently he noticed the other looking at him anxiously4 8,you are afraid1 sir8 ,you are not going back from your promise80 ,that dispersed the cloud a little1 and ,percy smiled4 8,oh6 no10 he said4 8,i will be there at twenty-two o'clock4 444 ,is death imminent80 8,no1 sir2 it is syncope4 ,she is recovered a little this morning40 ,the priest passed his hand over his eyes and stood up4 8,well1 ,i will be there10 he said4 8,shall you be there1 sir80 ,the other shook his head1 standing up too4 8,i must be with ,mr4 ,brand1 sir2 there is to be a meeting to-night2 but ,i must not speak of that4444 ,no1 sir2 ask for ,mrs4 ,brand1 and say that she is expecting you4 ,they will take you upstairs at once40 8,i must not say ,i am a priest1 ,i suppose80 8,no1 sir2 if you please40 ,he drew out a pocket-book1 scribbled in it a moment1 tore out the sheet1 and handed it to the priest4 8,the address1 sir4 ,will you kindly destroy that when you have copied it8 ,i--,i do not wish to lose my place1 sir1 if it can be helped40 ,percy stood twisting the paper in his fingers a moment4 8,why are you not a ,catholic yourself80 he asked4 ,the man shook his head mutely4 ,then he took up his hat1 and went towards the door4 99 99 99 99 99 ,percy passed a very emotional afternoon4 ,for the last month or two little had happened to encourage him4 ,he had been obliged to report half-a-dozen more significant secessions1 and hardly a conversion of any kind4 ,there was no doubt at all that the tide was setting steadily against the ,church4 ,the mad act in ,trafalgar ,square1 too1 had done incalculable harm last week3 men were saying more than ever1 and the papers storming1 that the ,church's reliance on the supernatural was belied by every one of her public acts4 8,scratch a ,catholic and find an assassin0 had been the text of a leading article in the ,new ,people1 and ,percy himself was dismayed at the folly of the attempt4 ,it was true that the ,archbishop had formally repudiated both the act and the motive from the ,cathedral pulpit1 but that too had only served as an opportunity hastily taken up by the principal papers1 to recall the continual policy of the ,church to avail herself of violence while she repudiated the violent4 ,the horrible death of the man had in no way appeased popular indignation2 there were not even wanting suggestions that the man had been seen coming out of ,archbishop's ,house an hour before the attempt at assassination had taken place4 ,and now here1 with dramatic swiftness1 had come a message that the hero's own mother desired reconciliation with the ,church that had attempted to murder her son4 99 99 99 99 99 ,again and again that afternoon1 as ,percy sped northwards on his visit to a priest in ,worcester1 and southwards once more as the lights began to shine towards evening1 he wondered whether this were not a plot after all--some kind of retaliation1 an attempt to trap him4 ,yet he had promised to say nothing1 and to go4 ,he finished his daily letter after dinner as usual1 with a curious sense of fatality2 addressed and stamped it4 ,then he went downstairs1 in his walking-dress1 to ,father ,blackmore's room4 8,will you hear my confession1 father80 he said abruptly4 ,,ii ,victoria ,station1 still named after the great nineteenth-century ,queen1 was neither more nor less busy than usual as he came into it half-an-hour later4 ,the vast platform1 sunk now nearly two hundred feet below the ground level1 showed the double crowd of passengers entering and leaving town4 ,those on the extreme left1 towards whom ,percy began to descend in the open glazed lift1 were by far the most numerous1 and the stream at the lift-entrance made it necessary for him to move slowly4 ,he arrived at last1 walking in the soft light on the noiseless ribbed rubber1 and stood by the door of the long car that ran straight through to the ,junction4 ,it was the last of a series of a dozen or more1 each of which slid off minute by minute4 ,then1 still watching the endless movement of the lifts ascending and descending between the entrances of the upper end of the station1 he stepped in and sat down4 ,he felt quiet now that he had actually started4 ,he had made his confession1 just in order to make certain of his own soul1 though scarcely expecting any definite danger1 and sat now1 his grey suit and straw hat in no way distinguishing him as a priest 7for a general leave was given by the authorities to dress so for any adequate reason74 ,since the case was not imminent1 he had not brought stocks or pyx--,father ,dolan had wired to him that he might fetch them if he wished from ,st4 ,joseph's1 near the ,junction4 ,he had only the violet thread in his pocket1 such as was customary for sick calls4 ,he was sliding along peaceably enough1 fixing his eyes on the empty seat opposite1 and trying to preserve complete collectedness when the car abruptly stopped4 ,he looked out1 astonished1 and saw by the white enamelled walks twenty feet from the window that they were already in the tunnel4 ,the stoppage might arise from many causes1 and he was not greatly excited1 nor did it seem that others in the carriage took it very seriously2 he could hear1 after a moment's silence1 the talking recommence beyond the partition4 ,then there came1 echoed by the walls1 the sound of shouting from far away1 mingled with hoots and chords2 it grew louder4 ,the talking in the carriage stopped4 ,he heard a window thrown up1 and the next instant a car tore past1 going back to the station although on the down line4 ,this must be looked into1 thought ,percy3 something certainly was happening2 so he got up and went across the empty compartment to the further window4 ,again came the crying of voices1 again the signals1 and once more a car whirled past1 followed almost immediately by another4 ,there was a jerk--a smooth movement4 ,percy staggered and fell into a seat1 as the carriage in which he was seated itself began to move backwards4 ,there was a clamour now in the next compartment1 and ,percy made his way there through the door1 only to find half-a-dozen men with their heads thrust from the windows1 who paid absolutely no attention to his inquiries4 ,so he stood there1 aware that they knew no more than himself1 waiting for an explanation from some one4 ,it was disgraceful1 he told himself1 that any misadventure should so disorganise the line4 ,twice the car stopped2 each time it moved on again after a hoot or two1 and at last drew up at the platform whence it had started1 although a hundred yards further out4 ,ah6 there was no doubt that something had happened6 ,the instant he opened the door a great roar met his ears1 and as he sprang on to the platform and looked up at the end of the station1 he began to understand4 99 99 99 99 99 ,from right to left of the huge interior1 across the platforms1 swelling every instant1 surged an enormous swaying1 roaring crowd4 ,the flight of steps1 twenty yards broad1 used only in cases of emergency1 resembled a gigantic black cataract nearly two hundred feet in height4 ,each car as it drew up discharged more and more men and women1 who ran like ants towards the assembly of their fellows4 ,the noise was indescribable1 the shouting of men1 the screaming of women1 the clang and hoot of the huge machines1 and three or four times the brazen cry of a trumpet1 as an emergency door was flung open overhead1 and a small swirl of crowd poured through it towards the streets beyond4 ,but after one look ,percy looked no more at the people2 for there1 high up beneath the clock1 on the ,government signal board1 flared out monstrous letters of fire1 telling in ,esperanto and ,english1 the message for which ,england had grown sick4 ,he read it a dozen times before he moved1 staring1 as at a supernatural sight which might denote the triumph of either heaven or hell4 8,,eastern ,,convention ,,dispersed4 ,,peace1 ,,not ,,war4 ,,universal ,,brotherhood ,,established4 ,,felsenburgh ,,in ,,london ,,to-,,night40 99 99 99 99 99 ,,iii ,it was not until nearly two hours later that ,percy was standing at the house beyond the ,junction4 ,he had argued1 expostulated1 threatened1 but the officials were like men possessed4 ,half of them had disappeared in the rush to the ,city1 for it had leaked out1 in spite of the ,government's precautions1 that ,paul's ,house1 known once as ,st4 ,paul's ,cathedral1 was to be the scene of ,felsenburgh's reception4 ,the others seemed demented2 one man on the platform had dropped dead from nervous exhaustion1 but no one appeared to care2 and the body lay huddled beneath a seat4 ,again and again ,percy had been swept away by a rush1 as he struggled from platform to platform in his search for a car that would take him to ,croydon4 ,it seemed that there was none to be had1 and the useless carriages collected like drift-wood between the platforms1 as others whirled up from the country bringing loads of frantic1 delirious men1 who vanished like smoke from the white rubber-boards4 ,the platforms were continually crowded1 and as continually emptied1 and it was not until half-an-hour before midnight that the block began to move outwards again4 ,well1 he was here at last1 dishevelled1 hatless and exhausted1 looking up at the dark windows4 ,he scarcely knew what he thought of the whole matter4 ,war1 of course1 was terrible4 ,and such a war as this would have been too terrible for the imagination to visualise2 but to the priest's mind there were other things even worse4 ,what of universal peace--peace1 that is to say1 established by others than ,christ's method8 ,or was ,god behind even this8 ,the questions were hopeless4 ,felsenburgh--it was he then who had done this thing--this thing undoubtedly greater than any secular event hitherto known in civilisation4 ,what manner of man was he8 ,what was his character1 his motive1 his method8 ,how would he use his success8444 ,so the points flew before him like a stream of sparks1 each1 it might be1 harmless2 each1 equally1 capable of setting a world on fire4 ,meanwhile here was an old woman who desired to be reconciled with ,god before she died4444 99 99 99 99 99 ,he touched the button again1 three or four times1 and waited4 ,then a light sprang out overhead1 and he knew that he was heard4 8,i was sent for10 he exclaimed to the bewildered maid4 8,i should have been here at twenty-two3 ,i was prevented by the rush40 ,she babbled out a question at him4 8,yes1 it is true1 ,i believe10 he said4 8,it is peace1 not war4 ,kindly take me upstairs40 ,he went through the hall with a curious sense of guilt4 ,this was ,brand's house then--that vivid orator1 so bitterly eloquent against ,god2 and here was he1 a priest1 slinking in under cover of night4 ,well1 well1 it was not of his appointment4 ,at the door of an upstairs room the maid turned to him4 8,a doctor1 sir80 she said4 8,that is my affair10 said ,percy briefly1 and opened the door4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a little wailing cry broke from the corner1 before he had time to close the door again4 8,oh6 thank ,god6 ,i thought ,he had forgotten me4 ,you are a priest1 father80 8,i am a priest4 ,do you not remember seeing me in the ,cathedral80 8,yes1 yes1 sir2 ,i saw you praying1 father4 ,oh6 thank ,god1 thank ,god60 ,percy stood looking down at her a moment1 seeing her flushed old face in the nightcap1 her bright sunken eyes and her tremulous hands4 ,yes2 this was genuine enough4 8,now1 my child10 he said1 8tell me40 8,my confession1 father40 ,percy drew out the purple thread1 slipped it over his shoulders1 and sat down by the bed4 99 99 99 99 99 ,but she would not let him go for a while after that4 8,tell me1 father4 ,when will you bring me ,holy ,communion80 ,he hesitated4 8,i understand that ,mr4 ,brand and his wife know nothing of all this80 8,no1 father40 8,tell me1 are you very ill80 8,i don't know1 father4 ,they will not tell me4 ,i thought ,i was gone last night40 8,when would you wish me to bring you ,holy ,communion8 ,i will do as you say40 8,shall ,i send to you in a day or two8 ,father1 ought ,i to tell him80 8,you are not obliged40 8,i will if ,i ought40 8,well1 think about it1 and let me know4444 ,you have heard what has happened80 ,she nodded1 but almost uninterestedly2 and ,percy was conscious of a tiny prick of compunction at his own heart4 ,after all1 the reconciling of a soul to ,god was a greater thing than the reconciling of ,east to ,west4 8,it may make a difference to ,mr4 ,brand10 he said4 8,he will be a great man1 now1 you know40 ,she still looked at him in silence1 smiling a little4 ,percy was astonished at the youthfulness of that old face4 ,then her face changed4 8,father1 ,i must not keep you2 but tell me this--,who is this man80 8,felsenburgh80 8,yes40 8,no one knows4 ,we shall know more to-morrow4 ,he is in town to-night40 ,she looked so strange that ,percy for an instant thought it was a seizure4 ,her face seemed to fall away in a kind of emotion1 half cunning1 half fear4 8,well1 my child80 8,father1 ,i am a little afraid when ,i think of that man4 ,he cannot harm me1 can he8 ,i am safe now8 ,i am a ,catholic--80 8,my child1 of course you are safe4 ,what is the matter8 ,how can this man injure you80 ,but the look of terror was still there1 and ,percy came a step nearer4 8,you must not give way to fancies10 he said4 8,just commit yourself to our ,blessed ,lord4 ,this man can do you no harm40 ,he was speaking now as to a child2 but it was of no use4 ,her old mouth was still sucked in1 and her eyes wandered past him into the gloom of the room behind4 8,my child1 tell me what is the matter4 ,what do you know of ,felsenburgh8 ,you have been dreaming40 ,she nodded suddenly and energetically1 and ,percy for the first time felt his heart give a little leap of apprehension4 ,was this old woman out of her mind1 then8 ,or why was it that that name seemed to him sinister8 ,then he remembered that ,father ,blackmore had once talked like this4 ,he made an effort1 and sat down once more4 8,now tell me plainly10 he said4 8,you have been dreaming4 ,what have you dreamt80 ,she raised herself a little in bed1 again glancing round the room2 then she put out her old ringed hand for one of his1 and he gave it1 wondering4 8,the door is shut1 father8 ,there is no one listening80 8,no1 no1 my child4 ,why are you trembling8 ,you must not be superstitious40 8,father1 ,i will tell you4 ,dreams are nonsense1 are they not8 ,well1 at least1 this is what ,i dreamt4 8,i was somewhere in a great house2 ,i do not know where it was4 ,it was a house ,i have never seen4 ,it was one of the old houses1 and it was very dark4 ,i was a child1 ,i thought1 and ,i was 444 ,i was afraid of something4 ,the passages were all dark1 and ,i went crying in the dark1 looking for a light1 and there was none4 ,then ,i heard a voice talking1 a great way off4 ,father---0 ,her hand gripped his more tightly1 and again her eyes went round the room4 ,with great difficulty ,percy repressed a sigh4 ,yet he dared not leave her just now4 ,the house was very still2 only from outside now and again sounded the clang of the cars1 as they sped countrywards again from the congested town1 and once the sound of great shouting4 ,he wondered what time it was4 8,had you better tell me now80 he asked1 still talking with a patient simplicity4 8,what time will they be back80 8,not yet10 she whispered4 8,mabel said not till two o'clock4 ,what time is it now1 father80 ,he pulled out his watch with his disengaged hand4 8,it is not yet one10 he said4 8,very well1 listen1 father4444 ,i was in this house2 and ,i heard that talking2 and ,i ran along the passages1 till ,i saw light below a door2 and then ,i stopped4444 ,nearer1 father40 ,percy was a little awed in spite of himself4 ,her voice had suddenly dropped to a whisper1 and her old eyes seemed to hold him strangely4 8,i stopped1 father2 ,i dared not go in4 ,i could hear the talking1 and ,i could see the light2 and ,i dared not go in4 ,father1 it was ,felsenburgh in that room40 ,from beneath came the sudden snap of a door2 then the sound of footsteps4 ,percy turned his head abruptly1 and at the same moment heard a swift indrawn breath from the old woman4 8,hush60 he said4 8,who is that80 ,two voices were talking in the hall below now1 and at the sound the old woman relaxed her hold4 8,i--,i thought it to be him10 she murmured4 ,percy stood up2 he could see that she did not understand the situation4 8,yes1 my child10 he said quietly1 8but who is it80 8,my son and his wife10 she said2 then her face changed once more4 8,why--why1 father---0 ,her voice died in her throat1 as a step vibrated outside4 ,for a moment there was complete silence2 then a whisper1 plainly audible1 in a girl's voice4 8,why1 her light is burning4 ,come in1 ,oliver1 but softly40 ,then the handle turned4 ,,chapter ,v ,i ,there was an exclamation1 then silence1 as a tall1 beautiful girl with flushed face and shining grey eyes came forward and stopped1 followed by a man whom ,percy knew at once from his pictures4 ,a little whimpering sounded from the bed1 and the priest lifted his hand instinctively to silence it4 8,why10 said ,mabel2 and then stared at the man with the young face and the white hair4 ,oliver opened his lips and closed them again4 ,he1 too1 had a strange excitement in his face4 ,then he spoke4 8,who is this80 he said deliberately4 8,oliver10 cried the girl1 turning to him abruptly1 8this is the priest ,i saw---0 8,a priest60 said the other1 and came forward a step4 8,why1 ,i thought---0 ,percy drew a breath to steady that maddening vibration in his throat4 8,yes1 ,i am a priest10 he said4 ,again the whimpering broke out from the bed2 and ,percy1 half turning again to silence it1 saw the girl mechanically loosen the clasp of the thin dust cloak over her white dress4 8,you sent for him1 mother80 snapped the man1 with a tremble in his voice1 and with a sudden jerk forward of his whole body4 ,but the girl put out her hand4 8,quietly1 my dear10 she said4 8,now1 sir---0 8,yes1 ,i am a priest10 said ,percy again1 strung up now to a desperate resistance of will1 hardly knowing what he said4 8,and you come to my house60 exclaimed the man4 ,he came a step nearer1 and half recoiled4 8,you swear you are a priest80 he said4 8,you have been here all this evening80 8,since midnight40 8,and you are not---0 he stopped again4 ,mabel stepped straight between them4 8,oliver10 she said1 still with that air of suppressed excitement1 8we must not have a scene here4 ,the poor dear is too ill4 ,will you come downstairs1 sir80 ,percy took a step towards the door1 and ,oliver moved slightly aside4 ,then the priest stopped1 turned and lifted his hand4 8,god bless you60 he said simply1 to the muttering figure in the bed4 ,then he went out1 and waited outside the door4 ,he could hear a low talking within2 then a compassionate murmur from the girl's voice2 then ,oliver was beside him1 trembling all over1 as white as ashes1 and made a silent gesture as he went past him down the stairs4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the whole thing seemed to ,percy like some incredible dream2 it was all so unexpected1 so untrue to life4 ,he felt conscious of an enormous shame at the sordidness of the affair1 and at the same time of a kind of hopeless recklessness4 ,the worst had happened and the best--that was his sole comfort4 ,oliver pushed a door open1 touched a button1 and went through into the suddenly lit room1 followed by ,percy4 ,still in silence1 he pointed to a chair1 ,percy sat down1 and ,oliver stood before the fireplace1 his hands deep in the pockets of his jacket1 slightly turned away4 ,percy's concentrated senses became aware of every detail of the room--the deep springy green carpet1 smooth under his feet1 the straight hanging thin silk curtains1 the half-dozen low tables with a wealth of flowers upon them1 and the books that lined the walls4 ,the whole room was heavy with the scent of roses1 although the windows were wide1 and the night-breeze stirred the curtains continually4 ,it was a woman's room1 he told himself4 ,then he looked at the man's figure1 lithe1 tense1 upright2 the dark grey suit not unlike his own1 the beautiful curve of the jaw1 the clear pale complexion1 the thin nose1 the protruding curve of idealism over the eyes1 and the dark hair4 ,it was a poet's face1 he told himself1 and the whole personality was a living and vivid one4 ,then he turned a little and rose as the door opened1 and ,mabel came in1 closing it behind her4 ,she came straight across to her husband1 and put a hand on his shoulder4 8,sit down1 my dear10 she said4 8,we must talk a little4 ,please sit down1 sir40 ,the three sat down1 ,percy on one side1 and the husband and wife on a straight-backed settle opposite4 ,the girl began again4 8,this must be arranged at once10 she said1 8but we must have no tragedy4 ,oliver1 do you understand8 ,you must not make a scene4 ,leave this to me40 ,she spoke with a curious gaiety2 and ,percy to his astonishment saw that she was quite sincere3 there was not the hint of cynicism4 8,oliver1 my dear10 she said again1 8don't mouth like that6 ,it is all perfectly right4 ,i am going to manage this40 ,percy saw a venomous look directed at him by the man2 the girl saw it too1 moving her strong humorous eyes from one to the other4 ,she put her hand on his knee4 8,oliver1 attend6 ,don't look at this gentleman so bitterly4 ,he has done no harm40 8,no harm60 whispered the other4 8,no--no harm in the world4 ,what does it matter what that poor dear upstairs thinks8 ,now1 sir1 would you mind telling us why you came here80 ,percy drew another breath4 ,he had not expected this line4 8,i came here to receive ,mrs4 ,brand back into the ,church10 he said4 8,and you have done so80 8,i have done so40 8,would you mind telling us your name8 ,it makes it so much more convenient40 ,percy hesitated4 ,then he determined to meet her on her own ground4 8,certainly4 ,my name is ,franklin40 8,father ,franklin80 asked the girl1 with just the faintest tinge of mocking emphasis on the first word4 8,yes4 ,father ,percy ,franklin1 from ,archbishop's ,house1 ,westminster10 said the priest steadily4 8,well1 then1 ,father ,percy ,franklin2 can you tell us why you came here8 ,i mean1 who sent for you80 8,mrs4 ,brand sent for me40 8,yes1 but by what means80 8,that ,i must not say40 8,oh1 very good4444 ,may we know what good comes of being #8received into the ,church8'0 8,by being received into the ,church1 the soul is reconciled to ,god40 8,oh6 7,oliver1 be quiet47 ,and how do you do it1 ,father ,franklin80 ,percy stood up abruptly4 8,this is no good1 madam10 he said4 8,what is the use of these questions80 ,the girl looked at him in open-eyed astonishment1 still with her hand on her husband's knee4 8,the use1 ,father ,franklin6 ,why1 we want to know4 ,there is no church law against your telling us1 is there80 ,percy hesitated again4 ,he did not understand in the least what she was after4 ,then he saw that he would give them an advantage if he lost his head at all3 so he sat down again4 8,certainly not4 ,i will tell you if you wish to know4 ,i heard ,mrs4 ,brand's confession1 and gave her absolution40 8,oh6 yes2 and that does it1 then8 ,and what next80 8,she ought to receive ,holy ,communion1 and anointing1 if she is in danger of death40 ,oliver twitched suddenly4 8,christ60 he said softly4 8,oliver60 cried the girl entreatingly4 8,please leave this to me4 ,it is much better so4--,and then1 ,i suppose1 ,father ,franklin1 you want to give those other things to my mother1 too80 8,they are not absolutely necessary10 said the priest1 feeling1 he did not know why1 that he was somehow playing a losing game4 8,oh6 they are not necessary8 ,but you would like to80 8,i shall do so if possible4 ,but ,i have done what is necessary40 ,it required all his will to keep quiet4 ,he was as a man who had armed himself in steel1 only to find that his enemy was in the form of a subtle vapour4 ,he simply had not an idea what to do next4 ,he would have given anything for the man to have risen and flown at his throat1 for this girl was too much for them both4 8,yes10 she said softly4 8,well1 it is hardly to be expected that my husband should give you leave to come here again4 ,but ,i am very glad that you have done what you think necessary4 ,no doubt it will be a satisfaction to you1 ,father ,franklin1 and to the poor old thing upstairs1 too4 ,while we--- we--0 she pressed her husband's knee--8we do not mind at all4 ,oh6--but there is one thing more40 8,if you please10 said ,percy1 wondering what on earth was coming4 8,you ,christians--forgive me if ,i say anything rude--but1 you know1 you ,christians have a reputation for counting heads1 and making the most of converts4 ,we shall be so much obliged1 ,father ,franklin1 if you will give us your word not to advertise this--this incident4 ,it would distress my husband1 and give him a great deal of trouble40 8,mrs4 ,brand---0 began the priest4 8,one moment4444 ,you see1 we have not treated you badly4 ,there has been no violence4 ,we will promise not to make scenes with my mother4 ,will you promise us that80 ,percy had had time to consider1 and he answered instantly4 8,certainly1 ,i will promise that40 ,mabel sighed contentedly4 8,well1 that is all right4 ,we are so much obliged4444 ,and ,i think we may say this1 that perhaps after consideration my husband may see his way to letting you come here again to do ,communion and--and the other thing---0 ,again that spasm shook the man beside her4 8,well1 we will see about that4 ,at any rate1 we know your address1 and can let you know4444 ,by the way1 ,father ,franklin1 are you going back to ,westminster to-night80 ,he bowed4 8,ah6 ,i hope you will get through4 ,you will find ,london very much excited4 ,perhaps you heard---0 8,felsenburgh80 said ,percy4 8,yes4 ,julian ,felsenburgh10 said the girl softly1 again with that strange excitement suddenly alight in her eyes4 8,julian ,felsenburgh10 she repeated4 8,he is there1 you know4 ,he will stay in ,england for the present40 ,again ,percy was conscious of that slight touch of fear at the mention of that name4 8,i understand there is to be peace10 he said4 ,the girl rose and her husband with her4 8,yes10 she said1 almost compassionately1 8there is to be peace4 ,peace at last40 7,she moved half a step towards him1 and her face glowed like a rose of fire4 ,her hand rose a little47 8,go back to ,london1 ,father ,franklin1 and use your eyes4 ,you will see him1 ,i dare say1 and you will see more besides40 7,her voice began to vibrate47 8,and you will understand1 perhaps1 why we have treated you like this--why we are no longer afraid of you--why we are willing that my mother should do as she pleases4 ,oh6 you will understand1 ,father ,franklin if not to-night1 to-morrow2 or if not to-morrow1 at least in a very short time40 8,mabel60 cried her husband4 ,the girl wheeled1 and threw her arms round him1 and kissed him on the mouth4 8,oh6 ,i am not ashamed1 ,oliver1 my dear4 ,let him go and see for himself4 ,good-night1 ,father ,franklin40 ,as he went towards the door1 hearing the ping of the bell that some one touched in the room behind him1 he turned once more1 dazed and bewildered2 and there were the two1 husband and wife1 standing in the soft1 sunny light1 as if transfigured4 ,the girl had her arm round the man's shoulder1 and stood upright and radiant as a pillar of fire2 and even on the man's face there was no anger now--nothing but an almost supernatural pride and confidence4 ,they were both smiling4 ,then ,percy passed out into the soft1 summer night4 ,,ii ,percy understood nothing except that he was afraid1 as he sat in the crowded car that whirled him up to ,london4 ,he scarcely even heard the talk round him1 although it was loud and continuous2 and what he heard meant little to him4 ,he understood only that there had been strange scenes1 that ,london was said to have gone suddenly mad1 that ,felsenburgh had spoken that night in ,paul's ,house4 ,he was afraid at the way in which he had been treated1 and he asked himself dully again and again what it was that had inspired that treatment2 it seemed that he had been in the presence of the supernatural2 he was conscious of shivering a little1 and of the symptoms of an intolerable sleepiness4 ,it was scarcely strange to him that he should be sitting in a crowded car at two o'clock of a summer dawn4 ,thrice the car stopped1 and he stared out at the signs of confusion that were everywhere2 at the figures that ran in the twilight between the tracks1 at a couple of wrecked carriages1 a tumble of tarpaulins2 he listened mechanically to the hoots and cries that sounded everywhere4 ,as he stepped out at last on to the platform1 he found it very much as he had left it two hours before4 ,there was the same desperate rush as the car discharged its load1 the same dead body beneath the seat2 and above all1 as he ran helplessly behind the crowd1 scarcely knowing whither he ran or why1 above him burned the same stupendous message beneath the clock4 ,then he found himself in the lift1 and a minute later he was out on the steps behind the station4 ,there1 too1 was an astonishing sight4 ,the lamps still burned overhead1 but beyond them lay the first pale streaks of the false dawn4 ,the street that ran now straight to the old royal palace1 uniting there1 as at the centre of a web1 with those that came from ,westminster1 the ,mall and ,hyde ,park1 was one solid pavement of heads4 ,on this side and that rose up the hotels and 8,houses of ,joy10 the windows all ablaze with light1 solemn and triumphant as if to welcome a king2 while far ahead against the sky stood the monstrous palace outlined in fire1 and alight from within like all other houses within view4 ,the noise was bewildering4 ,it was impossible to distinguish one sound from another4 ,voices1 horns1 drums1 the tramp of a thousand footsteps on the rubber pavements1 the sombre roll of wheels from the station behind--all united in one overwhelmingly solemn booming1 overscored by shriller notes4 ,it was impossible to move4 ,he found himself standing in a position of extraordinary advantage1 at the very top of the broad flight of steps that led down into the old station yard1 now a wide space that united1 on the left the broad road to the palace1 and on the right ,victoria ,street1 that showed like all else one vivid perspective of lights and heads4 ,against the sky on his right rose up the illuminated head of the ,cathedral ,campanile4 ,it appeared to him as if he had known that in some previous existence4 ,he edged himself mechanically a foot or two to his left1 till he clasped a pillar2 then he waited1 trying not to analyse his emotions1 but to absorb them4 ,gradually he became aware that this crowd was as no other that he had ever seen4 ,to his psychical sense it seemed to him that it possessed a unity unlike any other4 ,there was magnetism in the air4 ,there was a sensation as if a creative act were in process1 whereby thousands of individual cells were being welded more and more perfectly every instant into one huge sentient being with one will1 one emotion1 and one head4 ,the crying of voices seemed significant only as the stirrings of this creative power which so expressed itself4 ,here rested this giant humanity1 stretching to his sight in living limbs so far as he could see on every side1 waiting1 waiting for some consummation--stretching1 too1 as his tired brain began to guess1 down every thoroughfare of the vast city4 ,he did not even ask himself for what they waited4 ,he knew1 yet he did not know4 ,he knew it was for a revelation--for something that should crown their aspirations1 and fix them so for ever4 ,he had a sense that he had seen all this before2 and1 like a child1 he began to ask himself where it could have happened1 until he remembered that it was so that he had once dreamt of the ,judgment ,day--of humanity gathered to meet ,jesus ,christ--,jesus ,christ6 ,ah6 how tiny that ,figure seemed to him now--how far away--real indeed1 but insignificant to himself--how hopelessly apart from this tremendous life6 ,he glanced up at the ,campanile4 ,yes2 there was a piece of the ,true ,cross there1 was there not8--a little piece of the wood on which a ,poor ,man had died twenty centuries ago4444 ,well1 well4 ,it was a long way off4444 ,he did not quite understand what was happening to him4 8,sweet ,jesus1 be to me not a ,judge but a ,saviour10 he whispered beneath his breath1 gripping the granite of the pillar2 and a moment later knew how futile was that prayer4 ,it was gone like a breath in this vast1 vivid atmosphere of man4 ,he had said mass1 had he not8 this morning--in white vestments4--,yes2 he had believed it all then--desperately1 but truly2 and now4444 ,to look into the future was as useless as to look into the past4 ,there was no future1 and no past3 it was all one eternal instant1 present and final4444 ,then he let go of effort1 and again began to see with his bodily eyes4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the dawn was coming up the sky now1 a steady soft brightening that appeared in spite of its sovereignty to be as nothing compared with the brilliant light of the streets4 8,we need no sun10 he whispered1 smiling piteously2 8no sun or light of a candle4 ,we have our light on earth--the light that lighteneth every man44440 ,the ,campanile seemed further away than ever now1 in that ghostly glimmer of dawn--more and more helpless every moment1 compared with the beautiful vivid shining of the streets4 ,then he listened to the sounds1 and it seemed to him as if somewhere1 far down eastwards1 there was a silence beginning4 ,he jerked his head impatiently1 as a man behind him began to talk rapidly and confusedly4 ,why would he not be silent1 and let silence be heard8444 ,the man stopped presently1 and out of the distance there swelled up a roar1 as soft as the roll of a summer tide2 it passed up towards him from the right2 it was about him1 dinning in his ears4 ,there was no longer any individual voice3 it was the breathing of the giant that had been born2 he was crying out too2 he did not know what he said1 but he could not be silent4 ,his veins and nerves seemed alight with wine2 and as he stared down the long street1 hearing the huge cry ebb from him and move toward the palace1 he knew why he had cried1 and why he was now silent4 ,a slender1 fish-shaped thing1 as white as milk1 as ghostly as a shadow1 and as beautiful as the dawn1 slid into sight half-a-mile away1 turned and came towards him1 floating1 as it seemed1 on the very wave of silence that it created1 up1 up the long curving street on outstretched wings1 not twenty feet above the heads of the crowd4 ,there was one great sigh1 and then silence once more4 99 99 99 99 99 ,when ,percy could think consciously again--for his will was only capable of efforts as a clock of ticks--the strange white thing was nearer4 ,he told himself that he had seen a hundred such before2 and at the same instant that this was different from all others4 ,then it was nearer still1 floating slowly1 slowly1 like a gull over the sea2 he could make out its smooth nose1 its low parapet beyond1 the steersman's head motionless2 he could even hear now the soft winnowing of the screw--and then he saw that for which he had waited4 ,high on the central deck there stood a chair1 draped1 too1 in white1 with some insignia visible above its back2 and in the chair sat the figure of a man1 motionless and lonely4 ,he made no sign as he came2 his dark dress showed vividedly against the whiteness2 his head was raised1 and he turned it gently now and again from side to side4 ,it came nearer still1 in the profound stillness2 the head turned1 and for an instant the face was plainly visible in the soft1 radiant light4 ,it was a pale face1 strongly marked1 as of a young man1 with arched1 black eyebrows1 thin lips1 and white hair4 ,then the face turned once more1 the steersman shifted his head1 and the beautiful shape1 wheeling a little1 passed the corner1 and moved up towards the palace4 ,there was an hysterical yelp somewhere1 a cry1 and again the tempestuous groan broke out4 ,,book ,,ii-,,the ,,encounter ,,chapter ,i ,i ,oliver ,brand was seated at his desk1 on the evening of the next day1 reading the leading article of the ,new ,people1 evening edition4 99 99 99 99 99 8,we have had time10 he read1 8to recover ourselves a little from the intoxication of last night4 ,before embarking on prophecy1 it will be as well to recall the facts4 ,up to yesterday evening our anxiety with regard to the ,eastern crisis continued2 and when twenty-one o'clock struck there were not more than forty persons in ,london--the ,english delegates1 that is to say--who knew positively that the danger was over4 ,between that moment and half-an-hour later the ,government took a few discreet steps3 a select number of persons were informed2 the police were called out1 with half-a-dozen regiments1 to preserve order2 ,paul's ,house was cleared2 the railroad companies were warned2 and at the half hour precisely the announcement was made by means of the electric placards in every quarter of ,london1 as well as in all large provincial towns4 ,we have not space now to adequately describe the admirable manner in which the public authorities did their duty2 it is enough to say that not more than seventy fatalities took place in the whole of ,london2 nor is it our business to criticise the action of the ,government1 in choosing this mode of making the announcement4 8,by twenty-two o'clock ,paul's ,house was filled in every corner1 the ,old ,choir was reserved for members of ,parliament and public officials1 the quarter-dome galleries were filled with ladies1 and to the rest of the floor the public was freely admitted4 ,the volor-police also inform us now that for about the distance of one mile in every direction round this centre every thoroughfare was blocked with pedestrians1 and1 two hours later1 as we all know1 practically all the main streets of the whole of ,london were in the same condition4 8,it was an excellent choice by which ,mr4 ,,oliver ,,brand was selected as the first speaker4 ,his arm was still in bandages2 and the appeal of his figure as well as his passionate words struck the first explicit note of the evening4 ,a report of his words will be found in another column4 ,in their turns1 the ,,prime ,,minister1 ,mr4 ,,snowford1 the ,,first ,,minister ,,of ,,the ,,admiralty1 ,,the ,,secretary ,,for ,,eastern ,,affairs1 and ,,lord ,,pemberton1 all spoke a few words1 corroborating the extraordinary news4 ,at a quarter before twenty-three1 the noise of cheering outside announced the arrival of the ,american delegates from ,paris1 and one by one these ascended the platform by the south gates of the ,old ,choir4 ,each spoke in turn4 ,it is impossible to appreciate words spoken at such a moment as this2 but perhaps it is not invidious to name ,mr4 ,,markham as the orator who above all others appealed to those who were privileged to hear him4 ,it was he1 too1 who told us explicitly what others had merely mentioned1 to the effect that the success of the ,american efforts was entirely due to ,mr4 ,,julian ,,felsenburgh4 ,as yet ,mr4 ,,felsenburgh had not arrived2 but in answer to a roar of inquiry1 ,mr4 ,,markham announced that this gentleman would be amongst them in a few minutes4 ,he then proceeded to describe to us1 so far as was possible in a few sentences1 the methods by which ,mr4 ,,felsenburgh had accomplished what is probably the most astonishing task known to history4 ,it seems from his words that ,mr4 ,,felsenburgh 7whose biography1 so far as it is known1 we give in another column7 is probably the greatest orator that the world has ever known--we use these words deliberately4 ,all languages seem the same to him2 he delivered speeches during the eight months through which the ,eastern ,convention lasted1 in no less than fifteen tongues4 ,of his manner in speaking we shall have a few remarks to make presently4 ,he showed also1 ,mr4 ,,markham told us1 the most astonishing knowledge1 not only of human nature1 but of every trait under which that divine thing manifests itself4 ,he appeared acquainted with the history1 the prejudices1 the fears1 the hopes1 the expectations of all the innumerable sects and castes of the ,east to whom it was his business to speak4 ,in fact1 as ,mr4 ,,markham said1 he is probably the first perfect product of that new cosmopolitan creation to which the world has laboured throughout its history4 ,in no less than nine places--,damascus1 ,irkutsk1 ,constantinople1 ,calcutta1 ,benares1 ,nanking1 among them--he was hailed as ,messiah by a ,mohammedan mob4 ,finally1 in ,america1 where this extraordinary figure has arisen1 all speak well of him4 ,he has been guilty of none of those crimes--there is not one that convicts him of sin--those crimes of the ,yellow ,press1 of corruption1 of commercial or political bullying which have so stained the past of all those old politicians who made the sister continent what she has become4 ,mr4 ,,felsenburgh has not even formed a party4 ,he1 and not his underlings1 have conquered4 ,those who were present in ,paul's ,house on this occasion will understand us when we say that the effect of those words was indescribable4 8,when ,mr4 ,,markham sat down1 there was a silence2 then1 in order to quiet the rising excitement1 the organist struck the first chords of the ,masonic ,hymn2 the words were taken up1 and presently not only the whole interior of the building rang with it1 but outside1 too1 the people responded1 and the city of ,london for a few moments became indeed a temple of the ,lord4 8,now indeed we come to the most difficult part of our task1 and it is better to confess at once that anything resembling journalistic descriptiveness must be resolutely laid aside4 ,the greatest things are best told in the simplest words4 8,towards the close of the fourth verse1 a figure in a plain dark suit was observed ascending the steps of the platform4 ,for a moment this attracted no attention1 but when it was seen that a sudden movement had broken out among the delegates1 the singing began to falter2 and it ceased altogether as the figure1 after a slight inclination to right and left1 passed up the further steps that led to the rostrum4 ,then occurred a curious incident4 ,the organist aloft at first did not seem to understand1 and continued playing1 but a sound broke out from the crowd resembling a kind of groan1 and instantly he ceased4 ,but no cheering followed4 ,instead a profound silence dominated in an instant the huge throng2 this1 by some strange magnetism1 communicated itself to those without the building1 and when ,mr4 ,,felsenburgh uttered his first words1 it was in a stillness that was like a living thing4 ,we leave the explanation of this phenomenon to the expert in psychology4 8,of his actual words we have nothing to say4 ,so far as we are aware no reporter made notes at the moment2 but the speech1 delivered in ,esperanto1 was a very simple one1 and very short4 ,it consisted of a brief announcement of the great fact of ,universal ,brotherhood1 a congratulation to all who were yet alive to witness this consummation of history2 and1 at the end1 an ascription of praise to that ,spirit of the ,world whose incarnation was now accomplished4 8,so much we can say2 but we can say nothing as to the impression of the personality who stood there4 ,in appearance the man seemed to be about thirty-three years of age1 clean-shaven1 upright1 with white hair and dark eyes and brows2 he stood motionless with his hands on the rail1 he made but one gesture that drew a kind of sob from the crowd1 he spoke these words slowly1 distinctly1 and in a clear voice2 then he stood waiting4 8,there was no response but a sigh which sounded in the ears of at least one who heard it as if the whole world drew breath for the first time2 and then that strange heart-shaking silence fell again4 ,many were weeping silently1 the lips of thousands moved without a sound1 and all faces were turned to that simple figure1 as if the hope of every soul were centred there4 ,so1 if we may believe it1 the eyes of many1 centuries ago1 were turned on one known now to history as ,,jesus ,,of ,,nazareth4 8,mr4 ,,felsenburgh stood so a moment longer1 then he turned down the steps1 passed across the platform and disappeared4 8,of what took place outside we have received the following account from an eye-witness4 ,the white volor1 so well known now to all who were in ,london that night1 had remained stationary outside the little south door of the ,old ,choir aisle1 poised about twenty feet above the ground4 ,gradually it became known to the crowd1 in those few minutes1 who it was who had arrived in it1 and upon ,mr4 ,,felsenburgh',s reappearance that same strange groan sounded through the whole length of ,paul's ,churchyard1 followed by the same silence4 ,the volor descended2 the master stepped on board1 and once more the vessel rose to a height of twenty feet4 ,it was thought at first that some speech would be made1 but none was necessary2 and after a moment's pause1 the volor began that wonderful parade which ,london will never forget4 ,four times during the night ,mr4 ,,felsenburgh went round the enormous metropolis1 speaking no word2 and everywhere the groan preceded and followed him1 while silence accompanied his actual passage4 ,two hours after sunrise the white ship rose over ,hampstead and disappeared towards the ,north2 and since then he1 whom we call1 in truth1 the ,saviour of the world1 has not been seen4 8,and now what remains to be said8 8,comment is useless4 ,it is enough to say in one short sentence that the new era has begun1 to which prophets and kings1 and the suffering1 the dying1 all who labour and are heavy-laden1 have aspired in vain4 ,not only has intercontinental rivalry ceased to exist1 but the strife of home dissensions has ceased also4 ,of him who has been the herald of its inauguration we have nothing more to say4 ,time alone can show what is yet left for him to do4 8,but what has been done is as follows4 ,the ,eastern peril has been for ever dissipated4 ,it is understood now1 by fanatic barbarians as well as by civilised nations1 that the reign of ,war is ended4 #8,not peace but a sword1' said ,,christ2 and bitterly true have those words proved to be4 #8,not a sword but peace' is the retort1 articulate at last1 from those who have renounced ,,christ',s claims or have never accepted them4 ,the principle of love and union learned however falteringly in the ,west during the last century1 has been taken up in the ,east as well4 ,there shall be no more an appeal to arms1 but to justice2 no longer a crying after a ,god ,who hides ,himself1 but to ,man who has learned his own ,divinity4 ,the ,supernatural is dead2 rather1 we know now that it never yet has been alive4 ,what remains is to work out this new lesson1 to bring every action1 word and thought to the bar of ,love and ,justice2 and this will be1 no doubt1 the task of years4 ,every code must be reversed2 every barrier thrown down2 party must unite with party1 country with country1 and continent with continent4 ,there is no longer the fear of fear1 the dread of the hereafter1 or the paralysis of strife4 ,man has groaned long enough in the travails of birth2 his blood has been poured out like water through his own foolishness2 but at length he understands himself and is at peace4 8,let it be seen at least that ,england is not behind the nations in this work of reformation2 let no national isolation1 pride of race1 or drunkenness of wealth hold her hands back from this enormous work4 ,the responsibility is incalculable1 but the victory certain4 ,let us go softly1 humbled by the knowledge of our crimes in the past1 confident in the hope of our achievements in the future1 towards that reward which is in sight at last--the reward hidden so long by the selfishness of men1 the darkness of religion1 and the strife of tongues--the reward promised by one who knew not what he said and denied what he asserted--,blessed are the meek1 the peacemakers1 the merciful1 for they shall inherit the earth1 be named the children of ,god1 and find mercy40 99 99 99 99 99 ,oliver1 white to the lips1 with his wife kneeling now beside him1 turned the page and read one more short paragraph1 marked as being the latest news4 8,it is understood that the ,government is in communication with ,mr4 ,felsenburgh40 ,,ii 8,ah6 it is journalese10 said ,oliver1 at last1 leaning back4 8,tawdry stuff6 ,but--but the thing60 ,mabel got up1 passed across to the window-seat1 and sat down4 ,her lips opened once or twice1 but she said nothing4 8,my darling10 cried the man1 8have you nothing to say80 ,she looked at him tremulously a moment4 8,say60 she said4 8,as you said1 ,what is the use of words80 8,tell me again10 said ,oliver4 8,how do ,i know it is not a dream80 8,a dream10 she said4 8,was there ever a dream like this80 ,again she got up restlessly1 came across the floor1 and knelt down by her husband once more1 taking his hands in hers4 8,my dear10 she said1 8,i tell you it is not a dream4 ,it is reality at last4 ,i was there too--do you not remember8 ,you waited for me when all was over--when ,he was gone out--we saw ,him together1 you and ,i4 ,we heard ,him--you on the platform and ,i in the gallery4 ,we saw ,him again pass up the ,embankment as we stood in the crowd4 ,then we came home and we found the priest40 ,her face was transfigured as she spoke4 ,it was as of one who saw a ,divine ,vision4 ,she spoke very quietly1 without excitement or hysteria4 ,oliver stared at her a moment2 then he bent forward and kissed her gently4 8,yes1 my darling2 it is true4 ,but ,i want to hear it again and again4 ,tell me again what you saw40 8,i saw the ,son of ,man10 she said4 8,oh6 there is no other phrase4 ,the ,saviour of the world1 as that paper says4 ,i knew ,him in my heart as soon as ,i saw ,him--as we all did--as soon as ,he stood there holding the rail4 ,it was like a glory round his head4 ,i understand it all now4 ,it was ,he for whom we have waited so long2 and ,he has come1 bringing ,peace and ,goodwill in ,his hands4 ,when ,he spoke1 ,i knew it again4 ,his voice was as--as the sound of the sea--as simple as that--as--as lamentable--as strong as that4--,did you not hear it80 ,oliver bowed his head4 8,i can trust ,him for all the rest10 went on the girl softly4 8,i do not know where ,he is1 nor when ,he will come back1 nor what ,he will do4 ,i suppose there is a great deal for ,him to do1 before ,he is fully known--laws1 reforms--that will be your business1 my dear4 ,and the rest of us must wait1 and love1 and be content40 ,oliver again lifted his face and looked at her4 8,mabel1 my dear---0 8,oh6 ,i knew it even last night10 she said1 8but ,i did not know that ,i knew it till ,i awoke to-day and remembered4 ,i dreamed of ,him all night4444 ,oliver1 where is ,he80 ,he shook his head4 8,yes1 ,i know where ,he is1 but ,i am under oath---0 ,she nodded quickly1 and stood up4 8,yes4 ,i should not have asked that4 ,well1 we are content to wait40 ,there was silence for a moment or two4 ,oliver broke it4 8,my dear1 what do you mean when you say that ,he is not yet known80 8,i mean just that10 she said4 8,the rest only know what ,he has done--not what ,he is2 but that1 too1 will come in time40 8,and meanwhile---0 8,meanwhile1 you must work2 the rest will come by and bye4 ,oh6 ,oliver1 be strong and faithful40 ,she kissed him quickly1 and went out4 99 99 99 99 99 ,oliver sat on without moving1 staring1 as his habit was1 out at the wide view beyond his windows4 ,this time yesterday he was leaving ,paris1 knowing the fact indeed--for the delegates had arrived an hour before--but ignorant of the ,man4 ,now he knew the ,man as well--at least he had seen ,him1 heard ,him1 and stood enchanted under the glow of ,his personality4 ,he could explain it to himself no more than could any one else--unless1 perhaps1 it were ,mabel4 ,the others had been as he had been3 awed and overcome1 yet at the same time kindled in the very depths of their souls4 ,they had come out--,snowford1 ,cartwright1 ,pemberton1 and the rest--on to the steps of ,paul's ,house1 following that strange figure4 ,they had intended to say something1 but they were dumb as they saw the sea of white faces1 heard the groan and the silence1 and experienced that compelling wave of magnetism that surged up like something physical1 as the volor rose and started on that indescribable progress4 ,once more he had seen ,him1 as he and ,mabel stood together on the deck of the electric boat that carried them south4 ,the white ship had passed along overhead1 smooth and steady1 above the heads of that vast multitude1 bearing ,him who1 if any had the right to that title1 was indeed the ,saviour of the world4 ,then they had come home1 and found the priest4 ,that1 too1 had been a shock to him2 for1 at first sight1 it seemed that this priest was the very man he had seen ascend the rostrum two hours before4 ,it was an extraordinary likeness--the same young face and white hair4 ,mabel1 of course1 had not noticed it2 for she had only seen ,felsenburgh at a great distance2 and he himself had soon been reassured4 ,and as for his mother--it was terrible enough2 if it had not been for ,mabel there would have been violence done last night4 ,how collected and reasonable she had been6 ,and1 as for his mother--he must leave her alone for the present4 ,by and bye1 perhaps1 something might be done4 ,the future6 ,it was that which engrossed him--the future1 and the absorbing power of the personality under whose dominion he had fallen last night4 ,all else seemed insignificant now--even his mother's defection1 her illness--all paled before this new dawn of an unknown sun4 ,and in an hour he would know more2 he was summoned to ,westminster to a meeting of the whole ,house2 their proposals to ,felsenburgh were to be formulated2 it was intended to offer him a great position4 ,yes1 as ,mabel had said2 this was now their work--to carry into effect the new principle that had suddenly become incarnate in this grey-haired young ,american--the principle of ,universal ,brotherhood4 ,it would mean enormous labour2 all foreign relations would have to be readjusted--trade1 policy1 methods of government--all demanded re-statement4 ,europe was already organised internally on a basis of mutual protection3 that basis was now gone4 ,there was no more any protection1 because there was no more any menace4 ,enormous labour1 too1 awaited the ,government in other directions4 ,a ,blue-book must be prepared1 containing a complete report of the proceedings in the ,east1 together with the text of the ,treaty which had been laid before them in ,paris1 signed by the ,eastern ,emperor1 the feudal kings1 the ,turkish ,republic1 and countersigned by the ,american plenipotentiaries4444 ,finally1 even home politics required reform3 the friction of old strife between centre and extremes must cease forthwith--there must be but one party now1 and that at the ,prophet's disposal4444 ,he grew bewildered as he regarded the prospect1 and saw how the whole plane of the world was shifted1 how the entire foundation of western life required readjustment4 ,it was a ,revolution indeed1 a cataclysm more stupendous than even invasion itself2 but it was the conversion of darkness into light1 and chaos into order4 ,he drew a deep breath1 and so sat