bs sacrificed to him. Life,
being his gift, was dear to him. And don't forget Mohammed, Nance, that
fine old barbarian with the heart of a passionate child, counselling men
to live a good life and to strive after the mercy of God by fasting,
charity and prayer, calling this the 'Key of Paradise.' He went after a
poor blind man whom he had at first rebuffed, saying 'He is thrice welcome
on whose account my Lord hath reprimanded me.' He was a fine, stubborn old
believer, Nance. I wonder if it's not true that the Christians once
studied these old chaps to take the taste of their own cruder God out of
their minds. What a cruel people they must have been to make so cruel a
God!

"But let's talk of you, Nance--that's it--light the chandeliers in your
eyes."

He spoke drowsily now, and lay quiet, patting one of her hands. But
presently he was on one elbow to study her again.

"Nance, the Egyptians worshipped Nature, the Greeks worshipped Beauty, the
Northern chaps worshipped Courage, and the Christians feared--well, the
hereafter, you know--but I'm a Catholic when you smile."

CHAPTER III

REASON IS AGAIN ENTHRONED

Slowly the days brought new life to the convalescent, despite his
occasional attacks of theological astigmatism. And these attacks grew
less frequent and less marked as the poor bones once more involved
themselves in firm flesh--to the glad relief of a harried and scandalised
old gentleman whose black forebodings had daily moved him to visions of
the mad-house for his best-loved descendant.

Yet there were still dreadful times when the young man on the couch
blasphemed placidly by the hour, with an insane air of assuming that those
about him held the same opinions; as if the Christian religion were a
pricked bubble the adherents of which had long since vanished.

If left by himself he could often be heard chuckling and muttering
between chuckles: "I will get me honour upon Pharaoh and all his host. I
have hardened his heart and the heart of his host that I might show these
my signs before him."

Entering the room, the old gentleman might be met with:

"I certainly agree with you, sir, in every respect--Christianity was an
invertebrate materialism of separation--crude, mechanical separation--less
spiritual, less ethical, than almost any of the Oriental faiths. Affirming
the brotherhood of man, yet separating us into a heaven and a hell.
Christians cowering before a being of divided power, half-go