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。