第2章

Anditwasnightinhisheartalso。

Thenfromthemarshestohisrightandleftcoldmistsaroseandclosedabouthim。Afine，imperceptiblerainfellinthedark，andgreatdropsgatheredonhishairandclothes。Hisheartbeatslowly，andanumbnesscreptthroughallhislimbs。Then，lookingup，twomerrywisplightscamedancing。Heliftedhisheadtolookatthem。Nearer，nearertheycame。

Sowarm，sobright，theydancedlikestarsoffire。Theystoodbeforehimatlast。Fromthecentreoftheradiatingflameinonelookedoutawoman’sface，laughing，dimpled，withstreamingyellowhair。Inthecentreoftheotherweremerrylaughingripples，likethebubblesonaglassofwine。Theydancedbeforehim。

"Whoareyou，"askedthehunter，"whoalonecometomeinmysolitudeanddarkness？"

"WearethetwinsSensuality，"theycried。"Ourfather’snameisHuman—

Nature，andourmother’snameisExcess。Weareasoldasthehillsandrivers，asoldasthefirstman;butweneverdie，"theylaughed。

"Oh，letmewrapmyarmsaboutyou！"criedthefirst;"theyaresoftandwarm。Yourheartisfrozennow，butIwillmakeitbeat。Oh，cometome！"

"Iwillpourmyhotlifeintoyou，"saidthesecond;"yourbrainisnumb，andyourlimbsaredeadnow;buttheyshalllivewithafiercefreelife。

Oh，letmepouritin！"

"Oh，followus，"theycried，"andlivewithus。Noblerheartsthanyourshavesathereinthisdarknesstowait，andtheyhavecometousandwetothem;andtheyhaveneverleftus，never。Allelseisadelusion，butwearereal，wearereal，wearereal。Truthisashadow;thevalleysofsuperstitionareafarce:theearthisofashes，thetreesallrotten;butwe——feelus——welive！Youcannotdoubtus。Feelushowwarmweare！Oh，cometous！Comewithus！"

Nearerandnearerroundhisheadtheyhovered，andthecolddropsmeltedonhisforehead。Thebrightlightshotintohiseyes，dazzlinghim，andthefrozenbloodbegantorun。Andhesaid:

"Yes，whyshouldIdiehereinthisawfuldarkness？Theyarewarm，theymeltmyfrozenblood！"andhestretchedouthishandstotakethem。

Theninamomenttherearosebeforehimtheimageofthethinghehadloved，andhishanddroppedtohisside。

"Oh，cometous！"theycried。

Butheburiedhisface。

"Youdazzlemyeyes，"hecried，"youmakemyheartwarm;butyoucannotgivemewhatIdesire。Iwillwaithere——waittillIdie。Go！"

Hecoveredhisfacewithhishandsandwouldnotlisten;andwhenhelookedupagaintheyweretwotwinklingstars，thatvanishedinthedistance。

Andthelong，longnightrolledon。

Allwholeavethevalleyofsuperstitionpassthroughthatdarkland;butsomegothroughitinafewdays，somelingerthereformonths，someforyears，andsomediethere。

Atlastforthehunterafaintlightplayedalongthehorizon，andherosetofollowit;andhereachedthatlightatlast，andsteppedintothebroadsunshine。ThenbeforehimrosethealmightymountainsofDry—factsandRealities。Theclearsunshineplayedonthem，andthetopswerelostintheclouds。Atthefootmanypathsranup。Anexultantcryburstfromthehunter。Hechosethestraightestandbegantoclimb;andtherocksandridgesresoundedwithhissong。Theyhadexaggerated;afterall，itwasnotsohigh，norwastheroadsosteep！Afewdays，afewweeks，afewmonthsatmost，andthenthetop！Notonefeatheronlywouldhepickup;

hewouldgatherallthatothermenhadfound——weavethenet——captureTruth—

—holdherfast——touchherwithhishands——claspher！

Helaughedinthemerrysunshine，andsangloud。Victorywasverynear。

Nevertheless，afterawhilethepathgrewsteeper。Heneededallhisbreathforclimbing，andthesingingdiedaway。Ontherightandleftrosehugerocks，devoidoflichenormoss，andinthelava—likeearthchasmsyawned。Hereandtherehesawasheenofwhitebones。Nowtoothepathbegantogrowlessandlessmarked;thenitbecameameretrace，withafootmarkhereandthere;thenitceasedaltogether。Hesangnomore，butstruckforthapathforhimself，untilitreachedamightywallofrock，smoothandwithoutbreak，stretchingasfarastheeyecouldsee。"Iwillrearastairagainstit;and，oncethiswallclimbed，Ishallbealmostthere，"hesaidbravely;andworked。Withhisshuttleofimaginationhedugoutstones;buthalfofthemwouldnotfit，andhalfamonth’sworkwouldrolldownbecausethosebelowwereillchosen。Butthehunterworkedon，sayingalwaystohimself，"Oncethiswallclimbed，Ishallbealmostthere。Thisgreatworkended！"

