第3章

AndIsaid，"Hassheevertriedtomove？"

Andhesaid，"Sometimesalimbhasquivered。Butsheiswise;sheknowsshecannotrisewiththeburdenonher。"

AndIsaid，"Whydoesnothewhostandsbyherleaveherandgoon？"

Andhesaid，"Hecannot。Look——"

AndIsawabroadbandpassingalongthegroundfromonetotheother，anditboundthemtogether。

Hesaid，"Whilesheliestherehemuststandandlookacrossthedesert。"

AndIsaid，"Doesheknowwhyhecannotmove？"

Andhesaid，"No。"

AndIheardasoundofsomethingcracking，andIlooked，andIsawthebandthatboundtheburdenontoherbackbrokenasunder;andtheburdenrolledontotheground。

AndIsaid，"Whatisthis？"

Andhesaid，"TheAge—of—muscular—forceisdead。TheAge—of—nervous—forcehaskilledhimwiththeknifeheholdsinhishand;andsilentlyandinvisiblyhehascreptuptothewoman，andwiththatknifeofMechanicalInventionhehascutthebandthatboundtheburdentoherback。TheInevitableNecessityitbroken。Shemightrisenow。"

AndIsawthatshestilllaymotionlessonthesand，withhereyesopenandherneckstretchedout。Andsheseemedtolookforsomethingonthefar—

offborderofthedesertthatnevercame。AndIwonderedifshewereawakeorasleep。AndasIlookedherbodyquivered，andalightcameintohereyes，likewhenasunbeambreaksintoadarkroom。

Isaid，"Whatisit？"

Hewhispered"Hush！thethoughthascometoher，’MightInotrise？’"

AndIlooked。Andsheraisedherheadfromthesand，andIsawthedentwhereherneckhadlainsolong。Andshelookedattheearth，andshelookedatthesky，andshelookedathimwhostoodbyher:buthelookedoutacrossthedesert。

AndIsawherbodyquiver;andshepressedherfrontkneestotheearth，andveinsstoodout;andIcried;"Sheisgoingtorise！"

Butonlyhersidesheaved，andshelaystillwhereshewas。

Butherheadsheheldup;shedidnotlayitdownagain。Andhebesidemesaid，"Sheisveryweak。See，herlegshavebeencrushedunderhersolong。"

AndIsawthecreaturestruggle:andthedropsstoodoutonher。

AndIsaid，"Surelyhewhostandsbesideherwillhelpher？"

Andhebesidemeanswered，"Hecannothelpher:shemusthelpherself。

Letherstruggletillsheisstrong。"

AndIcried，"Atleasthewillnothinderher！See，hemovesfartherfromher，andtightensthecordbetweenthem，andhedragsherdown。"

Andheanswered，"Hedoesnotunderstand。Whenshemovesshedrawsthebandthatbindsthem，andhurtshim，andhemovesfartherfromher。Thedaywillcomewhenhewillunderstand，andwillknowwhatsheisdoing。

Letheroncestaggerontoherknees。Inthatdayhewillstandclosetoher，andlookintohereyeswithsympathy。"

Andshestretchedherneck，andthedropsfellfromher。Andthecreatureroseaninchfromtheearthandsankback。

AndIcried，"Oh，sheistooweak！shecannotwalk！Thelongyearshavetakenallherstrengthfromher。Canshenevermove？"

Andheansweredme，"Seethelightinhereyes！"

Andslowlythecreaturestaggeredontoitsknees。

AndIawoke:andalltotheeastandtotheweststretchedthebarrenearth，withthedrybushesonit。Theantsranupanddownintheredsand，andtheheatbeatfiercely。Ilookedupthroughthethinbranchesofthetreeattheblueskyoverhead。Istretchedmyself，andImusedoverthedreamIhadhad。AndIfellasleepagain，withmyheadonmysaddle。

