over," he continued. "Do you know that
talk is a real thing? There is more power in speech than many people
conceive. Thoughts come from God, they are born through the marriage
of the head and the lungs. The head moulds the thought into the form of
words, then it is borne and sounded on the air which has been already in
the secret kingdoms of the body, which goes in bearing life and come out
freighted with wisdom. For this reason a lie is very terrible, because
it is turning mighty and incomprehensible things to base uses, and is
burdening the life-giving element with a foul return for its goodness;
but those who speak the truth and whose words are the symbols of wisdom
and beauty, these purify the whole world and daunt contagion. The only
trouble the body can know is disease. All other miseries come from the
brain, and, as these belong to thought, they can be driven out by their
master as unruly and unpleasant vagabonds; for a mental trouble should
be spoken to, confronted, reprimanded and so dismissed. The brain cannot
afford to harbour any but pleasant and eager citizens who will do their
part in making laughter and holiness for the world, for that is the duty
of thought."

While the Philosopher spoke the girl had been regarding him steadfastly.

"Sir," said she, "we tell our hearts to a young man and our heads to an
old man, and when the heart is a fool the head is bound to be a liar.
I can tell you the things I know, but how will I tell you the things I
feel when I myself do not understand them? If I say these words to you
'I love a man' I do not say anything at all, and you do not hear one
of the words which my heart is repeating over and over to itself in the
silence of my body. Young people are fools in their heads and old people
are fools in their hearts, and they can only look at each other and pass
by in wonder."

"You are wrong," said the Philosopher. "An old person can take your hand
like this and say, 'May every good thing come to you, my daughter.' For
all trouble there is sympathy, and for love there is memory, and these
are the head and the heart talking to each other in quiet friendship.
What the heart knows to-day the head will understand to-morrow, and
as the head must be the scholar of the heart it is necessary that our
hearts be purified and free from every false thing, else we are tainted
beyond personal redemption."

"Sir," said the girl, "I know of two great follies-they are love and
speech,