Atlasthecameoutuponthetop，andhelookedabouthim。Farbelowrolledthewhitemistoverthevalleysofsuperstition，andabovehimtoweredthemountains。Theyhadseemedlowbefore;theywereofanimmeasurableheightnow，fromcrowntofoundationsurroundedbywallsofrock，thatrosetierabovetierinmightycircles。Uponthemplayedtheeternalsunshine。Heutteredawildcry。Hebowedhimselfontotheearth，andwhenherosehisfacewaswhite。Inabsolutesilencehewalkedon。Hewasverysilentnow。Inthosehighregionstherarefiedairishardtobreathebythoseborninthevalleys;everybreathhedrewhurthim，andthebloodoozedoutfromthetipsofhisfingers。Beforethenextwallofrockhebegantowork。Theheightofthisseemedinfinite，andhesaidnothing。Thesoundofhistoolrangnightanddayupontheironrocksintowhichhecutsteps。Yearspassedoverhim，yetheworkedon;butthewalltoweredupalwaysabovehimtoheaven。Sometimesheprayedthatalittlemossorlichenmightspringuponthosebarewallstobeacompaniontohim;butitnevercame。

Andtheyearsrolledon;hecountedthembythestepshehadcut——afewforayear——onlyafew。Hesangnomore;hesaidnomore，"Iwilldothisorthat"——heonlyworked。Andatnight，whenthetwilightsettleddown，therelookedoutathimfromtheholesandcrevicesintherocksstrangewildfaces。

"Stopyourwork，youlonelyman，andspeaktous，"theycried。

"Mysalvationisinwork，ifIshouldstopbutforonemomentyouwouldcreepdownuponme，"hereplied。Andtheyputouttheirlongnecksfurther。

"Lookdownintothecreviceatyourfeet，"theysaid。"Seewhatliethere—

—whitebones！Asbraveandstrongamanasyouclimbedtotheserocks。"

Andhelookedup。Hesawtherewasnouseinstriving;hewouldneverholdTruth，neverseeher，neverfindher。Sohelaydownhere，forhewasverytired。Hewenttosleepforever。Heputhimselftosleep。Sleepisverytranquil。Youarenotlonelywhenyouareasleep，neitherdoyourhandsache，noryourheart。Andthehunterlaughedbetweenhisteeth。

"HaveItornfrommyheartallthatwasdearest;haveIwanderedaloneinthelandofnight;haveIresistedtemptation;haveIdweltwherethevoiceofmykindisneverheard，andlabouredalone，toliedownandbefoodforyou，yeharpies？"

Helaughedfiercely;andtheEchoesofDespairslunkaway，forthelaughofabrave，strongheartisasadeathblowtothem。

Neverthelesstheycreptoutagainandlookedathim。

"Doyouknowthatyourhairiswhite？"theysaid，"thatyourhandsbegintotremblelikeachild’s？Doyouseethatthepointofyourshuttleisgone？——itiscrackedalready。Ifyoushouldeverclimbthisstair，"theysaid，"itwillbeyourlast。Youwillneverclimbanother。"

Andheanswered，"Iknowit！"andworkedon。

Theold，thinhandscutthestonesillandjaggedly，forthefingerswerestiffandbent。Thebeautyandthestrengthofthemanwasgone。

Atlast，anold，wizened，shrunkenfacelookedoutabovetherocks。Itsawtheeternalmountainsrisewithwallstothewhiteclouds;butitsworkwasdone。

Theoldhunterfoldedhistiredhandsandlaydownbytheprecipicewherehehadworkedawayhislife。Itwasthesleepingtimeatlast。Belowhimoverthevalleysrolledthethickwhitemist。Onceitbroke;andthroughthegapthedyingeyeslookeddownonthetreesandfieldsoftheirchildhood。Fromafarseemedbornetohimthecryofhisownwildbirds，andheheardthenoiseofpeoplesingingastheydanced。Andhethoughtheheardamongthemthevoicesofhisoldcomrades;andhesawfaroffthesunlightshineonhisearlyhome。Andgreattearsgatheredinthehunter’seyes。