AndinthefierceheatIhadanotherdream。

IsawadesertandIsawawomancomingoutofit。Andshecametothebankofadarkriver;andthebankwassteepandhigh。（ThebanksofanAfricanriveraresometimesahundredfeethigh，andconsistofdeepshiftingsands，throughwhichinthecourseofagestheriverhaswornitsgiganticbed。）Andonitanoldmanmether，whohadalongwhitebeard;

andastickthatcurledwasinhishand，andonitwaswrittenReason。Andheaskedherwhatshewanted;andshesaid"Iamwoman;andIamseekingforthelandofFreedom。"

Andhesaid，"Itisbeforeyou。"

Andshesaid，"Iseenothingbeforemebutadarkflowingriver，andabanksteepandhigh，andcuttingshereandtherewithheavysandinthem。"

Andhesaid，"Andbeyondthat？"

Shesaid，"Iseenothing，butsometimes，whenIshademyeyeswithmyhand，IthinkIseeonthefurtherbanktreesandhills，andthesunshiningonthem！"

Hesaid，"ThatistheLandofFreedom。"

Shesaid，"HowamItogetthere？"

Hesaid，"Thereisoneway，andoneonly。DownthebanksofLabour，throughthewaterofSuffering。Thereisnoother。"

Shesaid，"Istherenobridge？"

Heanswered。"None。"

Shesaid，"Isthewaterdeep？"

Hesaid，"Deep。"

Shesaid，"Isthefloorworn？"

Hesaid，"Itis。Yourfootmayslipatanytime，andyoumaybelost。"

Shesaid，"Haveanycrossedalready？"

Hesaid，"Somehavetried！"

Shesaid，"Isthereatracktoshowwherethebestfordingis？"

Hesaid，"Ithastobemade。"

Sheshadedhereyeswithherhand;andshesaid，"Iwillgo。"

Andhesaid，"Youmusttakeofftheclothesyouworeinthedesert:theyaredraggeddownbythemwhogointothewatersoclothed。"

AndshethrewfromhergladlythemantleofAncient—received—opinionsshewore，foritwaswornfullofholes。Andshetookthegirdlefromherwaistthatshehadtreasuredsolong，andthemothsflewoutofitinacloud。Andhesaid，"Taketheshoesofdependenceoffyourfeet。"

Andshestoodtherenaked，butforonewhitegarmentthatclungclosetoher。

Andhesaid，"Thatyoumaykeep。SotheywearclothesintheLandofFreedom。Inthewateritbuoys;italwaysswims。"

AndIsawonitsbreastwaswrittenTruth;anditwaswhite;thesunhadnotoftenshoneonit;theotherclotheshadcovereditup。Andhesaid，"Takethisstick;holditfast。Inthatdaywhenitslipsfromyourhandyouarelost。Putitdownbeforeyou;feelyourway:whereitcannotfindabottomdonotsetyourfoot。"

Andshesaid，"Iamready;letmego。"

Andhesaid，"No——butstay;whatisthat——inyourbreast？"

Shewassilent。

Hesaid，"Openit，andletmesee。"

Andsheopenedit。Andagainstherbreastwasatinything，whodrankfromit，andtheyellowcurlsabovehisforeheadpressedagainstit;andhiskneesweredrawnuptoher，andheheldherbreastfastwithhishands。

AndReasonsaid，"Whoishe，andwhatishedoinghere？"

Andshesaid，"Seehislittlewings——"

AndReasonsaid，"Puthimdown。"

Andshesaid，"Heisasleep，andheisdrinking！IwillcarryhimtotheLandofFreedom。Hehasbeenachildsolong，solong，Ihavecarriedhim。

IntheLandofFreedomhewillbeaman。Wewillwalktogetherthere，andhisgreatwhitewingswillovershadowme。Hehaslispedonewordonlytomeinthedesert——’Passion！’Ihavedreamedhemightlearntosay’Friendship’inthatland。"

AndReasonsaid，"Puthimdown！"

Andshesaid，"Iwillcarryhimso——withonearm，andwiththeotherIwillfightthewater。"

