Anditwasnightinhisheartalso。
Thenfromthemarshestohisrightandleftcoldmistsaroseandclosedabouthim。Afine，imperceptiblerainfellinthedark，andgreatdropsgatheredonhishairandclothes。Hisheartbeatslowly，andanumbnesscreptthroughallhislimbs。Then，lookingup，twomerrywisplightscamedancing。Heliftedhisheadtolookatthem。Nearer，nearertheycame。
Sowarm，sobright，theydancedlikestarsoffire。Theystoodbeforehimatlast。Fromthecentreoftheradiatingflameinonelookedoutawoman’sface，laughing，dimpled，withstreamingyellowhair。Inthecentreoftheotherweremerrylaughingripples，likethebubblesonaglassofwine。Theydancedbeforehim。
\"Whoareyou，\"askedthehunter，\"whoalonecometomeinmysolitudeanddarkness？\"
\"WearethetwinsSensuality，\"theycried。\"Ourfather’snameisHuman—
Nature，andourmother’snameisExcess。Weareasoldasthehillsandrivers，asoldasthefirstman;butweneverdie，\"theylaughed。
\"Oh，letmewrapmyarmsaboutyou！\"criedthefirst;\"theyaresoftandwarm。Yourheartisfrozennow，butIwillmakeitbeat。Oh，cometome！\"
\"Iwillpourmyhotlifeintoyou，\"saidthesecond;\"yourbrainisnumb，andyourlimbsaredeadnow;buttheyshalllivewithafiercefreelife。
Oh，letmepouritin！\"
\"Oh，followus，\"theycried，\"andlivewithus。Noblerheartsthanyourshavesathereinthisdarknesstowait，andtheyhavecometousandwetothem;andtheyhaveneverleftus，never。Allelseisadelusion，butwearereal，wearereal，wearereal。Truthisashadow;thevalleysofsuperstitionareafarce:theearthisofashes，thetreesallrotten;butwe——feelus——welive！Youcannotdoubtus。Feelushowwarmweare！Oh，cometous！Comewithus！\"
Nearerandnearerroundhisheadtheyhovered，andthecolddropsmeltedonhisforehead。Thebrightlightshotintohiseyes，dazzlinghim，andthefrozenbloodbegantorun。Andhesaid:
\"Yes，whyshouldIdiehereinthisawfuldarkness？Theyarewarm，theymeltmyfrozenblood！\"andhestretchedouthishandstotakethem。
Theninamomenttherearosebeforehimtheimageofthethinghehadloved，andhishanddroppedtohisside。
\"Oh，cometous！\"theycried。
Butheburiedhisface。
\"Youdazzlemyeyes，\"hecried，\"youmakemyheartwarm;butyoucannotgivemewhatIdesire。Iwillwaithere——waittillIdie。Go！\"
Hecoveredhisfacewithhishandsandwouldnotlisten;andwhenhelookedupagaintheyweretwotwinklingstars，thatvanishedinthedistance。
Andthelong，longnightrolledon。
Allwholeavethevalleyofsuperstitionpassthroughthatdarkland;butsomegothroughitinafewdays，somelingerthereformonths，someforyears，andsomediethere。
Atlastforthehunterafaintlightplayedalongthehorizon，andherosetofollowit;andhereachedthatlightatlast，andsteppedintothebroadsunshine。ThenbeforehimrosethealmightymountainsofDry—factsandRealities。Theclearsunshineplayedonthem，andthetopswerelostintheclouds。Atthefootmanypathsranup。Anexultantcryburstfromthehunter。Hechosethestraightestandbegantoclimb;andtherocksandridgesresoundedwithhissong。Theyhadexaggerated;afterall，itwasnotsohigh，norwastheroadsosteep！Afewdays，afewweeks，afewmonthsatmost，andthenthetop！Notonefeatheronlywouldhepickup;
hewouldgatherallthatothermenhadfound——weavethenet——captureTruth—
—holdherfast——touchherwithhishands——claspher！
Helaughedinthemerrysunshine，andsangloud。Victorywasverynear。
Nevertheless，afterawhilethepathgrewsteeper。Heneededallhisbreathforclimbing，andthesingingdiedaway。Ontherightandleftrosehugerocks，devoidoflichenormoss，andinthelava—likeearthchasmsyawned。Hereandtherehesawasheenofwhitebones。Nowtoothepathbegantogrowlessandlessmarked;thenitbecameameretrace，withafootmarkhereandthere;thenitceasedaltogether。Hesangnomore，butstruckforthapathforhimself，untilitreachedamightywallofrock，smoothandwithoutbreak，stretchingasfarastheeyecouldsee。\"Iwillrearastairagainstit;and，oncethiswallclimbed，Ishallbealmostthere，\"hesaidbravely;andworked。Withhisshuttleofimaginationhedugoutstones;buthalfofthemwouldnotfit，andhalfamonth’sworkwouldrolldownbecausethosebelowwereillchosen。Butthehunterworkedon，sayingalwaystohimself，\"Oncethiswallclimbed，Ishallbealmostthere。Thisgreatworkended！\"
