willsting—itwilltastebitter,sir.”

    “Howdoyouknow?—youriedit.Howveryserious—howverysolemnyoulook:andyouareasignorantofthematterasthiscameohead”(takingonefromthemantelpiece).“Youhavenhttopreae,youneophyte,thathavenotpassedtheporchoflife,andareabsolutelyunacquaihitsmysteries.”

    “Ionlyremindyouofyourownwords,sir:yousaiderrhtremorse,andyoupronouncedremorsethepoisoence.”

    “Andwhotalksoferrornow?Iscarcelythiionthatflitteredaybrainwasanerror.Ibelieveitwasaninspirationratherthaation:itwasverygenial,verysoothing—Iknowthat.Hereitesagain!Itisnodevil,Iassureyou;orifitbe,ithasputontherobesofanangeloflight.IthinkImustadmitsuestwhenitasksentraomyheart.”

    “Distrustit,sir;itisnotatrueangel.”

    “Oncemore,howdoyouknow?Bywhatinstinctdoyoupretendtodistinguishbetweenafallenseraphoftheabyssandamessengerfromtheeternalthroweenaguideandaseducer?”

    “Ijudgedbyyourtenance,sir,whichwastroubledwhenyousaidthesuggestionhadreturneduponyou.Ifeelsureitwillworkyoumoremiseryifyoulistentoit.”

    “Notatall—itbearsthemostgraessageintheworld:fortherest,youarenotmysce-keeper,sodon’tmakeyourselfuneasy.Here,ein,bonnywanderer!”

    Hesaidthisasifhespoketoavision,viewlesstoahisown;then,foldinghisarms,whichhehadhalfextended,onhischest,heseemedtoencloseintheirembracetheinvisiblebeing.

    “Now,”hetinued,againaddressingme,“Ihavereceivedthepilgrim—adisguiseddeity,asIverifybelieve.Alreadyithasdonemegood:myheartwasasortofel;itwillnowbeashrine.”

    “Tospeaktruth,sir,Idon’tuandyouat