pondering4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mabel came down to him half-an-hour later1 as he dined early before starting for ,whitehall4 8,mother is quieter10 she said4 8,we must be very patient1 ,oliver4 ,have you decided yet as to whether the priest is to come again80 ,he shook his head4 8,i can think of nothing10 he said1 8but of what ,i have to do4 ,you decide1 my dear2 ,i leave it in your hands40 ,she nodded4 8,i will talk to her again presently4 ,just now she can understand very little of what has happened4444 ,what time shall you be home80 8,probably not to-night4 ,we shall sit all night40 8,yes1 dear4 ,and what shall ,i tell ,mr4 ,phillips80 8,i will telephone in the morning4444 ,mabel1 do you remember what ,i told you about the priest80 8,his likeness to the other80 8,yes4 ,what do you make of that80 ,she smiled4 8,i make nothing at all of it4 ,why should they not be alike80 ,he took a fig from the dish1 and swallowed it1 and stood up4 8,it is only very curious10 he said4 8,now1 good-night1 my dear40 ,,iii 8,oh1 mother10 said ,mabel1 kneeling by the bed2 8cannot you understand what has happened80 ,she had tried desperately to tell the old lady of the extraordinary change that had taken place in the world--and without success4 ,it seemed to her that some great issue depended on it2 that it would be piteous if the old woman went out into the dark unconscious of what had come4 ,it was as if a ,christian knelt by the death-bed of a ,jew on the first ,easter ,monday4 ,but the old lady lay in her bed1 terrified but obdurate4 8,mother10 said the girl1 8let me tell you again4 ,do you not understand that all which ,jesus ,christ promised has come true1 though in another way8 ,the reign of ,god has really begun2 but we know now who ,god is4 ,you said just now you wanted the ,forgiveness of ,sins2 well1 you have that2 we all have it1 because there is no such thing as sin4 ,there is only ,crime4 ,and then ,communion4 ,you used to believe that that made you a partaker of ,god2 well1 we are all partakers of ,god1 because we are human beings4 ,don't you see that ,christianity is only one way of saying all that8 ,i dare say it was the only way1 for a time2 but that is all over now4 ,oh6 and how much better this is6 ,it is true--true4 ,you can see it to be true60 ,she paused a moment1 forcing herself to look at that piteous old face1 the flushed wrinkled cheeks1 the writhing knotted hands on the coverlet4 8,look how ,christianity has failed--how it has divided people2 think of all the cruelties--the ,inquisition1 the ,religious ,wars2 the separations between husband and wife and parents and children--the disobedience to the ,state1 the treasons4 ,oh6 you cannot believe that these were right4 ,what kind of a ,god would that be6 ,and then ,hell2 how could you ever have believed in that8444 ,oh6 mother1 don't believe anything so frightful4444 ,don't you understand that that ,god has gone--that ,he never existed at all--that it was all a hideous nightmare2 and that now we all know at last what the truth is4444 ,mother6 think of what happened last night--how ,he came--the ,man of whom you were so frightened4 ,i told you what ,he was like--so quiet and strong--how every one was silent--of the--the extraordinary atmosphere1 and how six millions of people saw ,him4 ,and think what ,he has done--how ,he has healed all the old wounds--how the whole world is at peace at last--and of what is going to happen4 ,oh6 mother1 give up those horrible old lies2 give them up2 be brave40 8,the priest1 the priest60 moaned the old woman at last4 8,oh6 no1 no1 no--not the priest2 he can do nothing4 ,he knows it's all lies1 too60 8,the priest6 the priest60 moaned the other again4 8,he can tell you2 he knows the answer40 ,her face was convulsed with effort1 and her old fingers fumbled and twisted with the rosary4 ,mabel grew suddenly frightened1 and stood up4 8,oh6 mother60 ,she stooped and kissed her4 8,there6 ,i won't say any more now4 ,but just think about it quietly4 ,don't be in the least afraid2 it is all perfectly right40 ,she stood a moment1 still looking compassionately down2 torn by sympathy and desire4 ,no6 it was no use now2 she must wait till the next day4 8,i'll look in again presently10 she said1 8when you have had dinner4 ,mother6 don't look like that6 ,kiss me60 ,it was astonishing1 she told herself that evening1 how any one could be so blind4 ,and what a confession of weakness1 too1 to call only for the priest6 ,it was ludicrous1 absurd6 ,she herself was filled with an extraordinary peace4 ,even death itself seemed now no longer terrible1 for was not death swallowed up in victory8 ,she contrasted the selfish individualism of the ,christian1 who sobbed and shrank from death1 or1 at the best1 thought of it only as the gate to his own eternal life1 with the free altruism of the ,new ,believer who asked no more than that ,man should live and grow1 that the ,spirit of the ,world should triumph and reveal ,himself1 while he1 the unit1 was content to sink back into that reservoir of energy from which he drew his life4 ,at this moment she would have suffered anything1 faced death cheerfully--she contemplated even the old woman upstairs with pity--for was it not piteous that death should not bring her to herself and reality8 ,she was in a quiet whirl of intoxication2 it was as if the heavy veil of sense had rolled back at last and shown a sweet1 eternal landscape behind--a shadowless land of peace where the lion lay down with the lamb1 and the leopard with the kid4 ,there should be war no more3 that bloody spectre was dead1 and with him the brood of evil that lived in his shadow--superstition1 conflict1 terror1 and unreality4 ,the idols were smashed1 and rats had run out2 ,jehovah was fallen2 the wild-eyed dreamer of ,galilee was in his grave2 the reign of priests was ended4 ,and in their place stood a strange1 quiet figure of indomitable power and unruffled tenderness4444 ,he whom she had seen--the ,son of ,man1 the ,saviour of the world1 as she had called ,him just now--,he who bore these titles was no longer a monstrous figure1 half ,god and half man1 claiming both natures and possessing neither2 one who was tempted without temptation1 and who conquered without merit1 as his followers said4 ,here was one instead whom she could follow1 a god indeed and a man as well--a god because human1 and a man because so divine4 ,she said no more that night4 ,she looked into the bedroom for a few minutes1 and saw the old woman asleep4 ,her old hand lay out on the coverlet1 and still between the fingers was twisted the silly string of beads4 ,mabel went softly across in the shaded light1 and tried to detach it2 but the wrinkled fingers writhed and closed1 and a murmur came from the half-open lips4 ,ah6 how piteous it was1 thought the girl1 how hopeless that a soul should flow out into such darkness1 unwilling to make the supreme1 generous surrender1 and lay down its life because life itself demanded it6 ,then she went to her own room4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the clocks were chiming three1 and the grey dawn lay on the walls1 when she awoke to find by her bed the woman who had sat with the old lady4 8,come at once1 madam2 ,mrs4 ,brand is dying40 ,,iv ,oliver was with them by six o'clock2 he came straight up into his mother's room to find that all was over4 ,the room was full of the morning light and the clean air1 and a bubble of bird-music poured in from the lawn4 ,but his wife knelt by the bed1 still holding the wrinkled hands of the old woman1 her face buried in her arms4 ,the face of his mother was quieter than he had ever seen it1 the lines showed only like the faintest shadows on an alabaster mask2 her lips were set in a smile4 ,he looked for a moment1 waiting until the spasm that caught his throat had died again4 ,then he put his hand on his wife's shoulder4 8,when80 he said4 ,mabel lifted her face4 8,oh6 ,oliver10 she murmured4 8,it was an hour ago4 444 ,look at this40 ,she released the dead hands and showed the rosary still twisted there2 it had snapped in the last struggle1 and a brown bead lay beneath the fingers4 8,i did what ,i could10 sobbed ,mabel4 8,i was not hard with her4 ,but she would not listen4 ,she kept on crying out for the priest as long as she could speak40 8,my dear44440 began the man4 ,then he1 too1 went down on his knees by his wife1 leaned forward and kissed the rosary1 while tears blinded him4 8,yes1 yes10 he said4 8,leave her in peace4 ,i would not move it for the world3 it was her toy1 was it not80 ,the girl stared at him1 astonished4 8,we can be generous1 too10 he said4 8,we have all the world at last4 ,and she--she has lost nothing3 it was too late40 8,i did what ,i could40 8,yes1 my darling1 and you were right4 ,but she was too old2 she could not understand40 ,he paused4 8,euthanasia80 he whispered with something very like tenderness4 ,she nodded4 8,yes10 she said2 8just as the last agony began4 ,she resisted1 but ,i knew you would wish it40 ,they talked together for an hour in the garden before ,oliver went to his room2 and he began to tell her presently of all that had passed4 8,he has refused10 he said4 8,we offered to create an office for ,him2 ,he was to have been called ,consultor1 and he refused it two hours ago4 ,but ,he has promised to be at our service4444 ,no1 ,i must not tell you where ,he is4444 ,he will return to ,america soon1 we think2 but ,he will not leave us4 ,we have drawn up a programme1 and it is to be sent to ,him presently4444 ,yes1 we were unanimous40 8,and the programme80 8,it concerns the ,franchise1 the ,poor ,laws and ,trade4 ,i can tell you no more than that4 ,it was ,he who suggested the points4 ,but we are not sure if we understand ,him yet40 8,but1 my dear---0 8,yes2 it is quite extraordinary4 ,i have never seen such things4 ,there was practically no argument40 8,do the people understand80 8,i think so4 ,we shall have to guard against a reaction4 ,they say that the ,catholics will be in danger4 ,there is an article this morning in the ,era4 ,the proofs were sent to us for sanction4 ,it suggests that means must be taken to protect the ,catholics40 ,mabel smiled4 8,it is a strange irony10 he said4 8,but they have a right to exist4 ,how far they have a right to share in the government is another matter4 ,that will come before us1 ,i think1 in a week or two40 8,tell me more about ,him40 8,there is really nothing to tell2 we know nothing1 except that ,he is the supreme force in the world4 ,france is in a ferment1 and has offered him ,dictatorship4 ,that1 too1 ,he has refused4 ,germany has made the same proposal as ourselves2 ,italy1 the same as ,france1 with the title of ,perpetual ,tribune4 ,america has done nothing yet1 and ,spain is divided40 8,and the ,east80 8,the ,emperor thanked ,him2 no more than that40 ,mabel drew a long breath1 and stood looking out across the heat haze that was beginning to rise from the town beneath4 ,these were matters so vast that she could not take them in4 ,but to her imagination ,europe lay like a busy hive1 moving to and fro in the sunshine4 ,she saw the blue distance of ,france1 the towns of ,germany1 the ,alps1 and beyond them the ,pyrenees and sun-baked ,spain2 and all were intent on the same business1 to capture if they could this astonishing figure that had risen over the world4 ,sober ,england1 too1 was alight with zeal4 ,each country desired nothing better than that this man should rule over them2 and ,he had refused them all4 8,he has refused them all60 she repeated breathlessly4 8,yes1 all4 ,we think ,he may be waiting to hear from ,america4 ,he still holds office there1 you know40 8,how old is ,he80 8,not more than thirty-two or three4 ,he has only been in office a few months4 ,before that ,he lived alone in ,vermont4 ,then ,he stood for the ,senate2 then ,he made a speech or two2 then ,he was appointed delegate1 though no one seems to have realised ,his power4 ,and the rest we know40 ,mabel shook her head meditatively4 8,we know nothing10 she said4 8,nothing2 nothing6 ,where did ,he learn ,his languages80 8,it is supposed that ,he travelled for many years4 ,but no one knows4 ,he has said nothing40 ,she turned swiftly to her husband4 8,but what does it all mean8 ,what is ,his power8 ,tell me1 ,oliver80 ,he smiled back1 shaking his head4 8,well1 ,markham said that it was his incorruption--that and his oratory2 but that explains nothing40 8,no1 it explains nothing10 said the girl4 8,it is just personality10 went on ,oliver1 8at least1 that's the label to use4 ,but that1 too1 is only a label40 8,yes1 just a label4 ,but it is that4 ,they all felt it in ,paul's ,house1 and in the streets afterwards4 ,did you not feel it80 8,feel it60 cried the man1 with shining eyes4 8,why1 ,i would die for ,him60 99 99 99 99 99 ,they went back to the house presently1 and it was not till they reached the door that either said a word about the dead old woman who lay upstairs4 8,they are with her now10 said ,mabel softly4 8,i will communicate with the people40 ,he nodded gravely4 8,it had better be this afternoon10 he said4 8,i have a spare hour at fourteen o'clock4 ,oh6 by the way1 ,mabel1 do you know who took the message to the priest80 8,i think so40 8,yes1 it was ,phillips4 ,i saw him last night4 ,he will not come here again40 8,did he confess it80 8,he did4 ,he was most offensive40 ,but ,oliver's face softened again as he nodded to his wife at the foot of the stairs1 and turned to go up once more to his mother's room4 ,,chapter ,,ii ,i ,it seemed to ,percy ,franklin as he drew near ,rome1 sliding five hundred feet high through the summer dawn1 that he was approaching the very gates of heaven1 or1 still better1 he was as a child coming home4 ,for what he had left behind him ten hours before in ,london was not a bad specimen1 he thought1 of the superior mansions of hell4 ,it was a world whence ,god seemed to have withdrawn ,himself1 leaving it indeed in a state of profound complacency--a state without hope or faith1 but a condition in which1 although life continued1 there was absent the one essential to well-being4 ,it was not that there was not expectation--for ,london was on tip-toe with excitement4 ,there were rumours of all kinds3 ,felsenburgh was coming back2 he was back2 he had never gone4 ,he was to be ,president of the ,council1 ,prime ,minister1 ,tribune1 with full capacities of democratic government and personal sacro-sanctity1 even ,king--if not ,emperor of the ,west4 ,the entire constitution was to be remodelled1 there was to be a complete rearrangement of the pieces2 crime was to be abolished by the mysterious power that had killed war2 there was to be free food--the secret of life was discovered1 there was to be no more death--so the rumours ran4444 ,yet that was lacking1 to the priest's mind1 which made life worth living4444 ,in ,paris1 while the volor waited at the great station at ,montmartre1 once known as the ,church of the ,sacred ,heart1 he had heard the roaring of the mob in love with life at last1 and seen the banners go past4 ,as it rose again over the suburbs he had seen the long lines of trains streaming in1 visible as bright serpents in the brilliant glory of the electric globes1 bringing the country folk up to the ,council of the ,nation which the legislators1 mad with drama1 had summoned to decide the great question4 ,at ,lyons it had been the same4 ,the night was as clear as the day1 and as full of sound4 ,mid ,france was arriving to register its votes4 ,he had fallen asleep as the cold air of the ,alps began to envelop the car1 and had caught but glimpses of the solemn moonlit peaks below him1 the black profundities of the gulfs1 the silver glint of the shield-like lakes1 and the soft glow of ,interlaken and the towns in the ,rhone valley4 ,once he had been moved in spite of himself1 as one of the huge ,german volors had passed in the night1 a blaze of ghostly lights and gilding1 resembling a huge moth with antennae of electric light1 and the two ships had saluted one another through half a league of silent air1 with a pathetic cry as of two strange night-birds who have no leisure to pause4 ,milan and ,turin had been quiet1 for ,italy was organised on other principles than ,france1 and ,florence was not yet half awake4 ,and now the ,campagna was slipping past like a grey-green rug1 wrinkled and tumbled1 five hundred feet beneath1 and ,rome was all but in sight4 ,the indicator above his seat moved its finger from one hundred to ninety miles4 ,he shook off the doze at last1 and drew out his office book2 but as he pronounced the words his attention was elsewhere1 and1 when ,prime was said1 he closed the book once more1 propped himself more comfortably1 drawing the furs round him1 and stretching his feet on the empty seat opposite4 ,he was alone in his compartment2 the three men who had come in at ,paris had descended at ,turin4 99 99 99 99 99 ,he had been remarkably relieved when the message had come three days before from the ,cardinal-,protector1 bidding him make arrangements for a long absence from ,england1 and1 as soon as that was done1 to come to ,rome4 ,he understood that the ecclesiastical authorities were really disturbed at last4 ,he reviewed the last day or two1 considering the report he would have to present4 ,since his last letter1 three days before1 seven notable apostasies had taken place in ,westminster diocese alone1 two priests and five important laymen4 ,there was talk of revolt on all sides2 he had seen a threatening document1 called a 8petition10 demanding the right to dispense with all ecclesiastical vestments1 signed by one hundred and twenty priests from ,england and ,wales4 ,the 8petitioners0 pointed out that persecution was coming swiftly at the hands of the mob2 that the ,government was not sincere in the promises of protection2 they hinted that religious loyalty was already strained to breaking-point even in the case of the most faithful1 and that with all but those it had already broken4 ,and as to his comments ,percy was clear4 ,he would tell the authorities1 as he had already told them fifty times1 that it was not persecution that mattered2 it was this new outburst of enthusiasm for ,humanity--an enthusiasm which had waxed a hundredfold more hot since the coming of ,felsenburgh and the publication of the ,eastern news--which was melting the hearts of all but the very few4 ,man had suddenly fallen in love with man4 ,the conventional were rubbing their eyes and wondering why they had ever believed1 or even dreamed1 that there was a ,god to love1 asking one another what was the secret of the spell that had held them so long4 ,christianity and ,theism were passing together from the world's mind as a morning mist passes when the sun comes up4 ,his recommendations--8 ,yes1 he had those clear1 and ran them over in his mind with a sense of despair4 ,for himself1 he scarcely knew if he believed what he professed4 ,his emotions seemed to have been finally extinguished in the vision of the white car and the silence of the crowd that evening three weeks before4 ,it had been so horribly real and positive2 the delicate aspirations and hopes of the soul appeared so shadowy when compared with that burning1 heart-shaking passion of the people4 ,he had never seen anything like it2 no congregation under the spell of the most kindling preacher alive had ever responded with one-tenth of the fervour with which that irreligious crowd1 standing in the cold dawn of the ,london streets1 had greeted the coming of their saviour4 ,and as for the man himself--,percy could not analyse what it was that possessed him as he had stared1 muttering the name of ,jesus1 on that quiet figure in black with features and hair so like his own4 ,he only knew that a hand had gripped his heart--a hand warm1 not cold--and had quenched1 it seemed1 all sense of religious conviction4 ,it had only been with an effort that sickened him to remember1 that he had refrained from that interior act of capitulation that is so familiar to all who have cultivated an inner life and understand what failure means4 ,there had been one citadel that had not flung wide its gates--all else had yielded4 ,his emotions had been stormed1 his intellect silenced1 his memory of grace obscured1 a spiritual nausea had sickened his soul1 yet the secret fortress of the will had1 in an agony1 held fast the doors and refused to cry out and call ,felsenburgh king4 ,ah6 how he had prayed during those three weeks6 ,it appeared to him that he had done little else2 there had been no peace4 ,lances of doubt thrust again and again through door and window2 masses of argument had crashed from above2 he had been on the alert day and night1 repelling this1 blindly1 and denying that1 endeavouring to keep his foothold on the slippery plane of the supernatural1 sending up cry after cry to the ,lord ,who hid ,himself4 ,he had slept with his crucifix in his hand1 he had awakened himself by kissing it2 while he wrote1 talked1 ate1 walked1 and sat in cars1 the inner life had been busy-making frantic speechless acts of faith in a religion which his intellect denied and from which his emotions shrank4 ,there had been moments of ecstasy--now in a crowded street1 when he recognised that ,god was all1 that the ,creator was the key to the creature's life1 that a humble act of adoration was transcendently greater than the most noble natural act1 that the ,supernatural was the origin and end of existence there had come to him such moments in the night1 in the silence of the ,cathedral1 when the lamp flickered1 and a soundless air had breathed from the iron door of the tabernacle4 ,then again passion ebbed1 and left him stranded on misery1 but set with a determination 7which might equally be that of pride or faith7 that no power in earth or hell should hinder him from professing ,christianity even if he could not realise it4 ,it was ,christianity alone that made life tolerable4 ,percy drew a long vibrating breath1 and changed his position2 for far away his unseeing eyes had descried a dome1 like a blue bubble set on a carpet of green2 and his brain had interrupted itself to tell him that this was ,rome4 ,he got up presently1 passed out of his compartment1 and moved forward up the central gangway1 seeing1 as he went1 through the glass doors to right and left his fellow-passengers1 some still asleep1 some staring out at the view1 some reading4 ,he put his eye to the glass square in the door1 and for a minute or two watched1 fascinated1 the steady figure of the steerer at his post4 ,there he stood motionless1 his hands on the steel circle that directed the vast wings1 his eyes on the wind-gauge that revealed to him as on the face of a clock both the force and the direction of the high gusts2 now and again his hands moved slightly1 and the huge fans responded1 now lifting1 now lowering4 ,beneath him and in front1 fixed on a circular table1 were the glass domes of various indicators--,percy did not know the meaning of half--one seemed a kind of barometer1 intended1 he guessed1 to declare the height at which they were travelling1 another a compass4 ,and beyond1 through the curved windows1 lay the enormous sky4 ,well1 it was all very wonderful1 thought the priest1 and it was with the force of which all this was but one symptom that the supernatural had to compete4 ,he sighed1 turned1 and went back to his compartment4 ,it was an astonishing vision that began presently to open before him--scarcely beautiful except for its strangeness1 and as unreal as a raised map4 ,far to his right1 as he could see through the glass doors1 lay the grey line of the sea against the luminous sky1 rising and falling ever so slightly as the car1 apparently motionless1 tilted imperceptibly against the western breeze2 the only other movement was the faint pulsation of the huge throbbing screw in the rear4 ,to the left stretched the limitless country1 flitting beneath1 in glimpses seen between the motionless wings1 with here and there the streak of a village1 flattened out of recognition1 or the flash of water1 and bounded far away by the low masses of the ,umbrian hills2 while in front1 seen and gone again as the car veered1 lay the confused line of ,rome and the huge new suburbs1 all crowned by the great dome growing every instant4 ,around1 above and beneath1 his eyes were conscious of wide air-spaces1 overhead deepening into lapis-lazuli down to horizons of pale turquoise4 ,the only sound1 of which he had long ceased to be directly conscious1 was that of the steady rush of air1 less shrill now as the speed began to drop down--down--to forty miles an hour4 ,there was a clang of a bell1 and immediately he was aware of a sense of faint sickness as the car dropped in a glorious swoop1 and he staggered a little as he grasped his rugs together4 ,when he looked again the motion seemed to have ceased2 he could see towers ahead1 a line of house-roofs1 and beneath he caught a glimpse of a road and more roofs with patches of green between4 ,a bell clanged again1 and a long sweet cry followed4 ,on all sides he could hear the movement of feet2 a guard in uniform passed swiftly along the glazed corridor2 again came the faint nausea2 and as he looked up once more from his luggage for an instant he saw the dome1 grey now and lined1 almost on a level with his own eyes1 huge against the vivid sky4 ,the world span round for a moment2 he shut his eyes1 and when he looked again walls seemed to heave up past him and stop1 swaying4 ,there was the last bell1 a faint vibration as the car grounded in the steel-netted dock2 a line of faces rocked and grew still outside the windows1 and ,percy passed out towards the doors1 carrying his bags4 ,,ii ,he still felt a sense of insecure motion as he sat alone over coffee an hour later in one of the remote rooms of the ,vatican2 but there was a sense of exhilaration as well1 as his tired brain realised where he was4 ,it had been strange to drive over the rattling stones in the weedy little cab1 such as he remembered ten years ago when he had left ,rome1 newly ordained4 ,while the world had moved on1 ,rome had stood still2 she had other affairs to think of than physical improvements1 now that the spiritual weight of the earth rested entirely upon her shoulders4 ,all had seemed unchanged--or rather it had reverted to the condition of nearly one hundred and fifty years ago4 ,histories related how the improvements of the ,italian government had gradually dropped out of use as soon as the city1 eighty years before1 had been given her independence2 the trains ceased to run2 volors were not allowed to enter the walls2 the new buildings1 permitted to remain1 had been converted to ecclesiastical use2 the ,quirinal became the offices of the 8,red ,pope02 the embassies1 huge seminaries2 even the ,vatican itself1 with the exception of the upper floor1 had become the abode of the ,sacred ,college1 who surrounded the ,supreme ,pontiff as stars their sun4 ,it was an extraordinary city1 said antiquarians--the one living example of the old days4 ,here were to be seen the ancient inconveniences1 the insanitary horrors1 the incarnation of a world given over to dreaming4 ,the old ,church pomp was back1 too2 the cardinals drove again in gilt coaches2 the ,pope rode on his white mule2 the ,blessed ,sacrament went through the ill-smelling streets with the sound of bells and the light of lanterns4 ,a brilliant description of it had interested the civilised world immensely for about forty-eight hours2 the appalling retrogression was still used occasionally as the text for violent denunciations by the poorly educated2 the well-educated had ceased to do anything but take for granted that superstition and progress were irreconcilable enemies4 ,yet ,percy1 even in the glimpses he had had in the streets1 as he drove from the volor station outside the ,people's ,gate1 of the old peasant dresses1 the blue and red-fringed wine carts1 the cabbage-strewn gutters1 the wet clothes flapping on strings1 the mules and horses--strange though these were1 he had found them a refreshment4 ,it had seemed to remind him that man was human1 and not divine as the rest of the world proclaimed--human1 and therefore careless and individualistic2 human1 and therefore occupied with interests other than those of speed1 cleanliness1 and precision4 ,the room in which he sat now by the window with shading blinds1 for the sun was already hot1 seemed to revert back even further than to a century-and-a-half4 ,the old damask and gilding that he had expected was gone1 and its absence gave the impression of great severity4 ,there was a wide deal table running the length of the room1 with upright wooden arm chairs set against it2 the floor was red-tiled1 with strips of matting for the feet1 the white1 distempered walls had only a couple of old pictures hung upon them1 and a large crucifix flanked by candles stood on a little altar by the further door4 ,there was no more furniture than that1 with the exception of a writing-desk between the windows1 on which stood a typewriter4 ,that jarred somehow on his sense of fitness1 and he wondered at it4 ,he finished the last drop of coffee in the thick-rimmed white cup1 and sat back in his chair4 99 99 99 99 99 ,already the burden was lighter1 and he was astonished at the swiftness with which it had become so4 ,life looked simpler here2 the interior world was taken more for granted2 it was not even a matter of debate4 ,there it was1 imperious and objective1 and through it glimmered to the eyes of the soul the old ,figures that had become shrouded behind the rush of worldly circumstance4 ,the very shadow of ,god appeared to rest here2 it was no longer impossible to realise that the saints watched and interceded1 that ,mary sat on her throne1 that the white disc on the altar was ,jesus ,christ4 ,percy was not yet at peace after all1 he had been but an hour in ,rome2 and air1 charged with never so much grace1 could scarcely do more than it had done4 ,but he felt more at ease1 less desperately anxious1 more childlike1 more content to rest on the authority that claimed without explanation1 and asserted that the world1 as a matter of fact1 proved by evidences without and within1 was made this way and not that1 for this purpose and not the other4 ,yet he had used the conveniences which he hated2 he had left ,london a bare twelve hours before1 and now here he sat in a place which was either a stagnant backwater of life1 or else the very mid-current of it2 he was not yet sure which4 99 99 99 99 99 ,there was a step outside1 a handle was turned2 and the ,cardinal-,protector came through4 ,percy had not seen him for four years1 and for a moment scarcely recognised him4 ,it was a very old man that he saw now1 bent and feeble1 his face covered with wrinkles1 crowned by very thin1 white hair1 and the little scarlet cap on top2 he was in his black ,benedictine habit with a plain abbatial cross on his breast1 and walked hesitatingly1 with a black stick4 ,the only sign of vigour was in the narrow bright slit of his eyes showing beneath drooping lids4 ,he held out his hand1 smiling1 and ,percy1 remembering in time that he was in the ,vatican1 bowed low only as he kissed the amethyst4 8,welcome to ,rome1 father10 said the old man1 speaking with an unexpected briskness4 8,they told me you were here half-an-hour ago2 ,i thought ,i would leave you to wash and have your coffee40 ,percy murmured something4 8,yes2 you are tired1 no doubt10 said the ,cardinal1 pulling out a chair4 8,indeed not1 your ,eminence4 ,i slept excellently40 ,the ,cardinal made a little gesture to a chair4 8,but ,i must have a word with you4 ,the ,holy ,father wishes to see you at eleven o'clock40 ,percy started a little4 8,we move quickly in these days1 father4444 ,there is no time to dawdle4 ,you understand that you are to remain in ,rome for the present80 8,i have made all arrangements for that1 your ,eminence40 8,that is very well4444 ,we are pleased with you here1 ,father ,franklin4 ,the ,holy ,father has been greatly impressed by your comments4 ,you have foreseen things in a very remarkable manner40 ,percy flushed with pleasure4 ,it was almost the first hint of encouragement he had had4 ,cardinal ,martin went on4 8,i may say that you are considered our most valuable correspondent--certainly in ,england4 ,that is why you are summoned4 ,you are to help us here in future--a kind of consultor3 any one can relate facts2 not every one can understand them4444 ,you look very young1 father4 ,how old are you80 8,i am thirty-three1 your ,eminence40 8,ah6 your white hair helps you4444 ,now1 father1 will you come with me into my room8 ,it is now eight o'clock4 ,i will keep you till nine--no longer4 ,then you shall have some rest1 and at eleven ,i shall take you up to his ,holiness40 ,percy rose with a strange sense of elation1 and ran to open the door for the ,cardinal to go through4 ,,iii ,at a few minutes before eleven ,percy came out of his little white-washed room in his new ferraiuola1 soutane and buckle shoes1 and tapped at the door of the ,cardinal's room4 ,he felt a great deal more self-possessed now4 ,he had talked to the ,cardinal freely and strongly1 had described the effect that ,felsenburgh had had upon ,london1 and even the paralysis that had seized upon himself4 ,he had stated his belief that they were on the edge of a movement unparalleled in history3 he related little scenes that he had witnessed--a group kneeling before a picture of ,felsenburgh1 a dying man calling him by name1 the aspect of the crowd that had waited in ,westminster to hear the result of the offer made to the stranger4 ,he showed him half-a-dozen cuttings from newspapers1 pointing out their hysterical enthusiasm2 he even went so far as to venture upon prophecy1 and to declare his belief that persecution was within reasonable distance4 8,the world seems very oddly alive10 he said2 8it is as if the whole thing was flushed and nervous40 ,the ,cardinal nodded4 8,we1 too10 he said1 8even we feel it40 ,for the rest the ,cardinal had sat watching him out of his narrow eyes1 nodding from time to time1 putting an occasional question1 but listening throughout with great attention4 8,and your recommendations1 father---0 he had said1 and then interrupted himself4 8,no1 that is too much to ask4 ,the ,holy ,father will speak of that40 ,he had congratulated him upon his ,latin then--for they had spoken in that language throughout this second interview2 and ,percy had explained how loyal ,catholic ,england had been in obeying the order1 given ten years before1 that ,latin should become to the ,church what ,esperanto was becoming to the world4 8,that is very well10 said the old man4 8,his ,holiness will be pleased at that40 ,at his second tap the door opened and the ,cardinal came out1 taking him by the arm without a word2 and together they turned to the lift entrance4 ,percy ventured to make a remark as they slid noiselessly up towards the papal apartment4 8,i am surprised at the lift1 your ,eminence1 and the typewriter in the audience-room40 8,why1 father80 8,why1 all the rest of ,rome is back in the old days40 ,the ,cardinal looked at him1 puzzled4 8,is it8 ,i suppose it is4 ,i never thought of that40 ,a ,swiss guard flung back the door of the lift1 saluted and went before them along the plain flagged passage to where his comrade stood4 ,then he saluted again and went back4 ,a ,pontifical chamberlain1 in all the sombre glory of purple1 black1 and a ,spanish ruff1 peeped from the door1 and made haste to open it4 ,it really seemed almost incredible that such things still existed4 8,in a moment1 your ,eminence10 he said in ,latin4 8,will your ,eminence wait here80 ,it was a little square room1 with half-a-dozen doors1 plainly contrived out of one of the huge old halls1 for it was immensely high1 and the tarnished gilt cornice vanished directly in two places into the white walls4 ,the partitions1 too1 seemed thin2 for as the two men sat down there was a murmur of voices faintly audible1 the shuffling of footsteps1 and the old eternal click of the typewriter from which ,percy hoped he had escaped4 ,they were alone in the room1 which was furnished with the same simplicity as the ,cardinal's--giving the impression of a curious mingling of ascetic poverty and dignity by its red-tiled floor1 its white walls1 its altar and two vast bronze candlesticks of incalculable value that stood on the dais4 ,the shutters here1 too1 were drawn2 and there was nothing to distract ,percy from the excitement that surged up now tenfold in heart and brain4 ,it was ,papa ,angelicus whom he was about to see2 that amazing old man who had been appointed ,secretary of ,state just fifty years ago1 at the age of thirty1 and ,pope nine years previously4 ,it was he who had carried out the extraordinary policy of yielding the churches throughout the whole of ,italy to the ,government1 in exchange for the temporal lordship of ,rome1 and who had since set himself to make it a city of saints4 ,he had cared1 it appeared1 nothing whatever for the world's opinion2 his policy1 so far as it could be called one1 consisted in a very simple thing3 he had declared in ,epistle after ,epistle that the object of the ,church was to do glory to ,god by producing supernatural virtues in man1 and that nothing at all was of any significance or importance except so far as it effected this object4 ,he had further maintained that since ,peter was the ,rock1 the ,city of ,peter was the ,capital of the world1 and should set an example to its dependency3 this could not be done unless ,peter ruled his ,city1 and therefore he had sacrificed every church and ecclesiastical building in the country for that one end4 ,then he had set about ruling his city3 he had said that on the whole the latter-day discoveries of man tended to distract immortal souls from a contemplation of eternal verities--not that these discoveries could be anything but good in themselves1 since after all they gave insight into the wonderful laws of ,god--but that at present they were too exciting to the imagination4 ,so he had removed the trams1 the volors1 the laboratories1 the manufactories--saying that there was plenty of room for them outside ,rome--and had allowed them to be planted in the suburbs3 in their place he had raised shrines1 religious houses and ,calvaries4 ,then he had attended further to the souls of his subjects4 ,since ,rome was of limited area1 and1 still more because the world corrupted without its proper salt1 he allowed no man under the age of fifty to live within its walls for more than one month in each year1 except those who received his permit4 ,they might live1 of course1 immediately outside the city 7and they did1 by tens of thousands71 but they were to understand that by doing so they sinned against the spirit1 though not the letter1 of their ,father's wishes4 ,then he had divided the city into national quarters1 saying that as each nation had its peculiar virtues1 each was to let its light shine steadily in its proper place4 ,rents had instantly begun to rise1 so he had legislated against that by reserving in each quarter a number of streets at fixed prices1 and had issued an ipso facto excommunication against all who erred in this respect4 ,the rest were abandoned to the millionaires4 ,he had retained the ,leonine ,city entirely at his own disposal4 ,then he had restored ,capital ,punishment1 with as much serene gravity as that with which he had made himself the derision of the civilised world in other matters1 saying that though human life was holy1 human virtue was more holy still2 and he had added to the crime of murder1 the crimes of adultery1 idolatry and apostasy1 for which this punishment was theoretically sanctioned4 ,there had not been1 however1 more than two such executions in the eight years of his reign1 since criminals1 of course1 with the exception of devoted believers1 instantly made their way to the suburbs1 where they were no longer under his jurisdiction4 ,but he had not stayed here4 ,he had sent once more ambassadors to every country in the world1 informing the ,government of each of their arrival4 ,no attention was paid to this1 beyond that of laughter2 but he had continued1 undisturbed1 to claim his rights1 and1 meanwhile1 used his legates for the important work of disseminating his views4 ,epistles appeared from time to time in every town1 laying down the principles of the papal claims with as much tranquillity as if they were everywhere acknowledged4 ,freemasonry was steadily denounced1 as well as democratic ideas of every kind2 men were urged to remember their immortal souls and the ,majesty of ,god1 and to reflect upon the fact that in a few years all would be called to give their account to ,him ,who was ,creator and ,ruler of the world1 ,whose ,vicar was ,john ,,xxiv1 ,p4,p41 whose name and seal were appended4 ,that was a line of action that took the world completely by surprise4 ,people had expected hysteria1 argument1 and passionate exhortation2 disguised emissaries1 plots1 and protests4 ,there were none of these4 ,it was as if progress had not yet begun1 and volors were uninvented1 as if the entire universe had not come to disbelieve in ,god1 and to discover that itself was ,god4 ,here was this silly old man1 talking in his sleep1 babbling of the ,cross1 and the inner life and the forgiveness of sins1 exactly as his predecessors had talked two thousand years before4 ,well1 it was only one sign more that ,rome had lost not only its power1 but its common sense as well4 ,it was really time that something should be done4 99 99 99 99 99 ,and this was the man1 thought ,percy1 ,papa ,angelicus1 whom he was to see in a minute or two4 ,the ,cardinal put his hand on the priest's knee as the door opened1 and a purple prelate appeared1 bowing4 8,only this10 he said4 8,be absolutely frank40 ,percy stood up1 trembling4 ,then he followed his patron towards the inner door4 ,,iv ,a white figure sat in the green gloom1 beside a great writing-table1 three or four yards away1 but with the chair wheeled round to face the door by which the two entered4 ,so much ,percy saw as he performed the first genuflection4 ,then he dropped his eyes1 advanced1 genuflected again with the other1 advanced once more1 and for the third time genuflected1 lifting the thin white hand1 stretched out1 to his lips4 ,he heard the door close as he stood up4 8,father ,franklin1 ,holiness10 said the ,cardinal's voice at his ear4 ,a white-sleeved arm waved to a couple of chairs set a yard away1 and the two sat down4 99 99 99 99 99 ,while the ,cardinal1 talking in slow ,latin1 said a few sentences1 explaining that this was the ,english priest whose correspondence had been found so useful1 ,percy began to look with all his eyes4 ,he knew the ,pope's face well1 from a hundred photographs and moving pictures2 even his gestures were familiar to him1 the slight bowing of the head in assent1 the tiny eloquent movement of the hands2 but ,percy1 with a sense of being platitudinal1 told himself that the living presence was very different4 ,it was a very upright old man that he saw in the chair before him1 of medium height and girth1 with hands clasping the bosses of his chair-arms1 and an appearance of great and deliberate dignity4 ,but it was at the face chiefly that he looked1 dropping his gaze three or four times1 as the ,pope's blue eyes turned on him4 ,they were extraordinary eyes1 reminding him of what historians said of ,pius ,x42 the lids drew straight lines across them1 giving him the look of a hawk1 but the rest of the face contradicted them4 ,there was no sharpness in that4 ,it was neither thin nor fat1 but beautifully modelled in an oval outline3 the lips were clean-cut1 with a look of passion in their curves2 the nose came down in an aquiline sweep1 ending in chiselled nostrils2 the chin was firm and cloven1 and the poise of the whole head was strangely youthful4 ,it was a face of great generosity and sweetness1 set at an angle between defiance and humility1 but ecclesiastical from ear to ear and brow to chin2 the forehead was slightly compressed at the temples1 and beneath the white cap lay white hair4 ,it had been the subject of laughter at the music-halls nine years before1 when the composite face of well-known priests had been thrown on a screen1 side by side with the new ,pope's1 for the two were almost indistinguishable4 ,percy found himself trying to sum it up1 but nothing came to him except the word 8priest40 ,it was that1 and that was all4 ,ecce sacerdos magnus6 ,he was astonished at the look of youth1 for the ,pope was eighty-eight this year2 yet his figure was as upright as that of a man of fifty1 his shoulders unbowed1 his head set on them like an athlete's1 and his wrinkles scarcely perceptible in the half light4 ,papa ,angelicus6 reflected ,percy4 ,the ,cardinal ceased his explanations1 and made a little gesture4 ,percy drew up all his faculties tense and tight to answer the questions that he knew were coming4 8,i welcome you1 my son10 said a very soft1 resonant voice4 ,percy bowed1 desperately1 from the waist4 ,the ,pope dropped his eyes again1 lifted a paper-weight with his left hand1 and began to play with it gently as he talked4 8,now1 my son1 deliver a little discourse4 ,i suggest to you three heads--what has happened1 what is happening1 what will happen1 with a peroration as to what should happen40 ,percy drew a long breath1 settled himself back1 clasped the fingers of his left hand in the fingers of his right1 fixed his eyes firmly upon the cross-embroidered red shoe opposite1 and began4 7,had he not rehearsed this a hundred times67 99 99 99 99 99 ,he first stated his theme2 to the effect that all the forces of the civilised world were concentrating into two camps--the world and ,god4 ,up to the present time the forces of the world had been incoherent and spasmodic1 breaking out in various ways--revolutions and wars had been like the movements of a mob1 undisciplined1 unskilled1 and unrestrained4 ,to meet this1 the ,church1 too1 had acted through her ,catholicity-- dispersion rather than concentration3 franc-tireurs had been opposed to franc-tireurs4 ,but during the last hundred years there had been indications that the method of warfare was to change4 ,europe1 at any rate1 had grown weary of internal strife2 the unions first of ,labour1 then of ,capital1 then of ,labour and ,capital combined1 illustrated this in the economic sphere2 the peaceful partition of ,africa in the political sphere2 the spread of ,humanitarian religion in the spiritual sphere4 ,over against this must be placed the increased centralisation of the ,church4 ,by the wisdom of her pontiffs1 over-ruled by ,god ,almighty1 the lines had been drawing tighter every year4 ,he instanced the abolition of all local usages1 including those so long cherished by the ,east1 the establishment of the ,cardinal-,protectorates in ,rome1 the enforced merging of all friars into one ,order1 though retaining their familiar names1 under the authority of the supreme ,general2 all monks1 with the exception of the ,carthusians1 the ,carmelites and the ,trappists1 into another2 of the three excepted into a third2 and the classification of nuns after the same plan4 ,further1 he remarked on the more recent decrees1 establishing the sense of the ,vatican decision on infallibility1 the new version of ,canon ,law1 the immense simplification that had taken place in ecclesiastical government1 the hierarchy1 rubrics and the affairs of missionary countries1 with the new and extraordinary privileges granted to mission priests4 ,at this point he became aware that his self-consciousness had left him1 and he began1 even with little gestures1 and a slightly raised voice1 to enlarge on the significance of the last month's events4 ,all that had gone before1 he said1 pointed to what had now actually taken place--namely1 the reconciliation of the world on a basis other than that of ,divine ,truth4 ,it was the intention of ,god and of ,his ,vicars to reconcile all men in ,christ ,jesus2 but the corner-stone had once more been rejected1 and instead of the chaos that the pious had prophesied1 there was coming into existence a unity unlike anything known in history4 ,this was the more deadly from the fact that it contained so many elements of indubitable good4 ,war1 apparently1 was now extinct1 and it was not ,christianity that had done it2 union was now seen to be better than disunion1 and the lesson had been learned apart from the ,church4 ,in fact1 natural virtues had suddenly waxed luxuriant1 and supernatural virtues were despised4 ,friendliness took the place of charity1 contentment the place of hope1 and knowledge the place of faith4 ,percy stopped1 he had become conscious that he was preaching a kind of sermon4 8,yes1 my son10 said the kind voice4 8,what else80 ,what else8444 ,very well1 continued ,percy1 movements such as these brought forth men1 and the ,man of this movement was ,julian ,felsenburgh4 ,he had accomplished a work that--apart from ,god--seemed miraculous4 ,he had broken down the eternal division between ,east and ,west1 coming himself from the continent that alone could produce such powers2 he had prevailed by sheer force of personality over the two supreme tyrants of life--religious fanaticism and party government4 ,his influence over the impassive ,english was another miracle1 yet he had also set on fire ,france1 ,germany1 and ,spain4 ,percy here described one or two of his little scenes1 saying that it was like the vision of a god3 and he quoted freely some of the titles given to the ,man by sober1 unhysterical newspapers4 ,felsenburgh was called the ,son of ,man1 because he was so pure-bred a cosmopolitan2 the ,saviour of the ,world1 because he had slain war and himself survived--even--even--here ,percy's voice faltered--even ,incarnate ,god1 because he was the perfect representative of divine man4 ,the quiet1 priestly face watching opposite never winced or moved2 and he went on4 ,persecution1 he said1 was coming4 ,there had been a riot or two already4 ,but persecution was not to be feared4 ,it would no doubt cause apostasies1 as it had always done1 but these were deplorable only on account of the individual apostates4 ,on the other hand1 it would reassure the faithful2 and purge out the half-hearted4 ,once1 in the early ages1 ,satan's attack had been made on the bodily side1 with whips and fire and beasts2 in the sixteenth century it had been on the intellectual side2 in the twentieth century on the springs of moral and spiritual life4 ,now it seemed as if the assault was on all three planes at once4 ,but what was chiefly to be feared was the positive influence of ,humanitarianism3 it was coming1 like the kingdom of ,god1 with power2 it was crushing the imaginative and the romantic1 it was assuming rather than asserting its own truth2 it was smothering with bolsters instead of wounding and stimulating with steel or controversy4 ,it seemed to be forcing its way1 almost objectively1 into the inner world4 ,persons who had scarcely heard its name were professing its tenets2 priests absorbed it1 as they absorbed ,god in ,communion--he mentioned the names of the recent apostates--children drank it in like ,christianity itself4 ,the soul 8naturally ,christian0 seemed to be becoming 8the soul naturally infidel40 ,persecution1 cried the priest1 was to be welcomed like salvation1 prayed for1 and grasped2 but he feared that the authorities were too shrewd1 and knew the antidote and the poison apart4 ,there might be individual martyrdoms--in fact there would be1 and very many--but they would be in spite of secular government1 not because of it4 ,finally1 he expected1 ,humanitarianism would presently put on the dress of liturgy and sacrifice1 and when that was done1 the ,church's cause1 unless ,god intervened1 would be over4 ,percy sat back1 trembling4 8,yes1 my son4 ,and what do you think should be done80 ,percy flung out his hands4 8,holy ,father--the mass1 prayer1 the rosary4 ,these first and last4 ,the world denies their power3 it is on their power that ,christians must throw all their weight4 ,all things in ,jesus ,christ--in ,jesus ,christ1 first and last4 ,nothing else can avail4 ,he must do all1 for we can do nothing40 ,the white head bowed4 ,then it rose erect4 8,yes1 my son4444 ,but so long as ,jesus ,christ deigns to use us1 we must be used4 ,he is ,prophet and ,king as well as ,priest4 ,we then1 too1 must be prophet and king as well as priest4 ,what of ,prophecy and ,royalty80 ,the voice thrilled ,percy like a trumpet4 8,yes1 ,holiness4444 ,for prophecy1 then1 let us preach charity2 for ,royalty1 let us reign on crosses4 ,we must love and suffer44440 7,he drew one sobbing breath47 8,your ,holiness has preached charity always4 ,let charity then issue in good deeds4 ,let us be foremost in them2 let us engage in trade honestly1 in family life chastely1 in government uprightly4 ,and as for suffering--ah6 ,holiness60 ,his old scheme leaped back to his mind1 and stood poised there convincing and imperious4 8,yes1 my son1 speak plainly40 8,your ,holiness--it is old--old as ,rome--every fool has desired it3 a new ,order1 ,holiness--a new ,order10 he stammered4 ,the white hand dropped the paper-weight2 the ,pope leaned forward1 looking intently at the priest4 8,yes1 my son80 ,percy threw himself on his knees4 8,a new ,order1 ,holiness--no habit or badge--subject to your ,holiness only--freer than ,jesuits1 poorer than ,franciscans1 more mortified than ,carthusians3 men and women alike--the three vows with the intention of martyrdom2 the ,pantheon for their ,church2 each bishop responsible for their sustenance2 a lieutenant in each country4444 7,holiness1 it is the thought of a fool47 444 ,and ,christ ,crucified for their patron40 ,the ,pope stood up abruptly--so abruptly that ,cardinal ,martin sprang up too1 apprehensive and terrified4 ,it seemed that this young man had gone too far4 ,then the ,pope sat down again1 extending his hand4 8,god bless you1 my son4 ,you have leave to go4444 ,will your ,eminence stay for a few minutes80 ,,chapter ,,iii ,i ,the ,cardinal said very little to ,percy when they met again that evening1 beyond congratulating him on the way he had borne himself with the ,pope4 ,it seemed that the priest had done right by his extreme frankness4 ,then he told him of his duties4 ,percy was to retain the couple of rooms that had been put at his disposal2 he was to say mass1 as a rule1 in the ,cardinal's oratory2 and after that1 at nine1 he was to present himself for instructions3 he was to dine at noon with the ,cardinal1 after which he was to consider himself at liberty till ,ave ,maria3 then1 once more he was to be at his master's disposal until supper4 ,the work he would principally have to do would be the reading of all ,english correspondence1 and the drawing up of a report upon it4 ,percy found it a very pleasant and serene life1 and the sense of home deepened every day4 ,he had an abundance of time to himself1 which he occupied resolutely in relaxation4 ,from eight to nine he usually walked abroad1 going sedately through the streets with his senses passive1 looking into churches1 watching the people1 and gradually absorbing the strange naturalness of life under ancient conditions4 ,at times it appeared to him like an historical dream2 at times it seemed that there was no other reality2 that the silent1 tense world of modern civilisation