nscious metapsychoses."

She of the dimpled and single chin, laid aside her manuscript and stared
reproachfully at Gud. "Do you comprehend it?" she beseeched.

"Why, certainly. But what does it mean?" said Gud, who was always
willing to increase his knowledge if he could do so without interfering
with his previous beliefs.

"It is a new theory," replied the ruby lips, "of the conquest of
anatomy. This theory is based on the hypotheses that the organ called
the brain is nothing but an adventitous, radio-active tumor that yields
two secretions. The external secretion is what is called the mind and
the internal secretion is known as the soul. From this hypothesis there
follows the tetravalent truth:

"All life is anatomy.

"All anatomy is matter.

"All matter is nothing.

"Therefore nothing matters."

"Then why bother about it?" asked Gud.

But she did not answer, for her drooping eyes had again sought the open
book that lay on her dimpled knees, and her voice whippled and yodeled
as she read.

"The immortal soul is destroyed by the psychic spirit.

"The psychic spirit is destroyed by the mental psyche.

"The mental psyche is destroyed by the rational mind.

"The rational mind is destroyed by the common sense.

"The common sense is destroyed by the emotion.

"The emotion is destroyed by the instinct.

"The instinct is destroyed by the physiology.

"The physiology is destroyed by the anatomy.... How do you like my
eyes?"

"Very," said Gud, "for your pupils shine as unborn souls of May-green
stars floating in the nebulous nonentity."

After which her butler came to say that Messrs. Confucius and Buddha
were calling.

Chapter XLIX

We have built our own skyscrapers
Out of slender metal girders,
We have flung our shining cities,
Reaped our harvests from the sod....
With our paths of empire crimson
From a list of countless murders,
We go shrieking down the darkness,
Bent on worshipping a god.

Chapter L

Gud came around a bend in the Impossible Curve and lo, the Curve
broadened into a great highway which was very smooth. The way had been
rough before, so Gud now rejoiced and struck his staff gleefully on the
pavement, as he walked on in the middle of the great highway. But ere he
had progressed far, there came from behind him an agonizing shriek, as
of a man being flayed alive because he loved his neighbor's wife.

The agonizing shriek startled