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 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 wa