as a tomb. He
staggered to a seat, and for a while seemed as if his soul had gone
away. Then, arousing himself, he gazed long and lovingly at the spot
where she had stood near the altar steps, and then went out into the
fierce glare of the sun.

Passing from the Temple, he espied a stranger coming towards him. As he
approached, he discovered him to be the man he met very nearly at the
same place when the great procession passed.

'We have met again,' said Judah. 'How hast thou fared? Thou dost not
seem happy.'

'Thou hast rightly said. I suffer.'

'Perhaps I may comfort thee. It will not be the first time I have
ministered to such complaint.'

'No, thou canst not. My sorrow is too deep to be fathomed, and too
sacred to expose.'

'I like thy thoughts, young man. Wert thou taught them yonder?' pointing
towards the Temple.

'No; they are the fruit of a mind that receives no impetus from such
fraud as so-called worship is.'

'Thou speakest strongly. What knowest thou of worship? A mind perturbed
like thine is like a troubled sea, with never a place for calm. The
worshipping soul is not thine.'

'True, friend; I may not be a worshipper, neither wish to be one. This
life is a mystery; the next a deeper one. If we cannot understand this
earth-life, and are unable to trust mortals whom we see and know, how,
then, can we trust those whom we have not seen?'

'Shall we bestow our affections on the gods, who may not exist save in
our imagination, or, if they be, for all we know, they may ridicule our
adoration, make sport of us, tools of us to suit some purpose in pursuit
of their own glory.'

'Art thou a philosopher?'

'I am an artist.'

'Why followest thou this profession?'

'Because I love it.'

'Hast thou fame, riches?'

'Yea, sufficient.'

'Why dost thou work?'

'That I may portray Nature in her beauteous forms, and give them forth
to the people, that they may ever have the truth in trees and flowers
and the ever-changing sea.'

'Thou hast a benevolent spirit, and thy works betray such. Is it not
so?'

'Man should not herald every atom of good he possesses.'

'That is true; but, nevertheless, a man's works reflect his inner being.
What is thy name?'

'Chios.'

'A Greek?'

'It is so.'

'Then listen, Chios the Ionian. If thou canst be judged by thy works,
judge ye the Creator of Nature by the same law. The God who made the
pine-tree shoot forth from the darkling earth and grow upwards toward