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Thisattitudehurtme，perhapsbecauseinmanyrespectsthesituationwasawkward。Theyhad，itistrue，takentheirfailuresextremelywell，stillthefactremainedthatbothofthemhadfalleninlovewiththewonderfulcreature，womanandyetmorethanwoman，whohadboundherselftome。Howthencouldwegoonlivingtogether，Iinprospectivepossessionoftheobjectthatallhaddesired，andtheywithoutthepale？
Moreover，theywerejealousinanotherandquiteadifferentfashionbecausetheybothlovedmeintheirownwaysandwereconvincedthatIwhohadhithertolovedthem，henceforwardshouldhavenoaffectionlefttospare，sincesurelythisGlitteringLady，thismarvelofwisdomandphysicalperfectionswouldtakeitall。Ofcoursetheywereinerror，sinceevenifIcouldhavebeensobaseandselfish，thiswasnoconductthatYvawouldhavewishedorevensuffered。Stillthatwastheirthought。
MasteringthesituationIreflectedalittlewhileandthenspokestraightouttothem。
"Myfriends，"Isaid，"asIseethatyouhaveguessed，YvaandIareaffiancedtoeachotherandloveeachotherperfectly。"
"Yes，Arbuthnot，"saidBastin，"wesawthatinyourface，andinhersasshebadeusgoodnightbeforeshewentintothecave，andwecongratulateyouandwishyoueveryhappiness。"
"Wewishyoueveryhappiness，oldfellow，"chimedinBickley。
Hepausedawhile，thenadded，"Buttobehonest，IamnotsurethatIcongratulateyou。"
"Whynot，Bickley？"
"Notforthereasonthatyoumaysuspect，Arbuthnot，Imeannotbecauseyouhavewonwherewehavelost，asitwasonlytobeexpectedthatyouwoulddo，butonaccountofsomethingtotallydifferent。Itoldyouawhileagoandrepetitionisuselessandpainful。IneedonlyaddthereforethatsincethenmyconvictionhasstrengthenedandIamsure，sorryasIamtosayit，thatinthismatteryoumustpreparefordisappointmentandcalamity。
Thatwoman，ifwomanshereallyis，willneverbethewifeofmortalman。Nowbeangrywithmeifyoulike，orlaughasyouhavetherighttodo，seeingthatlikeBastinandyourself，I
alsoaskedhertomarryme，butsomethingmakesmespeakwhatI
believetobethetruth。"
"LikeCassandra，"Isuggested。
"Yes，likeCassandrawhowasnotapopularperson。"AtfirstI
wasinclinedtoresentBickley’swords——whowouldnothavebeeninthecircumstances？Thenofasuddenthererushedinuponmymindtheconvictionthathespokethetruth。InthisworldYvawasnotformeoranyman。Moreoversheknewit，theknowledgepeepedoutofeverywordshespokeinourpassionatelovescenebythelake。Shewasaware，andsubconsciouslyIwasaware，thatwewereplightingourtroth，notfortimebutforeternity。Withtimewehadlittlelefttodo；notforlongwouldsheweartheringIgaveheronthatholynight。
EvenBastin，whoseperceptionsnormallywerenotacute，feltthatthesituationwasstrainedandawkwardandbrokeinwithacuriousairofforcedsatisfaction：
"It’suncommonlyluckyforyou，oldboy，thatyouhappentohaveaclergymaninyourparty，asIshallbeabletomarryyouinarespectablefashion。OfcourseIcan’tsaythattheGlitteringLadyisasyetabsolutelyconvertedtoourfaith，butIamcertainthatshehasabsorbedenoughofitsprinciplestojustifymeinunitingherinChristianwedlock。"
"Yes，"Ianswered，"shehasabsorbeditsprinciples；
shetoldmeasmuchherself。Sacrifice，forinstance，"
andasIspokethewordmyeyesfilledwithtears。
"Sacrifice！"brokeinBickleywithanangrysnort，forheneededaventtohismentaldisturbance。"Rubbish。Whyshouldeveryreligiondemandsacrificeassavagesdo？Byitalonetheystandcondemned。"
"BecauseasIthink，sacrificeisthelawoflife，atleastofalllifethatisworththeliving，"Iansweredsadlyenough。
"AnyhowIbelieveyouareright，Bickley，andthatBastinwillnotbetroubledtomarryus。"
"Youdon’tmean，"brokeinBastinwithahorrifiedair，"thatyouproposetodispense——"
"No，Bastin，Idon’tmeanthat。WhatImeanisthatitcomesuponmethatsomethingwillpreventthismarriage。Sacrifice，perhaps，thoughinwhatshapeIdonotknow。Andnowgoodnight。
Iamtired。"
