their love; this is the mark of the true faith," answered the old
man, solemnly, like an instrument which, on being touched, gives forth
an accidental note.

"Who taught you those words?"

"The Spirit."

"What happened to her last night? Did you force your way past the
Vertumni standing sentinel? did you evade the Mammons?"

"Yes"; answered David, as though awaking from a dream.

The misty gleam of his eyes melted into a ray that came direct from
the soul and made it by degrees brilliant as that of an eagle, as
intelligent as that of a poet.

"What did you see?" asked Wilfrid, astonished at this sudden change.

"I saw Species and Shapes; I heard the Spirit of all things; I beheld
the revolt of the Evil Ones; I listened to the words of the Good. Seven
devils came, and seven archangels descended from on high. The archangels
stood apart and looked on through veils. The devils were close by; they
shone, they acted. Mammon came on his pearly shell in the shape of a
beautiful naked woman; her snowy body dazzled the eye, no human form
ever equalled it; and he said, 'I am Pleasure; thou shalt possess me!'
Lucifer, prince of serpents, was there in sovereign robes; his Manhood
was glorious as the beauty of an angel, and he said, 'Humanity shall be
at thy feet!' The Queen of misers,--she who gives back naught that she
has ever received,--the Sea, came wrapped in her virent mantle; she
opened her bosom, she showed her gems, she brought forth her treasures
and offered them; waves of sapphire and of emerald came at her bidding;
her hidden wonders stirred, they rose to the surface of her breast, they
spoke; the rarest pearl of Ocean spread its iridescent wings and gave
voice to its marine melodies, saying, 'Twin daughter of suffering, we
are sisters! await me; let us go together; all I need is to become a
Woman.' The Bird with the wings of an eagle and the paws of a lion, the
head of a woman and the body of a horse, the Animal, fell down before
her and licked her feet, and promised seven hundred years of plenty to
her best-beloved daughter. Then came the most formidable of all, the
Child, weeping at her knees, and saying, 'Wilt thou leave me, feeble
and suffering as I am? oh, my mother, stay!' and he played with her,
and shed languor on the air, and the Heavens themselves had pity for
his wail. The Virgin of pure song brought forth her choirs to relax the
soul. The Kings of the East came with their slaves, their armies, and
th