down to the grave alone."

The yellow light of the hanging lamp above shone upon the old man's
eyes, and there was a dull fire in them. His face was drawn and haggard,
and every line and furrow traced by the struggles of his hundred years
stood out dark and rugged and tremendous in power. Zoroaster shuddered
as he looked on him, and, though he would have spoken, he was awed to
silence.

"Go forth, my son," cried the prophet in deep tones, and as he spoke he
slowly raised his body till he sat rigidly erect, and his wan and
ancient fingers were stretched out towards the young soldier. "Go forth
and do thy part, for thou art in the hand of the Lord, and some things
that thou wilt do shall be good, and some things evil. For thou hast
departed from the path of crystal that leadeth among the stars, and thou
hast fallen away from the ladder whereby the angels ascend and descend
upon the earth, and thou art gone after the love of a woman which
endureth not. And for a season thou shalt be led astray, and for a time
thou shalt suffer great things; and after a time thou shalt return into
the way; and again a time, and thou shalt perish in thine own
imaginations, because thou hast not known the darkness from the light,
nor the good from the evil. By a woman shalt thou go astray, and from a
woman shalt thou return; yet thou shalt perish. But because there is
some good in thee, it shall endure, and thy name also, for generations;
and though the evil that besetteth thee shall undo thee, yet at the last
thy soul shall live."

Zoroaster buried his face in his hands, overcome by the majesty of the
mighty prophet and by the terror of his words.

"Rise and go forth, for the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and no man
can hinder that thou doest. Thou shalt look upon the sun and shalt
delight in him; and again thou shalt look and the light of the air shall
be as darkness. Thou shalt boast in thy strength and in thine armour
that there is none like thee, and again thou shalt cast thy glory from
thee and say, 'This also is vanity.' The king delighteth in thee, and
thou shalt stand before the queen in armour of gold and in fine raiment;
and the end is near, for the hand of the Lord is upon thee. If the Lord
will work great things by thee, what is that to me? Go forth quickly,
and rest not by the way, lest the woman tempt thee and thou perish. And
as for me, I go also--not with thee, but before thee. See that thou
follow after--for I go. Yea,