"Ah！theywhodietheredonotdiealone，"hecried。

Thenthemistsrolledtogetheragain;andheturnedhiseyesaway。

"Ihavesought，"hesaid，"forlongyearsIhavelaboured;butIhavenotfoundher。Ihavenotrested，Ihavenotrepined，andIhavenotseenher;

nowmystrengthisgone。WhereIliedownwornoutothermenwillstand，youngandfresh。BythestepsthatIhavecuttheywillclimb;bythestairsthatIhavebuilttheywillmount。Theywillneverknowthenameofthemanwhomadethem。Attheclumsyworktheywilllaugh;whenthestonesrolltheywillcurseme。Buttheywillmount，andonmywork;theywillclimb，andbymystair！Theywillfindher，andthroughme！Andnomanlivethtohimselfandnomandiethtohimself。"

Thetearsrolledfrombeneaththeshrivelledeyelids。IfTruthhadappearedabovehiminthecloudsnowhecouldnothaveseenher，themistofdeathwasinhiseyes。

"Mysoulhearstheirgladstepcoming，"hesaid;"andtheyshallmount！

theyshallmount！"Heraisedhisshrivelledhandtohiseyes。

Thenslowlyfromthewhiteskyabove，throughthestillair，camesomethingfalling，falling，falling。Softlyitfluttereddown，anddroppedontothebreastofthedyingman。Hefeltitwithhishands。Itwasafeather。Hediedholdingit。

III。THEGARDENSOFPLEASURE。

Shewalkeduponthebeds，andthesweetrichscentarose;andshegatheredherhandsfullofflowers。ThenDuty，withhiswhiteclearfeatures，cameandlookedather。Thensheceasedfromgathering，butshewalkedawayamongtheflowers，smiling，andwithherhandsfull。

ThenDuty，withhisstillwhiteface，cameagain，andlookedather;butshe，sheturnedherheadawayfromhim。Atlastshesawhisface，andshedroppedthefairestoftheflowersshehadheld，andwalkedsilentlyaway。

Thenagainhecametoher。Andshemoaned，andbentherheadlow，andturnedtothegate。Butasshewentoutshelookedbackatthesunlightonthefacesoftheflowers，andweptinanguish。Thenshewentout，anditshutbehindherforever;butstillinherhandsheheldofthebudsshehadgathered，andthescentwasverysweetinthelonelydesert。

Buthefollowedher。Oncemorehestoodbeforeherwithhisstill，white，death—likeface。Andsheknewwhathehadcomefor:sheunbentthefingers，andlettheflowersdropout，theflowersshehadlovedso，andwalkedonwithoutthem，withdry，achingeyes。Thenforthelasttimehecame。Andsheshowedhimheremptyhands，thehandsthatheldnothingnow。

Butstillhelooked。Thenatlengthsheopenedherbosomandtookoutofitonesmallflowershehadhiddenthere，andlaiditonthesand。Shehadnothingmoretogivenow，andshewanderedaway，andthegreysandwhirledabouther。

IV。INAFAR—OFFWORLD。

Thereisaworldinoneofthefar—offstars，andthingsdonothappenhereastheyhappenthere。

Inthatworldwereamanandwoman;theyhadonework，andtheywalkedtogethersidebysideonmanydays，andwerefriends——andthatisathingthathappensnowandtheninthisworldalso。

Buttherewassomethinginthatstar—worldthatthereisnothere。Therewasathickwood:wherethetreesgrewclosest，andthestemswereinterlocked，andthesummersunnevershone，therestoodashrine。Inthedayallwasquiet，butatnight，whenthestarsshoneorthemoonglintedonthetree—tops，andallwasquietbelow，ifonecreptherequitealoneandkneltonthestepsofthestonealtar，anduncoveringone’sbreast，sowoundeditthatthebloodfelldownonthealtarsteps，thenwhateverhewhoknelttherewishedforwasgrantedhim。Andallthishappens，asI

said，becauseitisafar—offworld，andthingsoftenhappenthereastheydonothappenhere。

Now，themanandwomanwalkedtogether;andthewomanwishedwelltotheman。Onenightwhenthemoonwasshiningsothattheleavesofallthetreesglinted，andthewavesoftheseaweresilvery，thewomanwalkedalonetotheforest。Itwasdarkthere;themoonlightfellonlyinlittleflecksonthedeadleavesunderherfeet，andthebrancheswereknottedtightoverhead。Fartherinitgotdarker，notevenafleckofmoonlightshone。Thenshecametotheshrine;shekneltdownbeforeitandprayed;

therecamenoanswer。Thensheuncoveredherbreast;withasharptwo—

edgedstonethatlaythereshewoundedit。Thedropsdrippedslowlydownontothestone，andavoicecried，"Whatdoyouseek？"

Sheanswered，"Thereisaman;Iholdhimnearerthananything。Iwouldgivehimthebestofallblessings。"

Thevoicesaid，"Whatisit？"

Thegirlsaid，"Iknownot，butthatwhichismostgoodforhimIwishhimtohave。"