was itself a phantom1 and that here was the simple naturalness of the soul's childhood back again4 ,even the reading of the ,english correspondence did not greatly affect him1 for the stream of his mind was beginning to run clear again in this sweet old channel2 and he read1 dissected1 analysed and diagnosed with a deepening tranquillity4 ,there was not1 after all1 a great deal of news4 ,it was a kind of lull after storm4 ,felsenburgh was still in retirement2 he had refused the offers made to him by ,france and ,italy1 as that of ,england2 and1 although nothing definite was announced1 it seemed that he was confining himself at present to an unofficial attitude4 ,meanwhile the ,parliaments of ,europe were busy in the preliminary stages of code-revision4 ,nothing would be done1 it was understood1 until the autumn sessions4 ,life in ,rome was very strange4 ,the city had now become not only the centre of faith but1 in a sense1 a microcosm of it4 ,it was divided into four huge quarters--,anglo-,saxon1 ,latin1 ,teutonic and ,eastern--besides ,trastevere1 which was occupied almost entirely by ,papal offices1 seminaries1 and schools4 ,anglo-,saxondom occupied the southwestern quarter1 now entirely covered with houses1 including the ,aventine1 the ,celian and ,testaccio4 ,the ,latins inhabited old ,rome1 between the ,course and the river2 the ,teutons the northeastern quarter1 bounded on the south by ,st4 ,laurence's ,street2 and the ,easterns the remaining quarter1 of which the centre was the ,lateran4 ,in this manner the true ,romans were scarcely conscious of intrusion2 they possessed a multitude of their own churches1 they were allowed to revel in narrow1 dark streets and hold their markets2 and it was here that ,percy usually walked1 in a passion of historical retrospect4 ,but the other quarters were strange enough1 too4 ,it was curious to see how a progeny of ,gothic churches1 served by northern priests1 had grown up naturally in the ,anglo-,saxon and ,teutonic districts1 and how the wide1 grey streets1 the neat pavements1 the severe houses1 showed how the northerns had not yet realised the requirements of southern life4 ,the ,easterns1 on the other hand1 resembled the ,latins2 their streets were as narrow and dark1 their smells as overwhelming1 their churches as dirty and as homely1 and their colours even more brilliant4 ,outside the walls the confusion was indescribable4 ,if the city represented a carved miniature of the world1 the suburbs represented the same model broken into a thousand pieces1 tumbled in a bag and shot out at random4 ,so far as the eye could see1 on all sides from the roof of the ,vatican1 there stretched an endless plain of house-roofs1 broken by spires1 towers1 domes and chimneys1 under which lived human beings of every race beneath the sun4 ,here were the great manufactories1 the monster buildings of the new world1 the stations1 the schools1 the offices1 all under secular dominion1 yet surrounded by six millions of souls who lived here for love of religion4 ,it was these who had despaired of modern life1 tired out with change and effort1 who had fled from the new system for refuge to the ,church1 but who could not obtain leave to live in the city itself4 ,new houses were continually springing up in all directions4 ,a gigantic compass1 fixed by one leg in ,rome1 and with a span of five miles1 would1 if twirled1 revolve through packed streets through its entire circle4 ,beyond that too houses stretched into the indefinite distance4 ,but ,percy did not realise the significance of all that he saw1 until the occasion of the ,pope's name-day towards the end of ,august4 ,it was yet cool and early1 when he followed his patron1 whom he was to serve as chaplain1 along the broad passages of the ,vatican towards the room where the ,pope and ,cardinals were to assemble4 ,through a window1 as he looked out into the ,piazza1 the crowd was yet more dense1 if that were possible1 than it had been an hour before4 ,the huge oval square was cobbled with heads1 through which ran a broad road1 kept by papal troops for the passage of the carriages2 and up the broad ribbon1 white in the eastern light1 came monstrous vehicles1 a blaze of gilding and colour and cream tint2 slow cheers swelled up and died1 and through all came the rush and patter of wheels over the stones1 like the sound of a tide-swept pebbly beach4 ,as they waited in an ante-chamber1 halted by the pressure in front and behind--a pack of scarlet and white and purple--he looked out again1 and realised what he had known only intellectually before1 that here before his eyes was the royalty of the old world assembled--and he began to perceive its significance4 ,round the steps of the basilica spread a great fan of coaches1 each yoked to eight horses--the white of ,france and ,spain1 the black of ,germany1 ,italy and ,russia1 and the cream-coloured of ,england4 ,those stood out in the near half-circle1 and beyond was the sweep of the lesser powers3 ,greece1 ,norway1 ,sweden1 ,roumania and the ,balkan ,states4 ,one1 the ,turk1 was alone wanting1 he reminded himself4 ,the emblems of some were visible--eagles1 lions1 leopards--guarding the royal crown above the roof of each4 ,from the foot of the steps to the head ran a broad scarlet carpet1 lined with soldiers4 ,percy leaned against the shutter1 and began to meditate4 ,here was all that was left of ,royalty4 ,he had seen their palaces before1 here and there in the various quarters1 with standards flying1 and scarlet-liveried men lounging on the steps4 ,he had raised his hat a dozen times as a landau thundered past him up the ,course2 he had even seen the lilies of ,france and the leopards of ,england pass together in the solemn parade of the ,pincian ,hill4 ,he had read in the papers every now and again during the last five years that family after family had made its way to ,rome1 after papal recognition had been granted2 he had been told by the ,cardinal on the previous evening that ,william of ,england1 with his ,consort1 had landed at ,ostia in the morning and that the tale of the ,powers was complete4 ,but he had never before realised the stupendous1 overwhelming fact of the assembly of the world's royalty under the shadow of ,peter's ,throne1 nor the appalling danger that its presence constituted in the midst of a democratic world4 ,that world1 he knew1 affected to laugh at the folly and the childishness of it all--at the desperate play-acting of ,divine ,right on the part of fallen and despised families2 but the same world1 he knew very well1 had not yet lost quite all its sentiment2 and if that sentiment should happen to become resentful--- ,the pressure relaxed2 ,percy slipped out of the recess1 and followed in the slow-moving stream4 ,half-an-hour later he was in his place among the ecclesiastics1 as the papal procession came out through the glimmering dusk of the chapel of the ,blessed ,sacrament into the nave of the enormous church2 but even before he had entered the chapel he heard the quiet roar of recognition and the cry of the trumpets that greeted the ,supreme ,pontiff as he came out1 a hundred yards ahead1 borne on the sedia gestatoria1 with the fans going behind him4 ,when ,percy himself came out1 five minutes later1 walking in his quaternion1 and saw the sight that was waiting1 he remembered with a sudden throb at his heart that other sight he had seen in ,london in a summer dawn three months before4444 ,far ahead1 seeming to cleave its way through the surging heads1 like the poop of an ancient ship1 moved the canopy beneath which sat the ,lord of the world1 and between him and the priest1 as if it were the wake of that same ship1 swayed the gorgeous procession--,protonotaries ,apostolic1 ,generals of ,religious ,orders and the rest--making its way along with white1 gold1 scarlet and silver foam between the living banks on either side4 ,overhead hung the splendid barrel of the roof1 and far in front the haven of ,god's altar reared its monstrous pillars1 beneath which burned the seven yellow stars that were the harbour lights of sanctity4 ,it was an astonishing sight1 but too vast and bewildering to do anything but oppress the observers with a consciousness of their own futility4 ,the enormous enclosed air1 the giant statues1 the dim and distant roofs1 the indescribable concert of sound--of the movement of feet1 the murmur of ten thousand voices1 the peal of organs like the crying of gnats1 the thin celestial music--the faint suggestive smell of incense and men and bruised bay and myrtle--and1 supreme above all1 the vibrant atmosphere of human emotion1 shot with supernatural aspiration1 as the ,hope of the ,world1 the holder of ,divine ,vice-,royalty1 passed on his way to stand between ,god and man--this affected the priest as the action of a drug that at once lulls and stimulates1 that blinds while it gives new vision1 that deafens while it opens stopped ears1 that exalts while it plunges into new gulfs of consciousness4 ,here1 then1 was the other formulated answer to the problem of life4 ,the two ,cities of ,augustine lay for him to choose4 ,the one was that of a world self-originated1 self-organised and self-sufficient1 interpreted by such men as ,marx and ,herve1 socialists1 materialists1 and1 in the end1 hedonists1 summed up at last in ,felsenburgh4 ,the other lay displayed in the sight he saw before him1 telling of a ,creator and of a creation1 of a ,divine purpose1 a redemption1 and a world transcendent and eternal from which all sprang and to which all moved4 ,one of the two1 ,john and ,julian1 was the ,vicar1 and the other the ,ape1 of ,god4444 ,and ,percy's heart in one more spasm of conviction made its choice4444 ,but the summit was not yet reached4 ,as ,percy came at last out from the nave beneath the dome1 on his way to the tribune beyond the papal throne1 he became aware of a new element4 ,a great space was cleared about the altar and confession1 extending1 as he could see at least on his side1 to the point that marked the entrance to the transepts2 at this point ran rails straight across from side to side1 continuing the lines of the nave4 ,beyond this red-hung barrier lay a gradual slope of faces1 white and motionless2 a glimmer of steel bounded it1 and above1 a third of the distance down the transept1 rose in solemn serried array a line of canopies4 ,these were of scarlet1 like cardinalitial baldachini1 but upon the upright surface of each burned gigantic coats supported by beasts and topped by crowns4 ,under each was a figure or two--no more--in splendid isolation1 and through the interspaces between the thrones showed again a misty slope of faces4 ,his heart quickened as he saw it--as he swept his eyes round and across to the right and saw as in a mirror the replica of the left in the right transept4 ,it was there then that they sat--those lonely survivors of that strange company of persons who1 till half-a-century ago1 had reigned as ,god's temporal ,vicegerents with the consent of their subjects4 ,they were unrecognised1 now1 save by ,him from whom they drew their sovereignty--pinnacles clustering and hanging from a dome1 from which the walls had been withdrawn4 ,these were men and women who had learned at last that power comes from above1 and their title to rule came not from their subjects but from the ,supreme ,ruler of all--shepherds without sheep1 captains without soldiers to command4 ,it was piteous--horribly piteous1 yet inspiring4 ,the act of faith was so sublime2 and ,percy's heart quickened as he understood it4 ,these1 then1 men and women like himself1 were not ashamed to appeal from man to ,god1 to assume insignia which the world regarded as playthings1 but which to them were emblems of supernatural commission4 ,was there not mirrored here1 he asked himself1 some far-off shadow of ,one ,who rode on the colt of an ass amid the sneers of the great and the enthusiasm of children8444 99 99 99 99 99 ,it was yet more kindling as the mass went on1 and he saw the male sovereigns come down to do their services at the altar1 and to go to and fro between it and the ,throne4 ,there they went bareheaded1 the stately silent figures4 ,the ,english king1 once again ,fidei ,defensor1 bore the train in place of the old king of ,spain1 who1 with the ,austrian ,emperor1 alone of all ,european sovereigns1 had preserved the unbroken continuity of faith4 ,the old man leaned over his fald-stool1 mumbling and weeping1 even crying out now and again in love and devotion1 as1 like ,simeon1 he saw his ,salvation4 ,the ,austrian ,emperor twice administered the ,lavabo2 the ,german sovereign1 who had lost his throne and all but his life upon his conversion four years before1 by a new privilege placed and withdrew the cushion1 as his ,lord kneeled before the ,lord of them both4 ,so movement by movement the gorgeous drama was enacted2 the murmuring of the crowds died to a stillness that was but one wordless prayer as the tiny ,white ,disc rose between the white hands1 and the thin angelic music pealed in the dome4 ,for here was the one hope of these thousands1 as mighty and as little as once within the ,manger4 ,there was none other that fought for them but only ,god4 ,surely then1 if the blood of men and the tears of women could not avail to move the ,judge and ,observer of all from ,his silence1 surely at least here the bloodless ,death of ,his only ,son1 that once on ,calvary had darkened heaven and rent the earth1 pleaded now with such sorrowful splendour upon this island of faith amid a sea of laughter and hatred--this at least must avail6 ,how could it not8 99 99 99 99 99 ,percy had just sat down1 tired out with the long ceremonies1 when the door opened abruptly1 and the ,cardinal1 still in his robes1 came in swiftly1 shutting the door behind him4 8,father ,franklin10 he said1 in a strange breathless voice1 8there is the worst of news4 ,felsenburgh is appointed ,president of ,europe40 ,,ii ,it was late that night before ,percy returned1 completely exhausted by his labours4 ,for hour after hour he had sat with the ,cardinal1 opening despatches that poured into the electric receivers from all over ,europe1 and were brought in one by one into the quiet sitting-room4 ,three times in the afternoon the ,cardinal had been sent for1 once by the ,pope and twice to the ,quirinal4 ,there was no doubt at all that the news was true2 and it seemed that ,felsenburgh must have waited deliberately for the offer4 ,all others he had refused4 ,there had been a ,convention of the ,powers1 each of whom had been anxious to secure him1 and each of whom had severally failed2 these private claims had been withdrawn1 and an united message sent4 ,the new proposal was to the effect that ,felsenburgh should assume a position hitherto undreamed of in democracy2 that he should receive a ,house of ,government in every capital of ,europe2 that his veto of any measure should be final for three years2 that any measure he chose to introduce three times in three consecutive years should become law2 that his title should be that of ,president of ,europe4 ,from his side practically nothing was asked1 except that he should refuse any other official position offered him that did not receive the sanction of all the ,powers4 ,and all this1 ,percy saw very well1 involved the danger of an united ,europe increased tenfold4 ,it involved all the stupendous force of ,socialism directed by a brilliant individual4 ,it was the combination of the strongest characteristics of the two methods of government4 ,the offer had been accepted by ,felsenburgh after eight hours' silence4 ,it was remarkable1 too1 to observe how the news had been accepted by the two other divisions of the world4 ,the ,east was enthusiastic2 ,america was divided4 ,but in any case ,america was powerless3 the balance of the world was overwhelmingly against her4 ,percy threw himself1 as he was1 on to his bed1 and lay there with drumming pulses1 closed eyes and a huge despair at his heart4 ,the world indeed had risen like a giant over the horizons of ,rome1 and the holy city was no better now than a sand castle before a tide4 ,so much he grasped4 ,as to how ruin would come1 in what form and from what direction1 he neither knew nor cared4 ,only he knew now that it would come4 ,he had learned by now something of his own temperament2 and he turned his eyes inwards to observe himself bitterly1 as a doctor in mortal disease might with a dreadful complacency diagnose his own symptoms4 ,it was even a relief to turn from the monstrous mechanism of the world to see in miniature one hopeless human heart4 ,for his own religion he no longer feared2 he knew1 as absolutely as a man may know the colour of his eyes1 that it was secure again and beyond shaking4 ,during those weeks in ,rome the cloudy deposit had run clear and the channel was once more visible4 ,or1 better still1 that vast erection of dogma1 ceremony1 custom and morals in which he had been educated1 and on which he had looked all his life 7as a man may stare upon some great set-piece that bewilders him71 seeing now one spark of light1 now another1 flare and wane in the darkness1 had little by little kindled and revealed itself in one stupendous blaze of divine fire that explains itself4 ,huge principles1 once bewildering and even repellent1 were again luminously self-evident2 he saw1 for example1 that while ,humanity-,religion endeavoured to abolish suffering the ,divine ,religion embraced it1 so that the blind pangs even of beasts were within the ,father's ,will and ,scheme2 or that while from one angle one colour only of the web of life was visible--material1 or intellectual1 or artistic--from another the ,supernatural was as eminently obvious4 ,humanity-,religion could only be true if at least half of man's nature1 aspirations and sorrows were ignored4 ,christianity1 on the other hand1 at least included and accounted for these1 even if it did not explain them4 ,this 444 and this 444 and this 444 all made the one and perfect whole4 ,there was the ,catholic ,faith1 more certain to him than the existence of himself3 it was true and alive4 ,he might be damned1 but ,god reigned4 ,he might go mad1 but ,jesus ,christ was ,incarnate ,deity1 proving ,himself so by death and ,resurrection1 and ,john his ,vicar4 ,these things were as the bones of the ,universe--facts beyond doubting--if they were not true1 nothing anywhere was anything but a dream4 ,difficulties8--,why1 there were ten thousand4 ,he did not in the least understand why ,god had made the world as it was1 nor how ,hell could be the creation of ,love1 nor how bread was transubstantiated into the ,body of ,god but--well1 these things were so4 ,he had travelled far1 he began to see1 from his old status of faith1 when he had believed that divine truth could be demonstrated on intellectual grounds4 ,he had learned now 7he knew not how7 that the supernatural cried to the supernatural2 the ,christ without to the ,christ within2 that pure human reason indeed could not contradict1 yet neither could it adequately prove the mysteries of faith1 except on premisses visible only to him who receives ,revelation as a fact2 that it is the moral state1 rather than the intellectual1 to which the ,spirit of ,god speaks with the greater certitude4 ,that which he had both learned and taught he now knew1 that ,faith1 having1 like man himself1 a body and a spirit--an historical expression and an inner verity--speaks now by one1 now by another4 ,this man believes because he sees--accepts the ,incarnation or the ,church from its credentials2 that man1 perceiving that these things are spiritual facts1 yields himself wholly to the message and authority of her who alone professes them1 as well as to the manifestation of them upon the historical plane2 and in the darkness leans upon her arm4 ,or1 best of all1 because he has believed1 now he sees4 ,so he looked with a kind of interested indolence at other tracts of his nature4 ,first1 there was his intellect1 puzzled beyond description1 demanding1 ,why1 why1 why8 ,why was it allowed8 ,how was it conceivable that ,god did not intervene1 and that the ,father of men could permit ,his dear world to be so ranged against ,him8 ,what did ,he mean to do8 ,was this eternal silence never to be broken8 ,it was very well for those that had the ,faith1 but what of the countless millions who were settling down in contented blasphemy8 ,were these not1 too1 ,his children and the sheep of ,his pasture8 ,what was the ,catholic ,church made for if not to convert the world1 and why then had ,almighty ,god allowed it1 on the one side1 to dwindle to a handful1 and1 on the other1 the world to find its peace apart from ,him8 ,he considered his emotions1 but there was no comfort there1 no stimulus4 ,oh6 yes2 he could pray still1 by mere cold acts of the will1 and his theology told him that ,god accepted such4 ,he could say 8,adveniat regnum tuum4 444 ,fiat voluntas tua10 five thousand times a day1 if ,god wanted that2 but there was no sting or touch1 no sense of vibration through the cords that his will threw up to the ,heavenly ,throne4 ,what in the world then did ,god want him to do8 ,was it just then to repeat formulas1 to lie still1 to open despatches1 to listen through the telephone1 and to suffer8 ,and then the rest of the world--the madness that had seized upon the nations2 the amazing stories that had poured in that day of the men in ,paris1 who1 raving like ,bacchantes1 had stripped themselves naked in the ,place de ,concorde1 and stabbed themselves to the heart1 crying out to thunders of applause that life was too enthralling to be endured2 of the woman who sang herself mad last night in ,spain1 and fell laughing and foaming in the concert hall at ,seville2 of the crucifixion of the ,catholics that morning in the ,pyrenees1 and the apostasy of three bishops in ,germany4444 ,and this 444 and this 444 and a thousand more horrors were permitted1 and ,god made no sign and spoke no word4444 ,there was a tap1 and ,percy sprang up as the ,cardinal came in4 ,he looked horribly worn2 and his eyes had a kind of sunken brilliance that revealed fever4 ,he made a little motion to ,percy to sit down1 and himself sat in the deep chair1 trembling a little1 and gathering his buckled feet beneath his red-buttoned cassock4 8,you must forgive me1 father10 he said4 8,i am anxious for the ,bishop's safety4 ,he should be here by now40 ,this was the ,bishop of ,southwark1 ,percy remembered1 who had left ,england early that morning4 8,he is coming straight through1 your ,eminence80 8,yes2 he should have been here by twenty-three4 ,it is after midnight1 is it not80 ,as he spoke1 the bells chimed out the half-hour4 ,it was nearly quiet now4 ,all day the air had been full of sound2 mobs had paraded the suburbs2 the gates of the ,city had been barred1 yet that was only an earnest of what was to be expected when the world understood itself4 ,the ,cardinal seemed to recover himself after a few minutes' silence4 8,you look tired out1 father10 he said kindly4 ,percy smiled4 8,and your ,eminence80 he said4 ,the old man smiled too4 8,why1 yes10 he said4 8,i shall not last much longer1 father4 ,and then it will be you to suffer40 ,percy sat up1 suddenly1 sick at heart4 8,why1 yes10 said the ,cardinal4 8,the ,holy ,father has arranged it4 ,you are to succeed me1 you know4 ,it need be no secret40 ,percy drew a long trembling breath4 8,eminence10 he began piteously4 ,the other lifted a thin old hand4 8,i understand all that10 he said softly4 8,you wish to die1 is it not so8--and be at peace4 ,there are many who wish that4 ,but we must suffer first4 ,et pati et mori4 ,father ,franklin1 there must be no faltering40 ,there was a long silence4 ,the news was too stunning to convey anything to the priest but a sense of horrible shock4 ,the thought had simply never entered his mind that he1 a man under forty1 should be considered eligible to succeed this wise1 patient old prelate4 ,as for the honour--,percy was past that now1 even had he thought of it4 ,there was but one view before him--of a long and intolerable journey1 on a road that went uphill1 to be traversed with a burden on his shoulders that he could not support4 ,yet he recognised its inevitability4 ,the fact was announced to him as indisputable2 it was to be2 there was nothing to be said4 ,but it was as if one more gulf had opened1 and he stared into it with a dull1 sick horror1 incapable of expression4 ,the ,cardinal first broke the silence4 8,father ,franklin10 he said1 8,i have seen to-day a picture of ,felsenburgh4 ,do you know whom ,i at first took it for80 ,percy smiled listlessly4 8,yes1 father1 ,i took it for you4 ,now1 what do you make of that80 8,i don't understand1 ,eminence40 8,why---0 ,he broke off1 suddenly changing the subject4 8,there was a murder in the ,city to-day10 he said4 8,a ,catholic stabbed a blasphemer40 ,percy glanced at him again4 8,oh6 yes2 he has not attempted to escape10 went on the old man4 8,he is in gaol40 8,and---0 8,he will be executed4 ,the trial will begin to-morrow4444 ,it is sad enough4 ,it is the first murder for eight months40 ,the irony of the position was evident enough to ,percy as he sat listening to the deepening silence outside in the starlit night4 ,here was this poor city pretending that nothing was the matter1 quietly administering its derided justice2 and there1 outside1 were the forces gathering that would put an end to all4 ,his enthusiasm seemed dead4 ,there was no thrill from the thought of the splendid disregard of material facts of which this was one tiny instance1 none of despairing courage or drunken recklessness4 ,he felt like one who watches a fly washing his face on the cylinder of an engine--the huge steel slides along bearing the tiny life towards enormous death--another moment and it will be over2 and yet the watcher cannot interfere4 ,the supernatural thus lay1 perfect and alive1 but immeasurably tiny2 the huge forces were in motion1 the world was heaving up1 and ,percy could do nothing but stare and frown4 ,yet1 as has been said1 there was no shadow on his faith2 the fly he knew was greater than the engine from the superiority of its order of life2 if it were crushed1 life would not be the final sufferer2 so much he knew1 but how it was so1 he did not know4 ,as the two sat there1 again came a step and a tap2 and a servant's face looked in4 8,his ,lordship is come1 ,eminence10 he said4 ,the ,cardinal rose painfully1 supporting himself by the table4 ,then he paused1 seeming to remember something1 and fumbled in his pocket4 8,see that1 father10 he said1 and pushed a small silver disc towards the priest4 8,no2 when ,i am gone40 ,percy closed the door and came back1 taking up the little round object4 ,it was a coin1 fresh from the mint4 ,on one side was the familiar wreath with the word 8fivepence0 in the midst1 with its ,esperanto equivalent beneath1 and on the other the profile of a man1 with an inscription4 ,percy turned it to read3 8,,julian ,,felsenburgh1 ,,la ,,prezidante ,,de ,,uropo40 ,,iii ,it was at ten o'clock on the following morning that the ,cardinals were summoned to the ,pope's presence to hear the allocution4 ,percy1 from his seat among the ,consultors1 watched them come in1 men of every nation and temperament and age--the ,italians all together1 gesticulating1 and flashing teeth2 the ,anglo-,saxons steady-faced and serious2 an old ,french ,cardinal leaning on his stick1 walking with the ,english ,benedictine4 ,it was one of the great plain stately rooms of which the ,vatican now chiefly consisted1 seated length wise like a chapel4 ,at the lower end1 traversed by the gangway1 were the seats of the ,consultors2 at the upper end1 the dais with the papal throne4 ,three or four benches with desks before them1 standing out beyond the ,consultors' seats1 were reserved for the arrivals of the day before --prelates and priests who had poured into ,rome from every ,european country on the announcement of the amazing news4 ,percy had not an idea as to what would be said4 ,it was scarcely possible that nothing but platitudes would be uttered1 yet what else could be said in view of the complete doubtfulness of the situation8 ,all that was known even this morning was that the ,presidentship of ,europe was a fact2 the little silver coin he had seen witnessed to that2 that there had been an outburst of persecution1 repressed sternly by local authorities2 and that ,felsenburgh was to-day to begin his tour from capital to capital4 ,he was expected in ,turin by the end of the week4 ,from every ,catholic centre throughout the world had come in messages imploring guidance2 it was said that apostasy was rising like a tidal wave1 that persecution threatened everywhere1 and that even bishops were beginning to yield4 ,as for the ,holy ,father1 all was doubtful4 ,those who knew1 said nothing2 and the only rumour that escaped was to the effect that he had spent all night in prayer at the tomb of the ,apostle4444 ,the murmur died suddenly to a rustle and a silence2 there was a ripple of sinking heads along the seats as the door beside the canopy opened1 and a moment later ,john1 ,pater ,patrum1 was on his throne4 99 99 99 99 99 ,at first ,percy understood nothing4 ,he stared only1 as at a picture1 through the dusty sunlight that poured in through the shrouded windows1 at the scarlet lines to right and left1 up to the huge scarlet canopy1 and the white figure that sat there4 ,certainly1 these southerners understood the power of effect4 ,it was as vivid and impressive as a vision of the ,host in a jewelled monstrance4 ,every accessory was gorgeous1 the high room1 the colour of the robes1 the chains and crosses1 and as the eye moved along to its climax it was met by a piece of dead white--as if glory was exhausted and declared itself impotent to tell the supreme secret4 ,scarlet and purple and gold were well enough for those who stood on the steps of the throne--they needed it2 but for ,him who sat there nothing was needed4 ,let colours die and sounds faint in the presence of ,god's ,viceroy4 ,yet what expression was required found itself adequately provided in that beautiful oval face1 the poised imperious head1 the sweet brilliant eyes and the clean-curved lips that spoke so strongly4 ,there was not a sound in the room1 not a rustle1 nor a breathing--even without it seemed as if the world were allowing the supernatural to state its defence uninterruptedly1 before summing up and clamouring condemnation4 99 99 99 99 99 ,percy made a violent effort at self-repression1 clenched his hands and listened4 8444 ,since this then is so1 sons in ,jesus ,christ1 it is for us to answer4 ,we wrestle not1 as the ,doctor of the ,gentiles teaches us1 against flesh and blood1 but against principalities and powers1 against the rulers of the world of this darkness1 against the spirits of wickedness in the high places4 ,wherefore1 he continues1 take unto you the armour of ,god2 and he further declares to us its nature--the girdle of truth1 the breastplate of justice1 the shoes of peace1 the shield of faith1 the helmet of salvation1 and the sword of the ,spirit4 8,by this1 therefore1 the ,word of ,god bids us to war1 but not with the weapons of this world1 for neither is ,his kingdom of this world2 and it is to remind you of the principles of this warfare that we have summoned you to ,our ,presence40 ,the voice paused1 and there was a rustling sigh along the seats4 ,then the voice continued on a slightly higher note4 8,it has ever been the wisdom of ,our predecessors1 as is also their duty1 while keeping silence at certain seasons1 at others to speak freely the whole counsel of ,god4 ,from this duty ,we ,ourself must not be deterred by the knowledge of ,our own weakness and ignorance1 but to trust rather that ,he ,who has placed ,us on this throne will deign to speak through ,our mouth and use ,our words to ,his glory4 8,first1 then1 it is necessary to utter ,our sentence as to the new movement1 as men call it1 which has latterly been inaugurated by the rulers of this world4 8,we are not unmindful of the blessings of peace and unity1 nor do ,we forget that the appearance of these things has been the fruit of much that we have condemned4 ,it is this appearance of peace that has deceived many1 causing them to doubt the promise of the ,prince of ,peace that it is through ,him alone that we have access to the ,father4 ,that true peace1 passing understanding1 concerns not only the relations of men between themselves1 but1 supremely1 the relations of men with their ,maker2 and it is in this necessary point that the efforts of the world are found wanting4 ,it is not indeed to be wondered at that in a world which has rejected ,god this necessary matter should be forgotten4 ,men have thought--led astray by seducers--that the unity of nations was the greatest prize of this life1 forgetting the words of our ,saviour1 ,who said that ,he came to bring not peace but a sword1 and that it is through many tribulations that we enter ,god's ,kingdom4 ,first1 then1 there should be established the peace of man with ,god1 and after that the unity of man with man will follow4 ,seek ye first1 said ,jesus ,christ1 the kingdom of ,god--and then all these things shall be added unto you4 8,first1 then1 ,we once more condemn and anathematise the opinions of those who teach and believe the contrary of this2 and we renew once more all the condemnations uttered by ,ourself or ,our predecessors against all those societies1 organisations and communities that have been formed for the furtherance of an unity on another than a divine foundation2 and ,we remind ,our children throughout the world that it is forbidden to them to enter or to aid or to approve in any manner whatsoever any of those bodies named in such condemnations40 ,percy moved in his seat1 conscious of a touch of impatience4444 ,the manner was superb1 tranquil and stately as a river2 but the matter a trifle banal4 ,here was this old reprobation of ,freemasonry1 repeated in unoriginal language4 8,secondly10 went on the steady voice1 8,we wish to make known to you ,our desires for the future2 and here ,we tread on what many have considered dangerous ground40 ,again came that rustle4 ,percy saw more than one cardinal lean forward with hand crooked at ear to hear the better4 ,it was evident that something important was coming4 8,there are many points10 went on the high voice1 8of which it is not ,our intention to speak at this time1 for of their own nature they are secret1 and must be treated of on another occasion4 ,but what ,we say here1 ,we say to the world4 ,since the assaults of ,our enemies are both open and secret1 so too must be ,our defences4 ,this then is ,our intention40 ,the ,pope paused again1 lifted one hand as if mechanically to his breast1 and grasped the cross that hung there4 8,while the army of ,christ is one1 it consists of many divisions1 each of which has its proper function and object4 ,in times past ,god has raised up companies of ,his servants to do this or that particular work--the sons of ,st4 ,francis to preach poverty1 those of ,st4 ,bernard to labour in prayer with all holy women dedicating themselves to this purpose1 the ,society of ,jesus for the education of youth and the conversion of the heathen--together with all the other ,religious ,orders whose names are known throughout the world4 ,each such company was raised up at a particular season of need1 and each has corresponded nobly with the divine vocation4 ,it has also been the especial glory of each1 for the furtherance of its intention1 while pursuing its end1 to cut off from itself all such activities 7good in themselves7 which would hinder that work for which ,god had called it into being--following in this matter the words of our ,redeemer1 ,every branch that beareth fruit1 ,he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit4 ,at this present season1 then1 it appears to ,our ,humility that all such ,orders 7which once more ,we commend and bless7 are not perfectly suited by the very conditions of their respective ,rules to perform the great work which the time requires4 ,our warfare lies not with ignorance in particular1 whether of the heathens to whom the ,gospel has not yet come1 or of those whose fathers have rejected it1 nor with the deceitful riches of this world1 nor with science falsely so-called1 nor indeed with any one of those strongholds of infidelity against whom ,we have laboured in the past4 ,rather it appears as if at last the time was come of which the apostle spoke when he said that that day shall not come1 except there come a falling away first1 and that ,man of ,sin be revealed1 the ,son of ,perdition1 who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called ,god4 8,it is not with this or that force that we are concerned1 but rather with the unveiled immensity of that power whose time was foretold1 and whose destruction is prepared40 ,the voice paused again1 and ,percy gripped the rail before him to stay the trembling of his hands4 ,there was no rustle now1 nothing but a silence that tingled and shook4 ,the ,pope drew a long breath1 turned his head slowly to right and left1 and went on more deliberately than ever4 8,it seems good1 then1 to ,our ,humility1 that the ,vicar of ,christ should himself invite ,god's children to this new warfare2 and it is ,our intention to enroll under the title of the ,order of ,christ ,crucified the names of all who offer themselves to this supreme service4 ,in doing this ,we are aware of the novelty of ,our action1 and the disregard of all such precautions as have been necessary in the past4 ,we take counsel in this matter with none save ,him ,who we believe has inspired it4 8,first1 then1 let ,us say1 that although obedient service will be required from all who shall be admitted to this ,order1 ,our primary intention in instituting it lies in ,god's regard rather than in man's1 in appealing to ,him ,who asks our generosity rather than to those who deny it1 and dedicating once more by a formal and deliberate act our souls and bodies to the heavenly ,will and service of ,him ,who alone can rightly claim such offering1 and will accept our poverty4 8,briefly1 we dictate only the following conditions4 8,none shall be capable of entering the ,order except such as shall be above the age of seventeen years4 8,no badge1 habit1 nor insignia shall be attached to it4 8,the ,three ,evangelical ,counsels shall be the foundation of the ,rule1 to which we add a fourth intention1 namely1 that of a desire to receive the crown of martyrdom and a purpose of embracing it4 8,the bishop of every diocese1 if he himself shall enter the ,order1 shall be the superior within the limits of his own jurisdiction1 and alone shall be exempt from the literal observance of the ,vow of ,poverty so long as he retains his see4 ,such bishops as do not feel the vocation to the ,order shall retain their sees under the usual conditions1 but shall have no ,religious claim on the members of the ,order4 8,further1 ,we announce ,our intention of ,ourself entering the ,order as its supreme prelate1 and of making ,our profession within the course of a few days4 8,further1 ,we declare that in ,our ,own pontificate none shall be elevated to the ,sacred ,college save those who have made their profession in the ,order2 and ,we shall dedicate shortly the ,basilica of ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,paul as the central church of the ,order1 in which church ,we shall raise to the altars without any delay those happy souls who shall lay down their lives in the pursuance of their vocation4 8,of that vocation it is unnecessary to speak beyond indicating that it may be pursued under any conditions laid down by the ,superiors4 ,as regards the novitiate1 its conditions and requirements1 we shall shortly issue the necessary directions4 ,each diocesan superior 7for it is ,our hope that none will hold back7 shall have all such rights as usually appertain to ,religious ,superiors1 and shall be empowered to employ his subjects in any work that1 in his opinion1 shall subserve the glory of ,god and the salvation of souls4 ,it is ,our ,own intention to employ in ,our service none except those who shall make their profession40 ,he raised his eyes once more1 seemingly without emotion1 then he continued3 8,so far1 then1 ,we have determined4 ,on other matters ,we shall take counsel immediately2 but it is ,our wish that these words shall be communicated to all the world1 that there may be no delay in making known what it is that ,christ through ,his ,vicar asks of all who profess the ,divine ,name4 ,we offer no rewards except those which ,god ,himself has promised to those that love ,him1 and lay down their life for ,him2 no promise of peace1 save of that which passeth understanding2 no home save that which befits pilgrims and sojourners who seek a ,city to come2 no honour save the world's contempt2 no life1 save that which is hid with ,christ in ,god40 ,,chapter ,,iv ,i ,oliver ,brand1 seated in his little private room at ,whitehall1 was expecting a visitor4 ,it was already close upon ten o'clock1 and at half-past he must be in the ,house4 ,he had hoped that ,mr4 ,francis1 whoever he might be1 would not detain him long4 ,even now1 every moment was a respite1 for the work had become simply prodigious during the last weeks4 ,but he was not reprieved for more than a minute1 for the last boom from the ,victoria ,tower had scarcely ceased to throb when the door opened and a clerkly voice uttered the name he was expecting4 ,oliver shot one quick look at the stranger1 at his drooping lids and down-turned mouth1 summed him up fairly and accurately in the moments during which they seated themselves1 and went briskly to business4 8,at twenty-five minutes past1 sir1 ,i must leave this room10 he said4 8,until then---0 he made a little gesture4 ,mr4 ,francis reassured him4 8,thank you1 ,mr4 ,brand--that is ample time4 ,then1 if you will excuse me---0 ,he groped in his breast-pocket1 and drew out a long envelope4 8,i will leave this with you10 he said1 8when ,i go4 ,it sets out our desires at length and our names4 ,and this is what ,i have to say1 sir40 ,he sat back1 crossed his legs1 and went on1 with a touch of eagerness in his voice4 8,i am a kind of deputation1 as you know10 he said4 8,we have something both to ask and to offer4 ,i am chosen because it was my own idea4 ,first1 may ,i ask a question80 ,oliver bowed4 8,i wish to ask nothing that ,i ought not4 ,but ,i believe it is practically certain1 is it not8--that ,divine ,worship is to be restored throughout the kingdom80 ,oliver smiled4 8,i suppose so10 he said4 8,the bill has been read for the third time1 and1 as you know1 the ,president is to speak upon it this evening40 8,he will not veto it80 8,we suppose not4 ,he has assented to it in ,germany40 8,just so10 said ,mr4 ,francis4 8,and if he assents here1 ,i suppose it will become law immediately40 ,oliver leaned over this table1 and drew out the green paper that contained the ,bill4 8,you have this1 of course---0 he said4 8,well1 it becomes law at once2 and the first feast will be observed on the first of ,october4 #8,paternity1' is it not8 ,yes1 ,paternity40 8,there will be something of a rush then10 said the other eagerly4 8,why1 that is only a week hence40 8,i have not charge of this department10 said ,oliver1 laying back the ,bill4 8,but ,i understand that the ritual will be that already in use in ,germany4 ,there is no reason why we should be peculiar40 8,and the ,abbey will be used80 8,why1 yes40 8,well1 sir10 said ,mr4 ,francis1 8of course ,i know the ,government ,commission has studied it all very closely1 and no doubt has its own plans4 ,but it appears to me that they will want all the experience they can get40 8,no doubt40 8,well1 ,mr4 ,brand1 the society which ,i represent consists entirely of men who were once ,catholic priests4 ,we number about two hundred in ,london4 ,i will leave a pamphlet with you1 if ,i may1 stating our objects1 our constitution1 and so on4 ,it seemed to us that here was a matter in which our past experience might be of service to the ,government4 ,catholic ceremonies1 as you know1 are very intricate1 and some of us studied them very deeply in old days4 ,we used to say that ,masters of ,ceremonies were born1 not made1 and we have a fair number of those amongst us4 ,but indeed every priest is something of a ceremonialist40 ,he paused4 8,yes1 ,mr4 ,francis80 8,i am sure the ,government realises the immense importance of all going smoothly4 ,if ,divine ,service was at all grotesque or disorderly1 it would largely defeat its own object4 ,so ,i have been deputed to see you1 ,mr4 ,brand1 and to suggest to you that here is a body of men--reckon it as at least twenty-five--who have had special experience in this kind of thing1 and are perfectly ready to put themselves at the disposal of the ,government40 ,oliver could not resist a faint flicker of a smile at the corner of his mouth4 ,it was a very grim bit of irony1 he thought1 but it seemed sensible enough4 8,i quite understand1 ,mr4 ,francis4 ,it seems a very reasonable suggestion4 ,but ,i do not think ,i am the proper person4 ,mr4 ,snowford---0 8,yes1 yes1 sir1 ,i know4 ,but your speech the other day inspired us all4 ,you said exactly what was in all our hearts--that the world could not live without worship2 and that now that ,god was found at last---0 ,oliver waved his hand4 ,he hated even a touch of flattery4 8,it is very good of you1 ,mr4 ,francis4 ,i will certainly speak to ,mr4 ,snowford4 ,i understand that you offer yourselves as--as ,masters of ,ceremonies--80 8,yes1 sir2 and sacristans4 ,i have studied the ,german ritual very carefully2 it is more elaborate than ,i had thought it4 ,it will need a good deal of adroitness4 ,i imagine that you will want at least a dozen ,ceremoniarii in the ,abbey2 and a dozen more in the vestries will scarcely be too much40 ,oliver nodded abruptly1 looking curiously at the eager pathetic face of the man opposite him2 yet it had something1 too1 of that mask-like priestly look that he had seen before in others like him4 ,this was evidently a devotee4 8,you are all ,masons1 of course80 he said4 8,why1 of course1 ,mr4 ,brand40 8,very good4 ,i will speak to ,mr4 ,snowford to-day if ,i can catch him40 ,he glanced at the clock4 ,there were yet three or four minutes4 8,you have seen the new appointment in ,rome1 sir10 went on ,mr4 ,francis4 ,oliver shook his head4 ,he was not particularly interested in ,rome just now4 8,cardinal ,martin is dead--he died on ,tuesday--and his place is already filled40 8,indeed1 sir80 8,yes--the new man was once a friend of mine--,franklin1 his name is--,percy ,franklin40 8,eh80 8,what is the matter1 ,mr4 ,brand8 ,did you know him80 ,oliver was eyeing him darkly1 a little pale4 8,yes2 ,i knew him10 he said quietly4 8,at least1 ,i think so40 8,he was at ,westminster until a month or two ago40 8,yes1 yes10 said ,oliver1 still looking at him4 8,and you knew him1 ,mr4 ,francis80 8,i knew him--yes40 8,ah6--well1 ,i should like to have a talk some day about him40 ,he broke off4 ,it yet wanted a minute to his time4 8,and that is all80 he asked4 8,that is all my actual business1 sir10 answered the other4 8,but ,i hope you will allow me to say how much we all appreciate what you have done1 ,mr4 ,brand4 ,i do not think it is possible for any1 except ourselves1 to understand what the loss of worship means to us4 ,it was very strange at first---0 ,his voice trembled a little1 and he stopped4 ,oliver felt interested1 and checked himself in his movement to rise4 8,yes1 ,mr4 ,francis80 ,the melancholy brown eyes turned on him full4 8,it was an illusion1 of course1 sir--we know that4 ,but ,i1 at any rate1 dare to hope that it was not all wasted--all our aspirations and penitence and praise4 ,we mistook our ,god1 but none the less it reached ,him--it found its way to the ,spirit of the ,world4 ,it taught us that the individual was nothing1 and that ,he was all4 ,and now---0 8,yes1 sir10 said the other softly4 ,he was really touched4 ,the sad brown eyes opened full4 8,and now ,mr4 ,felsenburgh is come40 ,he swallowed in his throat4 8,julian ,felsenburgh60 ,there was a world of sudden passion in his gentle voice1 and ,oliver's own heart responded4 8,i know1 sir10 he said2 8,i know all that you mean40 8,oh6 to have a ,saviour at last60 cried ,francis4 8,one that can be seen and handled and praised to ,his ,face6 ,it is like a dream--too good to be true60 ,oliver glanced at the clock1 and rose abruptly1 holding out his hand4 8,forgive me1 sir4 ,i must not stay4 ,you have touched me very deeply4444 ,i will speak to ,snowford4 ,your address is here1 ,i understand80 ,he pointed to the papers4 8,yes1 ,mr4 ,brand4 ,there is one more question40 8,i must not stay1 sir10 said ,oliver1 shaking his head4 8,one instant--is it true that this worship will be compulsory80 ,oliver bowed as he gathered up his papers4 ,,ii ,mabel1 seated in the gallery that evening behind the ,president's chair1 had already glanced at her watch half-a-dozen times in the last hour1 hoping each time that twenty-one o'clock was nearer than she feared4 ,she knew well enough by now that the ,president of ,europe would not be half-a-minute either before or after his time4 ,his supreme punctuality was famous all over the continent4 ,he had said ,twenty-,one1 so it was to be twenty-one4 ,a sharp bell-note impinged from beneath1 and in a moment the drawling voice of the speaker stopped4 ,once more she lifted her wrist1 saw that it wanted five minutes of the hour2 then she leaned forward from her corner and stared down into the ,house4 ,a great change had passed over it at the metallic noise4 ,all down the long brown seats members were shifting and arranging themselves more decorously1 uncrossing their legs1 slipping their hats beneath the leather fringes4 ,as she looked1 too1 she saw the ,president of the ,house coming down the three steps from his chair1 for ,another would need it in a few moments4 ,the house was full from end to end2 a late comer ran in from the twilight of the south door and looked distractedly about him in the full light before he saw his vacant place4 ,the galleries at the lower end were occupied too1 down there1 where she had failed to obtain a seat4 ,yet from all the crowded interior there was no sound but a sibilant whispering2 from the passages behind she could hear again the quick bell-note repeat itself as the lobbies were cleared2 and from ,parliament ,square outside once more came the heavy murmur of the crowd that had been inaudible for the last twenty minutes4 ,when that ceased she would know that he was come4 ,how strange and wonderful it was to be here--on this night of all1 when the ,president was to speak6 ,a month ago he had assented to a similar ,bill in ,germany1 and had delivered a speech on the same subject at ,turin4 ,to-morrow he was to be in ,spain4 ,no one knew where he had been during the past week4 ,a rumour had spread that his volor had been seen passing over ,lake ,como1 and had been instantly contradicted4 ,no one knew either what he would say to-night4 ,it might be three words or twenty thousand4 ,there were a few clauses in the ,bill--notably those bearing on the point as to when the new worship was to be made compulsory on all subjects over the age of seven--it might be he would object and veto these4 ,in that case all must be done again1 and the ,bill re-passed1 unless the ,house accepted his amendment instantly by acclamation4 ,mabel herself was inclined to these clauses4 ,they provided that1 although worship was to be offered in every parish church of ,england on the ensuing first day of ,october1 this was not to be compulsory on all subjects till the ,new ,year2 whereas1 ,germany1 who had passed the ,bill only a month before1 had caused it to come into full force immediately1 thus compelling all her ,catholic subjects either to leave the country without delay or suffer the penalties4 ,these penalties were not vindictive3 on a first offence a week's detention only was to be given2 on the second1 one month's imprisonment2 on the third1 one year's2 and on the fourth1 perpetual imprisonment until the criminal yielded4 ,these were merciful terms1 it seemed2 for even imprisonment itself meant no more than reasonable confinement and employment on ,government works4 ,there were no mediaeval horrors here2 and the act of worship demanded was so little1 too2 it consisted of no more than bodily presence in the church or cathedral on the four new festivals of ,maternity1 ,life1 ,sustenance and ,paternity1 celebrated on the first day of each quarter4 ,sunday worship was to be purely voluntary4 ,she could not understand how any man could refuse this homage4 ,these four things were facts--they were the manifestations of what she called the ,spirit of the ,world--and if others called that ,power ,god1 yet surely these ought to be considered as ,his functions4 ,where then was the difficulty8 ,it was not as if ,christian worship were not permitted1 under the usual regulations4 ,catholics could still go to mass4 ,and yet appalling things were threatened in ,germany3 not less than twelve thousand persons had already left for ,rome2 and it was rumoured that forty thousand would refuse this simple act of homage a few days hence4 ,it bewildered and angered her to think of it4 ,for herself the new worship was a crowning sign of the triumph of ,humanity4 ,her heart had yearned for some such thing as this--some public corporate profession of what all now believed4 ,she had so resented the dulness of folk who were content with action and never considered its springs4 ,surely this instinct within her was a true one2 she desired to stand with her fellows in some solemn place1 consecrated not by priests but by the will of man2 to have as her inspirers sweet singing and the peal of organs2 to utter her sorrow with thousands beside her at her own feebleness of immolation before the ,spirit of all2 to sing aloud her praise of the glory of life1 and to offer by sacrifice and incense an emblematic homage to ,that from which she drew her being1 and to whom one day she must render it again4 ,ah6 these ,christians had understood human nature1 she had told herself a hundred times3 it was true that they had degraded it1 darkened light1 poisoned thought1 misinterpreted instinct2 but they had understood that man must worship --must worship or sink4 ,for herself she intended to go at least once a week to the little old church half-a-mile away from her home1 to kneel there before the sunlit sanctuary1 to meditate on sweet mysteries1 to present herself to ,that which she was yearning to love1 and to drink1 it might be1 new draughts of life and power4 ,ah6 but the ,bill must pass first4444 ,she clenched her hands on the rail1 and stared steadily before her on the ranks of heads1 the open gangways1 the great mace on the table1 and heard1 above the murmur of the crowd outside and the dying whispers within1 her own heart beat4 ,she could not see ,him1 she knew4 ,he would come in from beneath through the door that none but ,he might use1 straight into the seat beneath the canopy4 ,but she would hear ,his voice--that must be joy enough for her4444 ,ah6 there was silence now outside2 the soft roar had died4 ,he had come then4 ,and through swimming eyes she saw the long ridges of heads rise beneath her1 and through drumming ears heard the murmur of