Hesaid，"Layhimdownontheground。Whenyouareinthewateryouwillforgettofight，youwillthinkonlyofhim。Layhimdown。"Hesaid，"Hewillnotdie。Whenhefindsyouhavelefthimalonehewillopenhiswingsandfly。HewillbeintheLandofFreedombeforeyou。ThosewhoreachtheLandofFreedom，thefirsthandtheyseestretchingdownthebanktohelpthemshallbeLove’s。Hewillbeamanthen，notachild。Inyourbreasthecannotthrive;puthimdownthathemaygrow。"

Andshetookherbosomfromhismouth，andhebither，sothatthebloodrandownontotheground。Andshelaidhimdownontheearth;andshecoveredherwound。Andshebentandstrokedhiswings。AndIsawthehaironherforeheadturnedwhiteassnow，andshehadchangedfromyouthtoage。

Andshestoodfaroffonthebankoftheriver。Andshesaid，"ForwhatdoIgotothisfarlandwhichnoonehaseverreached？Oh，Iamalone！Iamutterlyalone！"

AndReason，thatoldman，saidtoher，"Silence！Whatdoyouhear？"

Andshelistenedintently，andshesaid，"Ihearasoundoffeet，athousandtimestenthousandandthousandsofthousands，andtheybeatthisway！"

Hesaid，"Theyarethefeetofthosethatshallfollowyou。Leadon！makeatracktothewater’sedge！Whereyoustandnow，thegroundwillbebeatenflatbytenthousandtimestenthousandfeet。"Andhesaid，"Haveyouseenthelocustshowtheycrossastream？Firstonecomesdowntothewater—edge，anditissweptaway，andthenanothercomesandthenanother，andthenanother，andatlastwiththeirbodiespiledupabridgeisbuiltandtherestpassover。"

Shesaid，"And，ofthosethatcomefirst，somearesweptaway，andareheardofnomore;theirbodiesdonotevenbuildthebridge？"

"Andaresweptaway，andareheardofnomore——andwhatofthat？"hesaid。

"Andwhatofthat——"shesaid。

"Theymakeatracktothewater’sedge。"

"Theymakeatracktothewater’sedge——。"Andshesaid，"Overthatbridgewhichshallbebuiltwithourbodies，whowillpass？"

Hesaid，"Theentirehumanrace。"

Andthewomangraspedherstaff。

AndIsawherturndownthatdarkpathtotheriver。

AndIawoke;andallaboutmewastheyellowafternoonlight:thesinkingsunlitupthefingersofthemilkbushes;andmyhorsestoodbymequietlyfeeding。AndIturnedonmyside，andIwatchedtheantsrunbythousandsintheredsand。IthoughtIwouldgoonmywaynow——theafternoonwascooler。Thenadrowsinesscreptovermeagain，andIlaidbackmyheadandfellasleep。

AndIdreamedadream。

IdreamedIsawaland。Andonthehillswalkedbravewomenandbravemen，handinhand。Andtheylookedintoeachother’seyes，andtheywerenotafraid。

AndIsawthewomenalsoholdeachother’shands。

AndIsaidtohimbesideme，"Whatplaceisthis？"

Andhesaid，"Thisisheaven。"

AndIsaid，"Whereisit？"

Andheanswered，"Onearth。"

AndIsaid，"Whenshallthesethingsbe？"

Andheanswered，"INTHEFUTURE。"

AndIawoke，andallaboutmewasthesunsetlight;andonthelowhillsthesunlay，andadeliciouscoolnesshadcreptovereverything;andtheantsweregoingslowlyhome。AndIwalkedtowardsmyhorse，whostoodquietlyfeeding。Thenthesunpasseddownbehindthehills;butIknewthatthenextdayhewouldariseagain。

