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　road　before　me。

I　had　never　seen　him　before；　but　I　should　have　liked　to　walk　by　him　and　to　have　held　his　handonly；　he　would　not　have　known　why。

Alassio；　Italy。



VIII。　　LIFE'S　GIFTS。

I　saw　a　woman　sleeping。　　In　her　sleep　she　dreamt　Life　stood　before　her；　and　held　in　each　hand　a　giftin　the　one　Love；　in　the　other　Freedom。　　And　she　said　to　the　woman；　〃Choose！〃

And　the　woman　waited　long：　　and　she　said；　〃Freedom！〃

And　Life　said；　〃Thou　hast　well　chosen。　　If　thou　hadst　said；　'Love；'　I　would　have　given　thee　that　thou　didst　ask　for；　and　I　would　have　gone　from　thee；　and　returned　to　thee　no　more。　　Now；　the　day　will　come　when　I　shall　return。　In　that　day　I　shall　bear　both　gifts　in　one　hand。〃

I　heard　the　woman　laugh　in　her　sleep。

London。



IX。　　THE　ARTIST'S　SECRET。

There　was　an　artist　once；　and　he　painted　a　picture。　　Other　artists　had　colours　richer　and　rarer；　and　painted　more　notable　pictures。　　He　painted　his　with　one　colour；　there　was　a　wonderful　red　glow　on　it；　and　the　people　went　up　and　down；　saying；　〃We　like　the　picture；　we　like　the　glow。〃

The　other　artists　came　and　said；　〃Where　does　he　get　his　colour　from？〃　　They　asked　him；　and　he　smiled　and　said；　〃I　cannot　tell　you〃；　and　worked　on　with　his　head　bent　low。

And　one　went　to　the　far　East　and　bought　costly　pigments；　and　made　a　rare　colour　and　painted；　but　after　a　time　the　picture　faded。　　Another　read　in　the　old　books；　and　made　a　colour　rich　and　rare；　but　when　he　had　put　it　on　the　picture　it　was　dead。

But　the　artist　painted　on。　　Always　the　work　got　redder　and　redder；　and　the　artist　grew　whiter　and　whiter。　　At　last　one　day　they　found　him　dead　before　his　picture；　and　they　took　him　up　to　bury　him。　　The　other　men　looked　about　in　all　the　pots　and　crucibles；　but　they　found　nothing　they　had　not。

And　when　they　undressed　him　to　put　his　grave…clothes　on　him；　they　found　above　his　left　breast　the　mark　of　a　woundit　was　an　old；　old　wound；　that　must　have　been　there　all　his　life；　for　the　edges　were　old　and　hardened；　but　Death；　who　seals　all　things；　had　drawn　the　edges　together；　and　closed　it　up。

And　they　buried　him。　　And　still　the　people　went　about　saying；　〃Where　did　he　find　his　colour　from？〃

And　it　came　to　pass　that　after　a　while　the　artist　was　forgottenbut　the　work　lived。

St。　Leonards…on…Sea。



X。　　〃I　THOUGHT　I　STOOD。〃

I　thought　I　stood　in　Heaven　before　God's　throne；　and　God　asked　me　what　I　had　come　for。　　I　said　I　had　come　to　arraign　my　brother；　Man。

God　said；　〃What　has　he　done？〃

I　said；　〃He　has　taken　my　sister；　Woman；　and　has　stricken　her；　and　wounded　her；　and　thrust　her　out　into　the　streets；　she　lies　there　prostrate。　　His　hands　are　red　with　blood。　　I　am　here　to　arraign　him；　that　the　kingdom　be　taken　from　him；　because　he　is　not　worthy；　and　given　unto　me。　　My　hands　are　pure。〃

I　showed　them。

God　said；　〃Thy　hands　are　pure。Lift　up　thy　robe。〃

I　raised　it；　my　feet　were　red；　blood…red；　as　if　I　had　trodden　in　wine。

God　said；　〃How　is　this？〃

I　said；　〃Dear　Lord；　the　streets　on　earth　are　full　of　mire。　　If　I　should　walk　straight　on　in　them　my　outer　robe　might　be　bespotted；　you　see　how　white　it　is！　　Therefore　I　pick　my　way。〃

God　said；　〃On　what？〃

I　was　silent；　and　I　let　my　robe　fall。　　I　wrapped　my　mantle　about　my　head。　　I　went　out　softly。　　I　was　afraid　that　the　angels　would　see　me。

