feel as our forefathers did; as though the will to work
evil had the power to bring about the evil desired. It is nonsense,
since were it true, none could escape the direst misfortune, as every
one of us is at some time or another the object of the hate or jealousy
of other human beings. Moreover, as most of us believe, there is a
being, not human, that hates us individually and collectively, and
certainly would compass our destruction, had he the power, which
happily he has not, unless we ourselves give it to him.

Godfrey comforted himself with this reflection, also, with another;
that in this instance the issue of his peril had been far different
from what his enemy desired. Yet, with his nerves still shaken both by
his spiritualistic experiences, and by those of the danger which he had
passed, the letter undoubtedly did affect him in the way that it was
meant to do, and the worst of it was that he could not consult his
friend and guide, the Pasteur, because of the allusion to the scene
with Juliette.

Throwing it down as though it were a venomous snake, which indeed, it
was, he opened that from his father, which was brief. It congratulated
him coldly on his escape, whereof Mr. Knight said he had heard, not in
the way that he would have expected, from himself, but through the
papers. This, it may be explained, was not strange, since the account
was telegraphed long before Godfrey had time to write. As a matter of
fact, however, he had not written, for who cares to indite epistles to
an unsympathetic and critical recipient? Most people only compose
letters for the benefit of those who like to receive them and, by
intuition, read in them a great deal more than the sender records in
black and white. For letter-writing, at its best, is an allusive art,
something that suggests rather than describes. It was because Godfrey
appreciated this truth in a half unconscious fashion, that he did not
care to undertake an active correspondence with his father. It is the
exception also, for young men to care to correspond with their fathers;
the respective outlooks, and often, the respective interests, are too
diverse. With mothers it is different, at any rate, sometimes, for in
their case the relationship is more intimate. In the instance of the
male parent, throughout the realm of nature, it is apt to have an
accidental aspect or to acquire one as time goes by.

The letter went on to request that he would climb no more Alps, sin