nd most costly matter is gold and gems. Well, He
would have us know that the heavenly city is builded of the fairest and
most precious matter. But that the matter is real, and that the city is
builded of somewhat, that will I yield to none. To do other were to
make it a fairy tale, Heaven in cloud-land, and God Himself but the
shadow of a dream. The only difference I can see is, that we should
never awake from the dream, but should go on dreaming it for ever."

"O _Louvaine_!" saith Sir _Robert_. "I can never allow of matter in
Heaven. All there is spiritual."

"Now, what mean you by matter?" saith _Father_. "Matter is a term of
this world. I argue not for matter in Heaven as opposed to spirit, but
for reality as opposed to allegory."

"You'll be out of my depth next plunge," saith Sir _Robert_, merrily.

"We shall both be out of our depth, _Robin_, ere long, and under your
leave there will we leave it. But I see you are a bit of a _Manichee_."

"That is out of my depth, at any rate," quoth he. "I am but ill read in
ancient controversies, though I know you dabble in them."

"Why, I have dipped my fingers into a good parcel of matters in my
time," saith _Father_. "But the _Manichees_, old friend, were men that
did maintain the inherent evil of matter. All things, with them, were
wicked that had to do therewith. Wherein, though they knew it not, they
were much akin to the _Indian_ mystics of _Buddha_, that do set their
whole happiness in the attaining of _Nirvana_."

"What is that?" saith Aunt _Joyce_. "Is it an _India_ goddess, or
something good to eat?"

"It is," quoth _Father_, "the condition of having no ideas."

"Good lack!" saith she, "then daft _Madge_ is nearest perfection of us
all."

"Perhaps she is, in sober truth," _Father_ makes answer.

"Meseemeth," whispers _Milisent_ to me, "that _Jack Benn_ is a
_Manichee_."

"'Tis strange," saith _Father_, as in meditation, "how those old
heresies shall be continually re-born under new names: nor only that,
but how in the heart of every man and woman there is by nature a leaning
unto some form of heresy. Here is _Robin Stafford_ a _Manichee_: and
_Bess_ a _Mennonite_: and my Lady _Stafford_ (if I mistake not) a
_Stoic_: and _Mynheer_ somewhat given to be a _Cynic_: and _Lettice_ and
_Milisent_, methinks, are by their nature _Epicureans_. Mistress
_Martin_, it seemeth me, should be an _Essene_: and what shall we call
thee, _Edith_?"

"Aught