many feet4 ,all faces looked this way2 and she watched them as a mirror to see the reflected light of ,his presence4 ,there was a gentle sobbing somewhere in the air--was it her own or another's8 444 the click of a door2 a great mellow booming over-head1 shock after shock1 as the huge tenor bells tolled their three strokes2 and1 in an instant1 over the white faces passed a ripple1 as if some breeze of passion shook the souls within2 there was a swaying here and there2 and a passionless voice spoke half a dozen words in ,esperanto1 out of sight3 8,englishmen1 ,i assent to the ,bill of ,worship40 ,,iii ,it was not until mid-day breakfast on the following morning that husband and wife met again4 ,oliver had slept in town and telephoned about eleven o'clock that he would be home immediately1 bringing a guest with him3 and shortly before noon she heard their voices in the hall4 ,mr4 ,francis1 who was presently introduced to her1 seemed a harmless kind of man1 she thought1 not interesting1 though he seemed in earnest about this ,bill4 ,it was not until breakfast was nearly over that she understood who he was4 8,don't go1 ,mabel10 said her husband1 as she made a movement to rise4 8,you will like to hear about this1 ,i expect4 ,my wife knows all that ,i know10 he added4 ,mr4 ,francis smiled and bowed4 8,i may tell her about you1 sir80 said ,oliver again4 8,why1 certainly40 ,then she heard that he had been a ,catholic priest a few months before1 and that ,mr4 ,snowford was in consultation with him as to the ceremonies in the ,abbey4 ,she was conscious of a sudden interest as she heard this4 8,oh6 do talk10 she said4 8,i want to hear everything40 ,it seemed that ,mr4 ,francis had seen the new ,minister of ,public ,worship that morning1 and had received a definite commission from him to take charge of the ceremonies on the first of ,october4 ,two dozen of his colleagues1 too1 were to be enrolled among the ceremoniarii1 at least temporarily--and after the event they were to be sent on a lecturing tour to organise the national worship throughout the country4 ,of course things would be somewhat sloppy at first1 said ,mr4 ,francis2 but by the ,new ,year it was hoped that all would be in order1 at least in the cathedrals and principal towns4 8,it is important10 he said1 8that this should be done as soon as possible4 ,it is very necessary to make a good impression4 ,there are thousands who have the instinct of worship1 without knowing how to satisfy it40 8,that is perfectly true10 said ,oliver4 8,i have felt that for a long time4 ,i suppose it is the deepest instinct in man40 8,as to the ceremonies---0 went on the other1 with a slightly important air4 ,his eyes roved round a moment2 then he dived into his breast-pocket1 and drew out a thin red-covered book4 8,here is the ,order of ,worship for the ,feast of ,paternity10 he said4 8,i have had it interleaved1 and have made a few notes40 ,he began to turn the pages1 and ,mabel1 with considerable excitement1 drew her chair a little closer to listen4 8,that is right1 sir10 said the other4 8,now give us a little lecture40 ,mr4 ,francis closed the book on his finger1 pushed his plate aside1 and began to discourse4 8,first10 he said1 8we must remember that this ritual is based almost entirely upon that of the ,masons4 ,three-quarters at least of the entire function will be occupied by that4 ,with that the ceremoniarii will not interfere1 beyond seeing that the insignia are ready in the vestries and properly put on4 ,the proper officials will conduct the rest4444 ,i need not speak of that then4 ,the difficulties begin with the last quarter40 ,he paused1 and with a glance of apology began arranging forks and glasses before him on the cloth4 8,now here10 he said1 8we have the old sanctuary of the abbey4 ,in the place of the reredos and ,communion table there will be erected the large altar of which the ritual speaks1 with the steps leading up to it from the floor4 ,behind the altar--extending almost to the old shrine of the ,confessor--will stand the pedestal with the emblematic figure upon it2 and--so far as ,i understand from the absence of directions--each such figure will remain in place until the eve of the next quarterly feast40 8,what kind of figure80 put in the girl4 ,francis glanced at her husband4 8,i understand that ,mr4 ,markenheim has been consulted10 he said4 8,he will design and execute them4 ,each is to represent its own feast4 ,this for ,paternity---0 ,he paused again4 8,yes1 ,mr4 ,francis80 8,this one1 ,i understand1 is to be the naked figure of a man40 8,a kind of ,apollo--or ,jupiter1 my dear10 put in ,oliver4 ,yes--that seemed all right1 thought ,mabel4 ,mr4 ,francis's voice moved on hastily4 8,a new procession enters at this point1 after the discourse10 he said4 8,it is this that will need special marshalling4 ,i suppose no rehearsal will be possible80 8,scarcely10 said ,oliver1 smiling4 ,the ,master of ,ceremonies sighed4 8,i feared not4 ,then we must issue very precise printed instructions4 ,those who take part will withdraw1 ,i imagine1 during the hymn1 to the old chapel of ,st4 ,faith4 ,that is what seems to me the best40 ,he indicated the chapel4 8,after the entrance of the procession all will take their places on these two sides--here--and here--while the celebrant with the sacred ministers---0 8,eh80 ,mr4 ,francis permitted a slight grimace to appear on his face2 he flushed a little4 8,the ,president of ,europe---0 ,he broke off4 8,ah6 that is the point4 ,will the ,president take part8 ,that is not made clear in the ritual40 8,we think so10 said ,oliver4 8,he is to be approached40 8,well1 if not1 ,i suppose the ,minister of ,public ,worship will officiate4 ,he with his supporters pass straight up to the foot of the altar4 ,remember that the figure is still veiled1 and that the candles have been lighted during the approach of the procession4 ,there follow the ,aspirations printed in the ritual with the responds4 ,these are sung by the choir1 and will be most impressive1 ,i think4 ,then the officiant ascends the altar alone1 and1 standing1 declaims the ,address1 as it is called4 ,at the close of it--at the point1 that is to say1 marked here with a star1 the thurifers will leave the chapel1 four in number4 ,one ascends the altar1 leaving the others swinging their thurifers at its foot--hands his to the officiant and retires4 ,upon the sounding of a bell the curtains are drawn back1 the officiant tenses the image in silence with four double swings1 and1 as he ceases the choir sings the appointed antiphon40 ,he waved his hands4 8,the rest is easy10 he said4 8,we need not discuss that40 ,to ,mabel's mind even the previous ceremonies seemed easy enough4 ,but she was undeceived4 8,you have no idea1 ,mrs4 ,brand10 went on the ceremoniarius1 8of the difficulties involved even in such a simple matter as this4 ,the stupidity of people is prodigious4 ,i foresee a great deal of hard work for us all4444 ,who is to deliver the discourse1 ,mr4 ,brand80 ,oliver shook his head4 8,i have no idea10 he said4 8,i suppose ,mr4 ,snowford will select40 ,mr4 ,francis looked at him doubtfully4 8,what is your opinion of the whole affair1 sir80 he said4 ,oliver paused a moment4 8,i think it is necessary10 he began4 8,there would not be such a cry for worship if it was not a real need4 ,i think too--yes1 ,i think that on the whole the ritual is impressive4 ,i do not see how it could be bettered44440 8,yes1 ,oliver80 put in his wife1 questioningly4 8,no--there is nothing--except 444 except ,i hope the people will understand it40 ,mr4 ,francis broke in4 8,my dear sir1 worship involves a touch of mystery4 ,you must remember that4 ,it was the lack of that that made ,empire ,day fail in the last century4 ,for myself1 ,i think it is admirable4 ,of course much must depend on the manner in which it is presented4 ,i see many details at present undecided--the colour of the curtains1 and so forth4 ,but the main plan is magnificent4 ,it is simple1 impressive1 and1 above all1 it is unmistakable in its main lesson---0 8,and that you take to be--80 8,i take it that it is homage offered to ,life10 said the other slowly4 8,life under four aspects--,maternity corresponds to ,christmas and the ,christian fable2 it is the feast of home1 love1 faithfulness4 ,life itself is approached in spring1 teeming1 young1 passionate4 ,sustenance in midsummer1 abundance1 comfort1 plenty1 and the rest1 corresponding somewhat to the ,catholic ,corpus ,christi2 and ,paternity1 the protective1 generative1 masterful idea1 as winter draws on4444 ,i understand it was a ,german thought40 ,oliver nodded4 8,yes10 he said4 8,and ,i suppose it will be the business of the speaker to explain all this40 8,i take it so4 ,it appears to me far more suggestive than the alternative plan--,citizenship1 ,labour1 and so forth4 ,these1 after all1 are subordinate to ,life40 ,mr4 ,francis spoke with an extraordinary suppressed enthusiasm1 and the priestly look was more evident than ever4 ,it was plain that his heart at least demanded worship4 ,mabel clasped her hands suddenly4 8,i think it is beautiful10 she said softly1 8and--and it is so real40 ,mr4 ,francis turned on her with a glow in his brown eyes4 8,ah6 yes1 madam4 ,that is it4 ,there is no ,faith1 as we used to call it3 it is the vision of ,facts that no one can doubt2 and the incense declares the sole divinity of ,life as well as its mystery40 8,what of the figures80 put in ,oliver4 8,a stone image is impossible1 of course4 ,it must be clay for the present4 ,mr4 ,markenheim is to set to work immediately4 ,if the figures are approved they can then be executed in marble40 ,again ,mabel spoke with a soft gravity4 8,it seems to me10 she said1 8that this is the last thing that we needed4 ,it is so hard to keep our principles clear--we must have a body for them--some kind of expression---0 ,she paused4 8,yes1 ,mabel80 8,i do not mean10 she went on1 8that some cannot live without it1 but many cannot4 ,the unimaginative need concrete images4 ,there must be some channel for their aspirations to flow through--- ,ah6 ,i cannot express myself60 ,oliver nodded slowly4 ,he1 too1 seemed to be in a meditative mood4 8,yes10 he said4 8,and this1 ,i suppose1 will mould men's thoughts too3 it will keep out all danger of superstition40 ,mr4 ,francis turned on him abruptly4 8,what do you think of the ,pope's new ,religious ,order1 sir80 ,oliver's face took on it a tinge of grimness4 8,i think it is the worst step he ever took--for himself1 ,i mean4 ,either it is a real effort1 in which case it will provoke immense indignation--or it is a sham1 and will discredit him4 ,why do you ask80 8,i was wondering whether any disturbance will be made in the abbey40 8,i should be sorry for the brawler40 ,a bell rang sharply from the row of telephone labels4 ,oliver rose and went to it4 ,mabel watched him as he touched a button--mentioned his name1 and put his ear to the opening4 8,it is ,snowford's secretary10 he said abruptly to the two expectant faces4 8,snowford wants to--ah60 ,again he mentioned his name and listened4 ,they heard a sentence or two from him that seemed significant4 8,ah6 that is certain1 is it8 ,i am sorry4444 ,yes4444 ,oh6 but that is better than nothing4444 ,yes2 he is here4444 ,indeed4 ,very well2 we will be with you directly40 ,he looked on the tube1 touched the button again1 and came back to them4 8,i am sorry10 he said4 8,the ,president will take no part at the ,feast4 ,but it is uncertain whether he will not be present4 ,mr4 ,snowford wants to see us both at once1 ,mr4 ,francis4 ,markenheim is with him40 ,but though ,mabel was herself disappointed1 she thought he looked graver than the disappointment warranted4 ,,chapter ,v ,i ,percy ,franklin1 the new ,cardinal-,protector of ,england1 came slowly along the passage leading from the ,pope's apartments1 with ,hans ,steinmann1 ,cardinal-,protector of ,germany1 blowing at his side4 ,they entered the lift1 still in silence1 and passed out1 two splendid vivid figures1 one erect and virile1 the other bent1 fat1 and very ,german from spectacles to flat buckled feet4 ,at the door of ,percy's suite1 the ,englishman paused1 made a little gesture of reverence1 and went in without a word4 ,a secretary1 young ,mr4 ,brent1 lately from ,england1 stood up as his patron came in4 8,eminence10 he said1 8the ,english papers are come40 ,percy put out a hand1 took a paper1 passed on into his inner room1 and sat down4 ,there it all was--gigantic headlines1 and four columns of print broken by startling title phrases in capital letters1 after the fashion set by ,america a hundred years ago4 ,no better way even yet had been found of misinforming the unintelligent4 ,he looked at the top4 ,it was the ,english edition of the ,era4 ,then he read the headlines4 ,they ran as follows3 8,,the ,,national ,,worship4 ,,bewildering ,,splendour4 ,,religious ,,enthusiasm4 ,,the ,,abbey ,,and ,,god4 ,,catholic ,,fanatic4 ,,ex-,,priests ,,as ,,functionaries40 ,he ran his eyes down the page1 reading the vivid little phrases1 and drawing from the whole a kind of impressionist view of the scenes in the ,abbey on the previous day1 of which he had already been informed by the telegraph1 and the discussion of which had been the purpose of his interview just now with the ,holy ,father4 ,there plainly was no additional news2 and he was laying the paper down when his eye caught a name4 8,it is understood that ,mr4 ,francis1 the ceremoniarius 7to whom the thanks of all are due for his reverent zeal and skill71 will proceed shortly to the northern towns to lecture on the ,ritual4 ,it is interesting to reflect that this gentleman only a few months ago was officiating at a ,catholic altar4 ,he was assisted in his labours by twenty-four confreres with the same experience behind them40 8,good ,god60 said ,percy aloud4 ,then he laid the paper down4 ,but his thoughts had soon left this renegade behind1 and once more he was running over in his mind the significance of the whole affair1 and the advice that he had thought it his duty to give just now upstairs4 ,briefly1 there was no use in disputing the fact that the inauguration of ,pantheistic worship had been as stupendous a success in ,england as in ,germany4 ,france1 by the way1 was still too busy with the cult of human individuals1 to develop larger ideas4 ,but ,england was deeper2 and1 somehow1 in spite of prophecy1 the affair had taken place without even a touch of bathos or grotesqueness4 ,it had been said that ,england was too solid and too humorous4 ,yet there had been extraordinary scenes the day before4 ,a great murmur of enthusiasm had rolled round the ,abbey from end to end as the gorgeous curtains ran back1 and the huge masculine figure1 majestic and overwhelming1 coloured with exquisite art1 had stood out above the blaze of candles against the tall screen that shrouded the shrine4 ,markenheim had done his work well2 and ,mr4 ,brand's passionate discourse had well prepared the popular mind for the revelation4 ,he had quoted in his peroration passage after passage from the ,jewish prophets1 telling of the ,city of ,peace whose walls rose now before their eyes4 8,arise1 shine1 for thy light is come1 and the glory of the ,lord is risen upon thee4444 ,for behold ,i create new heavens and a new earth2 and the former shall not be remembered nor come into mind4444 ,violence shall no more be heard in thy land1 wasting nor destruction within thy borders4 ,o thou so long afflicted1 tossed with tempest and not comforted2 behold ,i will lay thy stones with fair colours1 and thy foundations with sapphires4444 ,i will make thy windows of agates and thy gates of carbuncles1 and all thy borders of pleasant stones4 ,arise1 shine1 for thy light is come40 ,as the chink of the censer-chains had sounded in the stillness1 with one consent the enormous crowd had fallen on its knees1 and so remained1 as the smoke curled up from the hands of the rebel figure who held the thurible4 ,then the organ had begun to blow1 and from the huge massed chorus in the transepts had rolled out the anthem1 broken by one passionate cry1 from some mad ,catholic4 ,but it had been silenced in an instant4444 ,it was incredible--utterly incredible1 ,percy had told himself4 ,yet the incredible had happened2 and ,england had found its worship once more--the necessary culmination of unimpeded subjectivity4 ,from the provinces had come the like news4 ,in cathedral after cathedral had been the same scenes4 ,markenheim's masterpiece1 executed in four days after the passing of the bill1 had been reproduced by the ordinary machinery1 and four thousand replicas had been despatched to every important centre4 ,telegraphic reports had streamed into the ,london papers that everywhere the new movement had been received with acclamation1 and that human instincts had found adequate expression at last4 ,if there had not been a ,god1 mused ,percy reminiscently1 it would have been necessary to invent one4 ,he was astonished1 too1 at the skill with which the new cult had been framed4 ,it moved round no disputable points2 there was no possibility of divergent political tendencies to mar its success1 no over-insistence on citizenship1 labour and the rest1 for those who were secretly individualistic and idle4 ,life was the one fount and centre of it all1 clad in the gorgeous robes of ancient worship4 ,of course the thought had been ,felsenburgh's1 though a ,german name had been mentioned4 ,it was ,positivism of a kind1 ,catholicism without ,christianity1 ,humanity worship without its inadequacy4 ,it was not man that was worshipped but the ,idea of man1 deprived of his supernatural principle4 ,sacrifice1 too1 was recognised--the instinct of oblation without the demand made by transcendent ,holiness upon the blood-guiltiness of man4444 ,in fact1--in fact1 said ,percy1 it was exactly as clever as the devil1 and as old as ,cain4 ,the advice he had given to the ,holy ,father just now was a counsel of despair1 or of hope2 he really did not know which4 ,he had urged that a stringent decree should be issued1 forbidding any acts of violence on the part of ,catholics4 ,the faithful were to be encouraged to be patient1 to hold utterly aloof from the worship1 to say nothing unless they were questioned1 to suffer bonds gladly4 ,he had suggested1 in company with the ,german ,cardinal1 that they two should return to their respective countries at the close of the year1 to encourage the waverers2 but the answer had been that their vocation was to remain in ,rome1 unless something unforeseen happened4 ,as for ,felsenburgh1 there was little news4 ,it was said that he was in the ,east2 but further details were secret4 ,percy understood quite well why he had not been present at the worship as had been expected4 ,first1 it would have been difficult to decide between the two countries that had established it2 and1 secondly1 he was too brilliant a politician to risk the possible association of failure with his own person2 thirdly1 there was something the matter with the ,east4 ,this last point was difficult to understand2 it had not yet become explicit1 but it seemed as if the movement of last year had not yet run its course4 ,it was undoubtedly difficult to explain the new ,president's constant absences from his adopted continent1 unless there was something that demanded his presence elsewhere2 but the extreme discretion of the ,east and the stringent precautions taken by the ,empire made it impossible to know any details4 ,it was apparently connected with religion2 there were rumours1 portents1 prophets1 ecstatics there4 99 99 99 99 99 ,upon ,percy himself had fallen a subtle change which he himself was recognising4 ,he no longer soared to confidence or sank to despair4 ,he said his mass1 read his enormous correspondence1 meditated strictly2 and1 though he felt nothing he knew everything4 ,there was not a tinge of doubt upon his faith1 but neither was there emotion in it4 ,he was as one who laboured in the depths of the earth1 crushed even in imagination1 yet conscious that somewhere birds sang1 and the sun shone1 and water ran4 ,he understood his own state well enough1 and perceived that he had come to a reality of faith that was new to him1 for it was sheer faith--sheer apprehension of the ,spiritual--without either the dangers or the joys of imaginative vision4 ,he expressed it to himself by saying that there were three processes through which ,god led the soul3 the first was that of external faith1 which assents to all things presented by the accustomed authority1 practises religion1 and is neither interested nor doubtful2 the second follows the quickening of the emotional and perceptive powers of the soul1 and is set about with consolations1 desires1 mystical visions and perils2 it is in this plane that resolutions are taken and vocations found and shipwrecks experienced2 and the third1 mysterious and inexpressible1 consists in the re-enactment in the purely spiritual sphere of all that has preceded 7as a play follows a rehearsal71 in which ,god is grasped but not experienced1 grace is absorbed unconsciously and even distastefully1 and little by little the inner spirit is conformed in the depths of its being1 far within the spheres of emotion and intellectual perception1 to the image and mind of ,christ4 ,so he lay back now1 thinking1 a long1 stately1 scarlet figure1 in his deep chair1 staring out over ,holy ,rome seen through the misty ,september haze4 ,how long1 he wondered1 would there be peace8 ,to his eyes even already the air was black with doom4 ,he struck his hand-bell at last4 8,bring me ,father ,blackmore's ,last report10 he said1 as his secretary appeared4 ,,ii ,percy's intuitive faculties were keen by nature and had been vastly increased by cultivation4 ,he had never forgotten ,father ,blackmore's shrewd remarks of a year ago2 and one of his first acts as ,cardinal-,protector had been to appoint that priest on the list of ,english correspondents4 ,hitherto he had received some dozen letters1 and not one of them had been without its grain of gold4 ,especially he had noticed that one warning ran through them all1 namely1 that sooner or later there would be some overt act of provocation on the part of ,english ,catholics2 and it was the memory of this that had inspired his vehement entreaties to the ,pope this morning4 ,as in the ,roman and ,african persecutions of the first three centuries1 so now1 the greatest danger to the ,catholic community lay not in the unjust measures of the ,government but in the indiscreet zeal of the faithful themselves4 ,the world desired nothing better than a handle to its blade4 ,the scabbard was already cast away4 ,when the young man had brought the four closely written sheets1 dated from ,westminster1 the previous evening1 ,percy turned at once to the last paragraph before the usual ,recommendations4 8,mr4 ,brand's late secretary1 ,mr4 ,phillips1 whom your ,eminence commended to me1 has been to see me two or three times4 ,he is in a curious state4 ,he has no faith2 yet1 intellectually1 he sees no hope anywhere but in the ,catholic ,church4 ,he has even begged for admission to the ,order of ,christ ,crucified1 which of course is impossible4 ,but there is no doubt he is sincere2 otherwise he would have professed ,catholicism4 ,i have introduced him to many ,catholics in the hope that they may help him4 ,i should much wish your ,eminence to see him40 ,before leaving ,england1 ,percy had followed up the acquaintance he had made so strangely over ,mrs4 ,brand's reconciliation to ,god1 and1 scarcely knowing why1 had commended him to the priest4 ,he had not been particularly impressed by ,mr4 ,phillips2 he had thought him a timid1 undecided creature1 yet he had been struck by the extremely unselfish action by which the man had forfeited his position4 ,there must surely be a good deal behind4 ,and now the impulse had come to send for him4 ,perhaps the spiritual atmosphere of ,rome would precipitate faith4 ,in any case1 the conversation of ,mr4 ,brand's late secretary might be instructive4 ,he struck the bell again4 8,mr4 ,brent10 he said1 8in your next letter to ,father ,blackmore1 tell him that ,i wish to see the man whom he proposed to send--,mr4 ,phillips40 8,yes1 ,eminence40 8,there is no hurry4 ,he can send him at his leisure40 8,yes1 ,eminence40 8,but he must not come till ,january4 ,that will be time enough1 unless there is urgent reason40 8,yes1 ,eminence40 99 99 99 99 99 ,the development of the ,order of ,christ ,crucified had gone forward with almost miraculous success4 ,the appeal issued by the ,holy ,father throughout ,christendom had been as fire among stubble4 ,it seemed as if the ,christian world had reached exactly that point of tension at which a new organisation of this nature was needed1 and the response had startled even the most sanguine4 ,practically the whole of ,rome with its suburbs--three millions in all--had run to the enrolling stations in ,st4 ,peter's as starving men run to food1 and desperate to the storming of a breach4 ,for day after day the ,pope himself had sat enthroned below the altar of the ,chair1 a glorious1 radiant figure1 growing ever white and weary towards evening1 imparting his ,blessing with a silent sign to each individual of the vast crowd that swarmed up between the barriers1 fresh from fast and ,communion1 to kneel before his new ,superior and kiss the ,pontifical ring4 ,the requirements had been as stringent as circumstances allowed4 ,each postulant was obliged to go to confession to a specially authorised priest1 who examined sharply into motives and sincerity1 and only one-third of the applicants had been accepted4 ,this1 the authorities pointed out to the scornful1 was not an excessive proportion2 for it was to be remembered that most of those who had presented themselves had already undergone a sifting fierce as fire4 ,of the three millions in ,rome1 two millions at least were exiles for their faith1 preferring to live obscure and despised in the shadow of ,god rather than in the desolate glare of their own infidel countries4 ,on the fifth evening of the enrolment of novices an astonishing incident had taken place4 ,the old ,king of ,spain 7,queen ,victoria's second son71 already on the edge of the grave1 had just risen and tottered before his ,ruler2 it seemed for an instant as if he would fall1 when the ,pope himself1 by a sudden movement1 had risen1 caught him in his arms and kissed him2 and then1 still standing1 had spread his arms abroad and delivered a fervorino such as never had been heard before in the history of the basilica4 8,benedictus ,dominus60 he cried1 with upraised face and shining eyes4 8,blessed be the ,lord ,god of ,israel1 for ,he hath visited and redeemed ,his people4 ,i1 ,john1 ,vicar of ,christ1 ,servant of ,servants1 and sinner among sinners1 bid you be of good courage in the ,name of ,god4 ,by ,him ,who hung on the ,cross1 ,i promise eternal life to all who persevere in ,his ,order4 ,he ,himself has said it4 ,to him that overcometh ,i will give a crown of life4 8,little children2 fear not him that killeth the body4 ,there is no more that he can do4 ,god and ,his ,mother are amongst us44440 ,so his voice had poured on1 telling the enormous awe-stricken crowd of the blood that already had been shed on the place where they stood1 of the body of the ,apostle that lay scarcely fifty yards away1 urging1 encouraging1 inspiring4 ,they had vowed themselves to death1 if that were ,god's ,will2 and if not1 the intention would be taken for the deed4 ,they were under obedience now2 their wills were no longer theirs but ,god's2 under chastity--for their bodies were bought with a price2 under poverty1 and theirs was the kingdom of heaven4 ,he had ended by a great silent ,benediction of the ,city and the ,world3 and there were not wanting a half-dozen of the faithful who had seen1 they thought1 a white shape in the form of a bird that hung in the air while he spoke white as a mist1 translucent as water4444 ,the consequent scenes in the city and suburbs had been unparalleled1 for thousands of families had with one consent dissolved human ties4 ,husbands had found their way to the huge houses on the ,quirinal set apart for them2 wives to the ,aventine2 while the children1 as confident as their parents1 had swarmed over to the ,sisters of ,st4 ,vincent who had received at the ,pope's orders the gift of three streets to shelter them in4 ,everywhere the smoke of burning went up in the squares where household property1 rendered useless by the vows of poverty1 were consumed by their late owners2 and daily long trains moved out from the station outside the walls carrying jubilant loads of those who were despatched by the ,pope's delegates to be the salt of men1 consumed in their function1 and leaven plunged in the vast measures of the infidel world4 ,and that infidel world welcomed their coming with bitter laughter4 ,from the rest of ,christendom had poured in news of success4 ,the same precautions had been observed as in ,rome1 for the directions issued were precise and searching2 and day after day came in the long rolls of the new ,religious drawn up by the diocesan superiors4 ,within the last few days1 too1 other lists had arrived1 more glorious than all4 ,not only did reports stream in that already the ,order was beginning its work and that already broken communications were being re-established1 that devoted missioners were in process of organising themselves1 and that hope was once more rising in the most desperate hearts2 but better than all this was the tidings of victory in another sphere4 ,in ,paris forty of the new-born ,order had been burned alive in one day in the ,latin quarter1 before the ,government intervened4 ,from ,spain1 ,holland1 ,russia had come in other names4 ,in ,dusseldorf eighteen men and boys1 surprised at their singing of ,prime in the church of ,saint ,laurence1 had been cast down one by one into the city-sewer1 each chanting as he vanished3 8,christi ,fili ,dei vivi miserere nobis10 and from the darkness had come up the same broken song till it was silenced with stones4 ,meanwhile1 the ,german prisons were thronged with the first batches of recusants4 ,the world shrugged its shoulders1 and declared that they had brought it on themselves1 while yet it deprecated mob-violence1 and requested the attention of the authorities and the decisive repression of this new conspiracy of superstition4 ,and within ,st4 ,peter's ,church the workmen were busy at the long rows of new altars1 affixing to the stone diptychs the brass-forged names of those who had already fulfilled their vows and gained their crowns4 ,it was the first word of ,god's reply to the world's challenge4 99 99 99 99 99 ,as ,christmas drew on it was announced that the ,sovereign pontiff would sing mass on the last day of the year1 at the papal altar of ,saint ,peter's1 on behalf of the ,order2 and preparations began to be made4 ,it was to be a kind of public inauguration of the new enterprise2 and1 to the astonishment of all1 a special summons was issued to all members of the ,sacred ,college throughout the world to be present1 unless hindered by sickness4 ,it seemed as if the ,pope were determined that the world should understand that war was declared2 for1 although the command would not involve the absence of any ,cardinal from his province for more than five days1 yet many inconveniences must surely result4 ,however1 it had been said1 and it was to be done4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it was a strange ,christmas4 ,percy was ordered to attend the ,pope at his second mass1 and himself said his three at midnight in his own private oratory4 ,for the first time in his life he saw that of which he had heard so often1 the wonderful old-world ,pontifical procession1 lit by torches1 going through the streets from the ,lateran to ,st4 ,anastasia1 where the ,pope for the last few years had restored the ancient custom discontinued for nearly a century-and-a-half4 ,the little basilica was reserved1 of course1 in every corner for the peculiarly privileged2 but the streets outside along the whole route from the ,cathedral to the church--and1 indeed1 the other two sides of the triangle as well1 were one dense mass of silent heads and flaming torches4 ,the ,holy ,father was attended at the altar by the usual sovereigns2 and ,percy from his place watched the heavenly drama of ,christ's ,passion enacted through the veil of ,his nativity at the hands of ,his old ,angelic ,vicar4 ,it was hard to perceive ,calvary here2 it was surely the air of ,bethlehem1 the celestial light1 not the supernatural darkness1 that beamed round the simple altar4 ,it was the ,child called ,wonderful that lay there beneath the old hands1 rather than the stricken ,man of ,sorrows4 ,adeste fideles sang the choir from the tribune4--,come1 let us adore1 rather than weep2 let us exult1 be content1 be ourselves like little children4 ,as ,he for us became a child1 let us become childlike for ,him4 ,let us put on the garments of infancy and the shoes of peace4 ,for the ,lord hath reigned2 ,he is clothed with beauty3 the ,lord is clothed with strength and hath girded ,himself4 ,he hath established the world which shall not be moved3 ,his throne is prepared from of old4 ,he is from everlasting4 ,rejoice greatly then1 ,o daughter of ,zion1 shout for joy1 ,o daughter of ,jerusalem2 behold thy ,king cometh1 to thee1 the ,holy ,one1 the ,saviour of the world4 ,it will be time1 then1 to suffer by and bye1 when the ,prince of this world cometh upon the ,prince of ,heaven4 ,so ,percy mused1 standing apart in his gorgeousness1 striving to make himself little and simple4 ,surely nothing was too hard for ,god6 ,might not this mystic ,birth once more do what it had done before--bring into subjection through the might of its weakness every proud thing that exalts itself above all that is called ,god8 ,it had drawn wise ,kings once across the desert1 as well as shepherds from their flocks4 ,it had kings about it now1 kneeling with the poor and foolish1 kings who had laid down their crowns1 who brought the gold of loyal hearts1 the myrrh of desired martyrdom1 and the incense of a pure faith4 ,could not republics1 too1 lay aside their splendour1 mobs be tamed1 selfishness deny itself1 and wisdom confess its ignorance8444 ,then he remembered ,felsenburgh2 and his heart sickened within him4 ,,iii ,six days later1 ,percy rose as usual1 said his mass1 breakfasted1 and sat down to say office until his servant should summon him to vest for the ,pontifical mass4 ,he had learned to expect bad news now so constantly--of apostasies1 deaths1 losses--that the lull of the previous week had come to him with extraordinary refreshment4 ,it appeared to him as if his musings in ,st4 ,anastasia had been truer than he thought1 and that the sweetness of the old feast had not yet wholly lost its power even over a world that denied its substance4 ,for nothing at all had happened of importance4 ,a few more martyrdoms had been chronicled1 but they had been isolated cases2 and of ,felsenburgh there had been no tidings at all4 ,europe confessed its ignorance of his business4 ,on the other hand1 to-morrow1 ,percy knew very well1 would be a day of extraordinary moment in ,england and ,germany at any rate2 for in ,england it was appointed as the first occasion of compulsory worship throughout the country1 while it was the second in ,germany4 ,men and women would have to declare themselves now4 ,he had seen on the previous evening a photograph of the image that was to be worshipped next day in the ,abbey2 and1 in a fit of loathing1 had torn it to shreds4 ,it represented a nude woman1 huge and majestic1 entrancingly lovely1 with head and shoulders thrown back1 as one who sees a strange and heavenly vision1 arms downstretched and hands a little raised1 with wide fingers1 as in astonishment--the whole attitude1 with feet and knees pressed together1 suggestive of expectation1 hope and wonder2 in devilish mockery her long hair was crowned with twelve stars4 ,this1 then1 was the spouse of the other1 the embodiment of man's ideal maternity1 still waiting for her child4444 ,when the white scraps lay like poisonous snow at his feet1 he had sprung across the room to his prie-dieu1 and fallen there in an agony of reparation4 8,oh6 ,mother1 ,mother60 he cried to the stately ,queen of ,heaven who1 with ,her true ,son long ago in ,her arms1 looked down on him from ,her bracket--no more than that4 99 99 99 99 99 ,but he was still again this morning1 and celebrated ,saint ,silvester1 ,pope and ,martyr1 the last saint in the procession of the ,christian year1 with tolerable equanimity4 ,the sights of last night1 the throng of officials1 the stately1 scarlet1 unfamiliar figures of the ,cardinals who had come in from north1 south1 east and west--these helped to reassure him again--unreasonably1 as he knew1 yet effectually4 ,the very air was electric with expectation4 ,all night the piazza had been crowded by a huge1 silent mob waiting till the opening of the doors at seven o'clock4 ,now the church itself was full1 and the piazza full again4 ,far down the street to the river1 so far as he could see as he had leaned from his window just now1 lay that solemn motionless pavement of heads4 ,the roof of the colonnade showed a fringe of them1 the house-tops were black--and this in the bitter cold of a clear1 frosty morning1 for it was announced that after mass and the proceeding of the members of the ,order past the ,pontifical ,throne1 the ,pope would give ,apostolic ,benediction to the ,city and the ,world4 ,percy finished ,terce1 closed his book and lay back2 his servant would be here in a minute now4 ,his mind began to run over the function1 and he reflected that the entire ,sacred ,college 7with the exception of the ,cardinal-,protector of ,jerusalem1 detained by sickness71 numbering sixty-four members1 would take part4 ,this would mean an unique sight by and bye4 ,eight years before1 he remembered1 after the freedom of ,rome1 there had been a similar assembly2 but the ,cardinals at that time amounted to no more than fifty-three all told1 and four had been absent4 ,then he heard voices in his ante-room1 a quick step1 and a loud ,english expostulation4 ,that was curious1 and he sat up4 ,then he heard a sentence4 8,his ,eminence must go to vest2 it is useless40 ,there was a sharp answer1 a faint scuffle1 and a snatch at the handle4 ,this was indecent2 so ,percy stood up1 made three strides of it to the door1 and tore it open4 ,a man stood there1 whom at first he did not recognise1 pale and disordered4 8,why---0 began ,percy1 and recoiled4 8,mr4 ,phillips60 he said4 ,the other threw out his hands4 8,it is ,i1 sir--your ,eminence--this moment arrived4 ,it is life and death4 ,your servant tells me---0 8,who sent you80 8,father ,blackmore40 8,good news or bad80 ,the man rolled his eyes towards the servant1 who still stood erect and offended a yard away2 and ,percy understood4 ,he put his hand on the other's arm1 drawing him through the doorway4 8,tap upon this door in two minutes1 ,james10 he said4 ,they passed across the polished floor together2 ,percy went to his usual place in the window1 leaned against the shutter1 and spoke4 8,tell me in one sentence1 sir10 he said to the breathless man4 8,there is a plot among the ,catholics4 ,they intend destroying the ,abbey to-morrow with explosives4 ,i knew that the ,pope---0 ,percy cut him short with a gesture4 ,,chapter ,,vi ,i ,the volor-stage was comparatively empty this afternoon1 as the little party of six stepped out on to it from the lift4 ,there was nothing to distinguish these from ordinary travellers4 ,the two ,cardinals of ,germany and ,england were wrapped in plain furs1 without insignia of any kind2 their chaplains stood near them1 while the two men-servants hurried forward with the bags to secure a private compartment4 ,the four kept complete silence1 watching the busy movements of the officials on board1 staring unseeingly at the sleek1 polished monster that lay netted in steel at their feet1 and the great folded fins that would presently be cutting the thin air at a hundred and fifty miles an hour4 ,then ,percy1 by a sudden movement1 turned from the others1 went to the open window that looked over ,rome1 and leaned there with his elbows on the sill1 looking4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it was a strange view before him4 ,it was darkening now towards sunset1 and the sky1 primrose-green overhead1 deepened to a clear tawny orange above the horizon1 with a sanguine line or two at the edge1 and beneath that lay the deep evening violet of the city1 blotted here and there by the black of cypresses and cut by the thin leafless pinnacles of a poplar grove that aspired without the walls4 ,but right across the picture rose the enormous dome1 of an indescribable tint2 it was grey1 it was violet--it was what the eye chose to make it--and through it1 giving its solidity the air of a bubble1 shone the southern sky1 flushed too with faint orange4 ,it was this that was supreme and dominant2 the serrated line of domes1 spires and pinnacles1 the crowded roofs beneath1 in the valley dell' ,inferno1 the fairy hills far away--all were but the annexe to this mighty tabernacle of ,god4 ,already lights were beginning to shine1 as for thirty centuries they had shone2 thin straight skeins of smoke were ascending against the darkening sky4 ,the hum of this ,mother of cities was beginning to be still1 for the keen air kept folks indoors2 and the evening peace was descending that closed another day and another year4 ,beneath in the narrow streets ,percy could see tiny figures1 hurrying like belated ants2 the crack of a whip1 the cry of a woman1 the wail of a child came up to this immense elevation like details of a murmur from another world4 ,they1 too1 would soon be quiet1 and there would be peace4 ,a heavy bell beat faintly from far away1 and the drowsy city turned to murmur its good-night to the ,mother of ,god4 ,from a thousand towers came the tiny melody1 floating across the great air spaces1 in a thousand accents1 the solemn bass of ,st4 ,peter's1 the mellow tenor of the ,lateran1 the rough cry from some old slum church1 the peevish tinkle of convents and chapels--all softened and made mystical in this grave evening air--it was the wedding of delicate sound and clear light4 ,above1 the liquid orange sky2 beneath1 this sweet1 subdued ecstasy of bells4 8,alma ,redemptoris ,mater10 whispered ,percy1 his eyes wet with tears4 8,gentle ,mother of the ,redeemer--the open door of the sky1 star of the sea--have mercy on sinners4 ,the ,angel of the ,lord announced it to ,mary1 and she conceived of the ,holy ,ghost4444 ,pour1 therefore1 ,lord1 ,thy grace into our hearts4 ,let us1 who know ,christ's incarnation1 rise through passion and cross to the glory of ,resurrection--through the same ,christ our ,lord40 ,another bell clanged sharply close at hand1 calling him down to earth1 and wrong1 and labour and grief2 and he turned to see the motionless volor itself one blaze of brilliant internal light1 and the two priests following the ,german ,cardinal across the gangway4 ,it was the rear compartment that the men had taken2 and when he had seen that the old man was comfortable1 still without a word he passed out again into the central passage to see the last of ,rome4 ,the exit-door had now been snapped1 and as ,percy stood at the opposite window looking out at the high wall that would presently sink beneath him1 throughout the whole of the delicate frame began to run the vibration of the electric engine4 ,there was the murmur of talking somewhere1 a heavy step shook the floor1 a bell clanged again1 twice1 and a sweet wind-chord sounded4 ,again it sounded2 the vibration ceased1 and the edge of the high wall against the tawny sky on which he had fixed his eyes sank suddenly like a dropped bar1 and he staggered a little in his place4 ,a moment later the dome rose again1 and itself sank1 the city1 a fringe of towers and a mass of dark roofs1 pricked with light1 span like a whirlpool2 the jewelled stars themselves sprang this way and that2 and with one more long cry the marvellous machine righted itself1 beat with its wings1 and settled down1 with the note of the flying air passing through rising shrillness into vibrant silence1 to its long voyage to the north4 ,further and further sank the city behind2 it was a patch now3 greyness on black4 ,the sky seemed to grow more huge and all-containing as the earth relapsed into darkness2 it glowed like a vast dome of wonderful glass1 darkening even as it glowed2 and as ,percy dropped his eyes once more round the extreme edge of the car the city was but a line and a bubble--a line and a swelling--a line1 and nothingness4 ,he drew a long breath1 and went back to his friends4 ,,ii 8,tell me again10 said the old ,cardinal1 when the two were settled down opposite to one another1 and the chaplains were gone to another compartment4 8,who is this man80 8,this man8 ,he was secretary to ,oliver ,brand1 one of our politicians4 ,he fetched me to old ,mrs4 ,brand's death bed1 and lost his place in consequence4 ,he is in journalism now4 ,he is perfectly honest4 ,no1 he is not a ,catholic1 though he longs to be one4 ,that is why they confided in him40 8,and they80 8,i know nothing of them1 except that they are a desperate set4 ,they have enough faith to act1 but not enough to be patient4444 ,i suppose they thought this man would sympathise4 ,but unfortunately he has a conscience1 and he also sees that any attempt of this kind would be the last straw on the back of toleration4 ,eminence1 do you realise how violent the feeling is against us80 ,the old man shook his head lamentably4 8,do ,i not80 he murmured4 8,and my ,germans are in it8 ,are you sure80 8,eminence1 it is a vast plot4 ,it has been simmering for months4 ,there have been meetings every week4 ,they have kept the secret marvellously4 ,your ,germans only delayed that the blow might be more complete4 ,and now1 to-morrow---0 ,percy drew back with a despairing gesture4 8,and the ,holy ,father80 8,i went to him as soon as mass was over4 ,he withdrew all opposition1 and sent for you4 ,it is our one chance1 ,eminence40 8,and you think our plan will hinder it80 8,i have no idea1 but ,i can think of nothing else4 ,i shall go straight to the ,archbishop and tell him all4 ,we arrive1 ,i believe1 at three o'clock1 and you in ,berlin about seven1 ,i suppose1 by ,german time4 ,the function is fixed for eleven4 ,by eleven1 then1 we shall have done all that is possible4 ,the ,government will know1 and they will know1 too1 that we are innocent in ,rome4 ,i imagine they will cause it to be announced that the ,cardinal-,protector and the ,archbishop1 with his coadjutors1 will be present in the sacristies4 ,they will double every guard2 they will parade volors overhead--and then--well6 in ,god's hands be the rest40 8,do you think the conspirators will attempt it80 8,i have no idea10 said ,percy shortly4 8,i understand they have alternative plans40 8,just so4 ,if all is clear1 they intend dropping the explosive from above2 if not1 at least three men have offered to sacrifice themselves by taking it into the ,abbey themselves4444 ,and you1 ,eminence80 ,the old man eyed him steadily4 8,my programme is yours10 he said4 8,eminence1 have you considered the effect in either case8 ,if nothing happens---0 8,if nothing happens we shall be accused of a fraud1 of seeking to advertise ourselves4 ,if anything happens--well1 we shall all go before ,god together4 ,pray ,god it may be the second10 he added passionately4 8,it will be at least easier to bear10 observed the old man4 8,i beg your pardon1 ,eminence4 ,i should not have said that40 ,there fell a silence between the two1 in which no sound was heard but the faint untiring vibration of the screw1 and the sudden cough of a man in the next compartment4 ,percy leaned his head wearily on his hand1 and stared from the window4 ,the earth was now dark beneath them--an immense emptiness2 above1 the huge engulfing sky was still faintly luminous1 and through the high frosty mist through which they moved stars glimmered now and again1 as the car swayed and tacked across the wind4 8,it will be cold among the ,alps10 murmured ,percy4 ,then he broke off4 8,and ,i have not one shred of evidence10 he said2 8nothing but the word of a man40 8,and you are sure80 8,i am sure40 8,eminence10 said the ,german suddenly1 staring straight into his face1 8the likeness is extraordinary40 ,percy smiled listlessly4 ,he was tired of bearing that4 8,what do you make of it80 persisted the other4 8,i have been asked that before10 said ,percy4 8,i have no views40 8,it seems to me that ,god means something10 murmured the ,german heavily1 still staring at him4 8,well1 ,eminence80 8,a kind of antithesis--a reverse of the medal4 ,i do not know40 ,again there was silence4 ,a chaplain looked in through the glazed door1 a homely1 blue-eyed ,german1 and was waved away once more4 8,eminence10 said the old man abruptly1 8there is surely more to speak of4 ,plans to be made40 ,percy shook his head4 8,there are no plans to be made10 he said4 8,we know nothing but the fact--no names--nothing4 ,we--we are like children in a tiger's cage4 ,and one of us has just made a gesture in the tiger's face40 8,i suppose we shall communicate with one another80 8,if we are in existence40 ,it was curious how ,percy took the lead4 ,he had worn his scarlet for about three months1 and his companion for twelve years2 yet it was the younger who dictated plans and arranged4 ,he was scarcely conscious of its strangeness1 however4 ,ever since the shocking news of the morning1 when a new mine had been sprung under the shaking ,church1 and he had watched the stately ceremonial1 the gorgeous splendour1 the dignified1 tranquil movements of the ,pope and his court1 with a secret that burned his heart and brain--above all1 since that quick interview in which old plans had been reversed and a startling decision formed1 and a blessing given and received1 and a farewell looked not uttered--all done in half-an-hour--his whole nature had concentrated itself into one keen tense force1 like a coiled spring4 ,he felt power tingling to his finger-tips--power and the dulness of an immense despair4 ,every prop had been cut1 every brace severed2 he1 the ,city of ,rome1 the ,catholic ,church1 the very supernatural itself1 seemed to hang now on one single thing--the ,finger of ,god4 ,and if that failed--well1 nothing would ever matter any more4444 ,he was going now to one of two things--ignominy or death4 ,there was no third thing--unless1 indeed1 the conspirators were actually taken with their instruments upon them4 ,but that was impossible4 ,either they would refrain1 knowing that ,god's ministers would fall with them1 and in that case there would be the ignominy of a detected fraud1 of a miserable attempt to win credit4 ,or they would not refrain2 they would count the death of a ,cardinal and a few bishops a cheap price to pay for revenge--and in that case well1 there was ,death and ,judgment4 ,but ,percy had ceased to fear4 ,no ignominy could be greater than that which he already bore--the ignominy of loneliness and discredit4 ,and death could be nothing but sweet--it would at least be knowledge and rest4 ,he was willing to risk all on ,god4 ,the other1 with a little gesture of apology1 took out his office book presently1 and began to read4 ,percy looked at him with an immense envy4 ,ah6 if only he were as old as that6 ,he could bear a year or two more of this misery1 but not fifty years1 he thought4 ,it was an almost endless vista that 7even if things went well7 opened before him1 of continual strife1 self-repression1 energy1 misrepresentation from his enemies4 ,the ,church was sinking further every day4 ,what if this new spasm of fervour were no more than the dying flare of faith8 ,how could he bear that8 ,he would have to see the tide of atheism rise higher and more triumphant every day2 ,felsenburgh had given it an impetus of whose end there was no prophesying4 ,never before had a single man wielded the full power of democracy4 ,then once more he looked forward to the morrow4 ,oh6 if it could but end in death6444 ,beati mortui qui in ,domino moriuntur6 444 ,it was no good2 it was cowardly to think in this fashion4 ,after all1 ,god was ,god--,he takes up the isles as a very little thing4 ,percy took out his office book1 found ,prime and ,st4 ,sylvester1 signed himself with the cross1 and began to pray4 ,a minute later the two chaplains slipped in once more1 and sat down2 and all was silent1 save for that throb of the screw1 and the strange whispering rush of air outside4 ,,iii ,it was about nineteen o'clock that the ruddy ,english conductor looked in at the doorway1 waking ,percy from his doze4 8,dinner will be served in half-an-hour1 gentlemen10 he said 7speaking ,esperanto1 as the rule was on international cars74 8,we do not stop at ,turin to-night40 ,he shut the door and went out1 and the sound of closing doors came down the corridor as he made the same announcement to each compartment4 ,there were no passengers to descend at ,turin1 then1 reflected ,percy2 and no doubt a wireless message had been received that there were none to come on board either4 ,that was good news3 it would give him more time in ,london4 ,it might even enable ,cardinal ,steinmann to catch an earlier volor from ,paris to ,berlin2 but he was not sure how they ran4 ,it was a pity that the ,german had not been able to catch the thirteen o'clock from ,rome to ,berlin direct4 ,so he calculated1 in a kind of superficial insensibility4 ,he stood up presently to stretch himself4 ,then he passed out and along the corridor to the lavatory to wash his hands4 ,he became fascinated by the view as he stood before the basin at the rear of the car1 for even now they were passing over ,turin4 ,it was a blur of light1 vivid and beautiful1 that shone beneath him in the midst of this gulf of darkness1 sweeping away southwards into the gloom as the car sped on towards the ,alps4 ,how little1 he thought1 seemed this great city seen from above2 and yet1 how mighty it was6 ,it was from that glimmer1 already five miles behind1 that ,italy was controlled2 in one of these dolls' houses of which he had caught but a glimpse1 men sat in council over souls and bodies1 and abolished ,god1 and smiled at ,his ,church4 ,and ,god allowed it all1 and made no sign4 ,it was there that ,felsenburgh had been1 a month or two ago--,felsenburgh1 his double6 ,and again the mental sword tore and stabbed at his heart4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a few minutes later1 the four ecclesiastics were sitting at their round table in a little screened compartment of the dining-room in the bows of the air-ship4 ,it was an excellent dinner1 served1 as usual1 from the kitchen in the bowels of the volor1 and rose1 course by course1 with a smooth click1 into the centre of the table4 ,there was a bottle of red wine to each diner1 and both table and chairs swung easily to the very slight motion of the ship4 ,but they did not talk much1 for there was only one subject possible to the two cardinals1 and the chaplains had not yet been admitted into the full secret4 ,it was growing cold now1 and even the hot-air foot-rests did not quite compensate for the deathly iciness of the breath that began to