people of this underworld. They stood up as they thrust the boat
along. Other passengers were in the boat too, women as well, but all of
them unknown people, and not noticeable.

The boat was upon a great lake in the underworld country, a lake of dark
blue water, but crystal clear and very beautiful in colour. The second
or invisible Aaron sat in the prow and watched the fishes swimming
suspended in the clear, beautiful dark-blue water. Some were pale fish,
some frightening-looking, like centipedes swimming, and some were dark
fish, of definite form, and delightful to watch.

The palpable or visible Aaron sat at the side of the boat, on the end of
the middle seat, with his naked right elbow leaning out over the side.
And now the boat entered upon shallows. The impalpable Aaron in the bows
saw the whitish clay of the bottom swirl up in clouds at each thrust of
the oars, whitish-clayey clouds which would envelope the strange fishes
in a sudden mist. And on the right hand of the course stakes stood up in
the water, at intervals, to mark the course.

The boat must pass very near these stakes, almost touching. And Aaron's
naked elbow was leaning right over the side. As they approached the
first stake, the boatmen all uttered a strange cry of warning, in a
foreign language. The flesh-and-blood Aaron seemed not even to hear. The
invisible Aaron heard, but did not comprehend the words of the cry.

So the naked elbow struck smartly against the stake as the boat passed.

The rowers rowed on. And still the flesh-and-blood Aaron sat with his
arm over the side. Another stake was nearing. "Will he heed, will he
heed?" thought the anxious second self. The rowers gave the strange
warning cry. He did not heed, and again the elbow struck against the
stake as the boat passed. And yet the flesh-and-blood Aaron sat on and
made no sign. There were stakes all along this shallow part of the lake.
Beyond was deep water again. The invisible Aaron was becoming anxious.
"Will he never hear? Will he never heed? Will he never understand?"
he thought. And he watched in pain for the next stake. But still the
flesh-and-blood Aaron sat on, and though the rowers cried so acutely
that the invisible Aaron almost understood their very language, still
the Aaron seated at the side heard nothing, and his elbow struck against
the third stake.

This was almost too much. But after a few moments, as the boat rowed on,
the palpable Aaron changed his position a