do
think Signor Cellini had some power over me."

"Of course he had in your then weak state. But now that you are as
strong as he is, he could not influence you at all. Let us be brief in
our converse, my child. I have a few serious things to say to you
before you leave me, on your celestial journey."

I trembled slightly, but took the chair he pointed out to me--a large
easy-chair in which one could recline and sleep.

"Listen," continued Heliobas; "I told you, when you first came here,
that whatever I might do to restore you to health, you would have it in
your power to repay me amply. You ARE restored to health; will you give
me my reward?"

"I would and will do anything to prove my gratitude to you," I said
earnestly. "Only tell me how."

"You are aware," he went on, "of my theories respecting the Electric
Spirit or Soul in Man. It is progressive, as I have told you--it begins
as a germ--it goes on increasing in power and beauty for ever, till it
is great and pure enough to enter the last of all worlds--God's World.
But there are sometimes hindrances to its progression--obstacles in its
path, which cause it to recoil and retire a long way back--so far back
occasionally that it has to commence its journey over again. Now, by my
earnest researches, I am able to study and watch the progress of my own
inner force or soul. So far, all has been well--prayerfully and humbly
I may say I believe all has been well. But I foresee an approaching
shadow--a difficulty--a danger--which, if it cannot be repelled or
passed in some way, threatens to violently push back my advancing
spiritual nature, so that, with much grief and pain, I shall have to
re-commence the work that I had hoped was done. I cannot, with all my
best effort, discover WHAT this darkening obstacle is--but YOU, yes,
YOU"--for I had started up in surprise--"you, when you are lifted up
high enough to behold these things, may, being perfectly unselfish in
this research, attain to the knowledge of it and explain it to me, when
you return. In trying to probe the secret for myself, it is of course
purely for my own interest; and nothing clear, nothing satisfactory can
be spiritually obtained, in which selfishness has ever so slight a
share. You, if indeed I deserve your gratitude for the aid I have given
you--you will be able to search out the matter more certainly, being in
the position of one soul working for another. Still, I cannot compel
you to do this for m