Atlasthecameoutuponthetop，andhelookedabouthim。Farbelowrolledthewhitemistoverthevalleysofsuperstition，andabovehimtoweredthemountains。Theyhadseemedlowbefore;theywereofanimmeasurableheightnow，fromcrowntofoundationsurroundedbywallsofrock，thatrosetierabovetierinmightycircles。Uponthemplayedtheeternalsunshine。Heutteredawildcry。Hebowedhimselfontotheearth，andwhenherosehisfacewaswhite。Inabsolutesilencehewalkedon。Hewasverysilentnow。Inthosehighregionstherarefiedairishardtobreathebythoseborninthevalleys;everybreathhedrewhurthim，andthebloodoozedoutfromthetipsofhisfingers。Beforethenextwallofrockhebegantowork。Theheightofthisseemedinfinite，andhesaidnothing。Thesoundofhistoolrangnightanddayupontheironrocksintowhichhecutsteps。Yearspassedoverhim，yetheworkedon;butthewalltoweredupalwaysabovehimtoheaven。Sometimesheprayedthatalittlemossorlichenmightspringuponthosebarewallstobeacompaniontohim;butitnevercame。
Andtheyearsrolledon;hecountedthembythestepshehadcut——afewforayear——onlyafew。Hesangnomore;hesaidnomore，\"Iwilldothisorthat\"——heonlyworked。Andatnight，whenthetwilightsettleddown，therelookedoutathimfromtheholesandcrevicesintherocksstrangewildfaces。
\"Stopyourwork，youlonelyman，andspeaktous，\"theycried。
\"Mysalvationisinwork，ifIshouldstopbutforonemomentyouwouldcreepdownuponme，\"hereplied。Andtheyputouttheirlongnecksfurther。
\"Lookdownintothecreviceatyourfeet，\"theysaid。\"Seewhatliethere—
—whitebones！Asbraveandstrongamanasyouclimbedtotheserocks。\"
Andhelookedup。Hesawtherewasnouseinstriving;hewouldneverholdTruth，neverseeher，neverfindher。Sohelaydownhere，forhewasverytired。Hewenttosleepforever。Heputhimselftosleep。Sleepisverytranquil。Youarenotlonelywhenyouareasleep，neitherdoyourhandsache，noryourheart。Andthehunterlaughedbetweenhisteeth。
\"HaveItornfrommyheartallthatwasdearest;haveIwanderedaloneinthelandofnight;haveIresistedtemptation;haveIdweltwherethevoiceofmykindisneverheard，andlabouredalone，toliedownandbefoodforyou，yeharpies？\"
Helaughedfiercely;andtheEchoesofDespairslunkaway，forthelaughofabrave，strongheartisasadeathblowtothem。
Neverthelesstheycreptoutagainandlookedathim。
\"Doyouknowthatyourhairiswhite？\"theysaid，\"thatyourhandsbegintotremblelikeachild’s？Doyouseethatthepointofyourshuttleisgone？——itiscrackedalready。Ifyoushouldeverclimbthisstair，\"theysaid，\"itwillbeyourlast。Youwillneverclimbanother。\"
Andheanswered，\"Iknowit！\"andworkedon。
Theold，thinhandscutthestonesillandjaggedly，forthefingerswerestiffandbent。Thebeautyandthestrengthofthemanwasgone。
Atlast，anold，wizened，shrunkenfacelookedoutabovetherocks。Itsawtheeternalmountainsrisewithwallstothewhiteclouds;butitsworkwasdone。
Theoldhunterfoldedhistiredhandsandlaydownbytheprecipicewherehehadworkedawayhislife。Itwasthesleepingtimeatlast。Belowhimoverthevalleysrolledthethickwhitemist。Onceitbroke;andthroughthegapthedyingeyeslookeddownonthetreesandfieldsoftheirchildhood。Fromafarseemedbornetohimthecryofhisownwildbirds，andheheardthenoiseofpeoplesingingastheydanced。Andhethoughtheheardamongthemthevoicesofhisoldcomrades;andhesawfaroffthesunlightshineonhisearlyhome。Andgreattearsgatheredinthehunter’seyes。
\"Ah！theywhodietheredonotdiealone，\"hecried。
Thenthemistsrolledtogetheragain;andheturnedhiseyesaway。