VI。ADREAMOFWILDBEES。

Amothersataloneatanopenwindow。Throughitcamethevoicesofthechildrenastheyplayedundertheacacia—trees，andthebreathofthehotafternoonair。Inandoutoftheroomflewthebees，thewildbees，withtheirlegsyellowwithpollen，goingtoandfromtheacacia—trees，droningallthewhile。Shesatonalowchairbeforethetableanddarned。Shetookherworkfromthegreatbasketthatstoodbeforeheronthetable:

somelayonherkneeandhalfcoveredthebookthatrestedthere。Shewatchedtheneedlegoinandout;andthedrearyhumofthebeesandthenoiseofthechildren’svoicesbecameaconfusedmurmurinherears，assheworkedslowlyandmoreslowly。Thenthebees，thelong—leggedwasp—likefellowswhomakenohoney，flewcloserandclosertoherhead，droning。

Thenshegrewmoreandmoredrowsy，andshelaidherhand，withthestockingoverit，ontheedgeofthetable，andleanedherheaduponit。

Andthevoicesofthechildrenoutsidegrewmoreandmoredreamy，camenowfar，nownear;thenshedidnothearthem，butshefeltunderherheartwheretheninthchildlay。Bentforwardandsleepingthere，withthebeesflyingaboutherhead，shehadaweirdbrain—picture;shethoughtthebeeslengthenedandlengthenedthemselvesoutandbecamehumancreaturesandmovedroundandroundher。Thenonecametohersoftly，saying，"Letmelaymyhanduponthysidewherethechildsleeps。IfIshalltouchhimheshallbeasI。"

Sheasked，"Whoareyou？"

Andhesaid，"IamHealth。WhomItouchwillhavealwaystheredblooddancinginhisveins;hewillnotknowwearinessnorpain;lifewillbealonglaughtohim。"

"No，"saidanother，"letmetouch;forIamWealth。IfItouchhimmaterialcareshallnotfeedonhim。Heshallliveonthebloodandsinewsofhisfellow—men，ifhewill;andwhathiseyelustsfor，hishandwillhave。Heshallnotknow’Iwant。’"Andthechildlaystilllikelead。

Andanothersaid，"Letmetouchhim:IamFame。ThemanItouch，Ileadtoahighhillwhereallmenmayseehim。Whenhediesheisnotforgotten，hisnameringsdownthecenturies，eachechoesitontohisfellows。Think——nottobeforgottenthroughtheages！"

Andthemotherlaybreathingsteadily，butinthebrain—picturetheypressedclosertoher。

"Letmetouchthechild，"saidone，"forIamLove。IfItouchhimheshallnotwalkthroughlifealone。Inthegreatestdark，whenheputsouthishandheshallfindanotherhandbyit。Whentheworldisagainsthim，anothershallsay，’YouandI。’"Andthechildtrembled。

Butanotherpressedcloseandsaid，"Letmetouch;forIamTalent。Icandoallthings——thathavebeendonebefore。Itouchthesoldier，thestatesman，thethinker，andthepoliticianwhosucceed;andthewriterwhoisneverbeforehistime，andneverbehindit。IfItouchthechildheshallnotweepforfailure。"

Aboutthemother’sheadthebeeswereflying，touchingherwiththeirlongtaperinglimbs;and，inherbrain—picture，outoftheshadowoftheroomcameonewithsallowface，deep—lined，thecheeksdrawnintohollows，andamouthsmilingquiveringly。Hestretchedouthishand。Andthemotherdrewback，andcried，"Whoareyou？"Heanswerednothing;andshelookedupbetweenhiseyelids。Andshesaid，"Whatcanyougivethechild——health？"

Andhesaid，"ThemanItouch，therewakesupinhisbloodaburningfever，thatshalllickhisbloodasfire。ThefeverthatIwillgivehimshallbecuredwhenhislifeiscured。"

"Yougivewealth？"

Heshookhishead。"ThemanwhomItouch，whenhebendstopickupgold，heseessuddenlyalightoverhisheadinthesky;whilehelooksuptoseeit，thegoldslipsfrombetweenhisfingers，orsometimesanotherpassingtakesitfromthem。"

"Fame？"