stream down from the ,alps1 which the ship was now approaching at a slight incline4 ,it was necessary to rise at least nine thousand feet from the usual level1 in order to pass the frontier of the ,mont ,cenis at a safe angle2 and at the same time it was necessary to go a little slower over the ,alps themselves1 owing to the extreme rarity of the air1 and the difficulty in causing the screw to revolve sufficiently quickly to counteract it4 8,there will be clouds to-night10 said a voice clear and distinct from the passage1 as the door swung slightly to a movement of the car4 ,percy got up and closed it4 ,the ,german ,cardinal began to grow a little fidgety towards the end of dinner4 8,i shall go back10 he said at last4 8,i shall be better in my fur rug40 ,his chaplain dutifully went after him1 leaving his own dinner unfinished1 and ,percy was left alone with ,father ,corkran1 his ,english chaplain lately from ,scotland4 ,he finished his wine1 ate a couple of figs1 and then sat staring out through the plate-glass window in front4 8,ah60 he said4 8,excuse me1 father4 ,there are the ,alps at last40 ,the front of the car consisted of three divisions1 in the centre of one of which stood the steersman1 his eyes looking straight ahead1 and his hands upon the wheel4 ,on either side of him1 separated from him by aluminium walls1 was contrived a narrow slip of a compartment1 with a long curved window at the height of a man's eyes1 through which a magnificent view could be obtained4 ,it was to one of these that ,percy went1 passing along the corridor1 and seeing through half-opened doors other parties still over their wine4 ,he pushed the spring door on the left and went through4 ,he had crossed the ,alps three times before in his life1 and well remembered the extraordinary effect they had had on him1 especially as he had once seen them from a great altitude upon a clear day--an eternal1 immeasurable sea of white ice1 broken by hummocks and wrinkles that from below were soaring peaks named and reverenced2 and1 beyond1 the spherical curve of the earth's edge that dropped in a haze of air into unutterable space4 ,but this time they seemed more amazing than ever1 and he looked out on them with the interest of a sick child4 ,the car was now ascending2 rapidly towards the pass up across the huge tumbled slopes1 ravines1 and cliffs that lie like outworks of the enormous wall4 ,seen from this great height they were in themselves comparatively insignificant1 but they at least suggested the vastness of the bastions of which they were no more than buttresses4 ,as ,percy turned1 he could see the moonless sky alight with frosty stars1 and the dimness of the illumination made the scene even more impressive2 but as he turned again1 there was a change4 ,the vast air about him seemed now to be perceived through frosted glass4 ,the velvet blackness of the pine forests had faded to heavy grey1 the pale glint of water and ice seen and gone again in a moment1 the monstrous nakedness of rock spires and slopes1 rising towards him and sliding away again beneath with a crawling motion--all these had lost their distinctness of outline1 and were veiled in invisible white4 ,as he looked yet higher to right and left the sight became terrifying1 for the giant walls of rock rushing towards him1 the huge grotesque shapes towering on all sides1 ran upward into a curtain of cloud visible only from the dancing radiance thrown upon it by the brilliantly lighted car4 ,even as he looked1 two straight fingers of splendour1 resembling horns1 shot out1 as the bow searchlights were turned on2 and the car itself1 already travelling at half-speed1 dropped to quarter-speed1 and began to sway softly from side to side as the huge air-planes beat the mist through which they moved1 and the antennae of light pierced it4 ,still up they went1 and on--yet swift enough to let ,percy see one great pinnacle rear itself1 elongate1 sink down into a cruel needle1 and vanish into nothingness a thousand feet below4 ,the motion grew yet more nauseous1 as the car moved up at a sharp angle preserving its level1 simultaneously rising1 advancing and swaying4 ,once1 hoarse and sonorous1 an unfrozen torrent roared like a beast1 it seemed within twenty yards1 and was dumb again on the instant4 ,now1 too1 the horns began to cry1 long1 lamentable hootings1 ringing sadly in that echoing desolation like the wail of wandering souls2 and as ,percy1 awed beyond feeling1 wiped the gathering moisture from the glass1 and stared again1 it appeared as if he floated now1 motionless except for the slight rocking beneath his feet1 in a world of whiteness1 as remote from earth as from heaven1 poised in hopeless infinite space1 blind1 alone1 frozen1 lost in a white hell of desolation4 ,once1 as he stared1 a huge whiteness moved towards him through the veil1 slid slowly sideways and down1 disclosing1 as the car veered1 a gigantic slope smooth as oil1 with one cluster of black rock cutting it like the fingers of a man's hand groping from a mountainous wave4 ,then1 as once more the car cried aloud like a lost sheep1 there answered it1 it seemed scarcely ten yards away1 first one windy scream of dismay1 another and another2 a clang of bells1 a chorus broke out2 and the air was full of the beating of wings4 ,,iv ,there was one horrible instant before a clang of a bell1 the answering scream1 and a whirling motion showed that the steersman was alert4 ,then like a stone the car dropped1 and ,percy clutched at the rail before him to steady the terrible sensation of falling into emptiness4 ,he could hear behind him the crash of crockery1 the bumping of heavy bodies1 and as the car again checked on its wide wings1 a rush of footsteps broke out and a cry or two of dismay4 ,outside1 but high and far away1 the hooting went on2 the air was full of it1 and in a flash he recognised that it could not be one or ten or twenty cars1 but at least a hundred that had answered the call1 and that somewhere overhead were hooting and flapping4 ,the invisible ravines and cliffs on all sides took up the crying2 long wails whooped and moaned and died amid a clash of bells1 further and further every instant1 but now in every direction1 behind1 above1 in front1 and far to right and left4 ,once more the car began to move1 sinking in a long still curve towards the face of the mountain2 and as it checked1 and began to sway again on its huge wings1 he turned to the door1 seeing as he did so1 through the cloudy windows in the glow of light1 a spire of rock not thirty feet below rising from the mist1 and one smooth shoulder of snow curving away into invisibility4 ,within1 the car shewed brutal signs of the sudden check3 the doors of the dining compartments1 as he passed along1 were flung wide2 glasses1 plates1 pools of wine and tumbled fruit rolled to and fro on the heaving floors2 one man1 sitting helplessly on the ground1 rolled vacant1 terrified eyes upon the priest4 ,he glanced in at the door through which he had come just now1 and ,father ,corkran staggered up from his seat and came towards him1 reeling at the motion underfoot2 simultaneously there was a rush from the opposite door1 where a party of ,americans had been dining2 and as ,percy1 beckoning with his head1 turned again to go down to the stern-end of the ship1 he found the narrow passage blocked with the crowd that had run out4 ,a babble of talking and cries made questions impossible2 and ,percy1 with his chaplain behind him1 gripped the aluminium panelling1 and step by step began to make his way in search of his friends4 ,half-way down the passage1 as he pushed and struggled1 a voice made itself heard above the din2 and in the momentary silence that followed1 again sounded the far-away crying of the volors overhead4 8,seats1 gentlemen1 seats10 roared the voice4 8,we are moving immediately40 ,then the crowd melted as the conductor came through1 red-faced and determined1 and ,percy1 springing into his wake1 found his way clear to the stern4 ,the ,cardinal seemed none the worse4 ,he had been asleep1 he explained1 and saved himself in time from rolling on to the floor2 but his old face twitched as he talked4 8,but what is it80 he said4 8,what is the meaning80 ,father ,bechlin related how he had actually seen one of the troop of volors within five yards of the window2 it was crowded with faces1 he said1 from stem to stern4 ,then it had soared suddenly1 and vanished in whorls of mist4 ,percy shook his head1 saying nothing4 ,he had no explanation4 8,they are inquiring1 ,i understand10 said ,father ,bechlin again4 8,the conductor was at his instrument just now40 ,there was nothing to be seen from the windows now4 ,only1 as ,percy stared out1 still dazed with the shock1 he saw the cruel needle of rock wavering beneath as if seen through water1 and the huge shoulder of snow swaying softly up and down4 ,it was quieter outside4 ,it appeared that the flock had passed1 only somewhere from an infinite height still sounded a fitful wailing1 as if a lonely bird were wandering1 lost in space4 8,that is the signalling volor10 murmured ,percy to himself4 ,he had no theory--no suggestion4 ,yet the matter seemed an ominous one4 ,it was unheard of that an encounter with a hundred volors should take place1 and he wondered why they were going southwards4 ,again the name of ,felsenburgh came to his mind4 ,what if that sinister man were still somewhere overhead8 8,eminence10 began the old man again4 ,but at that instant the car began to move4 ,a bell clanged1 a vibration tingled underfoot1 and then1 soft as a flake of snow1 the great ship began to rise1 its movement perceptible only by the sudden drop and vanishing of the spire of rock at which ,percy still stared4 ,slowly the snowfield too began to flit downwards1 a black cleft1 whisked smoothly into sight from above1 and disappeared again below1 and a moment later once more the car seemed poised in white space as it climbed the slope of air down which it had dropped just now4 ,again the wind-chord rent the atmosphere2 and this time the answer was as faint and distant as a cry from another world4 ,the speed quickened1 and the steady throb of the screw began to replace the swaying motion of the wings4 ,again came the hoot1 wild and echoing through the barren wilderness of rock walls beneath1 and again with a sudden impulse the car soared4 ,it was going in great circles now1 cautious as a cat1 climbing1 climbing1 punctuating the ascent with cry after cry1 searching the blind air for dangers4 ,once again a vast white slope came into sight1 illuminated by the glare from the windows1 sinking ever more and more swiftly1 receding and approaching--until for one instant a jagged line of rocks grinned like teeth through the mist1 dropped away and vanished1 and with a clash of bells1 and a last scream of warning1 the throb of the screw passed from a whirr to a rising note1 and the note to stillness1 as the huge ship1 clear at last of the frontier peaks1 shook out her wings steady once more1 and set out for her humming flight through space4444 ,whatever it was1 was behind them now1 vanished into the thick night4 ,there was a sound of talking from the interior of the car1 hasty1 breathless voices1 questioning1 exclaiming1 and the authoritative terse answer of the guard4 ,a step came along outside1 and ,percy sprang to meet it1 but1 as he laid his hand on the door1 it was pushed from without1 and to his astonishment the ,english guard came straight through1 closing it behind him4 ,he stood there1 looking strangely at the four priests1 with compressed lips and anxious eyes4 8,well80 cried ,percy4 8,all right1 gentlemen4 ,but ,i'm thinking you'd better descend at ,paris4 ,i know who you are1 gentlemen--and though ,i'm not a ,catholic---0 ,he stopped again4 8,for ,god's sake1 man---0 began ,percy4 8,oh6 the news1 gentlemen4 ,well1 it was two hundred cars going to ,rome4 ,there is a ,catholic plot1 sir1 discovered in ,london---0 8,well80 8,to wipe out the ,abbey4 ,so they're going---0 8,ah60 8,yes1 sir--to wipe out ,rome40 ,then he was gone again4 ,,chapter ,,vii ,i ,it was nearly sixteen o'clock on the same day1 the last day of the year1 that ,mabel went into the little church that stood in the street beneath her house4 ,the dark was falling softly layer on layer2 across the roofs to westward burned the smouldering fire of the winter sunset1 and the interior was full of the dying light4 ,she had slept a little in her chair that afternoon1 and had awakened with that strange cleansed sense of spirit and mind that sometimes follows such sleep4 ,she wondered later how she could have slept at such a time1 and above all1 how it was that she had perceived nothing of that cloud of fear and fury that even now was falling over town and country alike4 ,she remembered afterwards an unusual busy-ness on the broad tracks beneath her as she had looked out on them from her windows1 and an unusual calling of horns and whistles2 but she thought nothing of it1 and passed down an hour later for a meditation in the church4 ,she had grown to love the quiet place1 and came in often like this to steady her thoughts and concentrate them on the significance that lay beneath the surface of life--the huge principles upon which all lived1 and which so plainly were the true realities4 ,indeed1 such devotion was becoming almost recognised among certain classes of people4 ,addresses were delivered now and then2 little books were being published as guides to the interior life1 curiously resembling the old ,catholic books on mental prayer4 ,she went to-day to her usual seat1 sat down1 folded her hands1 looked for a minute or two upon the old stone sanctuary1 the white image and the darkening window4 ,then she closed her eyes and began to think1 according to the method she followed4 ,first she concentrated her attention on herself1 detaching it from all that was merely external and transitory1 withdrawing it inwards 444 inwards1 until she found that secret spark which1 beneath all frailties and activities1 made her a substantial member of the divine race of humankind4 ,this then was the first step4 ,the second consisted in an act of the intellect1 followed by one of the imagination4 ,all men possessed that spark1 she considered4444 ,then she sent out her powers1 sweeping with the eyes of her mind the seething world1 seeing beneath the light and dark of the two hemispheres1 the countless millions of mankind--children coming into the world1 old men leaving it1 the mature rejoicing in it and their own strength4 ,back through the ages she looked1 through those centuries of crime and blindness1 as the race rose through savagery and superstition to a knowledge of themselves2 on through the ages yet to come1 as generation followed generation to some climax whose perfection1 she told herself1 she could not fully comprehend because she was not of it4 ,yet1 she told herself again1 that climax had already been born2 the birthpangs were over2 for had not ,he come who was the heir of time8444 ,then by a third and vivid act she realised the unity of all1 the central fire of which each spark was but a radiation--that vast passionless divine being1 realising ,himself up through these centuries1 one yet many1 ,him whom men had called ,god1 now no longer unknown1 but recognised as the transcendent total of themselves--,him who now1 with the coming of the new ,saviour1 had stirred and awakened and shown ,himself as ,one4 ,and there she stayed1 contemplating the vision of her mind1 detaching now this virtue1 now that for particular assimilation1 dwelling on her deficiencies1 seeing in the whole the fulfilment of all aspirations1 the sum of all for which men had hoped--that ,spirit of ,peace1 so long hindered yet generated too perpetually by the passions of the world1 forced into outline and being by the energy of individual lives1 realising itself in pulse after pulse1 dominant at last1 serene1 manifest1 and triumphant4 ,there she stayed1 losing the sense of individuality1 merging it by a long sustained effort of the will1 drinking1 as she thought1 long breaths of the spirit of life and love4444 ,some sound1 she supposed afterwards1 disturbed her1 and she opened her eyes2 and there before her lay the quiet pavement1 glimmering through the dusk1 the step of the sanctuary1 the rostrum on the right1 and the peaceful space of darkening air above the white ,mother-figure and against the tracery of the old window4 ,it was here that men had worshipped ,jesus1 that blood-stained ,man of ,sorrow1 who had borne1 even on ,his own confession1 not peace but a sword4 ,yet they had knelt1 those blind and hopeless ,christians4444 ,ah6 the pathos of it all1 the despairing acceptance of any creed that would account for sorrow1 the wild worship of any ,god who had claimed to bear it6 ,and again came the sound1 striking across her peace1 though as yet she did not understand why4 ,it was nearer now2 and she turned in astonishment to look down the dusky nave4 ,it was from without that the sound had come1 that strange murmur1 that rose and fell again as she listened4 ,she stood up1 her heart quickening a little--only once before had she heard such a sound1 once before1 in a square1 where men raged about a point beneath a platform4444 ,she stepped swiftly out of her seat1 passed down the aisle1 drew back the curtains beneath the west window1 lifted the latch and stepped out4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the street1 from where she looked over the railings that barred the entrance to the church1 seemed unusually empty and dark4 ,to right and left stretched the houses1 overhead the darkening sky was flushed with rose2 but it seemed as if the public lights had been forgotten4 ,there was not a living being to be seen4 ,she had put her hand on the latch of the gate1 to open it and go out1 when a sudden patter of footsteps made her hesitate2 and the next instant a child appeared panting1 breathless and terrified1 running with her hands before her4 8,they're coming1 they're coming10 sobbed the child1 seeing the face looking at her4 ,then she clung to the bars1 staring over her shoulder4 ,mabel lifted the latch in an instant2 the child sprang in1 ran to the door and beat against it1 then turning1 seized her dress and cowered against her4 ,mabel shut the gate4 8,there1 there10 she said4 8,who is it8 ,who are coming80 ,but the child hid her face1 drawing at the kindly skirts2 and the next moment came the roar of voices and the trampling of footsteps4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it was not more than a few seconds before the heralds of that grim procession came past4 ,first came a flying squadron of children1 laughing1 terrified1 fascinated1 screaming1 turning their heads as they ran1 with a dog or two yelping among them1 and a few women drifting sideways along the pavements4 ,a face of a man1 ,mabel saw as she glanced in terror upwards1 had appeared at the windows opposite1 pale and eager--some invalid no doubt dragging himself to see4 ,one group--a well-dressed man in grey1 a couple of women carrying babies1 a solemn-faced boy--halted immediately before her on the other side of the railings1 all talking1 none listening1 and these too turned their faces to the road on the left1 up which every instant the clamour and trampling grew4 ,yet she could not ask4 ,her lips moved2 but no sound came from them4 ,she was one incarnate apprehension4 ,across her intense fixity moved pictures of no importance of ,oliver as he had been at breakfast1 of her own bedroom with its softened paper1 of the dark sanctuary and the white figure on which she had looked just now4 ,they were coming thicker now2 a troop of young men with their arms linked swayed into sight1 all talking or crying aloud1 none listening--all across the roadway1 and behind them surged the crowd1 like a wave in a stone-fenced channel1 male scarcely distinguishable from female in that pack of faces1 and under that sky that grew darker every instant4 ,except for the noise1 which ,mabel now hardly noticed1 so thick and incessant it was1 so complete her concentration in the sense of sight--except for that1 it might have been1 from its suddenness and overwhelming force1 some mob of phantoms trooping on a sudden out of some vista of the spiritual world visible across an open space1 and about to vanish again in obscurity4 ,that empty street was full now on this side and that so far as she could see2 the young men were gone--running or walking she hardly knew--round the corner to the right1 and the entire space was one stream of heads and faces1 pressing so fiercely that the group at the railings were detached like weeds and drifted too1 sideways1 clutching at the bars1 and swept away too and vanished4 ,and all the while the child tugged and tore at her skirts4 ,certain things began to appear now above the heads of the crowd--objects she could not distinguish in the failing light--poles1 and fantastic shapes1 fragments of stuff resembling banners1 moving as if alive1 turning from side to side1 borne from beneath4 ,faces1 distorted with passion1 looked at her from time to time as the moving show went past1 open mouths cried at her2 but she hardly saw them4 ,she was watching those strange emblems1 straining her eyes through the dusk1 striving to distinguish the battered broken shapes1 half-guessing1 yet afraid to guess4 ,then1 on a sudden1 from the hidden lamps beneath the eaves1 light leaped into being--that strong1 sweet1 familiar light1 generated by the great engines underground that1 in the passion of that catastrophic day1 all men had forgotten2 and in a moment all changed from a mob of phantoms and shapes into a pitiless reality of life and death4 ,before her moved a great rood1 with a figure upon it1 of which one arm hung from the nailed hand1 swinging as it went2 an embroidery streamed behind with the swiftness of the motion4 ,and next after it came the naked body of a child1 impaled1 white and ruddy1 the head fallen upon the breast1 and the arms1 too1 dangling and turning4 ,and next the figure of a man1 hanging by the neck1 dressed1 it seemed1 in a kind of black gown and cape1 with its black-capped head twisting from the twisting rope4 ,,ii ,the same night ,oliver ,brand came home about an hour before midnight4 ,for himself1 what he had heard and seen that day was still too vivid and too imminent for him to judge of it coolly4 ,he had seen1 from his windows in ,whitehall1 ,parliament ,square filled with a mob the like of which had not been known in ,england since the days of ,christianity--a mob full of a fury that could scarcely draw its origin except from sources beyond the reach of sense4 ,thrice during the hours that followed the publication of the ,catholic plot and the outbreak of mob-law he had communicated with the ,prime ,minister asking whether nothing could be done to allay the tumult2 and on both occasions he had received the doubtful answer that what could be done would be done1 that force was inadmissible at present2 but that the police were doing all that was possible4 ,as regarded the despatch of the volors to ,rome1 he had assented by silence1 as had the rest of the ,council4 ,that was1 ,snowford had said1 a judicial punitive act1 regrettable but necessary4 ,peace1 in this instance1 could not be secured except on terms of war--or rather1 since war was obsolete--by the sternness of justice4 ,these ,catholics had shown themselves the avowed enemies of society2 very well1 then society must defend itself1 at least this once4 ,man was still human4 ,and ,oliver had listened and said nothing4 ,as he passed in one of the ,government volors over ,london on his way home1 he had caught more than one glimpse of what was proceeding beneath him4 ,the streets were as bright as day1 shadowless and clear in the white light1 and every roadway was a crawling serpent4 ,from beneath rose up a steady roar of voices1 soft and woolly1 punctuated by cries4 ,from here and there ascended the smoke of burning2 and once1 as he flitted over one of the great squares to the south of ,battersea1 he had seen as it were a scattered squadron of ants running as if in fear or pursuit4444 ,he knew what was happening4444 ,well1 after all1 man was not yet perfectly civilised4 ,he did not like to think of what awaited him at home4 ,once1 about five hours earlier1 he had listened to his wife's voice through the telephone1 and what he had heard had nearly caused him to leave all and go to her4 ,yet he was scarcely prepared for what he found4 ,as he came into the sitting-room1 there was no sound1 except that far-away hum from the seething streets below4 ,the room seemed strangely dark and cold2 the only light that entered was through one of the windows from which the curtains were withdrawn1 and1 silhouetted against the luminous sky beyond1 was the upright figure of a woman1 looking and listening4444 ,he pressed the knob of the electric light2 and ,mabel turned slowly towards him4 ,she was in her day-dress1 with a cloak thrown over her shoulders1 and her face was almost as that of a stranger4 ,it was perfectly colourless1 her lips were compressed and her eyes full of an emotion which he could not interpret4 ,it might equally have been anger1 terror or misery4 ,she stood there in the steady light1 motionless1 looking at him4 ,for a moment he did not trust himself to speak4 ,he passed across to the window1 closed it and drew the curtains4 ,then he took that rigid figure gently by the arm4 8,mabel10 he said1 8,mabel40 ,she submitted to be drawn towards the sofa1 but there was no response to his touch4 ,he sat down and looked up at her with a kind of despairing apprehension4 8,my dear1 ,i am tired out10 he said4 ,still she looked at him4 ,there was in her pose that rigidity that actors simulate2 yet he knew it for the real thing4 ,he had seen that silence once or twice before in the presence of a horror--once at any rate1 at the sight of a splash of blood on her shoe4 8,well1 my darling1 sit down1 at least10 he said4 ,she obeyed him mechanically--sat1 and still stared at him4 ,in the silence once more that soft roar rose and died from the invisible world of tumult outside the windows4 ,within here all was quiet4 ,he knew perfectly that two things strove within her1 her loyalty to her faith and her hatred of those crimes in the name of justice4 ,as he looked on her he saw that these two were at death grips1 that hatred was prevailing1 and that she herself was little more than a passive battlefield4 ,then1 as with a long-drawn howl of a wolf1 there surged and sank the voices of the mob a mile away1 the tension broke4444 ,she threw herself forward towards him1 he caught her by the wrists1 and so she rested1 clasped in his arms1 her face and bosom on his knees1 and her whole body torn by emotion4 ,for a full minute neither spoke4 ,oliver understood well enough1 yet at present he had no words4 ,he only drew her a little closer to himself1 kissed her hair two or three times1 and settled himself to hold her4 ,he began to rehearse what he must say presently4 ,then she raised her flushed face for an instant1 looked at him passionately1 dropped her head again and began to sob out broken words4 ,he could only catch a sentence here and there1 yet he knew what she was saying4444 ,it was the ruin of all her hopes1 she sobbed1 the end of her religion4 ,let her die1 die and have done with it6 ,it was all gone1 gone1 swept away in this murderous passion of the people of her faith 444 they were no better than ,christians1 after all1 as fierce as the men on whom they avenged themselves1 as dark as though the ,saviour1 ,julian1 had never come2 it was all lost 444 ,war and ,passion and ,murder had returned to the body from which she had thought them gone forever4444 ,the burning churches1 the hunted ,catholics1 the raging of the streets on which she had looked that day1 the bodies of the child and the priest carried on poles1 the burning churches and convents4 444 ,all streamed out1 incoherent1 broken by sobs1 details of horror1 lamentations1 reproaches1 interpreted by the writhing of her head and hands upon his knees4 ,the collapse was complete4 ,he put his hands again beneath her arms and raised her4 ,he was worn out by his work1 yet he knew he must quiet her4 ,this was more serious than any previous crisis4 ,yet he knew her power of recovery4 8,sit down1 my darling10 he said4 8,there 444 give me your hands4 ,now listen to me40 99 99 99 99 99 ,he made really an admirable defence1 for it was what he had been repeating to himself all day4 ,men were not yet perfect1 he said2 there ran in their veins the blood of men who for twenty centuries had been ,christians4444 ,there must be no despair2 faith in man was of the very essence of religion1 faith in man's best self1 in what he would become1 not in what at present he actually was4 ,they were at the beginning of the new religion1 not in its maturity2 there must be sourness in the young fruit4 444 ,consider1 too1 the provocation6 ,remember the appalling crime that these ,catholics had contemplated2 they had set themselves to strike the new ,faith in its very heart4444 8,my darling10 he said1 8men are not changed in an instant4 ,what if those ,christians had succeeded6444 ,i condemn it all as strongly as you4 ,i saw a couple of newspapers this afternoon that are as wicked as anything that the ,christians have ever done4 ,they exulted in all these crimes4 ,it will throw the movement back ten years4444 ,do you think that there are not thousands like yourself who hate and detest this violence8444 ,but what does faith mean1 except that we know that mercy will prevail8 ,faith1 patience and hope--these are our weapons40 ,he spoke with passionate conviction1 his eyes fixed on hers1 in a fierce endeavour to give her his own confidence1 and to reassure the remnants of his own doubtfulness4 ,it was true that he too hated what she hated1 yet he saw things that she did not4444 ,well1 well1 he told himself1 he must remember that she was a woman4 ,the look of frantic horror passed slowly out of her eyes1 giving way to acute misery as he talked1 and as his personality once more began to dominate her own4 ,but it was not yet over4 8,but the volors10 she cried1 8the volors6 ,that is deliberate2 that is not the work of the mob40 8,my darling1 it is no more deliberate than the other4 ,we are all human1 we are all immature4 ,yes1 the ,council permitted it1 444 permitted it1 remember4 ,the ,german ,government1 too1 had to yield4 ,we must tame nature slowly1 we must not break it40 ,he talked again for a few minutes1 repeating his arguments1 soothing1 reassuring1 encouraging2 and he saw that he was beginning to prevail4 ,but she returned to one of his words4 8,permitted it6 ,and you permitted it40 8,dear2 ,i said nothing1 either for it or against4 ,i tell you that if we had forbidden it there would have been yet more murder1 and the people would have lost their rulers4 ,we were passive1 since we could do nothing40 8,ah6 but it would have been better to die4444 ,oh1 ,oliver1 let me die at least6 ,i cannot bear it40 ,by her hands which he still held he drew her nearer yet to himself4 8,sweetheart10 he said gravely1 8cannot you trust me a little8 ,if ,i could tell you all that passed to-day1 you would understand4 ,but trust me that ,i am not heartless4 ,and what of ,julian ,felsenburgh80 ,for a moment he saw hesitation in her eyes2 her loyalty to him and her loathing of all that had happened strove within her4 ,then once again loyalty prevailed1 the name of ,felsenburgh weighed down the balance1 and trust came back with a flood of tears4 8,oh1 ,oliver10 she said1 8,i know ,i trust you4 ,but ,i am so weak1 and all is so terrible4 ,and ,he so strong and merciful4 ,and will ,he be with us to-morrow80 99 99 99 99 99 ,it struck midnight from the clock-tower a mile away as they yet sat and talked4 ,she was still tremulous from the struggle2 but she looked at him smiling1 still holding his hands4 ,he saw that the reaction was upon her in full force at last4 8,the ,new ,year1 my husband10 she said1 and rose as she said it1 drawing him after her4 8,i wish you a happy ,new ,year10 she said4 8,oh help me1 ,oliver40 ,she kissed him1 and drew back1 still holding his hands1 looking at him with bright tearful eyes4 8,oliver10 she cried again1 8,i must tell you this4444 ,do you know what ,i thought before you came80 ,he shook his head1 staring at her greedily4 ,how sweet she was6 ,he felt her grip tighten on his hands4 8,i thought ,i could not bear it10 she whispered--8that ,i must end it all--ah6 you know what ,i mean40 ,his heart flinched as he heard her2 and he drew her closer again to himself4 8,it is all over6 it is all over10 she cried4 8,ah6 do not look like that6 ,i could not tell you if it was not40' ,as their lips met again there came the vibration of an electric bell from the next room1 and ,oliver1 knowing what it meant1 felt even in that instant a tremor shake his heart4 ,he loosed her hands1 and still smiled at her4 8,the bell60 she said1 with a flash of apprehension4 8,but it is all well between us again80 ,her face steadied itself into loyalty and confidence4 8,it is all well10 she said2 and again the impatient bell tingled4 8,go1 ,oliver2 ,i will wait here40 ,a minute later he was back again1 with a strange look on his white face1 and his lips compressed4 ,he came straight up to her1 taking her once more by the hands1 and looking steadily into her steady eyes4 ,in the hearts of both of them resolve and faith were holding down the emotion that was not yet dead4 ,he drew a long breath4 8,yes10 he said in an even voice1 8it is over40 ,her lips moved2 and that deadly paleness lay on her cheeks4 ,he gripped her firmly4 8,listen10 he said4 8,you must face it4 ,it is over4 ,rome is gone4 ,now we must build something better40 ,she threw herself sobbing into his arms4 ,,chapter ,,viii ,i ,long before dawn on the first morning of the ,new ,year the approaches to the ,abbey were already blocked4 ,victoria ,street1 ,great ,george ,street1 ,whitehall--even ,millbank ,street itself--were full and motionless4 ,broad ,sanctuary1 divided by the low-walled motor-track1 was itself cut into great blocks and wedges of people by the ways which the police kept open for the passage of important personages1 and ,palace ,yard was kept rigidly clear except for one island1 occupied by a stand which was itself full from top to bottom and end to end4 ,all roofs and parapets which commanded a view of the ,abbey were also one mass of heads4 ,overhead1 like solemn moons1 burned the white lights of the electric globes4 ,it was not known at exactly what hour the tumult had steadied itself to definite purpose1 except to a few weary controllers of the temporary turnstiles which had been erected the evening before4 ,it had been announced a week previously that1 in consideration of the enormous demand for seats1 all persons who presented their worship-ticket at an authorised office1 and followed the directions issued by the police1 would be accounted as having fulfilled the duties of citizenship in that respect1 and it was generally made known that it was the ,government's intention to toll the great bell of the ,abbey at the beginning of the ceremony and at the incensing of the image1 during which period silence must be as far as possible preserved by all those within hearing4 ,london had gone completely mad on the announcement of the ,catholic plot on the afternoon before4 ,the secret had leaked out about fourteen o'clock1 an hour after the betrayal of the scheme to ,mr4 ,snowford2 and practically all commercial activities had ceased on the instant4 ,by fifteen-and-a-half all stores were closed1 the ,stock ,exchange1 the ,city offices1 the ,west ,end establishments--all had as by irresistible impulse suspended business1 and from within two hours after noon until nearly midnight1 when the police had been adequately reinforced and enabled to deal with the situation1 whole mobs and armies of men1 screaming squadrons of women1 troops of frantic youths1 had paraded the streets1 howling1 denouncing1 and murdering4 ,it was not known how many deaths had taken place1 but there was scarcely a street without the signs of outrage4 ,westminster ,cathedral had been sacked1 every altar overthrown1 indescribable indignities performed there4 ,an unknown priest had scarcely been able to consume the ,blessed ,sacrament before he was seized and throttled2 the ,archbishop with eleven priests and two bishops had been hanged at the north end of the church1 thirty-five convents had been destroyed1 ,st4 ,george's ,cathedral burned to the ground2 and it was reported even1 by the evening papers1 that it was believed that1 for the first time since the introduction of ,christianity into ,england1 there was not one ,tabernacle left within twenty miles of the ,abbey4 8,london10 explained the ,new ,people1 in huge headlines1 8was cleansed at last of dingy and fantastic nonsense40 ,it was known at about fifteen-and-a-half o'clock that at least seventy volors had left for ,rome1 and half-an-hour later that ,berlin had reinforced them by sixty more4 ,at midnight1 fortunately at a time when the police had succeeded in shepherding the crowds into some kind of order1 the news was flashed on to cloud and placard alike that the grim work was done1 and that ,rome had ceased to exist4 ,the early morning papers added a few details1 pointing out1 of course1 the coincidence of the fall with the close of the year1 relating how1 by an astonishing chance1 practically all the heads of the hierarchy throughout the world had been assembled in the ,vatican which had been the first object of attack1 and how these1 in desperation1 it was supposed1 had refused to leave the ,city when the news came by wireless telegraphy that the punitive force was on its way4 ,there was not a building left in ,rome2 the entire place1 ,leonine ,city1 ,trastevere1 suburbs--everything was gone2 for the volors1 poised at an immense height1 had parcelled out the ,city beneath them with extreme care1 before beginning to drop the explosives2 and five minutes after the first roar from beneath and the first burst of smoke and flying fragments1 the thing was finished4 ,the volors had then dispersed in every direction1 pursuing the motor and rail-tracks along which the population had attempted to escape so soon as the news was known2 and it was supposed that not less than thirty thousand belated fugitives had been annihilated by this foresight4 ,it was true1 remarked the ,studio1 that many treasures of incalculable value had been destroyed1 but this was a cheap price to pay for the final and complete extermination of the ,catholic pest4 8,there comes a point10 it remarked1 8when destruction is the only cure for a vermin-infested house10 and it proceeded to observe that now that the ,pope with the entire ,college of ,cardinals1 all the ex-,royalties of ,europe1 all the most frantic religionists from the inhabited world who had taken up their abode in the 8,holy ,city0 were gone at a stroke1 a recrudescence of the superstition was scarcely to be feared elsewhere4 ,yet care must even now be taken against any relenting4 ,catholics 7if any were left bold enough to attempt it7 must no longer be allowed to take any kind of part in the life of any civilised country4 ,so far as messages had come in from other countries1 there was but one chorus of approval at what had been done4 ,a few papers regretted the incident1 or rather the spirit which had lain behind it4 ,it was not seemly1 they said1 that ,humanitarians should have recourse to violence2 yet not one pretended that anything could be felt but thanksgiving for the general result4 ,ireland1 too1 must be brought into line2 they must not dally any longer4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it was now brightening slowly towards dawn1 and beyond the river through the faint wintry haze a crimson streak or two began to burn4 ,but all was surprisingly quiet1 for this crowd1 tired out with an all-night watch1 chilled by the bitter cold1 and intent on what lay before them1 had no energy left for useless effort4 ,only from packed square and street and lane went up a deep1 steady murmur like the sound of the sea a mile away1 broken now and again by the hoot and clang of a motor and the rush of its passage as it tore eastwards round the circle through ,broad ,sanctuary and vanished citywards4 ,and the light broadened and the electric globes sickened and paled1 and the haze began to clear a little1 showing1 not the fresh blue that had been hoped for from the cold of the night1 but a high1 colourless vault of cloud1 washed with grey and faint rose-colour1 as the sun came up1 a ruddy copper disc1 beyond the river4 99 99 99 99 99 ,at nine o'clock the excitement rose a degree higher4 ,the police between ,whitehall and the ,abbey1 looking from their high platforms strung along the route1 whence they kept watch and controlled the wire palisadings1 showed a certain activity1 and a minute later a police-car whirled through the square between the palings1 and vanished round the ,abbey towers4 ,the crowd murmured and shuffled and began to expect1 and a cheer was raised when a moment later four more cars appeared1 bearing the ,government insignia1 and disappeared in the same direction4 ,these were the officials1 they said1 going to ,dean's ,yard1 where the procession would assemble4 ,at about a quarter to ten the crowd at the west end of ,victoria ,street began to raise its voice in a song1 and by the time that was over1 and the bells had burst out from the ,abbey towers1 a rumour had somehow made its entrance that ,felsenburgh was to be present at the ceremony4 ,there was no assignable reason for this1 neither then nor afterwards2 in fact1 the ,evening ,star declared that it was one more instance of the astonishing instinct of human beings en masse2 for it was not until an hour later that even the ,government were made aware of the facts4 ,yet the truth remained that at half-past ten one continuous roar went up1 drowning even the brazen clamour of the bells1 reaching round to ,whitehall and the crowded pavements of ,westminster ,bridge1 demanding ,julian ,felsenburgh4 ,yet there had been absolutely no news of the ,president of ,europe for the last fortnight1 beyond an entirely unsupported report that he was somewhere in the ,east4 ,and all the while the motors poured from all directions towards the ,abbey and disappeared under the arch into ,dean's ,yard1 bearing those fortunate persons whose tickets actually admitted them to the church itself4 ,cheers ran and rippled along the lines as the great men were recognised--,lord ,pemberton1 ,oliver ,brand and his wife1 ,mr4 ,caldecott1 ,maxwell1 ,snowford1 with the ,european delegates--even melancholy-faced ,mr4 ,francis himself1 the ,government ceremoniarius1 received a greeting4 ,but by a quarter to eleven1 when the pealing bells paused1 the stream had stopped1 the barriers issued out to stop the roads1 the wire palisadings vanished1 and the crowd for an instant1 ceasing its roaring1 sighed with relief at the relaxed pressure1 and surged out into the roadways4 ,then once more the roaring began for ,julian ,felsenburgh4 ,the sun was now high1 still a copper disc1 above the ,victoria ,tower1 but paler than an hour ago2 the whiteness of the ,abbey1 the heavy greys of ,parliament ,house1 the ten thousand tints of house-roofs1 heads1 streamers1 placards began to disclose themselves4 ,a single bell tolled five minutes to the hour1 and the moments slipped by1 until once more the bell stopped1 and to the ears of those within hearing of the great west doors came the first blare of the huge organ1 reinforced by trumpets4 ,and then1 as sudden and profound as the hush of death1 there fell an enormous silence4 ,,ii ,as the five-minutes bell began1 sounding like a continuous wind-note in the great vaults overhead1 solemn and persistent1 ,mabel drew a long breath and leaned back in her seat from the rigid position in which for the last half-hour she had been staring out at the wonderful sight4 ,she seemed to herself to have assimilated it at last1 to be herself once more1 to have drunk her fill of the triumph and the beauty4 ,she was as one who looks upon a summer sea on the morning after a storm4 ,and now the climax was at hand4 ,from end to end and side to side the interior of the ,abbey presented a great broken mosaic of human faces2 living slopes1 walls1 sections and curves4 ,the south transept directly opposite to her1 from pavement to rose window1 was one sheet of heads2 the floor was paved with them1 cut in two by the scarlet of the gangway leading from the chapel of ,st4 ,faith--on the right1 the choir beyond the open space before the sanctuary was a mass of white figures1 scarved and surpliced2 the high organ gallery1 beneath which the screen had been removed1 was crowded with them1 and1 far down beneath1 the dim nave stretched the same endless pale living pavement to the shadow beneath the west window4 ,between every group of columns behind the choir-stalls1 before her1 to right1 left1 and behind1 were platforms contrived in the masonry2 and the exquisite roof1 fan-tracery and soaring capital1 alone gave the eye an escape from humanity4 ,the whole vast space was full1 it seemed1 of delicate sunlight that streamed in from the artificial light set outside each window1 and poured the ruby and the purple and the blue from the old glass in long shafts of colour across the dusty air1 and in broken patches on the faces and dresses behind4 ,the murmur of ten thousand voices filled the place1 supplying1 it seemed1 a solemn accompaniment to that melodious note that now pulsed above it4 ,and finally1 more significant than all1 was the empty carpeted sanctuary at her feet1 the enormous altar with its flight of steps1 the gorgeous curtain and the great untenanted sedilia4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mabel needed some such reassurance1 for last night1 until the coming of ,oliver1 had passed for her as a kind of appalling waking dream4 ,from the first shock of what she had seen outside the church1 through those hours of waiting1 with the knowledge that this was the way in which the ,spirit of ,peace asserted its superiority1 up to that last moment when1 in her husband's arms1 she had learned of the ,fall of ,rome1 it had appeared to her as if her new world had suddenly corrupted about her4 ,it was incredible1 she told herself1 that this ravening monster1 dripping blood from claws and teeth1 that had arisen roaring in the night1 could be the ,humanity that had become her ,god4 ,she had thought revenge and cruelty and slaughter to be the brood of ,christian superstition1 dead and buried under the new-born angel of light1 and now it seemed that the monsters yet stirred and lived4 ,all the evening she had sat1 walked1 lain about her quiet house with the horror heavy about her1 flinging open a window now and again in the icy air to listen with clenched hands to the cries and the roarings of the mob that raged in the streets beneath1 the clanks1 the yells and the hoots of the motor-trains that tore up from the country to swell the frenzy of the city--to watch the red glow of fire1 the volumes of smoke that heaved up from the burning chapels and convents4 ,she had questioned1 doubted1 resisted her doubts1 flung out frantic acts of faith1 attempted to renew the confidence that she attained in her meditation1 told herself that traditions died slowly2 she had knelt1 crying out to the spirit of peace that lay1 as she knew so well1 at the heart of man1 though overwhelmed for the moment by evil passion4 ,a line or two ran in her head from one of the old ,victorian poets3 ,you doubt ,if any one ,could think or bid it8 ,how could it come about8444 ,who did it8 ,not men6 ,not here6 ,oh6 not beneath the sun4444 ,the torch that smouldered till the cup o'er-ran ,the wrath of ,god which is the wrath of ,man6 ,she had even contemplated death1 as she had told her husband--the taking of her own life1 in a great despair with the world4 ,seriously she had thought of it2 it was an escape perfectly in accord with her morality4 ,the useless and agonising were put out of the world by common consent2 the ,euthanasia houses witnessed to it4 ,then why not she8444 ,for she could not bear it6444 ,then ,oliver had come1 she had fought her way back to sanity and confidence2 and the phantom had gone again4 ,how sensible and quiet he had been1 she was beginning to tell herself now1 as the quiet influence of this huge throng in this glorious place of worship possessed her once more--how reasonable in his explanation that man was even now only convalescent and therefore liable to relapse4 ,she had told herself that again and again during the night1 but it had been different when he had said so4 ,his personality had once more prevailed2 and the name of ,felsenburgh had finished the work4 8,if ,he were but here60 she sighed4 ,but she knew ,he was far away4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it was not until a quarter to eleven that she understood that the crowds outside were clamouring for ,him too1 and that knowledge reassured her yet further4 ,they knew1 then1 these wild tigers1 where their redemption lay2 they understood what was their ideal1 even if they had not attained to it4 ,ah6 if ,he were but here1 there would be no more question3 the sullen waves would sink beneath ,his call of peace1 the hazy clouds lift1 the rumble die to silence4 ,but ,he was away--away on some strange business4 ,well2 ,he knew ,his work4 ,he would surely come soon again to ,his children who needed ,him so terribly4 99 99 99 99 99 ,she had the good fortune to be alone in a crowd4 ,her neighbour1 a grizzled old man with his daughters beyond1 was her only neighbour1 and a stranger4 ,at her left rose up the red-covered barricade over which she could see the sanctuary and the curtain2 and her seat in the tribune1 raised some eight feet above the floor1 removed her from any possibility of conversation4 ,she was thankful for that3 she did not want to talk2 she wanted only to control her faculties in silence1 to reassert her faith1 to look out over this enormous throng gathered to pay homage to the great ,spirit whom they had betrayed1 to renew her own courage and faithfulness4 ,she wondered what the preacher would say1 whether there would be any note of penitence4 ,maternity was his subject--that benign aspect of universal life--tenderness1 love1 quiet1 receptive1 protective passion1 the spirit that soothes rather than inspires1 that busies itself with peaceful tasks1 that kindles the lights and fires of home1 that gives sleep1 food and welcome4444 ,the bell stopped1 and in the instant before the music began she heard1 clear above the murmur within1 the roar of the crowds outside1 who still demanded their ,god4 ,then1 with a crash1 the huge organ awoke1 pierced by the cry of the trumpets and the maddening throb of drums4 ,there was no delicate prelude here1 no slow stirring of life rising through labyrinths of mystery to the climax of sight--here rather was full-orbed day1 the high noon of knowledge and power1 the dayspring from on high1 dawning in mid-heaven4 ,her heart quickened to meet it1 and her reviving confidence1 still convalescent1 stirred and smiled1 as the tremendous chords blared overhead1 telling of triumph full-armed4 ,god was man1 then1 after all--a ,god who last night had faltered for an hour1 but who rose again on this morning of a new year1 scattering mists1 dominant over his own passion1 all-compelling and all-beloved4 ,god was man1 and ,felsenburgh his ,incarnation6 ,yes1 she must believe that6 ,she did believe that6 ,then she saw how already the long procession was winding up beneath the screen1 and by imperceptible art the light grew yet more acutely beautiful4 ,they were coming1 then1 those ministers of a pure worship2 grave men who knew in what they believed1 and who1 even if they did not at this moment thrill with feeling 7for she knew that in this respect her husband for one did not71 yet believed the principles of this worship and recognised their need of expression for the majority of mankind--coming slowly up in fours and pairs and units1 led by robed vergers1 rippling over the steps1 and emerging again into the coloured sunlight in all their bravery of ,masonic apron1 badge and jewel4 ,surely here was reassurance enough4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the sanctuary now held a figure or two4 ,anxious-faced ,mr4 ,francis1 in his robes of office1 came gravely down the steps and stood awaiting the procession1 directing with almost imperceptible motions his satellites who hovered about the aisles ready to point this way and that to the advancing stream2 and the western-most seats were already beginning to fill1 when on a sudden she recognised that something had happened4 ,just now the roaring of the mob outside had provided a kind of underbass to the music within1 imperceptible except to sub-consciousness1 but clearly discernible in its absence2 and this absence was now a fact4 ,at first she thought that the signal of beginning worship had hushed them2 and then1 with an indescribable thrill1 she remembered that in all her knowledge only one thing had ever availed to quiet a turbulent crowd4 ,yet she was not sure2 it might be an illusion4 ,even now the mob might be roaring still1 and she only deaf to it2 but again with an ecstasy that was very near to agony she perceived that the murmur of voices even within the building had ceased1 and that some great wave of emotion was stirring the sheets and slopes of faces before her as a wind stirs wheat4 ,a moment later1 and she was on her feet1 gripping the rail1 with her heart like an over-driven engine beating pulses of blood1 furious and insistent1 through every vein2 for with great rushing surge that sounded like a sigh1 heard even above the triumphant tumult overhead1 the whole enormous assemblage had risen to its feet4 ,confusion seemed to break out in the orderly procession4 ,she saw ,mr4 ,francis run forward quickly1 gesticulating like a conductor1 and at his signal the long line swayed forward1 split1 recoiled1 and again slid swiftly forward1 breaking as it did so into twenty streams that poured along the seats and filled them in a moment4 ,men ran and pushed1 aprons flapped1 hands beckoned1 all without coherent words4 ,there was a knocking of feet1 the crash of an overturned chair1 and then1 as if a god had lifted his hand for quiet1 the music ceased abruptly1 sending a wild echo that swooned and died in a moment2 a great sigh filled its place1 and1 in the coloured sunshine that lay along the immense length of the gangway that ran open now from west to east1 far down in the distant nave1 a single figure was seen advancing4 ,,iii ,what ,mabel saw and heard and felt from eleven o'clock to half-an-hour after noon on that first morning of the ,new ,year she could never adequately remember4 ,for the time she lost the continuous consciousness of self1 the power of reflection1 for she was still weak from her struggle2 there was no longer in her the process by which events are stored1 labelled and recorded2 she was no more than a being who observed as it were in one long act1 across which considerations played at uncertain intervals4 ,eyes and ear seemed her sole functions1 communicating direct with a burning heart4 99 99 99 99 99 ,she