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〃I　cannot　forgiveI　love。〃

There　are　four　bare　walls；　there　is　a　Christ　upon　the　walls；　in　red；　carrying　his　cross；　there　is　a　Blessed　Bambino　with　the　face　rubbed　out；　there　is　Madonna　in　blue　and　red；　there　are　Roman　soldiers　and　a　Christ　with　tied　hands。　　All　the　roof　is　gone；　overhead　is　the　blue；　blue　Italian　sky；　the　rain　has　beaten　holes　in　the　walls；　and　the　plaster　is　peeling　from　it。　　The　chapel　stands　here　alone　upon　the　promontory；　and　by　day　and　by　night　the　sea　breaks　at　its　feet。　　Some　say　that　it　was　set　here　by　the　monks　from　the　island　down　below；　that　they　might　bring　their　sick　here　in　times　of　deadly　plague。　　Some　say　that　it　was　set　here　that　the　passing　monks　and　friars；　as　they　hurried　by　upon　the　roadway；　might　stop　and　say　their　prayers　here。　　Now　no　one　stops　to　pray　here；　and　the　sick　come　no　more　to　be　healed。

Behind　it　runs　the　old　Roman　road。　　If　you　climb　it　and　come　and　sit　there　alone　on　a　hot　sunny　day　you　may　almost　hear　at　last　the　clink　of　the　Roman　soldiers　upon　the　pavement；　and　the　sound　of　that　older　time；　as　you　sit　there　in　the　sun；　when　Hannibal　and　his　men　broke　through　the　brushwood；　and　no　road　was。

Now　it　is　very　quiet。　　Sometimes　a　peasant　girl　comes　riding　by　between　her　panniers；　and　you　hear　the　mule's　feet　beat　upon　the　bricks　of　the　pavement；　sometimes　an　old　woman　goes　past　with　a　bundle　of　weeds　upon　her　head；　or　a　brigand…looking　man　hurries　by　with　a　bundle　of　sticks　in　his　hand；　but　for　the　rest　the　Chapel　lies　here　alone　upon　the　promontory；　between　the　two　bays　and　hears　the　sea　break　at　its　feet。

I　came　here　one　winter's　day　when　the　midday　sun　shone　hot　on　the　bricks　of　the　Roman　road。　　I　was　weary；　and　the　way　seemed　steep。　　I　walked　into　the　chapel　to　the　broken　window；　and　looked　out　across　the　bay。　　Far　off；　across　the　blue；　blue　water；　were　towns　and　villages；　hanging　white　and　red　dots；　upon　the　mountain…sides；　and　the　blue　mountains　rose　up　into　the　sky；　and　now　stood　out　from　it　and　now　melted　back　again。

The　mountains　seemed　calling　to　me；　but　I　knew　there　would　never　be　a　bridge　built　from　them　to　me；　never；　never；　never！　　I　shaded　my　eyes　with　my　hand　and　turned　away。　　I　could　not　bear　to　look　at　them。

I　walked　through　the　ruined　Chapel；　and　looked　at　the　Christ　in　red　carrying　his　cross；　and　the　Blessed　rubbed…out　Bambino；　and　the　Roman　soldiers；　and　the　folded　hands；　and　the　reed；　and　I　went　and　sat　down　in　the　open　porch　upon　a　stone。　　At　my　feet　was　the　small　bay；　with　its　white　row　of　houses　buried　among　the　olive　trees；　the　water　broke　in　a　long；　thin；　white　line　of　foam　along　the　shore；　and　I　leaned　my　elbows　on　my　knees。　　I　was　tired；　very　tired；　tired　with　a　tiredness　that　seemed　older　than　the　heat　of　the　day　and　the　shining　of　the　sun　on　the　bricks　of　the　Roman　road；　and　I　lay　my　head　upon　my　knees；　I　heard　the　breaking　of　the　water　on　the　rocks　three　hundred　feet　below；　and　the　rustling　of　the　wind　among　the　olive　trees　and　the　ruined　arches；　and　then　I　fell　asleep　there。　I　had　a　dream。

A　man　cried　up　to　God；　and　God　sent　down　an　angel　to　help　him；　and　the　angel　came　back　and　said；　〃I　cannot　help　that　man。〃

God　said；　〃How　is　it　with　him？〃

And　the　angel　said；　〃He　cries　out　continually　that　one　has　injured　him；　and　he　would　forgive　him　and　he　cannot。〃

