her lodger's simple
existence: one which furnishes us no little insight into the process and
progress of that inner impetus towards a career so far from his
inherited position: a yearning, from which he had suffered acutely up to
the time of his sudden freedom. It is, then, somewhat curious that,
throughout his former life, through his boyhood, his years in the Corps,
and the brief period of his society life, Ivan should have been on terms
of genuine intimacy with himself; whereas, after the dissolution of all
artificiality in his surroundings, when at last he stood before himself,
face to face with his naked soul, he became suddenly disturbed,
uncertain, afraid of that self-confidence on which he had hitherto so
prided himself. For many months he had turned from the self-analysis
which would finally have developed into morbidness. And his act had met
its reward. Slowly, at length, there emerged, out of its veiling mists,
that long-neglected animus, which, bearing no malice for neglect, came
to Ivan, and took him by the hand, saying:

"We meet again. Henceforth let us traverse together the appointed road."

In that hour it seemed as if a great wave of understanding and of
welcome overswept Ivan; and when it had passed, he knew that the soul of
him had undergone a change: the great change for which he had not dared
to hope. The evil consequences of his long months of pampering
disappeared. Regret for what had been grew faint. He was glad of the
present: he held out glad arms to the future--that future of labor,
possibly thankless, which he was to dread no more. In fact, he was
become a man, honest and clean and strong; and, for a time, he dwelt in
peace with his best self, and believed his struggle finally ended.

The belief was premature. Evil habit dies not in a day. A few weeks, and
lo! it was upon him again: his coward self, with all its black legion of
habit, laziness, love of ease, gluttony, and petty vice. Thenceforth his
spirit was become a battle-field, whereon, long and long, the two
leaders, angel and devil, manipulated their forces, and held conflict
upon conflict, not one of which appeared decisive. Yet, gradually, it
seemed to him who waited, the standard of intellect rose high and
shining over the white, luminous lines; while that of the animal grew
frayed and faded, beginning to betray the rottenness of its material
beneath the gaudy ornaments. Victory was finally acknowledged when, upon
a November day