did not even know at what point her senses told her that this was ,felsenburgh4 ,she seemed to have known it even before he entered1 and she watched ,him as in complete silence ,he came deliberately up the red carpet1 superbly alone1 rising a step or two at the entrance of the choir1 passing on and up before her4 ,he was in his ,english judicial dress of scarlet and black1 but she scarcely noticed it4 ,for her1 too1 no one else existed but1 ,he2 this vast assemblage was gone1 poised and transfigured in one vibrating atmosphere of an immense human emotion4 ,there was no one1 anywhere1 but ,julian ,felsenburgh4 ,peace and light burned like a glory about ,him4 ,for an instant after passing he disappeared beyond the speaker's tribune1 and the instant after reappeared once more1 coming up the steps4 ,he reached his place--she could see ,his profile beneath her and slightly to the left1 pure and keen as the blade of a knife1 beneath ,his white hair4 ,he lifted one white-furred sleeve1 made a single motion1 and with a surge and a rumble1 the ten thousand were seated4 ,he motioned again and with a roar they were on their feet4 ,again there was a silence4 ,he stood now1 perfectly still1 ,his hands laid together on the rail1 and ,his face looking steadily before ,him2 it seemed as if ,he who had drawn all eyes and stilled all sounds were waiting until ,his domination were complete1 and there was but one will1 one desire1 and that beneath ,his hand4 ,then ,he began to speak4444 99 99 99 99 99 ,in this again1 as ,mabel perceived afterwards1 there was no precise or verbal record within her of what he said2 there was no conscious process by which she received1 tested1 or approved what she heard4 ,the nearest image under which she could afterwards describe her emotions to herself1 was that when ,he spoke it was she who was speaking4 ,her own thoughts1 her predispositions1 her griefs1 her disappointment1 her passion1 her hopes--all these interior acts of the soul known scarcely even to herself1 down even1 it seemed1 to the minutest whorls and eddies of thought1 were1 by this man1 lifted up1 cleansed1 kindled1 satisfied and proclaimed4 ,for the first time in her life she became perfectly aware of what human nature meant2 for it was her own heart that passed out upon the air1 borne on that immense voice4 ,again1 as once before for a few moments in ,paul's ,house1 it seemed that creation1 groaning so long1 had spoken articulate words at last--had come to growth and coherent thought and perfect speech4 ,yet then ,he had spoken to men2 now it was ,man ,himself speaking4 ,it was not one man who spoke there1 it was ,man--,man conscious of his origin1 his destiny1 and his pilgrimage between1 ,man sane again after a night of madness--knowing his strength1 declaring his law1 lamenting in a voice as eloquent as stringed instruments his own failure to correspond4 ,it was a soliloquy rather than an oration4 ,rome had fallen1 ,english and ,italian streets had run with blood1 smoke and flame had gone up to heaven1 because man had for an instant sunk back to the tiger4 ,yet it was done1 cried the great voice1 and there was no repentance2 it was done1 and ages hence man must still do penance and flush scarlet with shame to remember that once he turned his back on the risen light4 ,there was no appeal to the lurid1 no picture of the tumbling palaces1 the running figures1 the coughing explosions1 the shaking of the earth and the dying of the doomed4 ,it was rather with those hot hearts shouting in the ,english and ,german streets1 or aloft in the winter air of ,italy1 the ugly passions that warred there1 as the volors rocked at their stations1 generating and fulfilling revenge1 paying back plot with plot1 and violence with violence4 ,for there1 cried the voice1 was man as he had been1 fallen in an instant to the cruel old ages before he had learned what he was and why4 ,there was no repentance1 said the voice again1 but there was something better2 and as the hard1 stinging tones melted1 the girl's dry eyes of shame filled in an instant with tears4 ,there was something better--the knowledge of what crimes man was yet capable of1 and the will to use that knowledge4 ,rome was gone1 and it was a lamentable shame2 ,rome was gone1 and the air was the sweeter for it2 and then in an instant1 like the soar of a bird1 ,he was up and away--away from the horrid gulf where ,he had looked just now1 from the fragments of charred bodies1 and tumbled houses and all the signs of man's disgrace1 to the pure air and sunlight to which man must once more set his face4 ,yet ,he bore with ,him in that wonderful flight the dew of tears and the aroma of earth4 ,he had not spared words with which to lash and whip the naked human heart1 and ,he did not spare words to lift up the bleeding1 shrinking thing1 and comfort it with the divine vision of love4444 ,historically speaking1 it was about forty minutes before ,he turned to the shrouded image behind the altar4 8,oh6 ,maternity60 he cried4 8,mother of us all---0 ,and then1 to those who heard ,him1 the supreme miracle took place4444 ,for it seemed now in an instant that it was no longer man who spoke1 but ,one who stood upon the stage of the superhuman4 ,the curtain ripped back1 as one who stood by it tore1 panting1 at the strings2 and there1 it seemed1 face to face stood the ,mother above the altar1 huge1 white and protective1 and the ,child1 one passionate incarnation of love1 crying to her from the tribune4 8,oh6 ,mother of us all1 and ,mother of ,me60 ,so ,he praised her to her face1 that sublime principle of life1 declared her glories and her strength1 her ,immaculate ,motherhood1 her seven swords of anguish driven through her heart by the passion and the follies of her ,son--,he promised her great things1 the recognition of her countless children1 the love and service of the unborn1 the welcome of those yet quickening within the womb4 ,he named her the ,wisdom of the ,most ,high1 that sweetly orders all things1 the ,gate of ,heaven1 ,house of ,ivory1 ,comforter of the afflicted1 ,queen of the ,world2 and1 to the delirious eyes of those who looked on her it seemed that the grave face smiled to hear ,him4444 ,a great panting as of some monstrous life began to fill the air as the mob swayed behind ,him1 and the torrential voice poured on4 ,waves of emotion swept up and down2 there were cries and sobs1 the yelping of a man beside himself at last1 from somewhere among the crowded seats1 the crash of a bench1 and another and another1 and the gangways were full1 for ,he no longer held them passive to listen2 ,he was rousing them to some supreme act4 ,the tide crawled nearer1 and the faces stared no longer at the ,son but the ,mother2 the girl in the gallery tore at the heavy railing1 and sank down sobbing upon her knees4 ,and above all the voice pealed on--and the thin hands blanched to whiteness strained from the wide and sumptuous sleeves as if to reach across the sanctuary itself4 ,it was a new tale ,he was telling now1 and all to her glory4 ,he was from the ,east1 now they knew1 come from some triumph4 ,he had been hailed as ,king1 adored as ,divine1 as was meet and right--,he1 the humble superhuman son of a ,human ,mother--who bore not a sword but peace1 not a cross but a crown4 ,so it seemed ,he was saying2 yet no man there knew whether ,he said it or not--whether the voice proclaimed it1 or their hearts asserted it4 ,he was on the steps of the sanctuary now1 still with outstretched hands and pouring words1 and the mob rolled after him to the rumble of ten thousand feet and the sighing of ten thousand hearts4444 ,he was at the altar2 ,he was upon it4 ,again in one last cry1 as the crowd broke against the steps beneath1 ,he hailed her ,queen and ,mother4 ,the end came in a moment1 swift and inevitable4 ,and for an instant1 before the girl in the gallery sank down1 blind with tears1 she saw the tiny figure poised there at the knees of the huge image1 beneath the expectant hands1 silent and transfigured in the blaze of light4 ,the ,mother1 it seemed1 had found her ,son at last4 ,for an instant she saw it1 the soaring columns1 the gilding and the colours1 the swaying heads1 the tossing hands4 ,it was a sea that heaved before her1 lights went up and down1 the rose window whirled overhead1 presences filled the air1 heaven flashed away1 and the earth shook it ecstasy4 ,then in the heavenly light1 to the crash of drums1 above the screaming of the women and the battering of feet1 in one thunder-peal of worship ten thousand voices hailed ,him ,lord and ,god4 ,,book ,,iii-,,the ,,victory ,,chapter ,i ,i ,the little room where the new ,pope sat reading was a model of simplicity4 ,its walls were whitewashed1 its roof unpolished rafters1 and its floor beaten mud4 ,a square table stood in the centre1 with a chair beside it2 a cold brazier laid for lighting1 stood in the wide hearth2 a bookshelf against the wall held a dozen volumes4 ,there were three doors1 one leading to the private oratory1 one to the ante-room1 and the third to the little paved court4 ,the south windows were shuttered1 but through the ill-fitting hinges streamed knife-blades of fiery light from the hot ,eastern day outside4 ,it was the time of the mid-day siesta1 and except for the brisk scything of the cicade from the hill-slope behind the house1 all was in deep silence4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,pope1 who had dined an hour before1 had hardly shifted ,his attitude in all that time1 so intent was ,he upon ,his reading4 ,for the while1 all was put away1 ,his own memory of those last three months1 the bitter anxiety1 the intolerable load of responsibility4 ,the book ,he held was a cheap reprint of the famous biography of ,julian ,felsenburgh1 issued a month before1 and ,he was now drawing to an end4 ,it was a terse1 well-written book1 composed by an unknown hand1 and some even suspected it to be the disguised work of ,felsenburgh himself4 ,more1 however1 considered that it was written at least with ,felsenburgh's consent by one of that small body of intimates whom he had admitted to his society--that body which under him now conducted the affairs of ,west and ,east4 ,from certain indications in the book it had been argued that its actual writer was a ,westerner4 ,the main body of the work dealt with his life1 or rather with those two or three years known to the world1 from his rapid rise in ,american politics and his mediation in the ,east down to the event of five months ago1 when in swift succession he had been hailed ,messiah in ,damascus1 had been formally adored in ,london1 and finally elected by an extraordinary majority to the ,tribuniciate of the two ,americas4 ,the ,pope had read rapidly through these objective facts1 for ,he knew them well enough already1 and was now studying with close attention the summary of his character1 or rather1 as the author rather sententiously explained1 the summary of his self-manifestation to the world4 ,he read the description of his two main characteristics1 his grasp upon words and facts2 8words1 the daughters of earth1 were wedded in this man to facts1 the sons of heaven1 and ,superman was their offspring40 ,his minor characteristics1 too1 were noticed1 his appetite for literature1 his astonishing memory1 his linguistic powers4 ,he possessed1 it appeared1 both the telescopic and the microscopic eye--he discerned world-wide tendencies and movements on the one hand2 he had a passionate capacity for detail on the other4 ,various anecdotes illustrated these remarks1 and a number of terse aphorisms of his were recorded4 8,no man forgives10 he said2 8he only understands40 8,it needs supreme faith to renounce a transcendent ,god40 8,a man who believes in himself is almost capable of believing in his neighbour40 ,here was a sentence that to the ,pope's mind was significant of that sublime egotism that is alone capable of confronting the ,christian spirit3 and again1 8,to forgive a wrong is to condone a crime10 and 8,the strong man is accessible to no one1 but all are accessible to him40 ,there was a certain pompousness in this array of remarks1 but it lay1 as the ,pope saw very well1 not in the speaker but in the scribe4 ,to him who had seen the speaker it was plain how they had been uttered--with no pontifical solemnity1 but whirled out in a fiery stream of eloquence1 or spoken with that strangely moving simplicity that had constituted his first assault on ,london4 ,it was possible to hate ,felsenburgh1 and to fear him2 but never to be amused at him4 ,but plainly the supreme pleasure of the writer was to trace the analogy between his hero and nature4 ,in both there was the same apparent contradictoriness--the combination of utter tenderness and utter ruthlessness4 8,the power that heals wounds also inflicts them3 that clothes the dungheap with sweet growths and grasses1 breaks1 too1 into fire and earthquake2 that causes the partridge to die for her young1 also makes the shrike with his living larder40 ,so1 too1 with ,felsenburgh2 ,he who had wept over the ,fall of ,rome1 a month later had spoken of extermination as an instrument that even now might be judicially used in the service of humanity4 ,only it must be used with deliberation1 not with passion4 ,the utterance had aroused extraordinary interest1 since it seemed so paradoxical from one who preached peace and toleration2 and argument had broken out all over the world4 ,but beyond enforcing the dispersal of the ,irish ,catholics1 and the execution of a few individuals1 so far that utterance had not been acted upon4 ,yet the world seemed as a whole to have accepted it1 and even now to be waiting for its fulfilment4 ,as the biographer pointed out1 the world enclosed in physical nature should welcome one who followed its precepts1 one who was indeed the first to introduce deliberately and confessedly into human affairs such laws as those of the ,survival of the ,fittest and the immorality of forgiveness4 ,if there was mystery in the one1 there was mystery in the other1 and both must be accepted if man was to develop4 ,and the secret of this1 it seemed1 lay in ,his personality4 ,to see ,him was to believe in ,him1 or rather to accept ,him as inevitably true4 8,we do not explain nature or escape from it by sentimental regrets3 the hare cries like a child1 the wounded stag weeps great tears1 the robin kills his parents2 life exists only on condition of death2 and these things happen however we may weave theories that explain nothing4 ,life must be accepted on those terms2 we cannot be wrong if we follow nature2 rather to accept them is to find peace--our great mother only reveals her secrets to those who take her as she is40 ,so1 too1 with ,felsenburgh4 8,it is not for us to discriminate3 ,his personality is of a kind that does not admit it4 ,he is complete and sufficing for those who trust ,him and are willing to suffer2 an hostile and hateful enigma to those who are not4 ,we must prepare ourselves for the logical outcome of this doctrine4 ,sentimentality must not be permitted to dominate reason40 ,finally1 then1 the writer showed how to this ,man belonged properly all those titles hitherto lavished upon imagined ,supreme ,beings4 ,it was in preparation for ,him that these types came into the realms of thought and influenced men's lives4 ,he was the ,creator1 for it was reserved for ,him to bring into being the perfect life of union to which all the world had hitherto groaned in vain2 it was in ,his own image and likeness that ,he had made man4 ,yet ,he was the ,redeemer too1 for that likeness had in one sense always underlain the tumult of mistake and conflict4 ,he had brought man out of darkness and the shadow of death1 guiding their feet into the way of peace4 ,he was the ,saviour for the same reason--the ,son of ,man1 for ,he alone was perfectly human2 ,he was the ,absolute1 for ,he was the content of ,ideals2 the ,eternal1 for ,he had lain always in nature's potentiality and secured by ,his being the continuity of that order2 the ,infinite1 for all finite things fell short of ,him who was more than their sum4 ,he was ,alpha1 then1 and ,omega1 the beginning and the end1 the first and the last4 ,he was ,dominus et ,deus noster 7as ,domitian had been1 the ,pope reflected74 ,he was as simple and as complex as life itself--simple in its essence1 complex in its activities4 ,and last of all1 the supreme proof of ,his mission lay in the immortal nature of ,his message4 ,there was no more to be added to what ,he had brought to light--for in ,him all diverging lines at last found their origin and their end4 ,as to whether or no ,he would prove to be personally immortal was an wholly irrelevant thought2 it would be indeed fitting if through ,his means the vital principle should disclose its last secret2 but no more than fitting4 ,already ,his spirit was in the world2 the individual was no more separate from his fellows2 death no more than a wrinkle that came and went across the inviolable sea4 ,for man had learned at last that the race was all and self was nothing2 the cell had discovered the unity of the body2 even1 the greatest thinkers declared1 the consciousness of the individual had yielded the title of ,personality to the corporate mass of man--and the restlessness of the unit had sunk into the peace of a common ,humanity1 for nothing but this could explain the cessation of party strife and national competition--and this1 above all1 had been the work of ,felsenburgh4 8,behold ,i am with you always10 quoted the writer in a passionate peroration1 8even now in the consummation of the world2 and1 the ,comforter is come unto you4 ,i am the ,door--the ,way1 the ,truth and the ,life--the ,bread of ,life and the ,water of ,life4 ,my name is ,wonderful1 the ,prince of ,peace1 the ,father ,everlasting4 ,it is ,i who am the ,desire of all nations1 the fairest among the children of men--and of my ,kingdom there shall be no end40 ,the ,pope laid down the book1 and leaned back1 closing his eyes4 ,,ii ,and as for ,himself1 what had ,he to say to all this8 ,a ,transcendent ,god ,who hid ,himself1 a ,divine ,saviour ,who delayed to come1 a ,comforter heard no longer in wind nor seen in fire6 ,there1 in the next room1 was a little wooden altar1 and above it an iron box1 and within that box a silver cup1 and within that cup--,something4 ,outside the house1 a hundred yards away1 lay the domes and plaster roofs of a little village called ,nazareth2 ,carmel was on the right1 a mile or two away1 ,thabor on the left1 the plain of ,esdraelon in front2 and behind1 ,cana and ,galilee1 and the quiet lake1 and ,hermon4 ,and far away to the south lay ,jerusalem4444 ,it was to this tiny strip of holy land that the ,pope had come--the land where a ,faith had sprouted two thousand years ago1 and where1 unless ,god spoke in fire from heaven1 it would presently be cut down as a cumberer of the ground4 ,it was here on this material earth that ,one had walked ,whom all men had thought to have been ,he ,who would redeem ,israel--in this village that ,he had fetched water and made boxes and chairs1 on that long lake that ,his ,feet had walked1 on that high hill that ,he had flamed in glory1 on that smooth1 low mountain to the north that ,he had declared that the meek were blessed and should inherit the earth1 that peacemakers were the children of ,god1 that they who hungered and thirsted should be satisfied4 ,and now it was come to this4 ,christianity had smouldered away from ,europe like a sunset on darkening peaks2 ,eternal ,rome was a heap of ruins2 in ,east and ,west alike a man had been set upon the throne of ,god1 had been acclaimed as divine4 ,the world had leaped forward2 social science was supreme2 men had learned consistency2 they had learned1 too1 the social lessons of ,christianity apart from a ,divine ,teacher1 or1 rather1 they said1 in spite of ,him4 ,there were left1 perhaps1 three millions1 perhaps five1 at the utmost ten millions--it was impossible to know--throughout the entire inhabited globe who still worshipped ,jesus ,christ as ,god4 ,and the ,vicar of ,christ sat in a whitewashed room in ,nazareth1 dressed as simply as ,his master1 waiting for the end4 99 99 99 99 99 ,he had done what ,he could4 ,there had been a week five months ago when it had been doubtful whether anything at all could be done4 ,there were left three ,cardinals alive1 ,himself1 ,steinmann1 and the ,patriarch of ,jerusalem2 the rest lay mangled somewhere in the ruins of ,rome4 ,there was no precedent to follow2 so the two ,europeans had made their way out to the ,east1 and to the one town in it where quiet still reigned4 ,with the disappearance of ,greek ,christianity there had also vanished the last remnants of internecine war in ,christendom2 and by a kind of tacit consent of the world1 ,christians were allowed a moderate liberty in ,palestine4 ,russia1 which now held the country as a dependency1 had sufficient sentiment left to leave it alone2 it was true that the holy places had been desecrated1 and remained now only as spots of antiquarian interest2 the altars were gone but the sites were yet marked1 and1 although mass could no longer be said there1 it was understood that private oratories were not forbidden4 ,it was in this state that the two ,european ,cardinals had found the ,holy ,city2 it was not thought wise to wear insignia of any description in public2 and it was practically certain even now that the civilised world was unaware of their existence2 for within three days of their arrival the old ,patriarch had died1 yet not before ,percy ,franklin1 surely under the strangest circumstances since those of the first century1 had been elected to the ,supreme ,pontificate4 ,it had all been done in a few minutes by the dying man's bedside4 ,the two old men had insisted4 ,the ,german had even recurred once more to the strange resemblance between ,percy and ,julian ,felsenburgh1 and had murmured his old half-heard remarks about the antithesis1 and the ,finger of ,god2 and ,percy1 marvelling at his superstition1 had accepted1 and the election was recorded4 ,he had taken the name of ,silvester1 the last saint in the year1 and was the third of that title4 ,he had then retired to ,nazareth with his chaplain2 ,steinmann had gone back to ,germany1 and been hanged in a riot within a fortnight of his arrival4 ,the next matter was the creation of new cardinals1 and to twenty persons1 with infinite precautions1 briefs had been conveyed4 ,of these1 nine had declined2 three more had been approached1 of whom only one had accepted4 ,there were therefore at this moment twelve persons in the world who constituted the ,sacred ,college--two ,englishmen1 of whom ,corkran was one2 two ,americans1 a ,frenchman1 a ,german1 an ,italian1 a ,spaniard1 a ,pole1 a ,chinaman1 a ,greek1 and a ,russian4 ,to these were entrusted vast districts over which their control was supreme1 subject only to the ,holy ,father ,himself4 ,as regarded the ,pope's own life very little need be said4 ,it resembled1 ,he thought1 in its outward circumstances that of such a man as ,leo the ,great1 without ,his worldly importance or pomp4 ,theoretically1 the ,christian world was under ,his dominion2 practically1 ,christian affairs were administered by local authorities4 ,it was impossible for a hundred reasons for ,him to do what ,he wished with regard to the exchange of communications4 ,an elaborate cypher had been designed1 and a private telegraphic station organised on ,his roof communicating with another in ,damascus where ,cardinal ,corkran had fixed his residence2 and from that centre messages occasionally were despatched to ecclesiastical authorities elsewhere2 but1 for the most part1 there was little to be done4 ,the ,pope1 however1 had the satisfaction of knowing that1 with incredible difficulty1 a little progress had been made towards the reorganisation of the hierarchy in all countries4 ,bishops were being consecrated freely2 there were not less than two thousand of them all told1 and of priests an unknown number4 ,the ,order of ,christ ,crucified was doing excellent work1 and the tales of not less than four hundred martyrdoms had reached ,nazareth during the last two months1 accomplished mostly at the hands of the mobs4 ,in other respects1 also1 as well as in the primary object of the ,order's existence 7namely1 the affording of an opportunity to all who loved ,god to dedicate themselves to ,him more perfectly71 the new ,religious were doing good work4 ,the more perilous tasks--the work of communication between prelates1 missions to persons of suspected integrity--all the business1 in fact1 which was carried on now at the vital risk of the agent were entrusted solely to members of the ,order4 ,stringent instructions had been issued from ,nazareth that no bishop was to expose himself unnecessarily2 each was to regard himself as the heart of his diocese to be protected at all costs save that of ,christian honour1 and in consequence each had surrounded himself with a group of the new ,religious--men and women--who with extraordinary and generous obedience undertook such dangerous tasks as they were capable of performing4 ,it was plain enough by now that had it not been for the ,order1 the ,church would have been little better than paralysed under these new conditions4 ,extraordinary facilities were being issued in all directions4 ,every priest who belonged to the ,order received universal jurisdiction subject to the bishop1 if any1 of the diocese in which he might be2 mass might be said on any day of the year of the ,five ,wounds1 or the ,resurrection1 or ,our ,lady2 and all had the privilege of the portable altar1 now permitted to be wood4 ,further ritual requirements were relaxed2 mass might be said with any decent vessels of any material capable of destruction1 such as glass or china2 bread of any description might be used2 and no vestments were obligatory except the thin thread that now represented the stole2 lights were non-essential2 none need wear the clerical habit2 and rosary1 even without beads1 was always permissible instead of the ,office4 ,in this manner priests were rendered capable of giving the sacraments and offering the holy sacrifice at the least possible risk to themselves2 and these relaxations had already proved of enormous benefit in the ,european prisons1 where by this time many thousands of ,catholics were undergoing the penalty of refusing public worship4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,pope's private life was as simple as ,his room4 ,he had one ,syrian priest for ,his chaplain1 and two ,syrian servants4 ,he said ,his mass each morning1 ,himself wearing vestments and ,his white habit beneath1 and heard a mass after4 ,he then took ,his coffee1 after changing into the tunic and burnous of the country1 and spent the morning over business4 ,he dined at noon1 slept1 and rode out1 for the country by reason of its indeterminate position was still in the simplicity of a hundred years ago4 ,he returned at dusk1 supped1 and worked again till late into the night4 ,that was all4 ,his chaplain sent what messages were necessary to ,damascus2 ,his servants1 themselves ignorant of ,his dignity1 dealt with the secular world so far as was required1 and the utmost that seemed to be known to ,his few neighbours was that there lived in the late ,sheikh's little house on the hill an eccentric ,european with a telegraph office4 ,his servants1 themselves devout ,catholics1 knew ,him for a bishop1 but no more than that4 ,they were told only that there was yet a ,pope alive1 and with that and the sacraments were content4 ,to sum up1 therefore--the ,catholic world knew that their ,pope lived under the name of ,silvester2 and thirteen persons of the entire human race knew that ,franklin had been ,his name1 and that the throne of ,peter rested for the time in ,nazareth4 ,it was1 as a ,frenchman had said1 just a hundred years ago4 ,catholicism survived2 but no more4 ,,iii ,and as for ,his inner life1 what can be said of that8 ,he lay now back in his wooden chair1 thinking with closed eyes4 ,he could not have described it consistently even to ,himself1 for indeed ,he scarcely knew it3 ,he acted rather than indulged in reflex thought4 ,but the centre of ,his position was simple faith4 ,the ,catholic ,religion1 ,he knew well enough1 gave the only adequate explanation of the universe2 it did not unlock all mysteries1 but it unlocked more than any other key known to man2 ,he knew1 too1 perfectly well1 that it was the only system of thought that satisfied man as a whole1 and accounted for him in his essential nature4 ,further1 ,he saw well enough that the failure of ,christianity to unite all men one to another rested not upon its feebleness but its strength2 its lines met in eternity1 not in time4 ,besides1 ,he happened to believe it4 ,but to this foreground there were other moods whose shifting was out of his control4 ,in his exalt moods1 which came upon ,him like a breeze from ,paradise1 the background was bright with hope and drama--,he saw ,himself and ,his companions as ,peter and the ,apostles must have regarded themselves1 as they proclaimed through the world1 in temples1 slums1 market-places and private houses1 the faith that was to shake and transform the world4 ,they had handled the ,lord of ,life1 seen the empty sepulchre1 grasped the pierced hands of ,him ,who was their brother and their ,god4 ,it was radiantly true1 though not a man believed it2 the huge superincumbent weight of incredulity could not disturb a fact that was as the sun in heaven4 ,moreover1 the very desperateness of the cause was their inspiration4 ,there was no temptation to lean upon the arm of flesh1 for there was none that fought for them but ,god4 ,their nakedness was their armour1 their slow tongues their persuasiveness1 their weakness demanded ,god's strength1 and found it4 ,yet there was this difference1 and it was a significant one4 ,for ,peter the spiritual world had an interpretation and a guarantee in the outward events he had witnessed4 ,he had handled the ,risen ,christ1 the external corroborated the internal4 ,but for ,silvester it was not so4 ,for ,him it was necessary so to grasp spiritual truths in the supernatural sphere that the external events of the ,incarnation were proved by rather than proved the certitude of ,his spiritual apprehension4 ,certainly1 historically speaking1 ,christianity was true--proved by its records--yet to see that needed illumination4 ,he apprehended the power of the ,resurrection1 therefore ,christ was risen4 ,therefore in heavier moods it was different with him4 ,there were periods1 lasting sometimes for days together1 clouding ,him when ,he awoke1 stifling ,him as ,he tried to sleep1 dulling the very savour of the ,sacrament and the thrill of the ,precious ,blood2 times in which the darkness was so intolerable that even the solid objects of faith attenuated themselves to shadow1 when half ,his nature was blind not only to ,christ1 but to ,god ,himself1 and the reality of ,his own existence--when ,his own awful dignity seemed as the insignia of a fool4 ,and was it conceivable1 ,his earthly mind demanded1 that ,he and ,his college of twelve and ,his few thousands should be right1 and the entire consensus of the civilised world wrong8 ,it was not that the world had not heard the message of the ,gospel2 it had heard little else for two thousand years1 and now pronounced it false--false in its external credentials1 and false therefore in its spiritual claims4 ,it was a lost cause for which ,he suffered2 ,he was not the last of an august line1 ,he was the smoking wick of a candle of folly2 ,he was the reductio ad absurdam of a ludicrous syllogism based on impossible premises4 ,he was not worth killing1 ,he and ,his company of the insane--they were no more than the crowned dunces of the world's school4 ,sanity sat on the solid benches of materialism4 ,and this heaviness waxed so dark sometimes that ,he almost persuaded ,himself that ,his faith was gone2 the clamours of mind so loud that the whisper of the heart was unheard1 the desires for earthly peace so fierce that supernatural ambitions were silenced--so dense was the gloom1 that1 hoping against hope1 believing against knowledge1 and loving against truth1 ,he cried as ,one other had cried on another day like this--,eli1 ,eli1 lama sabachthani6 444 ,but that1 at least1 ,he never failed to cry4 ,one thing alone gave ,him power to go on1 so far at least as ,his consciousness was concerned1 and that was ,his meditation4 ,he had travelled far in the mystical life since ,his agonies of effort4 ,now ,he used no deliberate descents into the spiritual world3 ,he threw1 as it were1 ,his hands over ,his head1 and dropped into spacelessness4 ,consciousness would draw ,him up1 as a cork1 to the surface1 but ,he would do no more than repeat ,his action1 until by that cessation of activity1 which is the supreme energy1 ,he floated in the twilight realm of transcendence2 and there ,god would deal with ,him--now by an articulate sentence1 now by a sword of pain1 now by an air like the vivifying breath of the sea4 ,sometimes after ,communion ,he would treat ,him so1 sometimes as ,he fell asleep1 sometimes in the whirl of work4 ,yet ,his consciousness did not seem to retain for long such experiences2 five minutes later1 it might be1 ,he would be wrestling once more with the all but sensible phantoms of the mind and the heart4 ,there ,he lay1 then1 in the chair1 revolving the intolerable blasphemies that ,he had read4 ,his white hair was thin upon ,his browned temples1 ,his hands were as the hands of a spirit1 and ,his young face lined and patched with sorrow4 ,his bare feet protruded from beneath ,his stained tunic1 and ,his old brown burnous lay on the floor beside ,him4444 ,it was an hour before ,he moved1 and the sun had already lost half its fierceness1 when the steps of the horses sounded in the paved court outside4 ,then ,he sat up1 slipped ,his feet into their shoes1 and lifted the burnous from the floor1 as the door opened and the lean sun-burned priest came through4 8,the horses1 ,holiness10 said the man4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,pope spoke not one word that afternoon1 until the two came towards sunset up the bridle-path that leads between ,thabor and ,nazareth4 ,they had taken their usual round through ,cana1 mounting a hillock from which the long mirror of ,gennesareth could be seen1 and passing on1 always bearing to the right1 under the shadow of ,thabor until once more ,esdraelon spread itself beneath like a grey-green carpet1 a vast circle1 twenty miles across1 sprinkled sparsely with groups of huts1 white walls and roofs1 with ,nain visible on the other side1 ,carmel heaving its long form far off on the right1 and ,nazareth nestling a mile or two away on the plateau on which they had halted4 ,it was a sight of extraordinary peace1 and seemed an extract from some old picture-book designed centuries ago4 ,here was no crowd of roofs1 no pressure of hot humanity1 no terrible evidences of civilisation and manufactory and strenuous1 fruitless effort4 ,a few tired ,jews had come back to this quiet little land1 as old people may return to their native place1 with no hope of renewing their youth1 or refinding their ideals1 but with a kind of sentimentality that prevails so often over more logical motives1 and a few more barrack-like houses had been added here and there to the obscure villages in sight4 ,but it was very much as it had been a hundred years ago4 ,the plain was half shadowed by ,carmel1 and half in dusty golden light4 ,overhead the clear ,eastern sky was flushed with rose1 as it had flushed for ,abraham1 ,jacob1 and the ,son of ,david4 ,there was no little cloud here1 as a man's hand1 over the sea1 charged with both promise and terror2 no sound of chariot-wheels from earth or heaven1 no vision of heavenly horses such as a young man had seen thirty centuries ago in this very sky4 ,here was the old earth and the old heaven1 unchanged and unchangeable2 the patient1 returning spring had starred the thin soil with flowers of ,bethlehem1 and those glorious lilies to which ,solomon's scarlet garments might not be compared4 ,there was no whisper from the ,throne as when ,gabriel had once stooped through this very air to hail ,her who was blessed among women1 no breath of promise or hope beyond that which ,god sends through every movement of ,his created robe of life4 ,as the two halted1 and the horses looked out with steady1 inquisitive eyes at the immensity of light and air beneath them1 a soft hooting cry broke out1 and a shepherd passed below along the hillside a hundred yards away1 trailing his long shadow behind him1 and to the mellow tinkle of bells his flock came after1 a troop of obedient sheep and wilful goats1 cropping and following and cropping again as they went on to the fold1 called by name in that sad minor voice of him who knew each1 and led instead of driving4 ,the soft clanking grew fainter1 the shadow of the shepherd shot once to their very feet1 as he topped the rise1 and vanished again as he stepped down once more2 and the call grew fainter yet1 and ceased4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,pope lifted ,his hand to ,his eyes for an instant1 then smoothed it down ,his face4 ,he nodded across to a dim patch of white walls glimmering through the violet haze of the falling twilight4 8,that place1 father10 ,he said1 8what is its name80 ,the ,syrian priest looked across1 back once more at the ,pope1 and across again4 8,that among the palms1 ,holiness80 8,yes40 8,that is ,megiddo10 he said4 8,some call it ,armageddon40 ,,chapter ,,ii ,i ,at twenty-three o'clock that night the ,syrian priest went out to watch for the coming of the messenger from ,tiberias4 ,nearly two hours previously he had heard the cry of the ,russian volor that plied from ,damascus to ,tiberias1 and ,tiberias to ,jerusalem1 and even as it was the messenger was a little late4 ,these were very primitive arrangements1 but ,palestine was out of the world--a slip of useless country--and it was necessary for a man to ride from ,tiberias to ,nazareth each night with papers from ,cardinal ,corkran to the ,pope1 and to return with correspondence4 ,it was a dangerous task1 and the members of the ,new ,order who surrounded the ,cardinal undertook it by turns4 ,in this manner all matters for which the ,pope's personal attention was required1 and which were too long and not too urgent1 could be dealt with at leisure by him1 and an answer returned within the twenty-four hours4 ,it was a brilliant moonlit night4 ,the great golden shield was riding high above ,thabor1 shedding its strange metallic light down the long slopes and over the moor-like country that rose up from before the house-door--casting too heavy black shadows that seemed far more concrete and solid than the brilliant pale surfaces of the rock slabs or even than the diamond flashes from the quartz and crystal that here and there sparkled up the stony pathway4 ,compared with this clear splendour1 the yellow light from the shuttered house seemed a hot and tawdry thing2 and the priest1 leaning against the door-post1 his eyes alone alight in his dark face1 sank down at last with a kind of ,eastern sensuousness to bathe himself in the glory1 and to spread his lean1 brown hands out to it4 ,this was a very simple man1 in faith as well as in life4 ,for him there were neither the ecstasies nor the desolations of his master4 ,it was an immense and solemn joy to him to live here at the spot of ,god's ,incarnation and in attendance upon ,his ,vicar4 ,as regarded the movements of the world1 he observed them as a man in a ship watches the heaving of the waves far beneath4 ,of course the world was restless1 he half perceived1 for1 as the ,latin ,doctor had said1 all hearts were restless until they found their rest in ,god4 ,quare fremuerunt gentes8444 ,adversus ,dominum1 et adversus ,christum ejus6 ,as to the end--he was not greatly concerned4 ,it might well be that the ship would be overwhelmed1 but the moment of the catastrophe would be the end of all things earthly4 ,the gates of hell shall not prevail3 when ,rome falls1 the world falls2 and when the world falls1 ,christ is manifest in power4 ,for himself1 he imagined that the end was not far away4 ,when he had named ,megiddo this afternoon it had been in his mind2 to him it seemed natural that at the consummation of all things ,christ's ,vicar should dwell at ,nazareth where ,his ,king had come on earth--and that the ,armageddon of the ,divine ,john should be within sight of the scene where ,christ had first taken ,his earthly sceptre and should take it again4 ,after all1 it would not be the first battle that ,megiddo had seen4 ,israel and ,amalek had met here2 ,israel and ,assyria2 ,sesostris had ridden here and ,sennacherib4 ,christian and ,turk had contended here1 like ,michael and ,satan1 over the place where ,god's ,body had lain4 ,as to the exact method of that end1 he had no clear views2 it would be a battle of some kind1 and what field could be found more evidently designed for that than this huge flat circular plain of ,esdraelon1 twenty miles across1 sufficient to hold all the armies of the earth in its embrace8 ,to his view once more1 ignorant as he was of present statistics1 the world was divided into two large sections1 ,christians and heathens1 and he supposed them very much of a size4 ,something would happen1 troops would land at ,khaifa1 they would stream southwards from ,tiberias1 ,damascus and remote ,asia1 northwards from ,jerusalem1 ,egypt and ,africa2 eastwards from ,europe2 westwards from ,asia again and the far-off ,americas4 ,and1 surely1 the time could not be far away1 for here was ,christ's ,vicar2 and1 as ,he ,himself had said in ,his gospel of the ,advent1 ,ubicumque fuerit corpus1 illie congregabuntur et aquilae4 ,of more subtle interpretations of prophecy he had no knowledge4 ,for him words were things1 not merely labels upon ideas4 ,what ,christ and ,st4 ,paul and ,st4 ,john had said--these things were so4 ,he had escaped1 owing chiefly to his isolation from the world1 that vast expansion of ,ritschlian ideas that during the last century had been responsible for the desertion by so many of any intelligible creed4 ,for others this had been the supreme struggle--the difficulty of decision between the facts that words were not things1 and yet that the things they represented were in themselves objective4 ,but to this man1 sitting now in the moonlight1 listening to the far-off tap of hoofs over the hill as the messenger came up from ,cana1 faith was as simple as an exact science4 ,here ,gabriel had descended on wide feathered wings from the ,throne of ,god set beyond the stars1 the ,holy ,ghost had breathed in a beam of ineffable light1 the ,word had become ,flesh as ,mary folded her arms and bowed her head to the decree of the ,eternal4 ,and here once more1 he thought1 though it was no more than a guess--yet he thought that already the running of chariot-wheels was audible--the tumult of the hosts of ,god gathering about the camp of the saints--he thought that already beyond the bars of the dark ,gabriel set to his lips the trumpet of doom and heaven was astir4 ,he might be wrong at this time1 as others had been wrong at other times1 but neither he nor they could be wrong for ever2 there must some day be an end to the patience of ,god1 even though that patience sprang from the eternity of ,his nature4 ,he stood up1 as down the pale moonlit path a hundred yards away came a pale figure of one who rode1 with a leather bag strapped to his girdle4 ,,ii ,it would be about three o'clock in the morning that the priest awoke in his little mud-walled room next to that of the ,holy ,father's1 and heard a footstep coming up the stairs4 ,last evening he had left his master as usual beginning to open the pile of letters arrived from ,cardinal ,corkran1 and himself had gone straight to his bed and slept4 ,he lay now a moment or two1 still drowsy1 listening to the pad of feet1 and an instant later sat up abruptly1 for a deliberate tap had sounded on the door4 ,again it came2 he sprang out of bed in his long night-tunic1 drew it up hastily in his girdle1 went to the door and opened it4 ,the ,pope was standing there1 with a little lamp in one hand1 for the dawn had scarcely yet begun1 and a paper in the other4 8,i beg your pardon1 ,father2 but there is a message ,i must have sent at once to his ,eminence40 ,together they went out through the ,pope's room1 the priest1 still half-blind with sleep1 passed up the stairs1 and emerged into the clear cold air of the upper roof4 ,the ,pope blew out ,his lamp1 and set it on the parapet4 8,you will be cold1 ,father2 fetch your cloak40 8,and you1 ,holiness80 ,the other made a little gesture of denial1 and went across to the tiny temporary shed where the wireless telegraphic instrument stood4 8,fetch your cloak1 ,father10 ,he said again over ,his shoulder4 8,i will ring up meanwhile40 ,when the priest came back three minutes later1 in his slippers and cloak1 carrying another cloak also for his master1 the ,pope was still seated at the table4 ,he did not even move ,his head as the other came up1 but once more pressed on the lever that1 communicating with the twelve-foot pole that rose through the pent-house overhead1 shot out the quivering energy through the eighty miles of glimmering air that lay between ,nazareth and ,damascus4 ,this simple priest had scarcely even by now become accustomed to this extraordinary device invented a century ago and perfected through all those years to this precise exactness--that device by which with the help of a stick1 a bundle of wires1 and a box of wheels1 something1 at last established to be at the root of all matter1 if not at the very root of physical life1 spoke across the spaces of the world to a tiny receiver tuned by a hair's breadth to the vibration with which it was set in relations4 ,the air was surprisingly cold1 considering the heat that had preceded and would follow it1 and the priest shivered a little as he stood clear of the roof1 and stared1 now at the motionless figure in the chair before him1 now at the vast vault of the sky passing1 even as he looked1 from a cold colourless luminosity to a tender tint of yellow1 as far away beyond ,thabor and ,moab the dawn began to deepen4 ,from the village half-a-mile away arose the crowing of a cock1 thin and brazen as a trumpet2 a dog barked once and was silent again2 and then1 on a sudden1 a single stroke upon a bell hung in the roof recalled him in an instant1 and told him that his work was to begin4 ,the ,pope pressed the lever again at the sound1 twice1 and then1 after a pause1 once more--waited a moment for an answer1 and then when it came1 rose and signed to the priest to take his place4 ,the ,syrian sat down1 handing the extra cloak to his master1 and waited until the other had settled ,himself in a chair set in such a position at the side of the table that the face of each was visible to the other4 ,then he waited1 with his brown fingers poised above the row of keys1 looking at the other's face as ,he arranged himself to speak4 ,that face1 he thought1 looking out from the hood1 seemed paler than ever in this cold light of dawn2 the black arched eyebrows accentuated this1 and even the steady lips1 preparing to speak1 seemed white and bloodless4 ,he had ,his paper in ,his hand1 and ,his eyes were fixed upon this4 8,make sure it is the ,cardinal10 he said abruptly4 ,the priest tapped off an enquiry1 and1 with moving lips1 raid off the printed message1 as like magic it precipitated itself on to the tall white sheet of paper that faced him4 8,it is his ,eminence1 ,holiness10 he said softly4 8,he is alone at the instrument40 8,very well4 ,now then2 begin40 8,we have received your ,eminence's letter1 and have noted the news4444 ,it should have been forwarded by telegraphy--why was that not done80 ,the voice paused1 and the priest who had snapped off the message1 more quickly than a man could write it1 read aloud the answer4 8#8,i did not understand that it was urgent4 ,i thought it was but one more assault4 ,i had intended to communicate more so soon as ,i heard more40' 8,of course it was urgent10 came the voice again in the deliberate intonation that was used between these two in the case of messages for transmission4 8,remember that all news of this kind is always urgent40 8#8,i will remember1' read the priest4 #8,i regret my mistake4'0 8,you tell us10 went on the ,pope1 ,his eyes still downcast on the paper1 8that this measure is decided upon2 you name only three authorities4 ,give me1 now1 all the authorities you have1 if you have more40 ,there was a moment's pause4 ,then the priest began to read off the names4 8,besides the three ,cardinals whose names ,i sent1 the ,archbishops of ,thibet1 ,cairo1 ,calcutta and ,sydney have all asked if the news was true1 and for directions if it is true2 besides others whose names ,i can communicate if ,i may leave the table for a moment4'0 8,do so10 said the ,pope4 ,again there was a pause4 ,then once more the names began4 8#8,the ,bishops of ,bukarest1 the ,marquesas ,islands and ,newfoundland4 ,the ,franciscans in ,japan1 the ,crutched ,friars in ,morocco1 the ,archbishops of ,manitoba and ,portland1 and the ,cardinal-,archbisbop of ,pekin4 ,i have despatched two members of ,christ ,crucified to ,england4'0 8,tell us when the news first arrived1 and how40 8#8,i was called up to the instrument yesterday evening at about twenty o'clock4 ,the ,archbishop of ,sydney was asking1 through our station at ,bombay1 whether the news was true4 ,i replied ,i had heard nothing of it4 ,within ten minutes four more inquiries had come to the same effect2 and three minutes later ,cardinal ,ruspoli sent the positive news from ,turin4 ,this was accompanied by a similar message from ,father ,petrovski in ,moscow4 ,then--- '0 8,stop4 ,why did not ,cardinal ,dolgorovski communicate it80 8#8,he did communicate it three hours later4'0 8,why not at once80 8#8,his ,eminence had not heard it4'0 8,find out at what hour the news reached ,moscow--not now1 but within the day40 8#8,i will4'0 8,go on1 then40 8#8,cardinal ,malpas communicated it within five minutes of ,cardinal ,ruspoli1 and the rest of the inquiries arrived before midnight4 ,china reported it at twenty-three4'0 8,then when do you suppose the news was made public80 8#8,it was decided first at the secret ,london conference1 yesterday1 at about sixteen o'clock by our time4 ,the ,plenipotentiaries appear to have signed it at that hour4 ,after that it was communicated to the world4 ,it was published here half an hour past midnight4'0 8,then ,felsenburgh was in ,london80 8#8,i am not yet sure4 ,cardinal ,malpas tells me that ,felsenburgh gave his provisional consent on the previous day4'0 8,very good4 ,that is all you know1 then80 8#8,i was called up an hour ago by ,cardinal ,ruspoli again4 ,he tells me that he fears a riot in ,florence2 it will be the first of many revolutions1 he says4'0 8,does he ask for anything80 8#8,only for directions4'0 8,tell him that we send him the ,apostolic ,benediction1 and will forward directions within the course of two hours4 ,select twelve members of the ,order for immediate service40 8#8,i will4'0 8,communicate that message also1 as soon as we have finished1 to all the ,sacred ,college1 and bid them communicate it with all discretion to all metropolitans and bishops1 that priests and people may know that ,we bear them in our heart40 8#8,i will1 ,holiness4'0 8,tell them1 finally1 that ,we had foreseen this long ago2 that ,we commend them to the ,eternal ,father without ,whose ,providence no sparrow falls to the ground4 ,bid them be quiet and confident2 to do nothing1 save confess their faith when they are questioned4 ,all other directions shall be issued to their pastors immediately60 8#8,i will1 ,holiness4'0 99 99 99 99 99 ,there was again a pause4 ,the ,pope had been speaking with the utmost tranquillity as one in a dream4 ,his eyes were downcast upon the paper1 ,his whole body as motionless as an image4 ,yet to the priest who listened1 despatching the ,latin messages1 and reading aloud the replies1 it seemed1 although so little intelligible news had reached him1 as if something very strange and great was impending4 ,there was the sense of a peculiar strain in the air1 and although he drew no deductions from the fact that apparently the whole ,catholic world was in frantic communication with ,damascus1 yet he remembered his meditations of the evening before as he had waited for the messenger4 ,it seemed as if the powers of this world were contemplating one more step--with its nature he was not greatly concerned4 ,the ,pope spoke again in ,his natural voice4 8,father10 he said1 8what ,i am about to say now is as if ,i told it in confession4 ,you understand8--,very well4 ,now begin40 ,then again the intonation began4 8,eminence4 ,we shall say mass of the ,holy ,ghost in one hour from now4 ,at the end of that time1 you will cause that all the ,sacred ,college shall be in touch with yourself1 and waiting for our commands4 ,this new decision is unlike any that have preceded it4 ,surely you understand that now4 ,two or three plans are in our mind1 yet ,we are not sure yet which it is that our ,lord intends4 ,after mass ,we shall communicate to you that which ,he shall show ,us to be according to ,his ,will4 ,we beg of you to say mass also1 immediately1 for ,our intention4 ,whatever must be done must be done quickly4 ,the matter of ,cardinal ,dolgorovski you may leave until later4 ,but we wish to hear the result of your inquiries1 especially in ,london1 before mid-day4 ,benedicat te ,omnipotens ,deus1 ,pater et ,filius et ,spiritus ,sanctus40 8#8,amen6'0 murmured the priest1 reading it from the sheet4 ,,iii ,the little chapel in the house below was scarcely more dignified than the other rooms4 ,of ornaments1 except those absolutely essential to liturgy and devotion1 there were none4 ,in the plaster of the walls were indented in slight relief the fourteen stations of the ,cross2 a small stone image of the ,mother of ,god stood in a corner1 with an iron-work candlestick before it1 and on the solid uncarved stone altar1 raised on a stone step1 stood six more iron candlesticks and an iron crucifix4 ,a tabernacle1 also of iron1 shrouded by linen curtains1 stood beneath the cross2 a small stone slab projecting from the wall served as a credence4 ,there was but one window1 and this looked into the court1 so that the eyes of strangers might not penetrate4 ,it seemed to the ,syrian priest as he went about his business--laying out the vestments in the little sacristy that opened out at one side of the altar1 preparing the cruets and stripping the covering from the altar-cloth--that even that slight work was wearying4 ,there seemed a certain oppression in the air4 ,as to how far that was the result of his broken rest he did not know1 but he feared that it was one more of those scirocco days that threatened4 ,that yellowish tinge of dawn had not passed with the sun-rising2 even now1 as he went noiselessly on his bare feet between the predella and the prie-dieu where the silent white figure was still motionless1 he caught now and again1 above the roof across the tiny court1 a glimpse of that faint sand-tinged sky that was the promise of beat and heaviness4 ,he