God　said；　〃What　have　you　done　for　him？〃

The　angel　said；　〃All。　　I　took　him　by　the　hand；　and　I　said；　'See；　when　other　men　speak　ill　of　that　man　do　you　speak　well　of　him；　secretly；　in　ways　he　shall　not　know；　serve　him；　if　you　have　anything　you　value　share　it　with　him；　so；　serving　him；　you　will　at　last　come　to　feel　possession　in　him；　and　you　will　forgive。'　　And　he　said；　'I　will　do　it。'　　Afterwards；　as　I　passed　by　in　the　dark　of　night；　I　heard　one　crying　out；　'I　have　done　all。　　It　helps　nothing！　　My　speaking　well　of　him　helps　me　nothing！　　If　I　share　my　heart's　blood　with　him；　is　the　burning　within　me　less？　　I　cannot　forgive；　I　cannot　forgive！　　Oh；　God；　I　cannot　forgive！'

〃I　said　to　him；　'See　here；　look　back　on　all　your　past。　　See　from　your　childhood　all　smallness；　all　indirectness　that　has　been　yours；　look　well　at　it；　and　in　its　light　do　you　not　see　every　man　your　brother？　　Are　you　so　sinless　you　have　right　to　hate？'

〃He　looked；　and　said；　'Yes；　you　are　right；　I　too　have　failed；　and　I　forgive　my　fellow。　　Go；　I　am　satisfied；　I　have　forgiven；'　and　he　laid　him　down　peacefully　and　folded　his　hands　on　his　breast；　and　I　thought　it　was　well　with　him。　　But　scarcely　had　my　wings　rustled　and　I　turned　to　come　up　here；　when　I　heard　one　crying　out　on　earth　again；　'I　cannot　forgive！　　I　cannot　forgive！　　Oh；　God；　God；　I　cannot　forgive！　　It　is　better　to　die　than　to　hate！　　I　cannot　forgive！　　I　cannot　forgive！'　　And　I　went　and　stood　outside　his　door　in　the　dark；　and　I　heard　him　cry；　'I　have　not　sinned　so；　not　so！　　If　I　have　torn　my　fellows'　flesh　ever　so　little；　I　have　kneeled　down　and　kissed　the　wound　with　my　mouth　till　it　was　healed。　　I　have　not　willed　that　any　soul　shall　be　lost　through　hate　of　me。　　If　they　have　but　fancied　that　I　wronged　them　I　have　lain　down　on　the　ground　before　them　that　they　might　tread　on　me；　and　so；　seeing　my　humiliation；　forgive　and　not　be　lost　through　hating　me；　they　have　not　cared　that　my　soul　should　be　lost；　they　have　not　willed　to　save　me；　they　have　not　tried　that　I　should　forgive　them！'

〃I　said　to　him；　'See　here；　be　thou　content；　do　not　forgive：　　forget　this　soul　and　its　injury；　go　on　your　way。　　In　the　next　world　perhaps'

〃He　cried；　'Go　from　me；　you　understand　nothing！　　What　is　the　next　world　to　me！　　I　am　lost　now；　today。　　I　cannot　see　the　sunlight　shine；　the　dust　is　in　my　throat；　the　sand　is　in　my　eyes！　　Go　from　me；　you　know　nothing！　　Oh；　once　again　before　I　die　to　see　that　the　world　is　beautiful！　　Oh；　God；　God；　I　cannot　live　and　not　love。　　I　cannot　live　and　hate。　　Oh；　God；　God；　God！'　　So　I　left　him　crying　out　and　came　back　here。〃

God　said；　〃This　man's　soul　must　be　saved。〃

And　the　angel　said　〃How？〃

God　said；　〃Go　down　you；　and　save　it。〃

The　angel　said；　〃What　more　shall　I　do？〃

Then　God　bent　down　and　whispered　in　the　angel's　ear；　and　the　angel　spread　out　its　wings　and　went　down　to　earth。

And　partly　I　woke；　sitting　there　upon　the　broken　stone　with　my　head　on　my　knee；　but　I　was　too　weary　to　rise。　　I　heard　the　wind　roam　through　the　olive　trees　and　among　the　ruined　arches；　and　then　I　slept　again。

The　angel　went　down　and　found　the　man　with　the　bitter　heart　and　took　him　by　the　hand；　and　led　him　to　a　certain　spot。