Thevoicesaid，"Yourprayerisanswered;heshallhaveit。"

Thenshestoodup。Shecoveredherbreastandheldthegarmenttightuponitwithherhand，andranoutoftheforest，andthedeadleavesflutteredunderherfeet。Outinthemoonlightthesoftairwasblowing，andthesandglitteredonthebeach。Sheranalongthesmoothshore，thensuddenlyshestoodstill。Outacrossthewatertherewassomethingmoving。Sheshadedhereyesandlooked。Itwasaboat;itwasslidingswiftlyoverthemoonlitwaterouttosea。Onestooduprightinit;thefacethemoonlightdidnotshow，butthefiguresheknew。Itwaspassingswiftly;itseemedasifnoonepropelledit;themoonlight’sshimmerdidnotletherseeclearly，andtheboatwasfarfromshore，butitseemedalmostasiftherewasanotherfiguresittinginthestern。Fasterandfasteritglidedoverthewateraway，away。Sheranalongtheshore;shecamenonearerit。Thegarmentshehadheldclosedflutteredopen;shestretchedoutherarms，andthemoonlightshoneonherlongloosehair。

Thenavoicebesideherwhispered，"Whatisit？"

Shecried，"WithmybloodIboughtthebestofallgiftsforhim。Ihavecometobringithim！Heisgoingfromme！"

Thevoicewhisperedsoftly，"Yourprayerwasanswered。Ithasbeengivenhim。"

Shecried，"Whatisit？"

Thevoiceanswered，"Itisthathemightleaveyou。"

Thegirlstoodstill。

Faroutatseatheboatwaslosttosightbeyondthemoonlightsheen。

Thevoicespokesoftly，"Artthoucontented？"

Shesaid，"Iamcontented。"

Atherfeetthewavesbrokeinlongripplessoftlyontheshore。

V。THREEDREAMSINADESERT。

UnderaMimosa—Tree。

AsItravelledacrossanAfricanplainthesunshonedownhotly。ThenI

drewmyhorseupunderamimosa—tree，andItookthesaddlefromhimandlefthimtofeedamongtheparchedbushes。Andalltorightandtoleftstretchedthebrownearth。AndIsatdownunderthetree，becausetheheatbeatfiercely，andallalongthehorizontheairthrobbed。Andafterawhileaheavydrowsinesscameoverme，andIlaidmyheaddownagainstmysaddle，andIfellasleepthere。And，inmysleep，Ihadacuriousdream。

IthoughtIstoodontheborderofagreatdesert，andthesandblewabouteverywhere。AndIthoughtIsawtwogreatfigureslikebeastsofburdenofthedesert，andonelayuponthesandwithitsneckstretchedout，andonestoodbyit。AndIlookedcuriouslyattheonethatlayupontheground，forithadagreatburdenonitsback，andthesandwasthickaboutit，sothatitseemedtohavepiledoveritforcenturies。

AndIlookedverycuriouslyatit。Andtherestoodonebesidemewatching。

AndIsaidtohim，"Whatisthishugecreaturewholieshereonthesand？"

Andhesaid，"Thisiswoman;shethatbearsmeninherbody。"

AndIsaid，"Whydoesshelieheremotionlesswiththesandpiledroundher？"

Andheanswered，"Listen，Iwilltellyou！Agesandageslongshehaslainhere，andthewindhasblownoverher。Theoldest，oldest，oldestmanlivinghasneverseenhermove:theoldest，oldestbookrecordsthatshelayherethen，assheliesherenow，withthesandabouther。Butlisten！

Olderthantheoldestbook，olderthantheoldestrecordedmemoryofman，ontheRocksofLanguage，onthehard—bakedclayofAncientCustoms，nowcrumblingtodecay，arefoundthemarksofherfootsteps！Sidebysidewithhiswhostandsbesideheryoumaytracethem;andyouknowthatshewhonowliesthereoncewanderedfreeovertherockswithhim。"

AndIsaid，"Whydoesshelietherenow？"

Andhesaid，"Itakeit，agesagotheAge—of—dominion—of—muscular—forcefoundher，andwhenshestoopedlowtogivesucktoheryoung，andherbackwasbroad，heputhisburdenofsubjectionontoit，andtieditonwiththebroadbandofInevitableNecessity。Thenshelookedattheearthandthesky，andknewtherewasnohopeforher;andshelaydownonthesandwiththeburdenshecouldnotloosen。Eversinceshehaslainhere。Andtheageshavecome，andtheageshavegone，butthebandofInevitableNecessityhasnotbeencut。"

AndIlookedandsawinhereyestheterriblepatienceofthecenturies;

thegroundwaswetwithhertears，andhernostrilsblewupthesand。