ThatnightinthechilldeadhourbeforethedawnOrocameagain。Iwokeuptoseehimseatedbymybed，majestic，and，asitseemedtome，lambent，thoughthismayhavebeenmyimagination。
"Youtakestrangelibertieswithmydaughter，Barbarian，orshetakesstrangelibertieswithyou，itdoesnotmatterwhich，"hesaid，regardingmewithhiscalmandterribleeyes。
"WhydoyoupresumetocallmeBarbarian？"Iasked，avoidingthemainissue。
"Forthisreason，Humphrey。Allmenarethesame。Theyhavethesameorgans，thesameinstincts，thesamedesires，whichinessencearebuttwo，foodandrebirththatNaturecommands；
thoughitistruethatmillionsofyearsbeforeIwasborn，asI
havelearnedfromtherecordsoftheSonsofWisdom，itwassaidthattheywerehalfape。Yetbeingthesamethereisbetweenthemawholeseaofdifference，sincesomehaveknowledgeandothersnone，orlittle。Thosewhohavenoneorlittle，amongwhomyoumustbenumbered，areBarbarians。Thosewhohavemuch，amongwhommydaughterandIarethesolesurvivors，aretheInstructed。"
"Therearenearlytwothousandmillionsoflivingpeopleinthisworld，"Isaid，"andyounameallofthemBarbarians？"
"All，Humphrey，excepting，ofcourse，myselfandmydaughterwhoarenotknowntobealive。Youthinkthatyouhavelearnedmuch，whereasintruthyouaremostignorant。Thecommonestoftheouternations，whenIdestroyedthem，knewmorethanyourwisestknowtoday。"
"Youaremistaken，Oro；sincethenwehavelearnedsomethingofthesoul。"
"Ah！"heexclaimed，"thatinterestsmeandperhapsitistrue。
Also，iftrueitisveryimportant，asIhavetoldyoubefore——orwasitBastin？Ifamanhasasoul，helives，whereasevenweSonsofWisdomdie，andinDeathwhatistheuseofWisdom？
Becauseyoucanbelieve，youhavesoulsandaretherefore，perhaps，heirstolife，foolishandignorantasyouaretoday。
ThereforeIadmityouandBastintobemyequals，thoughBickley，wholikemyselfbelievesnothing，isbutacommonchemistanddoctorofdisease。"
"ThenyoubowtoFaith，Oro？"
"Yes，andIthinkthatmygodFatealsobowstoFaith。Perhaps，indeed，FaithshapesFate，notFate。Faith。ButwhencecomesthatfaithwhichevenIwithallmylearningcannotcommand？WhyisitdeniedtomeandgiventoyouandBastin？"
"BecauseasBastinwouldtellyou，itisagift，thoughonethatisnevergrantedtotheproudandself—sufficient。Becomehumbleasachild，Oro，andperchanceyoutoomayacquirefaith。"
"AndhowshallIbecomehumble？"
"Byputtingawayalldreamsofpoweranditsexercise，ifsuchyouhave，andinrepentancewalkingquietlytotheGatesofDeath，"Ireplied。
"Foryou，Humphrey，whohavelittleornoneofthesethings，thatmaybeeasy。Butformewhohavemuch，ifnotall，itisotherwise。Youaskmetoabandonthecertainfortheuncertain，theknownfortheunknown，andfromahalf—godcommuningwiththestars，tobecomeanearthwormcrawlinginmudandliftingblindeyestowardsthedarknessofeverlastingnight。"
"Agodwhomustdieisnogod，halforwhole，Oro；theearthwormthatlivesonisgreaterthanhe。"
"Mayhap。YetwhileIendureIwillbeasagod，sothatwhennightcomes，ifcomeitmust，Ishallhaveplayedmypartandleftmymarkuponthislittleworldofours。Havedone！"headdedwithaburstofimpatience。"Whatwillyouofmydaughter？"
"Whatmanhasalwayswilledofwoman——herself，bodyandsoul。"
"Hersoulperchanceisyours，ifshehasone，butherbodyisminetogiveorwithhold。Yetitcanbeboughtataprice，"headdedslowly。
"Soshetoldme，Oro。"
"Icanguesswhatshetoldyou。DidInotwatchyouyonderbythelakewhenyougaveheraringgravedwiththesignsofLifeandEverlastingness？Thequestionis，willyoupaytheprice？"
"Notso；thequestionis——whatistheprice？"
"This；toentermyserviceandhenceforthdomywill——withoutdebateorcavil。"
"Forwhatreward，Oro？"
"Yvaandthedominionoftheearthwhileyoushalllive，neithermorenorless。"
"Andwhatisyourwill？"
"Thatyoushalllearninduecourse。OnthesecondnightfromthisIcommandthethreeofyoutowaituponmeatsundownintheburiedhallsofNyo。TillthenyouseenomoreofYva，forIdonottrusther。She，too，haspowers，thoughasyetshedoesnotusethem，andperchanceshewouldforgetheroaths，andfollowingsomenewstaroflove，foralittlewhile