Heanswered，"likelynot。ForthemanItouchthereisapathtracedoutinthesandbyafingerwhichnomansees。Thathemustfollow。Sometimesitleadsalmosttothetop，andthenturnsdownsuddenlyintothevalley。

Hemustfollowit，thoughnoneelseseesthetracing。"

"Love？"

Hesaid，"Heshallhungerforit——butheshallnotfindit。Whenhestretchesouthisarmstoit，andwouldlayhisheartagainstathingheloves，then，faroffalongthehorizonheshallseealightplay。Hemustgotowardsit。Thethingheloveswillnotjourneywithhim;hemusttravelalone。Whenhepressessomewhattohisburningheart，crying，’Mine，mine，myown！’heshallhearavoice——’Renounce！renounce！thisisnotthine！’"

"Heshallsucceed？"

Hesaid，"Heshallfail。Whenherunswithotherstheyshallreachthegoalbeforehim。Forstrangevoicesshallcalltohimandstrangelightsshallbeckonhim，andhemustwaitandlisten。Andthisshallbethestrangest:faroffacrosstheburningsandswhere，toothermen，thereisonlythedesert’swaste，heshallseeabluesea！Onthatseathesunshinesalways，andthewaterisblueasburningamethyst，andthefoamiswhiteontheshore。Agreatlandrisesfromit，andheshallseeuponthemountain—topsburninggold。"

Themothersaid，"Heshallreachit？"

Andhesmiledcuriously。

Shesaid，"Itisreal？"

Andhesaid，"WhatISreal？"

Andshelookedupbetweenhishalf—closedeyelids，andsaid，"Touch。"

Andheleanedforwardandlaidhishanduponthesleeper，andwhisperedtoit，smiling;andthisonlysheheard——"Thisshallbethyreward——thattheidealshallberealtothee。"

Andthechildtrembled;butthemothersleptonheavilyandherbrain—

picturevanished。Butdeepwithinhertheantenatalthingthatlayherehadadream。Inthoseeyesthathadneverseentheday，inthathalf—

shapedbrainwasasensationoflight！Light——thatitneverhadseen。

Light——thatperhapsitnevershouldsee。Light——thatexistedsomewhere！

Andalreadyithaditsreward:theIdealwasrealtoit。

London。

VII。INARUINEDCHAPEL。

"Icannotforgive——Ilove。"

Therearefourbarewalls;thereisaChristuponthewalls，inred，carryinghiscross;thereisaBlessedBambinowiththefacerubbedout;

thereisMadonnainblueandred;thereareRomansoldiersandaChristwithtiedhands。Alltheroofisgone;overheadistheblue，blueItaliansky;therainhasbeatenholesinthewalls，andtheplasterispeelingfromit。Thechapelstandsherealoneuponthepromontory，andbydayandbynighttheseabreaksatitsfeet。Somesaythatitwassetherebythemonksfromtheislanddownbelow，thattheymightbringtheirsickhereintimesofdeadlyplague。Somesaythatitwassetherethatthepassingmonksandfriars，astheyhurriedbyupontheroadway，mightstopandsaytheirprayershere。Nownoonestopstoprayhere，andthesickcomenomoretobehealed。

BehinditrunstheoldRomanroad。IfyouclimbitandcomeandsittherealoneonahotsunnydayyoumayalmosthearatlasttheclinkoftheRomansoldiersuponthepavement，andthesoundofthatoldertime，asyousitthereinthesun，whenHannibalandhismenbrokethroughthebrushwood，andnoroadwas。

Nowitisveryquiet。Sometimesapeasantgirlcomesridingbybetweenherpanniers，andyouhearthemule’sfeetbeatuponthebricksofthepavement;sometimesanoldwomangoespastwithabundleofweedsuponherhead，orabrigand—lookingmanhurriesbywithabundleofsticksinhishand;butfortheresttheChapelliesherealoneuponthepromontory，betweenthetwobaysandhearstheseabreakatitsfeet。