visitedbygustsofresentmentagainstapassion,whichforcedhimtopaytheprice,eitherofhiscareer,orofhisself—respect;gusts,followedbyremorsethathecouldsoforonemomentregrethisloveforthattendercreature。ThefaceofLuciferwasnotmoredark,moretortured,thanMiltoun\'sfaceinthetwilightofthegrove,abovethosekingdomsoftheworld,forwhichhisambitionandhisconsciencefought。Hethrewhimselfdownamongthetrees;andstretchingouthisarms,bychancetouchedabeetletryingtocrawloverthegrasslesssoil。Somebirdhadmaimedit。Hetookthelittlecreatureup。Thebeetletrulycouldnolongerwork,butitwassparedthefatelyingbeforehimself。Thebeetlewasnot,ashewouldbe,whenhispowerofmovementwasdestroyed,consciousofhisownwastedlife。Theworldwouldnotrollawaydownthere。Hewouldstillseehimselfcumberingtheground,whenhispowersweretaken,fromhim。Thisthoughtwastorture。Whyhadhebeensufferedtomeether,toloveher,andtobelovedbyher？Whathadmadehimsocertainfromthefirstmoment,ifshewerenotmeantforhim？Ifhelivedtobeahundred,hewouldnevermeetanother。Why,becauseofhislove,mustheburythewillandforceofaman？IftherewerenomorecoherenceinGod\'sschemethanthis,lethimtoobeincoherent！
Lethimholdauthority,andliveoutsideauthority！Whystiflehispowersforthesakeofacoherencewhichdidnotexist！Thatwouldindeedbemadnessgreaterthanthatofamadworld！
Therewasnoanswertohisthoughtsinthestillnessofthegrove,unlessitwerethecooingofadove,orthefaintthuddingofthesheepissuingagainintosunlight。ButslowlythatstillnessstoleintoMiltoun\'sspirit。\"Isitlikethisinthegrave？\"hethought。
\"Aretheboughsofthosetreesthedarkearthoverme？Andthesoundinthemthesoundthedeadhearwhenflowersaregrowing,andthewindpassingthroughthem？Andisthefeelofthisearthhowitfeelstolielookingupforeveratnothing？Islifeanythingbutanightmare,adream;andisnotthisthereality？Andwhymyfury,myinsignificantflame,blowinghereandthere,whenthereisreallynowind,onlyashroudofstillair,andtheseflowersofsunlightthathavebeendroppedonme！Whynotletmyspiritsleep,insteadofeatingitselfawaywithrage;whynotresignmyselfatoncetowaitforthesubstance,ofwhichthisisbuttheshadow！\"
Andhelayscarcelybreathing,lookingupattheunmovingbranchessettingwiththeirdarknessthepearlsofthesky。