finished at last1 lighted the candles1 genuflected1 and stood with bowed head waiting for the ,holy ,father to rise from ,his knees4 ,a servant's footstep sounded in the court1 coming across to hear mass1 and simultaneously the ,pope rose and went towards the sacristy1 where the red vestments of ,god who came by fire were laid ready for the ,sacrifice4 99 99 99 99 99 ,silvester's bearing at mass was singularly unostentatious4 ,he moved as swiftly as any young priest1 ,his voice was quite even and quite low1 and his pace neither rapid nor pompous4 ,according to tradition1 ,he occupied half-an-hour ab amictu ad amictum2 and even in the tiny empty chapel ,he observed to keep ,his eyes always downcast4 ,and yet this ,syrian never served ,his mass without a thrill of something resembling fear2 it was not only his knowledge of the awful dignity of this simple celebrant2 but1 although he could not have expressed it so1 there was an aroma of an emotion about the vestmented figure that affected him almost physically--an entire absence of self-consciousness1 and in its place the consciousness of some other ,presence1 a perfection of manner even in the smallest details that could only arise from absolute recollection4 ,even in ,rome in the old days it had been one of the sights of ,rome to see ,father ,franklin say mass2 seminary students on the eve of ordination were sent to that sight to learn the perfect manner and method4 ,to-day all was as usual1 but at the ,communion the priest looked up suddenly at the moment when the ,host had been consumed1 with a half impression that either a sound or a gesture had invited it2 and1 as he looked1 his heart began to beat thick and convulsive at the base of his throat4 ,yet to the outward eyes there was nothing unusual4 ,the figure stood there with bowed head1 the chin resting on the tips of the long fingers1 the body absolutely upright1 and standing with that curious light poise as if no weight rested upon the feet4 ,but to the inner sense something was apparent the ,syrian could not in the least formulate it to himself2 but afterwards he reflected that he had stared expecting some visible or audible manifestation to take place4 ,it was an impression that might be described under the terms of either light or sound2 at any instant that delicate vivid force1 that to the eyes of the soul burned beneath the red chasuble and the white alb1 might have suddenly welled outwards under the appearance of a gush of radiant light rendering luminous not only the clear brown flesh seen beneath the white hair1 but the very texture of the coarse1 dead1 stained stuffs that swathed the rest of the body4 ,or it might have shown itself in the strain of a long chord on strings or wind1 as if the mystical union of the dedicated soul with the ineffable ,godhead and ,humanity of ,jesus ,christ generated such a sound as ceaselessly flows out with the river of life from beneath the ,throne of the ,lamb4 ,or yet once more it might have declared itself under the guise of a perfume--the very essence of distilled sweetness--such a scent as that which1 streaming out through the gross tabernacle of a saint's body1 is to those who observe it as the breath of heavenly roses4444 ,the moments passed in that hush of purity and peace2 sounds came and went outside1 the rattle of a cart far away1 the sawing of the first cicada in the coarse grass twenty yards away beyond the wall2 some one behind the priest was breathing short and thick as under the pressure of an intolerable emotion1 and yet the figure stood there still1 without a movement or sway to break the carved motionlessness of the alb-folds or the perfect poise of the white-shod feet4 ,when ,he moved at last to uncover the ,precious ,blood1 to lay ,his hands on the altar and adore1 it was as if a statue had stirred into life2 to the server it was very nearly as a shock4 ,again1 when the chalice was empty1 that first impression reasserted itself2 the human and the external died in the embrace of the ,divine and ,invisible1 and once more silence lived and glowed4444 ,and again as the spiritual energy sank back again into its origin1 ,silvester stretched out the chalice4 ,with knees that shook and eyes wide in expectation1 the priest rose1 adored1 and went to the credence4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it was customary after the ,pope's mass that the priest himself should offer the ,sacrifice in his presence1 but to-day so soon as the vestments had been laid one by one on the rough chest1 ,silvester turned to the priest4 8,presently10 he said softly4 8,go up1 father1 at once to the roof1 and tell the ,cardinal to be ready4 ,i shall come in five minutes40 ,it was surely a scirocco-day1 thought the priest1 as he came up on to the flat roof4 ,overhead1 instead of the clear blue proper to that hour of the morning1 lay a pale yellow sky darkening even to brown at the horizon4 ,thabor1 before him1 hung distant and sombre seen through the impalpable atmosphere of sand1 and across the plain1 as he glanced behind him1 beyond the white streak of ,nain nothing was visible except the pale outline of the tops of the hills against the sky4 ,even at this morning hour1 too1 the air was hot and breathless1 broken only by the slow-stifling lift of the south-western breeze that1 blowing across countless miles of sand beyond far-away ,egypt1 gathered up the heat of the huge waterless continent and was pouring it1 with scarcely a streak of sea to soften its malignity1 on this poor strip of land4 ,carmel1 too1 as he turned again1 was swathed about its base with mist1 half dry and half damp1 and above showed its long bull-head running out defiantly against the western sky4 ,the very table as he touched it was dry and hot to the hand1 by mid-day the steel would be intolerable4 ,he pressed the lever1 and waited2 pressed it again1 and waited again4 ,there came the answering ring1 and he tapped across the eighty miles of air that his ,eminence's presence was required at once4 ,a minute or two passed1 and then1 after another rap of the bell1 a line flicked out on the new white sheet4 8#8,i am here4 ,is it his ,holiness8'0 ,he felt a hand upon his shoulder1 and turned to see ,silvester1 hooded and in white1 behind his chair4 8,tell him yes4 ,ask him if there is further news40 ,the ,pope went to the chair once more and sat down1 and a minute later the priest1 with growing excitement1 read out the answer4 8#8,inquiries are pouring in4 ,many expect your ,holiness to issue a challenge4 ,my secretaries have been occupied since four o'clock4 ,the anxiety is indescribable4 ,some are denying that they have a ,pope4 ,something must be done at once4'0 8,is that all80 asked the ,pope4 ,again the priest read out the answer4 8#8,yes and no4 ,the news is true4 ,it will be inforced immediately4 ,unless a step is taken immediately there will be widespread and final apostasy4'0 8,very good10 murmured the ,pope1 in his official voice4 8,now listen carefully1 ,eminence40 ,he was silent for a moment1 his fingers joined beneath his chin as just now at mass4 ,then he spoke4 8,we are about to place ourselves unreservedly in the hands of ,god4 ,human prudence must no longer restrain us4 ,we command you then1 using all discretion that is possible1 to communicate these wishes of ours to the following persons under the strictest secrecy1 and to no others whatsoever4 ,and for this service you are to employ messengers1 taken from the ,order of ,christ ,crucified1 two for each message1 which is not to be committed to writing in any form4 ,the members of the ,sacred ,college1 numbering twelve2 the metropolitans and ,patriarchs through the entire world1 numbering twenty-two2 the ,generals of the ,religious ,orders3 the ,society of ,jesus1 the ,friars1 the ,monks ,ordinary1 and the ,monks ,contemplative four4 ,these persons1 thirty-eight in number1 with the chaplain of your ,eminence1 who shall act as notary1 and my own who shall assist him1 and ,ourself--forty-one all told--these persons are to present themselves here at our palace of ,nazareth not later than the ,eve of ,pentecost4 ,we feel ,ourselves unwilling to decide the steps necessary to be taken with reference to the new decree1 except we first hear the counsel of our advisers1 and give them an opportunity of communicating freely one with another4 ,these words1 as we have spoken them1 are to be forwarded to all those persons whom we have named2 and your ,eminence will further inform them that our deliberations will not occupy more than four days4 8,as regards the questions of provisioning the council and all matters of that kind1 your ,eminence will despatch to-day the chaplain of whom we have spoken1 who with my own chaplain will at once set about preparations1 and your ,eminence will yourself follow1 appointing ,father ,marabout to act in your absence1 not later than four days hence4 8,finally1 to all who have asked explicit directions in the face of this new decree1 communicate this one sentence1 and no more4 8,lose not your confidence which hath a great reward4 ,for yet a little while1 and1 ,he that is to come will come and will not delay4--,silvester the ,bishop1 ,servant of the ,servants of ,god40 ,,chapter ,,iii ,i ,oliver ,brand stepped out from the ,conference ,hall in ,westminster on the ,friday evening1 so soon as the business was over and the ,plenipotentiaries had risen from the table1 more concerned as to the effect of the news upon his wife than upon the world4 ,he traced the beginning of the change to the day five months ago when the ,president of the ,world had first declared the development of his policy1 and while ,oliver himself had yielded to that development1 and from defending it in public had gradually convinced himself of its necessity1 ,mabel1 for the first time in her life1 had shown herself absolutely obstinate4 ,the woman to his mind seemed to him to have fallen into some kind of insanity4 ,felsenburgh's declaration had been made a week or two after his ,acclamation at ,westminster1 and ,mabel had received the news of it at first with absolute incredulity4 ,then1 when there was no longer any doubt that he had declared the extermination of the ,supernaturalists to be a possible necessity1 there had been a terrible scene between husband and wife4 ,she had said that she had been deceived2 that the world's hope was a monstrous mockery2 that the reign of universal peace was as far away as ever2 that ,felsenburgh had betrayed his trust and broken his word4 ,there had been an appalling scene4 ,he did not even now like to recall it to his imagination4 ,she had quieted after a while1 but his arguments1 delivered with infinite patience1 seemed to produce very little effect4 ,she settled down into silence1 hardly answering him4 ,one thing only seemed to touch her1 and that was when he spoke of the ,president himself4 ,it was becoming plain to him that she was but a woman after all at the mercy of a strong personality1 but utterly beyond the reach of logic4 ,he was very much disappointed4 ,yet he trusted to time to cure her4 ,the ,government of ,england had taken swift and skilful steps to reassure those who1 like ,mabel1 recoiled from the inevitable logic of the new policy4 ,an army of speakers traversed the country1 defending and explaining2 the press was engineered with extraordinary adroitness1 and it was possible to say that there was not a person among the millions of ,england who had not easy access to the ,government's defence4 ,briefly1 shorn of rhetoric1 their arguments were as follows1 and there was no doubt that1 on the whole1 they had the effect of quieting the amazed revolt of the more sentimental minds4 ,peace1 it was pointed out1 had for the first time in the world's history become an universal fact4 ,there was no longer one ,state1 however small1 whose interests were not identical with those of one of the three divisions of the world of which it was a dependency1 and that first stage had been accomplished nearly half-a-century ago4 ,but the second stage--the reunion of these three divisions under a common head--an infinitely greater achievement than the former1 since the conflicting interests were incalculably more vast--this had been consummated by a single ,person1 ,who1 it appeared1 had emerged from humanity at the very instant when such a ,character was demanded4 ,it was surely not much to ask that those on whom these benefits had come should assent to the will and judgment of ,him through whom they had come4 ,this1 then1 was an appeal to faith4 ,the second main argument was addressed to reason4 ,persecution1 as all enlightened persons confessed1 was the method of a majority of savages who desired to force a set of opinions upon a minority who did not spontaneously share them4 ,now the peculiar malevolence of persecution in the past lay1 not in the employment of force1 but in the abuse of it4 ,that any one kingdom should dictate religious opinions to a minority of its members was an intolerable tyranny1 for no one ,state possessed the right to lay down universal laws1 the contrary to which might be held by its neighbour4 ,this1 however1 disguised1 was nothing else than the ,individualism of ,nations1 a heresy even more disastrous to the commonwealth of the world than the ,individualism of the ,individual4 ,but with the arrival of the universal community of interests the whole situation was changed4 ,the single personality of the human race had succeeded to the incoherence of divided units1 and with that consummation--which might be compared to a coming of age1 an entirely new set of rights had come into being4 ,the human race was now a single entity with a supreme responsibility towards itself2 there were no longer any private rights at all1 such as had certainly existed1 in the period previous to this4 ,man now possessed dominion over every cell which composed ,his ,mystical ,body1 and where any such cell asserted itself to the detriment of the ,body1 the rights of the whole were unqualified4 ,and there was no religion but one that claimed the equal rights of universal jurisdiction--and that the ,catholic4 ,the sects of the ,east1 while each retained characteristics of its own1 had yet found in the ,new ,man the incarnation of their ideals1 and had therefore given in their allegiance to the authority of the whole ,body of whom ,he was ,head4 ,but the very essence of the ,catholic ,religion was treason to the very idea of man4 ,christians directed their homage to a supposed supernatural ,being who was not only--so they claimed--outside of the world but positively transcended it4 ,christians1 then--leaving aside the mad fable of the ,incarnation1 which might very well be suffered to die of its own folly--deliberately severed themselves from that ,body of which by human generation they had been made members4 ,they were as mortified limbs yielding themselves to the domination of an outside force other than that which was their only life1 and by that very act imperilled the entire ,body4 ,this madness1 then1 was the one crime which still deserved the name4 ,murder1 theft1 rape1 even anarchy itself1 were as trifling faults compared to this monstrous sin1 for while these injured indeed the ,body they did not strike at its heart--individuals suffered1 and therefore those minor criminals deserved restraint2 but the very ,life was not struck at4 ,but in ,christianity there was a poison actually deadly4 ,every cell that became infected with it was infected in that very fibre that bound it to the spring of life4 ,this1 and this alone1 was the supreme crime of ,high ,treason against man--and nothing but complete removal from the world could be an adequate remedy4 ,these1 then1 were the main arguments addressed to that section of the world which still recoiled from the deliberate utterance of ,felsenburgh1 and their success had been remarkable4 ,of course1 the logic1 in itself indisputable1 had been dressed in a variety of costumes gilded with rhetoric1 flushed with passion1 and it had done its work in such a manner that as summer drew on ,felsenburgh had announced privately that he proposed to introduce a bill which should carry out to its logical conclusion the policy of which he had spoken4 ,now1 this too1 had been accomplished4 ,,ii ,oliver let himself into his house1 and went straight upstairs to ,mabel's room4 ,it would not do to let her hear the news from any but his own lips4 ,she was not there1 and on inquiry he heard that she had gone out an hour before4 ,he was disconcerted at this4 ,the decree had been signed half-an-hour earlier1 and in answer to an inquiry from ,lord ,pemberton it had been stated that there was no longer any reason for secrecy1 and that the decision might be communicated to the press4 ,oliver had hurried away immediately in order to make sure that ,mabel should hear the news from him1 and now she was out1 and at any moment the placards might tell her of what had been done4 ,he felt extremely uneasy1 but for another hour or so was ashamed to act4 ,then he went to the tube and asked another question or two1 but the servant had no idea of ,mabel's movements2 it might be she had gone to the church2 sometimes she did at this hour4 ,he sent the woman off to see1 and himself sat down again in the window-seat of his wife's room1 staring out disconsolately at the wide array of roofs in the golden sunset light1 that seemed to his eyes to be strangely beautiful this evening4 ,the sky was not that pure gold which it had been every night during this last week2 there was a touch of rose in it1 and this extended across the entire vault so far as he could see from west to east4 ,he reflected on what he had lately read in an old book to the effect that the abolition of smoke had certainly changed evening colours for the worse4444 ,there had been a couple of severe earthquakes1 too1 in ,america--he wondered whether there was any connection4444 ,then his thoughts flew back to ,mabel4444 ,it was about ten minutes before he heard her footstep on the stairs1 and as he stood up she came in4 ,there was something in her face that told him that she knew everything1 and his heart sickened at her pale rigidity4 ,there was no fury there--nothing but white1 hopeless despair1 and an immense determination4 ,her lips showed a straight line1 and her eyes1 beneath her white summer hat1 seemed contracted to pinpricks4 ,she stood there1 closing the door mechanically behind her1 and made no further movement towards him4 8,is it true80 she said4 ,oliver drew one steady breath1 and sat down again4 8,is what true1 my dear80 8,is it true10 she said again1 8that all are to be questioned as to whether they believe in ,god1 and to be killed if they confess it80 ,oliver licked his dry lips4 8,you put it very harshly10 he said4 8,the question is1 whether the world has a right---0 ,she made a sharp movement with her head4 8,it is true then4 ,and you signed it80 8,my dear1 ,i beg you not to make a scene4 ,i am tired out4 ,and ,i will not answer that until you have heard what ,i have to say40 8,say it1 then40 8,sit down1 then40 ,she shook her head4 8,very well1 then4444 ,well1 this is the point4 ,the world is one now1 not many4 ,individualism is dead4 ,it died when ,felsenburgh became ,president of the ,world4 ,you surely see that absolutely new conditions prevail now--there has never been anything like it before4 ,you know all this as well as ,i do40 ,again came that jerk of impatience4 8,you will please to hear me out10 he said wearily4 8,well1 now that this has happened1 there is a new morality2 it is exactly like a child coming to the age of reason4 ,we are obliged1 therefore1 to see that this continues--that there is no going back--no mortification--that all the limbs are in good health4 #8,if thy hand offend thee1 cut it off1' said ,jesus ,christ4 ,well1 that is what we say4444 ,now1 for any one to say that they believe in ,god--,i doubt very much whether there is any one who really does believe1 or understand what it means--but for any one even to say so is the very worst crime conceivable3 it is high treason4 ,but there is going to be no violence2 it will all be quite quiet and merciful4 ,why1 you have always approved of ,euthanasia1 as we all do4 ,well1 it is that that will be used2 and---0 ,once more she made a little movement with her hand4 ,the rest of her was like an image4 8,is this any use80 she asked4 ,oliver stood up4 ,he could not bear the hardness of her voice4 8,mabel1 my darling---0 ,for an instant her lips shook2 then again she looked at him with eyes of ice4 8,i don't want that10 she said4 8,it is of no use4 ,then you did sign it80 ,oliver had a sense of miserable desperation as he looked back at her4 ,he would infinitely have preferred that she had stormed and wept4 8,mabel---0 he cried again4 8,then you did sign it80 8,i did sign it10 he said at last4 ,she turned and went towards the door4 ,he sprang after her4 8,mabel1 where are you going80 ,then1 for the first time in her life1 she lied to her husband frankly and fully4 8,i am going to rest a little10 she said4 8,i shall see you presently at supper40 ,he still hesitated1 but she met his eyes1 pale indeed1 but so honest that he fell back4 8,very well1 my dear4444 ,mabel1 try to understand40 99 99 99 99 99 ,he came down to supper half-an-hour later1 primed with logic1 and even kindled with emotion4 ,the argument seemed to him now so utterly convincing2 granted the premises that they both accepted and lived by1 the conclusion was simply inevitable4 ,he waited a minute or two1 and at last went to the tube that communicated with the servants' quarters4 8,where is ,mrs4 ,brand80 he asked4 ,there was an instant's silence1 and then the answer came3 8,she left the house half-an-hour ago1 sir4 ,i thought you knew40 ,,iii ,that same evening ,mr4 ,francis was very busy in his office over the details connected with the festival of ,sustenance that was to be celebrated on the first of ,july4 ,it was the first time that the particular ceremony had taken place1 and he was anxious that it should be as successful as its predecessors4 ,there were a few differences between this and the others1 and it was necessary that the ceremoniarii should be fully instructed4 ,so1 with his model before him--a miniature replica of the interior of the ,abbey1 with tiny dummy figures on blocks that could be shifted this way and that1 he was engaged in adding in a minute ecclesiastical hand rubrical notes to his copy of the ,order of ,proceedings4 ,when the porter therefore rang up a little after twenty-one o'clock1 that a lady wished to see him1 he answered rather brusquely down the tube that it was impossible4 ,but the bell rang again1 and to his impatient question1 the reply came up that it was ,mrs4 ,brand below1 and that she did not ask for more than ten minutes' conversation4 ,this was quite another matter4 ,oliver ,brand was an important personage1 and his wife therefore had significance1 and ,mr4 ,francis apologised1 gave directions that she was to come to his ante-room1 and rose1 sighing1 from his dummy ,abbey and officials4 ,she seemed very quiet this evening1 he thought1 as he shook hands with her a minute later2 she wore her veil down1 so that he could not see her face very well1 but her voice seemed to lack its usual vivacity4 8,i am so sorry to interrupt you1 ,mr4 ,francis10 she said4 8,i only want to ask you one or two questions40 ,he smiled at her encouragingly4 8,mr4 ,brand1 no doubt---0 8,no10 she said1 8,mr4 ,brand has not sent me4 ,it is entirely my own affair4 ,you will see my reasons presently4 ,i will begin at once4 ,i know ,i must not keep you40 ,it all seemed rather odd1 he thought1 but no doubt he would understand soon4 8,first10 she said1 8,i think you used to know ,father ,franklin4 ,he became a ,cardinal1 didn't he80 ,mr4 ,francis assented1 smiling4 8,do you know if he is alive80 8,no10 he said4 8,he is dead4 ,he was in ,rome1 you know1 at the time of its destruction40 8,ah6 ,you are sure80 8,quite sure4 ,only one ,cardinal escaped--,steinmann4 ,he was hanged in ,berlin2 and the ,patriarch of ,jerusalem died a week or two later40 8,ah6 very well4 ,well1 now1 here is a very odd question4 ,i ask for a particular reason1 which ,i cannot explain1 but you will soon understand4444 ,it is this--,why do ,catholics believe in ,god80 ,he was so much taken aback that for a moment he sat staring4 8,yes10 she said tranquilly1 8it is a very odd question4 ,but---0 she hesitated4 8,well1 ,i will tell you10 she said4 8,the fact is1 that ,i have a friend who is--is in danger from this new law4 ,i want to be able to argue with her2 and ,i must know her side4 ,you are the only priest--,i mean who has been a priest--whom ,i ever knew1 except ,father ,franklin4 ,so ,i thought you would not mind telling me40 ,her voice was entirely natural2 there was not a tremor or a falter in it4 ,mr4 ,francis smiled genially1 rubbing his hands softly together4 8,ah60 he said4 8,yes1 ,i see4444 ,well1 that is a very large question4 ,would not to-morrow1 perhaps---80 8,i only want just the shortest answer10 she said4 8,it is really important for me to know at once4 ,you see1 this new law comes into force---0 ,he nodded4 8,well--very briefly1 ,i should say this3 ,catholics say that ,god can be perceived by reason2 that from the arrangements of the world they can deduce that there must have been an ,arranger--a ,mind1 you understand4 ,then they say that they deduce other things about ,god--that ,he is ,love1 for example1 because of happiness---0 8,and the pain80 she interrupted4 ,he smiled again4 8,yes4 ,that is the point--that is the weak point40 8,but what do they say about that80 8,well1 briefly1 they say that pain is the result of sin---0 8,and sin8 ,you see1 ,i know nothing at all1 ,mr4 ,francis40 8,well1 sin is the rebellion of man's will against ,god's40 8,what do they mean by that80 8,well1 you see1 they say that ,god wanted to be loved by ,his creatures1 so ,he made them free2 otherwise they could not really love4 ,but if they were free1 it means that they could if they liked refuse to love and obey ,god2 and that is what is called ,sin4 ,you see what nonsense---0 ,she jerked her head a little4 8,yes1 yes10 she said4 8,but ,i really want to get at what they think4444 ,well1 then1 that is all80 ,mr4 ,francis pursed his lips4 8,scarcely10 he said2 8that is hardly more than what they call ,natural ,religion4 ,catholics believe much more than that40 8,well80 8,my dear ,mrs4 ,brand1 it is impossible to put it in a few words4 ,but1 in brief1 they believe that ,god became man--that ,jesus was ,god1 and that ,he did this in order to save them from sin by dying---0 8,by bearing pain1 you mean80 8,yes2 by dying4 ,well1 what they call the ,incarnation is really the point4 ,everything else flows from that4 ,and1 once a man believes that1 ,i must confess that all the rest follows--even down to scapulars and holy water40 8,mr4 ,francis1 ,i don't understand a word you're saying40 ,he smiled indulgently4 8,of course not10 he said2 8it is all incredible nonsense4 ,but1 you know1 ,i did really believe it all once40 8,but it's unreasonable10 she said4 ,he made a little demurring sound4 8,yes10 he said1 8in one sense1 of course it is--utterly unreasonable4 ,but in another sense---0 ,she leaned forward suddenly1 and he could catch the glint of her eyes beneath her white veil4 8,ah60 she said1 almost breathlessly4 8,that is what ,i want to hear4 ,now1 tell me how they justify it40 ,he paused an instant1 considering4 8,well10 he said slowly1 8as far as ,i remember1 they say that there are other faculties besides those of reason4 ,they say1 for example1 that the heart sometimes finds out things that the reason cannot--intuitions1 you see4 ,for instance1 they say that all things such as self-sacrifice and chivalry and even art--all come from the heart1 that ,reason comes with them--in rules of technique1 for instance--but that it cannot prove them2 they are quite apart from that40 8,i think ,i see40 8,well1 they say that ,religion is like that--in other words1 they practically confess that it is merely a matter of emotion40 ,he paused again1 trying to be fair4 8,well1 perhaps they would not say that--although it is true4 ,but briefly---0 8,well80 8,well1 they say there is a thing called ,faith--a kind of deep conviction unlike anything else--supernatural--which ,god is supposed to give to people who desire it--to people who pray for it1 and lead good lives1 and so on---0 8,and this ,faith80 8,well1 this ,faith1 acting upon what they call ,evidences--this ,faith makes them absolutely certain that there is a ,god1 that ,he was made man and so on1 with the ,church and all the rest of it4 ,they say too that this is further proved by the effect that their religion has had in the world1 and by the way it explains man's nature to himself4 ,you see1 it is just a case of self-suggestion40 ,he heard her sigh1 and stopped4 8,is that any clearer1 ,mrs4 ,brand80 8,thank you very much10 she said1 8it certainly is clearer4 444 ,and it is true that ,christians have died for this ,faith1 whatever it is80 8,oh6 yes4 ,thousands and thousands4 ,just as ,mohammedans have for theirs40 8,the ,mohammedans believe in ,god1 too1 don't they80 8,well1 they did1 and ,i suppose that a few do now4 ,but very few3 the rest have become esoteric1 as they say40 8,and--and which would you say were the most highly evolved people--,east or ,west80 8,oh6 ,west undoubtedly4 ,the ,east thinks a good deal1 but it doesn't act much4 ,and that always leads to confusion--even to stagnation of thought40 8,and ,christianity certainly has been the ,religion of the ,west up to a hundred years ago80 8,oh6 yes40 ,she was silent then1 and ,mr4 ,francis had time again to reflect how very odd all this was4 ,she certainly must be very much attached to this ,christian friend of hers4 ,then she stood up1 and he rose with her4 8,thank you so much1 ,mr4 ,francis4444 ,then that is the kind of outline80 8,well1 yes2 so far as one can put it in a few words40 8,thank you4444 ,i mustn't keep you40 ,he went with her towards the door4 ,but within a yard of it she stopped4 8,and you1 ,mr4 ,francis4 ,you were brought up in all this4 ,does it ever come back to you80 ,he smiled4 8,never10 he said1 8except as a dream40 8,how do you account for that1 then8 ,if it is all self-suggestion1 you have had thirty years of it40 ,she paused2 and for a moment he hesitated what to answer4 8,how would your old fellow-,catholics account for it80 8,they would say that ,i had forfeited light--that ,faith was withdrawn40 8,and you80 ,again he paused4 8,i should say that ,i had made a stronger self-suggestion the other way40 8,i see4444 ,good-night1 ,mr4 ,francis40 99 99 99 99 99 ,she would not let him come down the lift with her1 so when he had seen the smooth box drop noiselessly below the level1 he went back again to his model of the ,abbey and the little dummy figures4 ,but1 before he began to move these about again1 he sat for a moment or two with pursed lips1 staring4 ,,chapter ,,iv ,i ,a week later ,mabel awoke about dawn2 and for a moment or two forgot where she was4 ,she even spoke ,oliver's name aloud1 staring round the unfamiliar room1 wondering what she did here4 ,then she remembered1 and was silent4444 ,it was the eighth day she had spent in this ,home2 her probation was finished3 to-day she was at liberty to do that for which she had come4 ,on the ,saturday of the previous week she had gone through her private examination before the magistrate1 stating under the usual conditions of secrecy her name1 age and home1 as well as her reasons for making the application for ,euthanasia2 and all had passed off well4 ,she had selected ,manchester as being sufficiently remote and sufficiently large to secure her freedom from ,oliver's molestation2 and her secret had been admirably kept4 ,there was not a hint that her husband knew anything of her intentions2 for1 after all1 in these cases the police were bound to assist the fugitive4 ,individualism was at least so far recognised as to secure to those weary of life the right of relinquishing it4 ,she scarcely knew why she had selected this method1 except that any other seemed impossible4 ,the knife required skill and resolution2 firearms were unthinkable1 and poison1 under the new stringent regulations1 was hard to obtain4 ,besides1 she seriously wished to test her own intentions1 and to be quite sure that there was no other way than this4444 ,well1 she was as certain as ever4 ,the thought had first come to her in the mad misery of the outbreak of violence on the last day of the old year4 ,then it had gone again1 soothed away by the arguments that man was still liable to relapse4 ,then once more it had recurred1 a cold and convincing phantom1 in the plain daylight revealed by ,felsenburgh's ,declaration4 ,it had taken up its abode with her then1 yet she controlled it1 hoping against hope that the ,declaration would not be carried into action1 occasionally revolting against its horror4 ,yet it had never been far away2 and finally when the policy sprouted into deliberate law1 she had yielded herself resolutely to its suggestion4 ,that was eight days ago2 and she had not had one moment of faltering since that4 ,yet she had ceased to condemn4 ,the logic had silenced her4 ,all that she knew was that she could not bear it2 that she had misconceived the ,new ,faith2 that for her1 whatever it was for others1 there was no hope4444 ,she had not even a child of her own4 99 99 99 99 99 ,those eight days1 required by law1 had passed very peacefully4 ,she had taken with her enough money to enter one of the private homes furnished with sufficient comfort to save from distractions those who had been accustomed to gentle living3 the nurses had been pleasant and sympathetic2 she had nothing to complain of4 ,she had suffered1 of course1 to some degree from reactions4 ,the second night after her arrival had been terrible1 when1 as she lay in bed in the hot darkness1 her whole sentient life had protested and struggled against the fate her will ordained4 ,it had demanded the familiar things--the promise of food and breath and human intercourse2 it had writhed in horror against the blind dark towards which it moved so inevitably2 and1 in the agony had been pacified only by the half-hinted promise of some deeper voice suggesting that death was not the end4 ,with morning light sanity had come back2 the will had reassumed the mastery1 and1 with it1 had withdrawn explicitly the implied hope of continued existence4 ,she had suffered again for an hour or two from a more concrete fear2 the memory came back to her of those shocking revelations that ten years ago had convulsed ,england and brought about the establishment of these ,homes under ,government supervision--those evidences that for years in the great vivisection laboratories human subjects had been practised upon--persons who with the same intentions as herself had cut themselves off from the world in private euthanasia-houses1 to whom had been supplied a gas that suspended instead of destroying animation4444 ,but this1 too1 had passed with the return of light4 ,such things were impossible now under the new system--at least1 in ,england4 ,she had refrained from making an end upon the ,continent for this very reason4 ,there1 where sentiment was weaker1 and logic more imperious1 materialism was more consistent4 ,since men were but animals--the conclusion was inevitable4 ,there had been but one physical drawback1 the intolerable heat of the days and nights4 ,it seemed1 scientists said1 that an entirely unexpected heat-wave had been generated2 there were a dozen theories1 most of which were mutually exclusive one of another4 ,it was humiliating1 she thought1 that men who professed to have taken the earth under their charge should be so completely baffled4 ,the conditions of the weather had of course been accompanied by disasters2 there had been earthquakes of astonishing violence1 a ripple had wrecked not less than twenty-five towns in ,america2 an island or two had disappeared1 and that bewildering ,vesuvius seemed to be working up for a denouement4 ,but no one knew really the explanation4 ,one man had been wild enough to say that some cataclysm had taken place in the centre of the earth4444 ,so she had heard from her nurse2 but she was not greatly interested4 ,it was only tiresome that she could not walk much in the garden1 and had to be content with sitting in her own cool shaded room on the second floor4 ,there was only one other matter of which she had asked1 namely1 the effect of the new decree2 but the nurse did not seem to know much about that4 ,it appeared that there had been an outrage or two1 but the law had not yet been enforced to any great extent2 a week1 after all1 was a short time1 even though the decree had taken effect at once1 and magistrates were beginning the prescribed census4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it seemed to her as she lay awake this morning1 staring at the tinted ceiling1 and out now and again at the quiet little room1 that the heat was worse than ever4 ,for a minute she thought she must have overslept2 but1 as she touched her repeater1 it told her that it was scarcely after four o'clock4 ,well1 well2 she would not have to bear it much longer2 she thought that about eight it would be time to make an end4 ,there was her letter to ,oliver yet to be written2 and one or two final arrangements to be made4 ,as regarded the morality of what she was doing-the relation1 that is to say1 which her act bore to the common life of man--she had no shadow of doubt4 ,it was her belief1 as of the whole ,humanitarian world1 that just as bodily pain occasionally justified this termination of life1 so also did mental pain4 ,there was a certain pitch of distress at which the individual was no longer necessary to himself or the world2 it was the most charitable act that could be performed4 ,but she had never thought in old days that that state could ever be hers2 ,life had been much too interesting4 ,but it had come to this3 there was no question of it4 99 99 99 99 99 ,perhaps a dozen times in that week she had thought over her conversation with ,mr4 ,francis4 ,her going to him had been little more than instinctive2 she did just wish to hear what the other side was--whether ,christianity was as ludicrous as she had always thought4 ,it seemed that it was not ludicrous2 it was only terribly pathetic4 ,it was just a lovely dream--an exquisite piece of poetry4 ,it would be heavenly to believe it1 but she did not4 ,no--a transcendent ,god was unthinkable1 although not quite so unthinkable as a merely immeasurable ,man4 ,and as for the ,incarnation--well1 well6 ,there seemed no way out of it4 ,the ,humanity-,religion was the only one4 ,man was ,god1 or at least ,his highest manifestation2 and ,he was a ,god with which she did not wish to have anything more to do4 ,these faint new instincts after something other than intellect and emotion were1 she knew perfectly well1 nothing but refined emotion itself4 ,she had thought a great deal of ,felsenburgh1 however1 and was astonished at her own feelings4 ,he was certainly the most impressive man she had ever seen2 it did seem very probable indeed that ,he was what ,he claimed to be--the ,incarnation of the ideal ,man the first perfect product of humanity4 ,but the logic of his position was too much for her4 ,she saw now that ,he was perfectly logical--that ,he had not been inconsistent in denouncing the destruction of ,rome and a week later making ,his declaration4 ,it was the passion of one man against another that ,he denounced--of kingdom against kingdom1 and sect against sect--for this was suicidal for the race4 ,he denounced passion1 too1 not judicial action4 ,therefore1 this new decree was as logical as ,himself--it was a judicial act on the part of an united world against a tiny majority that threatened the principle of life and faith3 and it was to be carried out with supreme mercy2 there was no revenge or passion or partisan spirit in it from beginning to end2 no more than a man is revengeful or passionate when he amputates a diseased limb--,oliver had convinced her of that4 ,yes1 it was logical and sound4 ,and it was because it was so that she could not bear it4444 ,but ah6 what a sublime man ,felsenburgh was2 it was a joy to her even to recall his speeches and his personality4 ,she would have liked to see him again4 ,but it was no good4 ,she had better be done with it as tranquilly as possible4 ,and the world must go forward without her4 ,she was just tired out with ,facts4 99 99 99 99 99 ,she dozed off again presently1 and it seemed scarcely five minutes before she looked up to see a gentle smiling face of a white-capped nurse bending over her4 8,it is nearly six o'clock1 my dear--the time you told me4 ,i came to see about breakfast40 ,mabel drew a long breath4 ,then she sat up suddenly1 throwing back the sheet4 ,,ii ,it struck a quarter-past six from the little clock on the mantel-shelf as she laid down her pen4 ,then she took up the closely written sheets1 leaned back in her deep chair1 and began to read4 8,,home ,,of ,,rest1 8,,no #c;,a ,,manchester ,,west4 8,,my ,,dear3 ,i am very sorry1 but it has come back to me4 ,i really cannot go on any longer1 so ,i am going to escape in the only way left1 as ,i once told you4 ,i have had a very quiet and happy time here2 they have been most kind and considerate4 ,you see1 of course1 from the heading on this paper1 what ,i mean4444 8,well1 you have always been very dear to me2 you are still1 even at this moment4 ,so you have a right to know my reasons so far as ,i know them myself4 ,it is very difficult to understand myself2 but it seems to me that ,i am not strong enough to live4 ,so long as ,i was pleased and excited it was all very well--especially when ,he came4 ,but ,i think ,i had expected it to be different2 ,i did not understand as ,i do now how it must come to this--how it is all quite logical and right4 ,i could bear it1 when ,i thought that they had acted through passion1 but this is deliberate4 ,i did not realise that ,peace must have its laws1 and must protect itself4 ,and1 somehow1 that ,peace is not what ,i want4 ,it is being alive at all that is wrong4 8,then there is this difficulty4 ,i know how absolutely in agreement you are with this new state of affairs2 of course you are1 because you are so much stronger and more logical than ,i am4 ,but if you have a wife she must be of one mind with you4 ,and ,i am not1 any more1 at least not with my heart1 though ,i see you are right4444 ,do you understand1 my dear8 8,if we had had a child1 it might have been different4 ,i might have liked to go on living for his sake4 ,but ,humanity1 somehow--,oh6 ,oliver6 ,i can't--,i can't4 8,i know ,i am wrong1 and that you are right--but there it is2 ,i cannot change myself4 ,so ,i am quite sure that ,i must go4 8,then ,i want to tell you this--that ,i am not at all frightened4 ,i never can understand why people are--unless1 of course1 they are ,christians4 ,i should be horribly frightened if ,i was one of them4 ,but1 you see1 we both know that there is nothing beyond4 ,it is life that ,i am frightened of--not death4 ,of course1 ,i should be frightened if there was any pain2 but the doctors tell me there is absolutely none4 ,it is simply going to sleep4 ,the nerves are dead before the brain4 ,i am going to do it myself4 ,i don't want any one else in the room4 ,in a few minutes the nurse here--,sister ,anne1 with whom ,i have made great friends--will bring in the thing1 and then she will leave me4 8,as regards what happens afterwards1 ,i do not mind at all4 ,please do exactly what you wish4 ,the cremation will take place to-morrow morning at noon1 so that you can be here if you like4 ,or you can send directions1 and they will send on the urn to you4 ,i know you liked to have your mother's urn in the garden2 so perhaps you will like mine4 ,please do exactly what you like4 ,and with all my things too4 ,of course ,i leave them to you4 8,now1 my dear1 ,i want to say this--that ,i am very sorry indeed now that ,i was so tiresome and stupid4 ,i think ,i did really believe your arguments all along4 ,but ,i did not want to believe them4 ,do you see now why ,i was so tiresome8 8,oliver1 my darling1 you have been extraordinarily good to me4444 ,yes1 ,i know ,i am crying1 but ,i am really very happy4 ,this is such a lovely ending4 ,i wish ,i hadn't been obliged to make you so anxious during this last week3 but ,i had to--,i knew you would persuade me against it1 if you found me1 and that would have been worse than ever4 ,i am sorry ,i told you that lie1 too4 ,indeed1 it is the first ,i ever did tell you4 8,well1 ,i don't think there is much more to say4 ,oliver1 my dear1 good-bye4 ,i send you my love with all my heart4 8,,mabel40 99 99 99 99 99 ,she sat still when she had read it through1 and her eyes were still wet with tears4 ,yet it was all perfectly true4 ,she was far happier than she could be if she had still the prospect of going back4 ,life seemed entirely blank3 death was so obvious an escape2 her soul ached for it1 as a body for sleep4 ,she directed the envelope1 still with a perfectly steady hand1 laid it on the table1 and leaned back once more1 glancing again at her untasted breakfast4 ,then she suddenly began to think of her conversation with ,mr4 ,francis2 and1 by a strange association of ideas1 remembered the fall of the volor in ,brighton1 the busy-ness of the priest1 and the ,euthanasia boxes4444 ,when ,sister ,anne came in a few minutes later1 she was astonished at what she saw4 ,the girl crouched at the window1 her hands on the sill1 staring out at the sky in an attitude of unmistakable horror4 ,sister ,anne came across the room quickly1 setting down something on the table as she passed4 ,she touched the girl on the shoulder4 8,my dear1 what is it80 ,there was a long sobbing breath1 and ,mabel turned1 rising as she turned1 and clutched the nurse with one shaking hand1 pointing out with the other4 8,there60 she said4 8,there--look60 8,well1 my dear1 what is it8 ,i see nothing4 ,it is a little dark60 8,dark60 said the other4 8,you call that dark6 ,why1 why1 it is black--black60 ,the nurse drew her softly backwards to the chair1 turning her from the window4 ,she recognised nervous fear2 but no more than that4 ,but ,mabel tore herself free1 and wheeled again4 8,you call that a little dark10 she said4 8,why1 look1 sister1 look60 ,yet there was nothing remarkable to be seen4 ,in front rose up the feathery hand of an elm1 then the shuttered windows across the court1 the roof1 and above that the morning sky1 a little heavy and dusky as before a storm2 but no more than that4 8,well1 what is it1 my dear8 ,what do you see80 8,why1 why 444 look6 look6--,there1 listen to that40 ,a faint far-away rumble sounded as the rolling of a waggon--so faint that it might almost be an aural delusion4 ,but the girl's hands were at her ears1 and her face was one white wide-eyed mask of terror4 ,the nurse threw her arms round her4 8,my dear10 she said1 8you are not yourself4 ,that is nothing but a little heat-thunder4 ,sit down quietly40 ,she could feel the girl's body shaking beneath her hands1 but there was no resistance as she drew her to the chair4 8,the lights6 the lights60 sobbed ,mabel4 8,will you promise me to sit quietly1 then80 ,she nodded2 and the nurse went across to the door1 smiling tenderly2 she had seen such things before4 ,a moment later the room was full of exquisite sunlight1 as she switched the handle4 ,as she turned1 she saw that ,mabel had wheeled herself round in the chair1 and with clasped hands was still staring out at the sky above the roofs2 but she was plainly quieter again now4 ,the nurse came back1 and put her hand on her shoulder4 8,you are overwrought1 my dear4444 ,now you must believe me4 ,there is nothing to be frightened of4 ,it is just nervous excitement4444 ,shall ,i pull down the blind80 ,mabel turned her face4444 ,yes1 certainly the light had reassured her4 ,her face was still white and bewildered1 but the steady look was coming back to her eyes1 though1 even as she spoke1 they wandered back more than once to the window4 8,nurse10 she said more quietly1 8please look again and tell me if you see nothing4 ,if you say there is nothing ,i will believe that ,i am going mad4 ,no2 you must not touch the blind40 ,no2 there was nothing4 ,the sky was a little dark1 as if a blight were coming on2 but there was hardly more than a veil of cloud1 and the light was scarcely more than tinged with gloom4 ,it was just such a sky as precedes a spring thunderstorm4 ,she said so1 clearly and firmly4 ,mabel's face steadied still more4 8,very well1 nurse4444 ,then---0 ,she turned to the little table by the side on which ,sister ,anne had set down what she had brought into the room4 8,show me1 please40 ,the nurse still hesitated4 8,are you sure you are not too frightened1 my dear8 ,shall ,i get you anything80 8,i have no more to say10 said ,mabel firmly4 8,show me1 please40 ,sister ,anne turned resolutely to the table4 ,there rested upon it a white-enamelled box1 delicately painted with flowers4 ,from this box emerged a white flexible tube with a broad mouthpiece1 fitted with two leather-covered steel clasps4 ,from the side of the box nearest the chair protruded a little china handle4 8,now1 my dear10 began the nurse quietly1 watching the other's eyes turn once again to the window1 and then back--8now1 my dear1 you sit there1 as you are now4 ,your head right back1 please4 ,when you are ready1 you put this over your mouth1 and clasp the springs behind your head4444 ,so4444 it works quite easily4 ,then you turn this handle1 round that way1 as far as it will go4 ,and that is all40 ,mabel nodded4 ,she had regained her self-command1 and understood plainly enough1 though even as she spoke once again her eyes strayed away to the window4 8,that is all10 she said4 8,and what then80 ,the nurse eyed her doubtfully for a moment4 8,i understand perfectly10 said ,mabel4 8,and what then80 8,there is nothing more4 ,breathe naturally4 ,you will feel sleepy almost directly4 ,then you close your eyes1 and that is all40 ,mabel laid the tube on the table and stood up4 ,she was completely herself now4 8,give me a kiss1 sister10 she said4 ,the nurse nodded and smiled to her once more at the door4 ,but ,mabel hardly noticed it2 again she was looking towards the window4 8,i shall come back in half-an-hour10 said ,sister ,anne4 ,then her eyes caught a square of white upon the centre table4 8,ah6 that letter60 she said4 8,yes10 said the girl absently4 8,please take it40 ,the nurse took it up1 glanced at the address1 and again at ,mabel4 ,still she hesitated4 8,in half-an-hour10 she repeated4 8,there is no hurry at all4 ,it doesn't take five minutes4444 ,good-bye1 my dear40 ,but ,mabel was still looking out of the window1 and made no answer4 ,,iii ,mabel stood perfectly still until she heard the locking of the door and the withdrawal of the key4 ,then once more she went to the window and clasped the sill4 ,from where she stood there was visible to her first the courtyard beneath1 with its lawn in the centre1 and a couple of trees growing there--all plain in the brilliant light that now streamed from her window1 and secondly1 above the roofs1 a tremendous pall of ruddy black4 ,it was the more terrible from the contrast4 ,earth1 it seemed1 was capable of light2 heaven had failed4 ,it appeared1 too1 that there was a curious stillness4 ,the house was1 usually1 quiet enough at this hour3 the inhabitants of that place were in no mood for bustle3 but now it was more than quiet2 it was deathly still3 it was such a hush as precedes the sudden crash of the sky's artillery4 ,but the moments went by1 and there was no such crash3 only once again there sounded a solemn rolling1 as of some great wain far away2 stupendously impressive1 for with it to the girl's ears there seemed mingled a murmur of innumerable voices1 ghostly crying and applause4 ,then again the hush settled down like wool4 ,she had begun to understand now4 ,the darkness and the sounds were not for all eyes and ears4 ,the nurse had seen and heard nothing extraordinary1 and the rest of the world of men saw and heard nothing4 ,to them it was no more than the hint of a coming storm4 ,mabel did not attempt to distinguish between the subjective and the objective4 ,it was nothing to her as to whether the sights and sounds were generated by her own brain or perceived by some faculty hitherto unknown4 ,she seemed to herself to be standing already apart from the world which she had known2 it was receding from her1 or1 rather1 while standing where it had always done1 it was melting1 transforming itself1 passing to some other mode of existence4 ,the strangeness seemed no more strange than anything else than that 444 that little painted box upon the table4 ,then1 hardly knowing what she said1 looking steadily upon that appalling sky1 she began to speak4444 8,o ,god60 she said4 8,if ,you are really there really there---0 ,her voice faltered1 and she gripped the sill to steady herself4 ,she wondered vaguely why she spoke so2 it was neither intellect nor emotion that inspired her4 ,yet she continued4444 8,o ,god1 ,i know ,you are not there--of course ,you are not4 ,but if ,you were there1 ,i know what ,i would say to ,you4 ,i would tell ,you how puzzled and tired ,i am4 ,no--,no--,i need not tell ,you3 ,you would know it4 ,but ,i would say that ,i was very sorry for all this4 ,oh6 ,you would know that too4 ,i need not say anything at all4 ,o ,god6 ,i don't know what ,i want to say4 ,i would like ,you to look after ,oliver1 of course1 and all ,your poor ,christians4 ,oh6 they will have such a hard time4444 ,god4 ,god--,you would understand1 wouldn't ,you80 444 99 99 99 99 99 ,again came the heavy rumble and the solemn bass of a myriad voices2 it seemed a shade nearer1 she thought4444 ,she never liked thunderstorms or shouting crowds4 ,they always gave her a headache 444 8,well1 well10 she said4 8,good-bye1 everything---0 ,then she was in the chair4 ,the mouthpiece--yes2 that was it4444 ,she was furious at the trembling of her hands2 twice the spring slipped from her polished coils of hair4444 ,then it was fixed 444 and as if a breeze fanned her1 her sense came back4444 ,she found she could breathe quite easily2 there was no resistance--that was a comfort2 there would be no suffocation about it4444 ,she put out her left hand and touched the handle1 conscious less of its sudden coolness than of the unbearable heat in which the room seemed almost suddenly plunged4 ,she could hear the drumming pulses in her temples and the roaring of the voices4444 ,she dropped the handle once more1 and with both hands tore at the loose white wrapper that she had put on this morning4444 ,yes1 that was a little easier2 she could breathe better so4 ,again her fingers felt for and found the handle1 but the sweat streamed from her fingers1 and for an instant she could not turn the knob4 ,then it yielded suddenly4444 99 99 99 99 99 ,for one instant the sweet languid smell struck her consciousness like a blow1 for she knew it as the scent of death4 ,then the steady will that had borne her so far asserted itself1 and she laid her hands softly in her lap1 breathing deeply and easily4 ,she had closed her eyes at the turning of the handle1 but now opened them again1 curious to watch the aspect