Now　the　man　wist　not　where　it　was　the　angel　would　take　him　nor　what　he　would　show　him　there。　　And　when　they　came　the　angel　shaded　the　man's　eyes　with　his　wing；　and　when　he　moved　it　the　man　saw　somewhat　on　the　earth　before　them。　　For　God　had　given　it　to　that　angel　to　unclothe　a　human　soul；　to　take　from　it　all　those　outward　attributes　of　form；　and　colour；　and　age；　and　sex；　whereby　one　man　is　known　from　among　his　fellows　and　is　marked　off　from　the　rest；　and　the　soul　lay　before　them；　bare；　as　a　man　turning　his　eye　inwards　beholds　himself。

They　saw　its　past；　its　childhood；　the　tiny　life　with　the　dew　upon　it；　they　saw　its　youth　when　the　dew　was　melting；　and　the　creature　raised　its　Lilliputian　mouth　to　drink　from　a　cup　too　large　for　it；　and　they　saw　how　the　water　spilt；　they　saw　its　hopes　that　were　never　realized；　they　saw　its　hours　of　intellectual　blindness；　men　call　sin；　they　saw　its　hours　of　all…　radiating　insight；　which　men　call　righteousness；　they　saw　its　hour　of　strength；　when　it　leaped　to　its　feet　crying；　〃I　am　omnipotent；〃　its　hour　of　weakness；　when　it　fell　to　the　earth　and　grasped　dust　only；　they　saw　what　it　might　have　been；　but　never　would　be。

The　man　bent　forward。

And　the　angel　said；　〃What　is　it？〃

He　answered；　〃It　is　I！　it　is　myself！〃　　And　he　went　forward　as　if　he　would　have　lain　his　heart　against　it；　but　the　angel　held　him　back　and　covered　his　eyes。

Now　God　had　given　power　to　the　angel　further　to　unclothe　that　soul；　to　take　from　it　all　those　outward　attributes　of　time　and　place　and　circumstance　whereby　the　individual　life　is　marked　off　from　the　life　of　the　whole。

Again　the　angel　uncovered　the　man's　eyes；　and　he　looked。　　He　saw　before　him　that　which　in　its　tiny　drop　reflects　the　whole　universe；　he　saw　that　which　marks　within　itself　the　step　of　the　furthest　star；　and　tells　how　the　crystal　grows　under　ground　where　no　eye　has　seen　it；　that　which　is　where　the　germ　in　the　egg　stirs；　which　moves　the　outstretched　fingers　of　the　little　newborn　babe；　and　keeps　the　leaves　of　the　trees　pointing　upward；　which　moves　where　the　jelly…fish　sail　alone　on　the　sunny　seas；　and　is　where　the　lichens　form　on　the　mountains'　rocks。

And　the　man　looked。

And　the　angel　touched　him。

But　the　man　bowed　his　head　and　shuddered。　　He　whispered〃It　is　God！〃

And　the　angel　re…covered　the　man's　eyes。　　And　when　he　uncovered　them　there　was　one　walking　from　them　a　little　way　off；for　the　angel　had　re…clothed　the　soul　in　its　outward　form　and　vestureand　the　man　knew　who　it　was。

And　the　angel　said；　〃Do　you　know　him？〃

And　the　man　said；　〃I　know　him；〃　and　he　looked　after　the　figure。

And　the　angel　said；　〃Have　you　forgiven　him？〃

But　the　man　said；　〃How　beautiful　my　brother　is！〃

And　the　angel　looked　into　the　man's　eyes；　and　he　shaded　his　own　face　with　his　wing　from　the　light。　　He　laughed　softly　and　went　up　to　God。

But　the　men　were　together　on　earth。

I　awoke。

The　blue；　blue　sky　was　over　my　head；　and　the　waves　were　breaking　below　on　the　shore。　　I　walked　through　the　little　chapel；　and　I　saw　the　Madonna　in　blue　and　red；　and　the　Christ　carrying　his　cross；　and　the　Roman　soldiers　with　the　rod；　and　the　Blessed　Bambino　with　its　broken　face；　and　then　I　walked　down　the　sloping　rock　to　the　brick　pathway。　　The　olive　trees　stood　up　on　either　side　of　the　road；　their　black　berries　and　pale…green　leaves　stood　out　against　the　sky；　and　the　little　ice…plants　hung　from　the　crevices　in　the　stone　wall。　　It　seemed　to　me　as　if　it　must　have　rained　while　I　was　asleep。　　I　thought　I　had　never　seen　the　heavens　and　the　earth　look　so　beautiful　before。　　I　walked　down　the　road。　　The　old；　old；　old　tiredness　was　gone。

Presently　there　came　a　peasant　boy　down　the　path　leading　his　ass；　she　had　two　large　panniers　fastened　to　her　sides；　and　they　went　down　the　road　befor