Alone！
Heneededtobe。Thestrongestmustpausewhentheprecipiceyawnsbeforehim。Thegulfcanbespanned；hefeelshimselfforcefulenoughforthat；buthiseyesmusttaketheirmeasurementofitfirst；hemustknowitsdepthsandpossibledangers。Onlyafoolwouldignorethesesteepsofjaggedrock；andhewasnofool，onlyamantowhomtheunexpectedhadhappened，amanwhohadseenhiswaycleartothehorizonandthenhadcomeupagainstthis！Love，whenhethoughtsuchfollydead！Remorse，whenGlorycalledforthequietmindandheart！
Herecogniseditsmordantfang，andknewthatitsravages，thoughonlyjustbegun，wouldlasthislifetime。Nothingcouldstopthemnow，nothing，nothing。Andhelaughed，asthethoughtwenthome；
laughedattheironyoffateanditsinexorableness；laughedathisowndefeatandhisnearnesstoabarredParadise。OswaldlovedEdith，lovedheryet，withaflametimewouldtakelongtoquench。DorislovedOswaldandheDoris；andnotoneofthemwouldeverattainthedelightseachwassofittedtoenjoy。Whyshouldn’thelaugh?Whatislefttomanbutmockerywhenallpropsfall?Disappointmentwastheuniversallot；anditshouldgomerrilywithhimifhemusttakehisturnatit。Butherethestrongspiritofthemanre-asserteditself；itshouldbebutaturn。Aman’sjoysarenotboundedbyhislovesorevenbythesatisfactionofaperfectlyuntrammelledmind。Performancemakesaworldofitsownforthecapableandthestrong，andthiswasstilllefttohim。He，OrlandoBrotherson，despairwhilehisgreatworklayunfinished！Thatwouldbetolaystressontheinevitablepainsandfearsofcommonplacehumanity。
Hewasnotofthatilk。Intellectwashisgod；ambitionhismotivepower。Whatwouldthiscasualblightuponhissupremecontentmentbetohim，whenwiththewingsofhisair-carspread，heshouldspurntheearthandsoarintotheheavenoffamesimultaneouslywithhisflightintotheopen。