II。

Once　more　I　stood　at　the　gate　of　Heaven；　I　and　another。　　We　held　fast　by　one　another；　we　were　very　tired。　　We　looked　up　at　the　great　gates；　the　angels　opened　them；　and　we　went　in。　　The　mud　was　on　our　garments。　　We　walked　across　the　marble　floor；　and　up　to　the　great　throne。　　Then　the　angels　divided　us。　　Her；　they　set　upon　the　top　step；　but　me；　upon　the　bottom；　for；　they　said；　〃Last　time　this　woman　came　here　she　left　red　foot…　marks　on　the　floor；　we　had　to　wash　them　out　with　our　tears。　　Let　her　not　go　up。〃

Then　she；　with　whom　I　came；　looked　back；　and　stretched　out　her　hand　to　me；　and　I　went　and　stood　beside　her。　　And　the　angels；　they；　the　shining　ones　who　never　sinned　and　never　suffered；　walked　by　us　to　and　fro　and　up　and　down；　I　think　we　should　have　felt　a　little　lonely　there　if　it　had　not　been　for　one　another；　the　angels　were　so　bright。

God　asked　me　what　I　had　come　for；　and　I　drew　my　sister　forward　a　little　that　he　might　see　her。

God　said；　〃How　is　it　you　are　here　together　today？〃

I　said；　〃She　was　upon　the　ground　in　the　street；　and　they　passed　over　her；　I　lay　down　by　her；　and　she　put　her　arms　around　my　neck；　and　so　I　lifted　her；　and　we　two　rose　together。〃

God　said；　〃Whom　are　you　now　come　to　accuse　before　me？〃

I　said；　〃We　are　come　to　accuse　no　man。〃

And　God　bent；　and　said；　〃My　childrenwhat　is　it　that　ye　seek？〃

And　she　beside　me　drew　my　hand　that　I　should　speak　for　both。

I　said；　〃We　have　come　to　ask　that　thou　shouldst　speak　to　Man；　our　brother；　and　give　us　a　message　for　him　that　he　might　understand；　and　that　he　might〃

God　said；　〃Go；　take　the　message　down　to　him！〃

I　said；　〃But　what　is　the　message？〃

God　said；　〃Upon　your　hearts　it　is　written；　take　it　down　to　him。〃

And　we　turned　to　go；　the　angels　went　with　us　to　the　door。　　They　looked　at　us。

And　one　said〃Ai！　but　their　dresses　are　beautiful！〃

And　the　other　said；　〃I　thought　it　was　mire　when　they　came　in；　but　see；　it　is　all　golden！〃

But　another　said；　〃Hush；　it　is　the　light　from　their　faces！〃

And　we　went　down　to　him。

Alassio；　Italy。



XI。　　THE　SUNLIGHT　LAY　ACROSS　MY　BED。

In　the　dark　one　night　I　lay　upon　my　bed。　　I　heard　the　policeman's　feet　beat　on　the　pavement；　I　heard　the　wheels　of　carriages　roll　home　from　houses　of　entertainment；　I　heard　a　woman's　laugh　below　my　windowand　then　I　fell　asleep。　　And　in　the　dark　I　dreamt　a　dream。　　I　dreamt　God　took　my　soul　to　Hell。

Hell　was　a　fair　place；　the　water　of　the　lake　was　blue。

I　said　to　God；　〃I　like　this　place。〃

God　said；　〃Ay；　dost　thou！〃

Birds　sang；　turf　came　to　the　water…edge；　and　trees　grew　from　it。　　Away　off　among　the　trees　I　saw　beautiful　women　walking。　　Their　clothes　were　of　many　delicate　colours　and　clung　to　them；　and　they　were　tall　and　graceful　and　had　yellow　hair。　　Their　robes　trailed　over　the　grass。　　They　glided　in　and　out　among　the　trees；　and　over　their　heads　hung　yellow　fruit　like　large　pears　of　melted　gold。

I　said；　〃It　is　very　fair；　I　would　go　up　and　taste　the〃

God　said；　〃Wait。〃

And　after　a　while　I　noticed　a　very　fair　woman　pass：　　she　looked　this　way　and　that；　and　drew　down　a　branch；　and　it　seemed　she　kissed　the　fruit　upon　it　softly；　and　went　on　her　way；　and　her　dress　made　no　rustle　as　she　passed　over　the　grass。　　And　when　I　saw　her　no　more；　from　among　the　stems　came　another　woman　fair　as　she　had　been；　in　a　delicate　tinted　robe；　she　looked　this　way　and　that。　　When　she　saw　no　one　there　she　drew　down　the　fruit；　and　when　she　had　looked　over　it　to　find　a　place；　she　put　her　mouth　to　it　softly；　and　went　away。　　And　I　saw　other　and　other　women　come；　making　no　noise；　and　they　glided　away　also　over　the　grass。

