ect in the principles of
human association gave birth to the murderer; and as for the
adulterer, he is an immortal protest against the absurd laws which
interfere between the sexes. Are not these men, and others of similar
stamp, the bulwarks of true society,--our leaders towards justice and
freedom?"

Whether this were satire, madness, or earnest, Helwyse could not
determine. The night-fog had got into his brain. He made shift,
however, to say that the criminal class were not, as a mere matter of
fact, the most powerful.

"Again you misapprehend me," rejoined the voice, with perfect suavity.
"No doubt there are many weak and foolish persons who commit
crimes,--nay, I will admit that the vast majority of criminals are
weak and foolish; but that does not affect the dignity of the true
sinner,--he who sins from exalted motives. Ignorance is the only real
crime, polluting deeds that, wisely done, are sublime. Sin is
culture!"

"Were I, then, from motives of self-culture, to kill you, I should be
taking a long step towards rising in your estimation?" put in Helwyse.

"Admirable!" softly exclaimed the voice, in a tone as of an approving
pat on the back. "Certainly, I should be the last to deny it! But
would it not be more for the general good, were I, who have long been
a student of these things, to kill a seeming novice like you? It
would assure me of having had one sincere disciple."

"I wonder whether he's really mad?" mused Balder Helwyse, shuddering a
little in the dampness.

"But, badinage aside," resumed this loquacious voice, "although there
is so much talk and dispute about evil, very few people know what evil
essentially is. Now, there are some things, the mere doing of which by
the most involuntary agent would at once stamp his soul with the
conviction of ineffable sin. He would have touched the essence of
evil. And if a wise man has done that, he has had in his hand the key
to omnipotence!"

"It is easily had, then. A man need but take his Leviticus and
Deuteronomy, and run through the catalogue of crimes. He would be sure
of finding the key hidden beneath some of them."

"No; you do Moses scant justice. He--shrewd soul!--was too cunning to
fall into such an error as that. He forbade a few insignificant and
harmless acts, which every one is liable to commit. His policy was no
less simple than sagacious. By amusing mankind with such trumpery, he
lured them off the scent of true sin. Believe me, the arti