of the fading world4 ,she had determined to do this a week ago3 she would at least miss nothing of this unique last experience4 ,it seemed at first that there was no change4 ,there was the feathery head of the elm1 the lead roof opposite1 and the terrible sky above4 ,she noticed a pigeon1 white against the blackness1 soar and swoop again out of sight in an instant4444 444 ,then the following things happened4444 ,there was a sudden sensation of ecstatic lightness in all her limbs2 she attempted to lift a hand1 and was aware that it was impossible2 it was no longer hers4 ,she attempted to lower her eyes from that broad strip of violet sky1 and perceived that that too was impossible4 ,then she understood that the will had already lost touch with the body1 that the crumbling world had receded to an infinite distance--that was as she had expected1 but what continued to puzzle her was that her mind was still active4 ,it was true that the world she had known had withdrawn itself from the dominion of consciousness1 as her body had done1 except1 that was1 in the sense of hearing1 which was still strangely alert2 yet there was still enough memory to be aware that there was such a world--that there were other persons in existence2 that men went about their business1 knowing nothing of what had happened2 but faces1 names1 places had all alike gone4 ,in fact1 she was conscious of herself in such a manner as she had never been before2 it seemed as if she had penetrated at last into some recess of her being into which hitherto she had only looked as through clouded glass4 ,this was very strange1 and yet it was familiar1 too2 she had arrived1 it seemed1 at a centre1 round the circumference of which she had been circling all her life2 and it was more than a mere point3 it was a distinct space1 walled and enclosed4444 ,at the same instant she knew that hearing1 too1 was gone4444 ,then an amazing thing happened--yet it appeared to her that she had always known it would happen1 although her mind had never articulated it4 ,this is what happened4 ,the enclosure melted1 with a sound of breaking1 and a limitless space was about her--limitless1 different to everything else1 and alive1 and astir4 ,it was alive1 as a breathing1 panting body is alive--self-evident and overpowering--it was one1 yet it was many2 it was immaterial1 yet absolutely real--real in a sense in which she never dreamed of reality4444 ,yet even this was familiar1 as a place often visited in dreams is familiar2 and then1 without warning1 something resembling sound or light1 something which she knew in an instant to be unique1 tore across it4444 99 99 99 99 99 ,then she saw1 and understood4444 ,,chapter ,v ,i ,oliver had passed the days since ,mabel's disappearance in an indescribable horror4 ,he had done all that was possible3 he had traced her to the station and to ,victoria1 where he lost her clue2 he had communicated with the police1 and the official answer1 telling him nothing1 had arrived to the effect that there was no news3 and it was not until the ,tuesday following her disappearance that ,mr4 ,francis1 hearing by chance of his trouble1 informed him by telephone that he had spoken with her on the ,friday night4 ,but there was no satisfaction to be got from him--indeed1 the news was bad rather than good1 for ,oliver could not but be dismayed at the report of the conversation1 in spite of ,mr4 ,francis's assurances that ,mrs4 ,brand had shown no kind of inclination to defend the ,christian cause4 ,two theories gradually emerged1 in his mind2 either she was gone to the protection of some unknown ,catholic1 or--and he grew sick at the thought--she had applied somewhere for ,euthanasia as she had once threatened1 and was now under the care of the ,law2 such an event was sufficiently common since the passing of the ,release ,act in #aiih4 ,and it was frightful that he could not condemn it4 99 99 99 99 99 ,on the ,tuesday evening1 as he sat heavily in his room1 for the hundredth time attempting to trace out some coherent line through the maze of intercourse he had had with his wife during these past months1 his bell suddenly rang4 ,it was the red label of ,whitehall that had made its appearance2 and for an instant his heart leaped with hope that it was news of her4 ,but at the first words it sank again4 8,brand10 came the sharp fairy voice1 8is that you8444 ,yes1 ,i am ,snowford4 ,you are wanted at once--at once1 you understand4 ,there is an extraordinary meeting of the ,council at twenty o'clock4 ,the ,president will be there4 ,you understand the urgency4 ,no time for more4 ,come instantly to my room40 99 99 99 99 99 ,even this message scarcely distracted him4 ,he1 with the rest of the world1 was no longer surprised at the sudden descents of the ,president4 ,he came and vanished again without warning1 travelling and working with incredible energy1 yet always1 as it seemed1 retaining his personal calm4 ,it was already after nineteen2 ,oliver supped immediately1 and a quarter-of-an-hour before the hour presented himself in ,snowford's room1 where half a dozen of his colleagues were assembled4 ,that minister came forward to meet him1 with a strange excitement in his face4 ,he drew him aside by a button4 8,see here1 ,brand1 you are wanted to speak first--immediately after the ,president's ,secretary who will open2 they are coming from ,paris4 ,it is about a new matter altogether4 ,he has had information of the whereabouts of the ,pope4444 ,it seems that there is one4444 ,oh1 you will understand presently4 ,oh1 and by the way10 he went on1 looking curiously at the strained face1 8,i am sorry to hear of your anxiety4 ,pemberton told me just now40 ,oliver lifted a hand abruptly4 8,tell me10 he said4 8,what am ,i wanted to say80 8,well1 the ,president will have a proposal1 we imagine4 ,you know our minds well enough4 ,just explain our attitude towards the ,catholics40 ,oliver's eyes shrank suddenly to two bright lines beneath the lids4 ,he nodded4 ,cartwright came up presently1 an immense1 bent old man with a face of parchment1 as befitted the ,lord ,chief ,justice4 8,by the way1 ,brand1 what do you know of a man called ,phillips8 ,he seems to have mentioned your name40 8,he was my secretary10 said ,oliver slowly4 8,what about him80 8,i think he must be mad4 ,he has given himself up to a magistrate1 entreating to be examined at once4 ,the magistrate has applied for instructions4 ,you see1 the ,act has scarcely begun to move yet40 8,but what has he done80 8,that's the difficulty4 ,he says he cannot deny ,god1 neither can he affirm ,him4--,he was your secretary1 then80 8,certainly4 ,i knew he was inclined to ,christianity4 ,i had to get rid of him for that40 8,well1 he is to be remanded for a week4 ,perhaps he will be able to make up his mind40 ,then the talk shifted off again4 ,two or three more came up1 and all eyed ,oliver with a certain curiosity2 the story was gone about that his wife had left him4 ,they wished to see how he took it4 ,at five minutes before the hour a bell rang1 and the door into the corridor was thrown open4 8,come1 gentlemen10 said the ,prime ,minister4 ,the ,council ,chamber was a long high room on the first floor2 its walls from floor to ceiling were lined with books4 ,a noiseless rubber carpet was underfoot4 ,there were no windows2 the room was lighted artificially4 ,a long table1 set round with armed chairs1 ran the length of the floor1 eight on either side2 and the ,presidential chair1 raised on a dais1 stood at the head4 ,each man went straight to his chair in silence1 and remained there1 waiting4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the room was beautifully cool1 in spite of the absence of windows1 and was a pleasant contrast to the hot evening outside through which most of these men had come4 ,they1 too1 had wondered at the surprising weather1 and had smiled at the conflict of the infallible4 ,but they were not thinking about that now3 the coming of the ,president was a matter which always silenced the most loquacious4 ,besides1 this time1 they understood that the affair was more serious than usual4 ,at one minute before the hour1 again a bell sounded1 four times1 and ceased2 and at the signal each man turned instinctively to the high sliding door behind the ,presidential chair4 ,there was dead silence within and without3 the huge ,government offices were luxuriously provided with sound-deadening apparatus1 and not even the rolling of the vast motors within a hundred yards was able to send a vibration through the layers of rubber on which the walls rested4 ,there was only one noise that could penetrate1 and that the sound of thunder4 ,the experts were at present unable to exclude this4 ,again the silence seemed to fall in one yet deeper veil4 ,then the door opened1 and a figure came swiftly through1 followed by ,another in black and scarlet4 ,,ii ,he passed straight up to the chair1 followed by two secretaries1 bowed slightly to this side and that1 sat down and made a little gesture4 ,then they1 too1 were in their chairs1 upright and intent4 ,for perhaps the hundredth time1 ,oliver1 staring upon the ,president1 marvelled at the quietness and the astounding personality of ,him4 ,he was in the ,english judicial dress that had passed down through centuries--black and scarlet with sleeves of white fur and a crimson sash--and that had lately been adopted as the ,english presidential costume of him who stood at the head of the legislature4 ,but it was in ,his personality1 in the atmosphere that flowed from ,him1 that the marvel lay4 ,it was as the scent of the sea to the physical nature--it exhilarated1 cleansed1 kindled1 intoxicated4 ,it was as inexplicably attractive as a cherry orchard in spring1 as affecting as the cry of stringed instruments1 as compelling as a storm4 ,so writers had said4 ,they compared it to a stream of clear water1 to the flash of a gem1 to the love of woman4 ,they lost all decency sometimes2 they said it fitted all moods1 as the voice of many waters2 they called it again and again1 as explicitly as possible1 the ,divine ,nature perfectly ,incarnate at last4444 ,then ,oliver's reflections dropped from him like a mantle1 for the ,president1 with downcast eyes and head thrown back1 made a little gesture to the ruddy-faced secretary on ,his right2 and this man1 without a movement1 began to speak like an impersonal actor repeating his part4 99 99 99 99 99 8,gentlemen10 he said1 in an even1 resonant voice1 8the ,president is come direct from ,paris4 ,this afternoon ,his ,honour was in ,berlin2 this morning1 early1 in ,moscow4 ,yesterday in ,new ,york4 ,to-night ,his ,honour must be in ,turin2 and to-morrow will begin to return through ,spain1 ,north ,africa1 ,greece and the southeastern states40 ,this was the usual formula for such speeches4 ,the ,president spoke but little himself now2 but was careful for the information of his subjects on occasions like this4 ,his secretaries were perfectly trained1 and this speaker was no exception4 ,after a slight pause1 he continued3 8,this is the business1 gentlemen4 8,last ,thursday1 as you are aware1 the ,plenipotentaries signed the ,test ,act in this room1 and it was immediately communicated all over the world4 ,at sixteen o'clock ,his ,honour received a message from a man named ,dolgorovski--who is1 it is understood1 one of the ,cardinals of the ,catholic ,church4 ,this he claimed2 and on inquiry it was found to be a fact4 ,his information confirmed what was already suspected--namely1 that there was a man claiming to be ,pope1 who had created 7so the phrase is7 other cardinals1 shortly after the destruction of ,rome1 subsequent to which his own election took place in ,jerusalem4 ,it appears that this ,pope1 with a good deal of statesmanship1 has chosen to keep his own name and place of residence a secret from even his own followers1 with the exception of the twelve cardinals2 that he has done a great deal1 through the instrumentality of one of his cardinals in particular1 and through his new ,order in general1 towards the reorganisation of the ,catholic ,church2 and that at this moment he is living1 apart from the world1 in complete security4 8,his ,honour blames ,himself that ,he did not do more than suspect something of the kind--misled1 ,he thinks1 by a belief that if there had been a ,pope1 news would have been heard of it from other quarters1 for1 as is well known1 the entire structure of the ,christian ,church rests upon him as upon a rock4 ,further1 ,his ,honour thinks inquiries should have been made in the very place where now it is understood that this ,pope is living4 8,the man's name1 gentlemen1 is ,franklin---0 ,oliver started uncontrollably1 but relapsed again to bright-eyed intelligence as for an instant the ,president glanced up from his motionlessness4 8,franklin10 repeated the secretary1 8and he is living in ,nazareth1 where1 it is said1 the ,founder of ,christianity passed ,his youth4 8,now this1 gentlemen1 ,his ,honour heard on ,thursday in last week4 ,he caused inquiries to be made1 and on ,friday morning received further intelligence from ,dolgorovski that this ,pope had summoned to ,nazareth a meeting of his cardinals1 and certain other officials1 from all over the world1 to consider what steps should be taken in view of the new ,test ,act4 ,this ,his ,honour takes to show an extreme want of statesmanship which seems hard to reconcile with his former action4 ,these persons are summoned by special messengers to meet on ,saturday next1 and will begin their deliberations after some ,christian ceremonies on the following morning4 8,you wish1 gentlemen1 no doubt1 to know ,dolgorovski's motives in making all this known4 ,his ,honour is satisfied that they are genuine4 ,the man has been losing belief in his religion2 in fact1 he has come to see that this religion is the supreme obstacle to the consolidation of the race4 ,he has esteemed it his duty1 therefore1 to lay this information before ,his ,honour4 ,it is interesting as an historical parallel to reflect that the same kind of incident marked the rise of ,christianity as will mark1 it is thought1 its final extinction--namely1 the informing on the part of one of the leaders of the place and method by which the principal personage may be best approached4 ,it is also1 surely1 very significant that the scene of the extinction of ,christianity is identical with that of its inauguration4444 8,well1 gentlemen1 ,his ,honour's proposal is as follows1 carrying out the ,declaration to which you all acceded4 ,it is that a force should proceed during the night of ,saturday next to ,palestine1 and on the ,sunday morning1 when these men will be all gathered together1 that this force should finish as swiftly and mercifully as possible the work to which the ,powers have set their hands4 ,so far1 the comment of the ,governments which have been consulted has been unanimous1 and there is little doubt that the rest will be equally so4 ,his ,honour felt that ,he could not act in so grave a matter on ,his own responsibility2 it is not merely local2 it is a catholic administration of justice1 and will have results wider than it is safe minutely to prophesy4 8,it is not necessary to enter into ,his ,honour's reasons4 ,they are already well known to you2 but before asking for your opinion1 ,he desires me to indicate what ,he thinks1 in the event of your approval1 should be the method of action4 8,each ,government1 it is proposed1 should take part in the final scene1 for it is something of a symbolic action2 and for this purpose it is thought well that each of the three ,departments of the ,world should depute volors1 to the number of the constituting ,states1 one hundred and twenty-two all told1 to set about the business4 ,these volors should have no common meeting-ground1 otherwise the news will surely penetrate to ,nazareth1 for it is understood that1 this new ,order of ,christ ,crucified has a highly organised system of espionage4 ,the rendezvous1 then1 should be no other than ,nazareth itself2 and the time of meeting should be1 it is thought1 not later than nine o'clock according to ,palestine reckoning4 ,these details1 however1 can be decided and communicated as soon as a determination has been formed as regards the entire scheme4 8,with respect to the exact method of carrying out the conclusion1 ,his ,honour is inclined to think it will be more merciful to enter into no negotiations with the persons concerned4 ,an opportunity should be given to the inhabitants of the village to make their escape if they so desire it1 and then1 with the explosives that the force should carry1 the end can be practically instantaneous4 8,for ,himself1 ,his ,honour proposes to be there in person1 and further that the actual discharge should take place from ,his own car4 ,it seems but suitable that the world which has done ,his ,honour the goodness to elect ,him to its ,presidentship should act through ,his hands2 and this would be at least some slight token of respect to a superstition which1 however infamous1 is yet the one and only force capable of withstanding the true progress of man4 8,his ,honour promises you1 gentlemen1 that in the event of this plan being carried out1 we shall be no more troubled with ,christianity4 ,already the moral effect of the ,test ,act has been prodigious4 ,it is understood that1 by tens of thousands1 ,catholics1 numbering among them even members of this new fanatical ,religious ,order1 have been renouncing their follies even in these few days2 and a final blow struck now at the very heart and head of the ,catholic ,church1 eliminating1 as it would do1 the actual body on which the entire organisation subsists1 would render its resurrection impossible4 ,it is a well-known fact that1 granted the extinction of the line of ,popes1 together with those necessary for its continuance1 there could be no longer any question amongst even the most ignorant that the claim of ,jesus had ceased to be either reasonable or possible4 ,even the ,order that has provided the sinews for this new movement must cease to exist4 8,dolgorovski1 of course1 is the difficulty1 for it is not certainly known whether one ,cardinal would be considered sufficient for the propagation of the line2 and1 although reluctantly1 ,his ,honour feels bound to suggest that at the conclusion of the affair1 ,dolgorovski1 also1 who will not1 of course1 be with his fellows at ,nazareth1 should be mercifully removed from even the danger of a relapse4444 8,his ,honour1 then1 asks you1 gentlemen1 as briefly as possible1 to state your views on the points of which ,i have had the privilege of speaking40 ,the quiet business-like voice ceased4 ,he had spoken throughout in the manner with which he had begun2 his eyes had been downcast throughout2 his voice had been tranquil and restrained4 ,his deportment had been admirable4 ,there was an instant's silence1 and all eyes settled steadily again upon the motionless figure in black and scarlet and the ivory face4 ,then ,oliver stood up4 ,his face was as white as paper2 his eyes bright and dilated4 8,sir10 he said1 8,i have no doubt that we are all of one mind4 ,i need say no more than that1 so far as ,i am a representative of my colleagues1 we assent to the proposal1 and leave all details in your ,honour's hands40 ,the ,president lifted his eyes1 and ran them swiftly along the rigid faces turned to him4 ,then1 in the breathless hush1 he spoke for the first time in his strange voice1 now as passionless as a frozen river4 8,is there any other proposal80 ,there was a murmur of assent as the men rose to their feet4 8,thank you1 gentlemen10 said the secretary4 ,,iii ,it was a little before seven o'clock on the morning of ,saturday that ,oliver stepped out of the motor that had carried him to ,wimbledon ,common1 and began to go up the steps of the old volor-stage1 abandoned five years ago4 ,it had been thought better1 in view of the extreme secrecy that was to be kept1 that ,england's representative in the expedition should start from a comparatively unknown point1 and this old stage1 in disuse now1 except for occasional trials of new ,government machines1 had been selected4 ,even the lift had been removed1 and it was necessary to climb the hundred and fifty steps on foot4 ,it was with a certain unwillingness that he had accepted this post among the four delegates1 for nothing had been heard of his wife1 and it was terrible to him to leave ,london while her fate was as yet doubtful4 ,on the whole1 he was less inclined than ever now to accept the ,euthanasia theory2 he had spoken to one or two of her friends1 all of whom declared that she had never even hinted at such an end4 ,and1 again1 although he was well aware of the eight-day law in the matter1 even if she had determined on such a step there was nothing to show that she was yet in ,england1 and1 in fact1 it was more than likely that if she were bent on such an act she would go abroad for it1 where laxer conditions prevailed4 ,in short1 it seemed that he could do no good by remaining in ,england1 and the temptation to be present at the final act of justice in the ,east by which land1 and1 in fact1 it was more than likely that if she were to be wiped out1 and ,franklin1 too1 among them--,franklin1 that parody of the ,lord of the ,world--this1 added to the opinion of his colleagues in the ,government1 and the curious sense1 never absent from him now1 that ,felsenburgh's approval was a thing to die for if necessary--these things had finally prevailed4 ,he left behind him at home his secretary1 with instructions that no expense was to be spared in communicating with him should any news of his wife arrive during his absence4 ,it was terribly hot this morning1 and1 by the time that he reached the top he noticed that the monster in the net was already fitted into its white aluminium casing1 and that the fans within the corridor and saloon were already active4 ,he stepped inside to secure a seat in the saloon1 set his bag down1 and after a word or two with the guard1 who1 of course1 had not yet been informed of their destination1 learning that the others were not yet come1 he went out again on to the platform for coolness' sake1 and to brood in peace4 ,london looked strange this morning1 he thought4 ,here beneath him was the common1 parched somewhat with the intense heat of the previous week1 stretching for perhaps half-a-mile--tumbled ground1 smooth stretches of turf1 and the heads of heavy trees up to the first house-roofs1 set1 too1 it seemed1 in bowers of foliage4 ,then beyond that began the serried array1 line beyond line1 broken in one spot by the gleam of a river-reach1 and then on again fading beyond eyesight4 ,but what surprised him was the density of the air2 it was now1 as old books related it had been in the days of smoke4 ,there was no freshness1 no translucence of morning atmosphere2 it was impossible to point in any one direction to the source of this veiling gloom1 for on all sides it was the same4 ,even the sky overhead lacked its blue2 it appeared painted with a muddy brush1 and the sun shewed the same faint tinge of red4 ,yes1 it was like that1 he said wearily to himself--like a second-rate sketch2 there was no sense of mystery as of a veiled city1 but rather unreality4 ,the shadows seemed lacking in definiteness1 the outlines and grouping in coherence4 ,a storm was wanted1 he reflected2 or even1 it might be1 one more earthquake on the other side of the world would1 in wonderful illustration of the globe's unity1 relieve the pressure on this side4 ,well1 well2 the journey would be worth taking even for the interest of observing climatic changes2 but it would be terribly hot1 he mused1 by the time the south of ,france was reached4 ,then his thoughts leaped back to their own gnawing misery4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it was another ten minutes before he saw the scarlet ,government motor1 with awnings out1 slide up the road from the direction of ,fulham2 and yet five minutes more before the three men appeared with their servants behind them--,maxwell1 ,snowford and ,cartwright1 all alike1 as was ,oliver1 in white duck from head to foot4 ,they did not speak one word of their business1 for the officials were going to and fro1 and it was advisable to guard against even the smallest possibility of betrayal4 ,the guard had been told that the volor was required for a three days' journey1 that provisions were to be taken in for that period1 and that the first point towards which the course was to lie was the centre of the ,south ,downs4 ,there would be no stopping for at least a day and a night4 ,further instructions had reached them from the ,president on the previous morning1 by which time ,he had completed ,his visitation1 and received the assent of the ,emergency ,councils of the world4 ,this ,snowford commented upon in an undertone1 and added a word or two as to details1 as the four stood together looking out over the city4 ,briefly1 the plan was as follows1 at least so far as it concerned ,england4 ,the volor was to approach ,palestine from the direction of the ,mediterranean1 observing to get into touch with ,france on her left and ,spain on her right within ten miles of the eastern end of ,crete4 ,the approximate hour was fixed at twenty-three 7eastern time74 ,at this point she was to show her night signal1 a scarlet line on a white field2 and in the event of her failing to observe her neighbours was to circle at that point1 at a height of eight hundred feet1 until either the two were sighted or further instructions were received4 ,for the purpose of dealing with emergencies1 the ,president's car1 which would finally make its entrance from the south1 was to be accompanied by an aide-de-camp capable of moving at a very high speed1 whose signals were to be taken as ,felsenburgh's own4 ,so soon as the circle was completed1 having ,esdraelon as its centre with a radius of five hundred and forty miles1 the volors were to advance1 dropping gradually to within five hundred feet of sea-level1 and diminishing their distance one from another from the twenty-five miles or so at which they would first find themselves1 until they were as near as safety allowed4 ,in this manner the advance at a pace of fifty miles an hour from the moment that the circle was arranged would bring them within sight of ,nazareth at about nine o'clock on the ,sunday morning4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the guard came up to the four as they stood there silent4 8,we are ready1 gentlemen10 he said4 8,what do you think of the weather80 asked ,snowford abruptly4 ,the guard pursed his lips4 8,a little thunder1 ,i expect1 sir10 he said4 ,oliver looked at him curiously4 8,no more than that80 he asked4 8,i should say a storm1 sir10 observed the guard shortly4 ,snowford turned towards the gangway4 8,well1 we had best be off3 we can lose time further on1 if we wish40 ,it was about five minutes more before all was ready4 ,from the stern of the boat came a faint smell of cooking1 for breakfast would be served immediately1 and a white-capped cook protruded his head for an instant1 to question the guard4 ,the four sat down in the gorgeous saloon in the bows2 ,oliver silent by himself1 the other three talking in low voices together4 ,once more the guard passed through to his compartment at the prow1 glancing as he went to see that all were seated2 and an instant later came the clang of the signal4 ,then through all the length of the boat--for she was the fastest ship that ,england possessed--passed the thrill of the propeller beginning to work up speed2 and simultaneously ,oliver1 staring sideways through the plate-glass window1 saw the rail drop away1 and the long line of ,london1 pale beneath the tinged sky1 surge up suddenly4 ,he caught a glimpse of a little group of persons staring up from below1 and they1 too1 dropped in a great swirl1 and vanished4 ,then1 with a flash of dusty green1 the ,common had vanished1 and a pavement of house-roofs began to stream beneath1 the long lines of streets on this side and that turning like spokes of a gigantic wheel2 once more this pavement thinned1 showing green again as between infrequently laid cobble-stones2 then they1 too1 were gone1 and the country was open beneath4 ,snowford rose1 staggering a little4 8,i may as well tell the guard now10 he said4 8,then we need not be interrupted again40 ,,chapter ,,vi ,i ,the ,syrian awoke from a dream that a myriad faces were looking into his own1 eager1 attentive and horrible1 in his corner of the roof-top1 and sat up sweating and gasping aloud for breath4 ,for an instant he thought that he was really dying1 and that the spiritual world was about him4 ,then1 as he struggled1 sense came back1 and he stood up1 drawing long breaths of the stifling night air4 ,above him the sky was as the pit1 black and empty2 there was not a glimmer of light1 though the moon was surely up4 ,he had seen her four hours before1 a red sickle1 swing slowly out from ,thabor4 ,across the plain1 as he looked from the parapet1 there was nothing4 ,for a few yards there lay across the broken ground a single crooked lance of light from a half-closed shutter2 and beneath that1 nothing4 ,to the north again1 nothing2 to the west a glimmer1 pale as a moth's wing1 from the house-roofs of ,nazareth2 to the east1 nothing4 ,he might be on a tower-top in space1 except for that line of light and that grey glimmer that evaded the eye4 ,on the roof1 however1 it was possible to make out at least outlines1 for the dormer trap had been left open at the head of the stairs1 and from somewhere within the depths of the house there stole up a faint refracted light4 ,there was a white bundle in that corner2 that would be the pillow of the ,benedictine abbot4 ,he had seen him lay himself down there some time--was it four hours or four centuries ago8 ,there was a grey shape stretched along that pale wall--the ,friar1 he thought2 there were other irregular outlines breaking the face of the parapet1 here and there along the sides4 ,very softly1 for he knew the caprices of sleep1 he stepped across the paved roof to the opposite parapet and looked over1 for there yet hung about him a desire for reassurance that he was still in company with flesh and blood4 ,yes1 indeed he was still on earth2 for there was a real and distinct light burning among the tumbled rocks1 and beside it1 delicate as a miniature1 the head and shoulders of a man1 writing4 ,and in the circle of light were other figures1 pale1 broken patches on which men lay2 a pole or two1 erected with the thought of a tent to follow2 a little pile of luggage with a rug across it2 and beyond the circle other outlines and shapes faded away into the stupendous blackness4 ,then the writing man moved his head1 and a monstrous shadow fled across the ground2 a yelp as of a strangling dog broke out suddenly close behind him1 and1 as he turned1 a moaning figure sat up on the roof1 sobbing itself awake4 ,another moved at the sound1 and then as1 sighing1 the former relapsed heavily against the wall1 once more the priest went back to his place1 still doubtful as to the reality of all that he saw1 and the breathless silence came down again as a pall4 99 99 99 99 99 ,he woke again from dreamless sleep1 and there was a change4 ,from his corner1 as he raised his heavy eyes1 there met them what seemed an unbearable brightness2 then1 as he looked1 it resolved itself into a candle-flame1 and beyond it a white sleeve1 and higher yet a white face and throat4 ,he understood1 and rose reeling2 it was the messenger come to fetch him as had been arranged4 ,as he passed across the space1 once he looked round him1 and it seemed that the dawn must have come1 for that appalling sky overhead was visible at last4 ,an enormous vault1 smoke-coloured and opaque1 seemed to curve away to the ghostly horizons on either side where the far-away hills raised sharp shapes as if cut in paper4 ,carmel was before him2 at least he thought it was that--a bull head and shoulders thrusting itself forward and ending in an abrupt descent1 and beyond that again the glimmering sky4 ,there were no clouds1 no outlines to break the huge1 smooth1 dusky dome beneath the centre of which this house-roof seemed poised4 ,across the parapet1 as he glanced to the right before descending the steps1 stretched ,esdraelon1 sad-coloured and sombre1 into the metallic distance4 ,it was all as unreal as some fantastic picture by one who had never looked upon clear sunlight4 ,the silence was complete and profound4 ,straight down through the wheeling shadows he went1 following the white-hooded head and figure down the stairs1 along the tiny passage1 stumbling once against the feet of one who slept with limbs tossed loose like a tired dog2 the feet drew back mechanically1 and a little moan broke from the shadows4 ,then he went on1 passing the servant who stood aside1 and entered4 ,there were half-a-dozen men gathered here1 silent1 white figures standing apart one from the other1 who genuflected as the ,pope came in simultaneously through the opposite door1 and again stood white-faced and attentive4 ,he ran his eyes over them as he stopped1 waiting behind his master's chair--there were two he knew1 remembering them from last night--dark-faced ,cardinal ,ruspoli1 and the lean ,australian ,archbishop1 besides ,cardinal ,corkran1 who stood by his chair at the ,pope's own table1 with papers laid ready4 ,silvester sat down1 and with a little gesture caused the others to sit too4 ,then ,he began at once in that quiet tired voice that his servant knew so well4 8,eminences-we are all here1 ,i think4 ,we need lose no more time1 then4444 ,cardinal ,corkran has something to communicate---0 ,he turned a little4 8,father1 sit down1 if you please4 ,this will occupy a little while40 ,the priest went across to the stone window-seat1 whence he could watch the ,pope's face in the light of the two candles that now stood on the table between him and the ,cardinal-,secretary4 ,then the ,cardinal began1 glancing up from his papers4 8,holiness4 ,i had better begin a little way back4 ,their ,eminences have not heard the details properly4444 8,i received at ,damascus1 on last ,friday week1 inquiries from various prelates in different parts of the world1 as to the actual measure concerning the new policy of persecution4 ,at first ,i could tell them nothing positively1 for it was not until after twenty o'clock that ,cardinal ,ruspoli1 in ,turin1 informed me of the facts4 ,cardinal ,malpas confirmed them a few minutes later1 and the ,cardinal ,archbishop of ,pekin at twenty-three4 ,before mid-day on ,saturday ,i received final confirmation from my messengers in ,london4 8,i was at first surprised that ,cardinal ,dolgorovski did not communicate it2 for almost simultaneously with the ,turin message ,i received one from a priest of the ,order of ,christ ,crucified in ,moscow1 to which1 of course1 ,i paid no attention4 7,it is our rule1 ,eminences1 to treat unauthorised communications in that way47 ,his ,holiness1 however1 bade me make inquiries1 and ,i learned from ,father ,petrovoski and others that the ,government placards published the news at twenty o'clock--by our time4 ,it was curious1 therefore1 that the ,cardinal had not seen it2 if he had seen it1 it was1 of course1 his duty to acquaint me immediately4 8,since that time1 however1 the following facts have come out4 ,it is established beyond a doubt that ,cardinal ,dolgorovski received a visitor in the course of the evening4 ,his own chaplain1 who1 your ,eminences are perhaps aware1 has been very active in ,russia on behalf of the ,church1 informs me of this privately4 ,yet the ,cardinal asserts1 in explanation of his silence1 that he was alone during those hours1 and had given orders that no one was to be admitted to his presence without urgent cause4 ,this1 of course1 confirmed ,his ,holiness's opinion1 but ,i received orders from ,him to act as if nothing had happened1 and to command the ,cardinal's presence here with the rest of the ,sacred ,college4 ,to this ,i received an intimation that he would be present4 ,yesterday1 however1 a little before mid-day1 ,i received a further message that his ,eminency had met with a slight accident1 but that he yet hoped to present himself in time for the deliberations4 ,since then no further news has arrived40 ,there was a dead silence4 ,then the ,pope turned to the ,syrian priest4 8,father10 he said1 8it was you who received his ,eminency's messages4 ,have you anything to add to this80 8,no1 ,holiness40 ,he turned again4 8,my son10 he said1 8report to ,us publicly what you have already reported to ,us in private40 ,a small1 bright-eyed man moved out of the shadows4 8,holiness1 it was ,i who conveyed the message to ,cardinal ,dolgorovski4 ,he refused at first to receive me4 ,when ,i reached his presence and communicated the command he was silent2 then he smiled2 then he told me to carry back the message that he would obey40 ,again the ,pope was silent4 ,then suddenly the tall ,australian stood up4 8,holiness10 he said1 8,i was once intimate with that man4 ,it was partly through my means that he sought reception into the ,catholic ,church4 ,this was not less than fourteen years ago1 when the fortunes of the ,church seemed about to prosper4444 ,our friendly relations ceased two years ago1 and ,i may say that1 from what ,i know of him1 ,i find no difficulty in believing---0 ,as his voice shook with passion and he faltered1 ,silvester raised his hand4 8,we desire no recriminations4 ,even the evidence is now useless1 for what was to be done has been done4 ,for ourselves1 we have no doubt as to its nature4444 ,it was to this man that ,christ gave the morsel through our hands1 saying ,quod faces1 fac cities4 ,cum ergo accepisset ,me buccellam1 exivit continuo4 ,erat autem nox40 ,again fell the silence1 and in the pause sounded a long half-vocal sigh from without the door4 ,it came and went as a sleeper turned1 for the passage was crowded with exhausted men--as a soul might sigh that passed from light to darkness4 ,then ,silvester spoke again4 ,and as ,he spoke ,he began1 as if mechanically1 to tear up a long paper1 written with lists of names1 that lay before ,him4 8,eminences1 it is three hours after dawn4 ,in two hours more ,we shall say mass in your presence1 and give ,holy ,communion4 ,during those two hours ,we commission you to communicate this news to all who are assembled here2 and further1 ,we bestow on each and all of you jurisdiction apart from all previous rules of time and place2 we give a ,plenary ,indulgence to all who confess and communicate this day4 ,father--0 he turned to the ,syrian--8,father1 you will now expose the ,blessed ,sacrament in the chapel1 after which you will proceed to the village and inform the inhabitants that if they wish to save their lives they had best be gone immediately--immediately1 you understand40 ,the ,syrian started from his daze4 8,holiness10 he stammered1 stretching out a hand1 8the lists1 the lists60 7,he had seen what these were47 ,but ,silvester only smiled as ,he tossed the fragments on to the table4 ,then ,he stood up4 8,you need not trouble1 my son4444 ,we shall not need these any more4444 8,one last word1 ,eminences4444 ,if there is one heart here that doubts or is afraid1 ,i have a word to say40 ,he paused1 with an extraordinarily simple deliberateness1 ran the eyes round the tense faces turned to ,him4 8,i have had a ,vision of ,god10 ,he said softly4 8,i walk no more by faith1 but by sight40 ,,ii ,an hour later the priest toiled back in the hot twilight up the path from the village1 followed by half-a-dozen silent men1 twenty yards behind1 whose curiosity exceeded their credulousness4 ,he had left a few more standing bewildered at the doors of the little mud-houses2 and had seen perhaps a hundred families1 weighted with domestic articles1 pour like a stream down the rocky path that led to ,khaifa4 ,he had been cursed by some1 even threatened2 stared upon by others2 mocked by a few4 ,the fanatical said that the ,christians had brought ,god's wrath upon the place1 and the darkness upon the sky3 the sun was dying1 for these hounds were too evil for him to look upon and live4 ,others again seemed to see nothing remarkable in the state of the weather4444 ,there was no change in that sky from its state an hour before1 except that perhaps it had lightened a little as the sun climbed higher behind that impenetrable dusky shroud4 ,hills1 grass1 men's faces--all bore to the priest's eyes the look of unreality2 they were as things seen in a dream by eyes that roll with sleep through lids weighted with lead4 ,even to other physical senses that unreality was present2 and once more he remembered his dream1 thankful that that horror at least was absent4 ,but silence seemed other than a negation of sound1 it was a thing in itself1 an affirmation1 unruffled by the sound of footsteps1 the thin barking of dogs1 the murmur of voices4 ,it appeared as if the stillness of eternity had descended and embraced the world's activities1 and as if that world1 in a desperate attempt to assert its own reality1 was braced in a set1 motionless1 noiseless1 breathless effort to hold itself in being4 ,what ,silvester had said just now was beginning to be true of this man also4 ,the touch of the powdery soil and the warm pebbles beneath the priest's bare feet seemed something apart from the consciousness that usually regards the things of sense as more real and more intimate than the things of spirit4 ,matter still had a reality1 still occupied space1 but it was of a subjective nature1 the result of internal rather than external powers4 ,he appeared to himself already to be scarcely more than a soul1 intent and steady1 united by a thread only to the body and the world with which he was yet in relations4 ,he knew that the appalling heat was there2 once even1 before his eyes a patch of beaten ground cracked and lisped as water that touches hot iron1 as he trod upon it4 ,he could feel the heat upon his forehead and hands1 his whole body was swathed and soaked in it2 yet he regarded it as from an outside standpoint1 as a man with neuritis perceives that the pain is no longer in his hand but in the pillow which supports it4 ,so1 too1 with what his eyes looked upon and his ears heard2 so1 too1 with that faint bitter taste that lay upon his lips and nostrils4 ,there was no longer in him fear or even hope--he regarded himself1 the world1 and even the enshrouding and awful ,presence of spirit as facts with which he had but little to do4 ,he was scarcely even interested2 still less was he distressed4 ,there was ,thabor before him--at least what once had been ,thabor1 now it was no more than a huge and dusky dome-shape which impressed itself upon his retina and informed his passive brain of its existence and outline1 though that existence seemed no better than that of a dissolving phantom4 ,it seemed then almost natural--or at least as natural as all else--as he came in through the passage and opened the chapel-door1 to see that the floor was crowded with prostrate motionless figures4 ,there they lay1 all alike in the white burnous which he had given out last night2 and1 with forehead on arms1 as during the singing of the ,litany of the ,saints at an ordination1 lay the figure he knew best and loved more than all the world1 the shoulders and white hair at a slight elevation upon the single altar step4 ,above the plain altar itself burned the six tall candles2 and in the midst1 on the mean little throne1 stood the white-metal monstrance1 with its ,white ,centre4444 ,then he1 too1 dropped1 and lay as he was4444 99 99 99 99 99 ,he did not know how long it was before the circling observant consciousness1 the flow of slow images1 the vibration of particular thoughts1 ceased and stilled as a pool rocks quietly to peace after the dropped stone has long lain still4 ,but it came at last--that superb tranquillity1 possible only when the senses are physically awake1 with which ,god1 perhaps once in a lifetime1 rewards the aspiring trustful soul--that point of complete rest in the heart of the ,fount of all existence with which one day ,he will reward eternally the spirits of ,his children4 ,there was no thought in him of articulating this experience1 of analysing its elements1 or fingering this or that strain of ecstatic joy4 ,the time for self-regarding was passed4 ,it was enough that the experience was there1 although he was not even self-reflective enough to tell himself so4 ,he had passed from that circle whence the soul looks within1 from that circle1 too1 whence it looks upon objective glory1 to that very centre where it reposes--and the first sign to him that time had passed was the murmur of words1 heard distinctly and understood1 although with that apartness with which a drowsy man perceives a message from without--heard as through a veil through which nothing but thinnest essence could transpire4 ,spiritus ,domini replevit orbem terrarum4444 ,the ,spirit of the ,lord hath fulfilled all things1 alleluia3 and that which contains all things hath knowledge of the voice1 alleluia1 alleluia1 alleluia4 ,exsurgat ,deus 7and the voice rose ever so slightly74 8,let ,god arise and let ,his enemies be scattered2 and let them who hate ,him flee before ,his face40 ,gloria ,patri4444 ,then he raised his heavy head2 and a phantom figure stood there in red vestments1 seeming to float rather than to stand1 with thin hands outstretched1 and white cap on white hair seen in the gleam of the steady candle-flames2 another1 also in white1 kneeled on the step4444 ,kyrie eleison 444 ,gloria in excelsis ,deo 444 those things passed like a shadow-show1 with movements and rustlings1 but he perceived rather the light which cast them4 ,he heard ,deus qui in hodierna die 444 but his passive mind gave no pulse of reflex action1 no stir of understanding until these words4 ,cum complerentur dies ,pentecostes4444 8,when the day of ,pentecost was fully come1 all the disciples were with one accord in the same place2 and there came from heaven suddenly a sound1 as of a mighty wind approaching1 and it filled the house where they were sitting44440 ,then he remembered and understood4444 ,it was ,pentecost then6 ,and with memory a shred of reflection came back4 ,where then was the wind1 and the flame1 and the earthquake1 and the secret voice8 ,yet the world was silent1 rigid in its last effort at self-assertion3 there was no tremor to show that ,god remembered2 no actual point of light1 yet1 breaking the appalling vault of gloom that lay over sea and land to reveal that ,he burned there in eternity1 transcendent and dominant2 not even a voice2 and at that he understood yet more4 ,he perceived that that world1 whose monstrous parody his sleep had presented to him in the night1 was other than that he had feared it to be2 it was sweet1 not terrible2 friendly1 not hostile2 clear1 not stifling2 and home1 not exile4 ,there were presences here1 but not those gluttonous1 lustful things that had looked on him last night4444 ,he dropped his head again upon his hands1 at once ashamed and content2 and again he sank down to depths of glimmering inner peace4444 99 99 99 99 99 ,not again1 for a while1 did he perceive what he did or thought1 or what passed there1 five yards away on the low step4 ,once only a ripple passed across that sea of glass1 a ripple of fire and sound like a rising star that flicks a line of light across a sleeping lake1 like a thin thread of vibration streaming from a quivering string across the stillness of a deep night--and be perceived for an instant as in a formless mirror that a lower nature was struck into existence and into union with the ,divine nature at the same moment4444 ,and then no more again but the great encompassing hush1 the sense of the innermost heart of reality1 till he found himself kneeling at the rail1 and knew that ,that which alone truly existed on earth approached him with the swiftness of thought and the ardour of ,divine ,love4444 ,then1 as the mass ended1 and he raised his passive happy soul to receive the last gift of ,god1 there was a cry1 a sudden clamour in the passage1 and a man stood in the doorway1 gabbling ,arabic4 ,,iii ,yet even at that sound and sight his soul scarcely tightened the languid threads that united it through every fibre of his body with the world of sense4 ,he saw and heard the tumult in the passage1 frantic eyes and mouths crying aloud1 and1 in strange contrast1 the pale ecstatic faces of those princes who turned and looked2 even within the tranquil presence-chamber of the spirit where two beings1 ,incarnate ,god and all but ,discarnate ,man1 were locked in embrace1 a certain mental process went on4 ,yet all was still as apart from him as a lighted stage and its drama from a self-contained spectator4 ,in the material world1 now as attenuated as a mirage1 events were at hand2 but to his soul1 balanced now on reality and awake to facts1 these things were but a spectacle4444 ,he turned to the altar again1 and there1 as he had known it would be1 in the midst of clear light1 all was at peace3 the celebrant1 seen as through molten glass1 adored as ,he murmured the mystery of the ,word-made-,flesh1 and once more passing to the centre1 sank upon ,his knees4 ,again the priest understood2 for thought was no longer the process of a mind1 rather it was the glance of a spirit4 ,he knew all now2 and1 by an inevitable impulse1 his throat began to sing aloud words that1 as he sang1 opened for the first time as flowers telling their secret to the sun4 ,o ,salutaris ,hostia ,qui coeli pandis ostium4 4 4 4 ,they were all singing now2 even the ,mohammedan catechumen who had burst in a moment ago sang with the rest1 his lean head thrust out and his arms tight across his breast2 the tiny chapel rang with the forty voices1 and the vast world thrilled to hear it4444 ,still singing1 the priest saw the veil laid as by a phantom upon the ,pontiff's shoulders2 there was a movement1 a surge of figures--shadows only in the midst of substance1 444 ,uni ,trinoque ,domino 4444 --and the ,pope stood erect1 ,himself a pallor in the heart of light1 with spectral folds of silk dripping from ,his shoulders1 ,his hands swathed in them1 and ,his down-bent head hidden by the silver-rayed monstrance and ,that which it bore4444 444 ,qui vitam sine termino ,nobis donet in patria 4444 444 ,they were moving now1 and the world of life swung with them2 of so much was he aware4 ,he was out in the passage1 among the white1 frenzied faces that with bared teeth stared up at that sight1 silenced at last by the thunder of ,pange ,lingua1 and the radiance of those who passed out to eternal life4444 ,at the corner he turned for an instant to see the six pale flames move along a dozen yards behind1 as spear-heads about a ,king1 and in the midst the silver rays and the ,white ,heart of ,god4444 ,then he was out1 and the battle lay in array4444 ,that sky on which he had looked an hour ago had passed from darkness charged with light to light overlaid with darkness--from glimmering night to ,wrathful ,day--and that light was red4444 ,from behind ,thabor on the left to ,carmel on the far right1 above the hills twenty miles away rested an enormous vault of colour2 here were no gradations from zenith to horizon2 all was the one deep smoulder of crimson as of the glow of iron4 ,it was such a colour as men have seen at sunsets after rain1 while the clouds1 more translucent each instant1 transmit the glory they cannot contain4 ,here1 too1 was the sun1 pale as the ,host1 set like a fragile wafer above the ,mount of ,transfiguration1 and there1 far down in the west where men had once cried upon ,baal in vain1 hung the sickle of the white moon4 ,yet all was no more than stained light that lies broken across carven work of stone4444 444 ,in suprema nocte coena1 sang the myriad voices1 ,recumbens cum fratribus ,observata lege plena ,cibis in legalibus ,cibum turbae duodenae ,se dat suis manibus 4444 ,he saw1 too1 poised as motes in light1 that ring of strange fish-creatures1 white as milk1 except where the angry glory turned their backs to flame1 white-winged like floating moths1 from the tiny shape far to the south to the monster at hand scarcely five hundred yards away2 and even as he looked1 singing as he looked1 he understood that the circle was nearer1 and perceived that these as yet knew nothing4444 ,verbum caro1 panem verum ,verbo carnem efficit 4444 ,they were nearer still1 until now even at his feet there slid along the ground the shadow of a monstrous bird1 pale and undefined1 as between the wan sun and himself moved out the vast shape that a moment ago hung above the ,hill4444 ,then again it backed across and waited 444 ,et si census deficit ,ad formandum cor sincerum ,sola fides sufficit 4444 ,he had halted and turned1 going in the midst of his fellows1 hearing1 he thought1 the thrill of harping and the throb of heavenly drums2 and1 across the space1 moved now the six flames1 steady as if cut of steel in that stupendous poise of heaven and earth2 and in their centre the silver-rayed glory and the ,whiteness of ,god made ,man4444 444 ,then1 with a roar1 came the thunder again1 pealing in circle beyond circle of those tremendous ,presences--,thrones and ,powers--who1 themselves to the world as substance to shadow1 are but shadows again beneath the apex and within the ring of ,absolute ,deity4444 ,the thunder broke loose1 shaking the earth that now cringed on the quivering edge of dissolution4444 ,,tantum ,,ergo ,,sacramentum ,,veneremur ,,cernui ,,et ,,antiquum ,,documentum ,,novo ,,cedat ,,ritui4 ,ah6 yes2 it was ,he for whom ,god waited now--,he who far up beneath that trembling shadow of a dome1 itself but the piteous core of unimagined splendour1 came in ,his swift chariot1 blind to all save that on which ,he had fixed ,his eyes so long1 unaware that ,his world corrupted about ,him1 ,his shadow moving like a pale cloud across the ghostly plain where ,israel had fought and ,sennacherib boasted--that plain lighted now with a yet deeper glow1 as heaven1 kindling to glory beyond glory of yet fiercer spiritual flame1 still restrained the power knit at last to the relief of final revelation1 and for the last time the voices sang4444 ,,praestet ,,fides ,,supplementum ,,sensuum ,,defectui 4444 444 ,he was coming now1 swifter than ever1 the heir of temporal ages and the ,exile of eternity1 the final piteous ,prince of rebels1 the creature against ,god1 blinder than the sun which paled and the earth that shook2 and1 as ,he came1 passing even then through the last material stage to the thinness of a spirit-fabric1 the floating circle swirled behind ,him1 tossing like phantom birds in the wake of a phantom ship4444 ,he was coming1 and the earth1 rent once again in its allegiance1 shrank and reeled in the agony of divided homage4444 444 ,he was coming--and already the shadow swept off the plain and vanished1 and the pale netted wings were rising to the cheek2 and the great bell clanged1 and the long sweet chord rang out--not more than whispers heard across the pealing storm of everlasting praise4444 4444 ,,genitori ,,genitoque ,,laus ,,et ,,jubilatio ,,salus ,,honor ,,virtus ,,quoque ,,sit ,,et ,,benedictio ,,procedenti ,,ab ,,utroque ,,compar ,,sit ,,laudatio4 and once more ,,procedenti ,,ab ,,utroque ,,compar ,,sit ,,laudatio 4444 ,then this world passed1 and the glory of it4 ,,the ,,end