And　I　said　to　God；　〃What　are　they　doing？〃

God　said；　〃They　are　poisoning。〃

And　I　said；　〃How？〃

God　said；　〃They　touch　it　with　their　lips；　when　they　have　made　a　tiny　wound　in　it　with　their　fore…teeth　they　set　in　it　that　which　is　under　their　tongues：　　they　close　it　with　their　lipthat　no　man　may　see　the　place；　and　pass　on。〃

I　said　to　God；　〃Why　do　they　do　it？〃

God　said；　〃That　another　may　not　eat。〃

I　said　to　God；　〃But　if　they　poison　all　then　none　dare　eat；　what　do　they　gain？〃

God　said；　〃Nothing。〃

I　said；　〃Are　they　not　afraid　they　themselves　may　bite　where　another　has　bitten？〃

God　said；　〃They　are　afraid。　　In　Hell　all　men　fear。〃

He　called　me　further。　　And　the　water　of　the　lake　seemed　less　blue。

Then；　to　the　right　among　the　trees　were　men　working。　　And　I　said　to　God；　〃I　should　like　to　go　and　work　with　them。　　Hell　must　be　a　very　fruitful　place；　the　grass　is　so　green。〃

God　said；　〃Nothing　grows　in　the　garden　they　are　making。〃

We　stood　looking；　and　I　saw　them　working　among　the　bushes；　digging　holes；　but　in　them　they　set　nothing；　and　when　they　had　covered　them　with　sticks　and　earth　each　went　a　way　off　and　sat　behind　the　bushes　watching；　and　I　noticed　that　as　each　walked　he　set　his　foot　down　carefully　looking　where　he　trod。　　I　said　to　God；　〃What　are　they　doing？〃

God　said；　〃Making　pitfalls　into　which　their　fellows　may　sink。〃

I　said　to　God；　〃Why　do　they　do　it？〃

God　said；　〃Because　each　thinks　that　when　his　brother　falls　he　will　rise。〃

I　said　to　God；　〃How　will　he　rise？〃

God　said；　〃He　will　not　rise。〃

And　I　saw　their　eyes　gleam　from　behind　the　bushes。

I　said　to　God；　〃Are　these　men　sane？〃

God　said；　〃They　are　not　sane；　there　is　no　sane　man　in　Hell。〃

And　he　told　me　to　come　further。

And　I　looked　where　I　trod。

And　we　came　where　Hell　opened　into　a　plain；　and　a　great　house　stood　there。　Marble　pillars　upheld　the　roof；　and　white　marble　steps　let　up　to　it。　　The　wind　of　heaven　blew　through　it。　　Only　at　the　back　hung　a　thick　curtain。　　Fair　men　and　women　there　feasted　at　long　tables。　　They　danced；　and　I　saw　the　robes　of　women　flutter　in　the　air　and　heard　the　laugh　of　strong　men。　　What　they　feasted　with　was　wine；　they　drew　it　from　large　jars　which　stood　somewhat　in　the　background；　and　I　saw　the　wine　sparkle　as　they　drew　it。

And　I　said　to　God；　〃I　should　like　to　go　up　and　drink。〃　　And　God　said；　〃Wait。〃　　And　I　saw　men　coming　in　to　the　Banquet　House；　they　came　in　from　the　back　and　lifted　the　corner　of　the　curtain　at　the　sides　and　crept　in　quickly；　and　they　let　the　curtain　fall　behind　them；　they　bore　great　jars　they　could　hardly　carry。　　And　the　men　and　women　crowded　round　them；　and　the　new…comers　opened　their　jars　and　gave　them　of　the　wine　to　drink；　and　I　saw　that　the　women　drank　even　more　greedily　than　the　men。　　And　when　others　had　well　drunken　they　set　the　jars　among　the　old　ones　beside　the　wall；　and　took　their　places　at　the　table。　　And　I　saw　that　some　of　the　jars　were　very　old　and　mildewed　and　dusty；　but　others　had　still　drops　of　new　must　on　them　and　shone　from　the　furnace。

And　I　said　to　God；　〃What　is　that？〃　　For　amid　the　sound　of　the　singing；　and　over　the　dancing　of　feet；　and　over　the　laughing　across　the　wine…cups　I　heard　a　cry。

And　God　said；　〃Stand　a　way　off。〃

And　he　took　me　where　I　saw　both　sides　of　the　curtain。　　Behind　the　house　was　the