\"Ihavesought，\"hesaid，\"forlongyearsIhavelaboured;butIhavenotfoundher。Ihavenotrested，Ihavenotrepined，andIhavenotseenher;
nowmystrengthisgone。WhereIliedownwornoutothermenwillstand，youngandfresh。BythestepsthatIhavecuttheywillclimb;bythestairsthatIhavebuilttheywillmount。Theywillneverknowthenameofthemanwhomadethem。Attheclumsyworktheywilllaugh;whenthestonesrolltheywillcurseme。Buttheywillmount，andonmywork;theywillclimb，andbymystair！Theywillfindher，andthroughme！Andnomanlivethtohimselfandnomandiethtohimself。\"
Thetearsrolledfrombeneaththeshrivelledeyelids。IfTruthhadappearedabovehiminthecloudsnowhecouldnothaveseenher，themistofdeathwasinhiseyes。
\"Mysoulhearstheirgladstepcoming，\"hesaid;\"andtheyshallmount！
theyshallmount！\"Heraisedhisshrivelledhandtohiseyes。
Thenslowlyfromthewhiteskyabove，throughthestillair，camesomethingfalling，falling，falling。Softlyitfluttereddown，anddroppedontothebreastofthedyingman。Hefeltitwithhishands。Itwasafeather。Hediedholdingit。
III。THEGARDENSOFPLEASURE。
Shewalkeduponthebeds，andthesweetrichscentarose;andshegatheredherhandsfullofflowers。ThenDuty，withhiswhiteclearfeatures，cameandlookedather。Thensheceasedfromgathering，butshewalkedawayamongtheflowers，smiling，andwithherhandsfull。
ThenDuty，withhisstillwhiteface，cameagain，andlookedather;butshe，sheturnedherheadawayfromhim。Atlastshesawhisface，andshedroppedthefairestoftheflowersshehadheld，andwalkedsilentlyaway。
Thenagainhecametoher。Andshemoaned，andbentherheadlow，andturnedtothegate。Butasshewentoutshelookedbackatthesunlightonthefacesoftheflowers，andweptinanguish。Thenshewentout，anditshutbehindherforever;butstillinherhandsheheldofthebudsshehadgathered，andthescentwasverysweetinthelonelydesert。
Buthefollowedher。Oncemorehestoodbeforeherwithhisstill，white，death—likeface。Andsheknewwhathehadcomefor:sheunbentthefingers，andlettheflowersdropout，theflowersshehadlovedso，andwalkedonwithoutthem，withdry，achingeyes。Thenforthelasttimehecame。Andsheshowedhimheremptyhands，thehandsthatheldnothingnow。
Butstillhelooked。Thenatlengthsheopenedherbosomandtookoutofitonesmallflowershehadhiddenthere，andlaiditonthesand。Shehadnothingmoretogivenow，andshewanderedaway，andthegreysandwhirledabouther。
IV。INAFAR—OFFWORLD。
Thereisaworldinoneofthefar—offstars，andthingsdonothappenhereastheyhappenthere。
Inthatworldwereamanandwoman;theyhadonework，andtheywalkedtogethersidebysideonmanydays，andwerefriends——andthatisathingthathappensnowandtheninthisworldalso。
Buttherewassomethinginthatstar—worldthatthereisnothere。Therewasathickwood:wherethetreesgrewclosest，andthestemswereinterlocked，andthesummersunnevershone，therestoodashrine。Inthedayallwasquiet，butatnight，whenthestarsshoneorthemoonglintedonthetree—tops，andallwasquietbelow，ifonecreptherequitealoneandkneltonthestepsofthestonealtar，anduncoveringone’sbreast，sowoundeditthatthebloodfelldownonthealtarsteps，thenwhateverhewhoknelttherewishedforwasgrantedhim。Andallthishappens，asI
said，becauseitisafar—offworld，andthingsoftenhappenthereastheydonothappenhere。
Now，themanandwomanwalkedtogether;andthewomanwishedwelltotheman。Onenightwhenthemoonwasshiningsothattheleavesofallthetreesglinted，andthewavesoftheseaweresilvery，thewomanwalkedalonetotheforest。Itwasdarkthere;themoonlightfellonlyinlittleflecksonthedeadleavesunderherfeet，andthebrancheswereknottedtightoverhead。Fartherinitgotdarker，notevenafleckofmoonlightshone。Thenshecametotheshrine;shekneltdownbeforeitandprayed;
therecamenoanswer。Thensheuncoveredherbreast;withasharptwo—
edgedstonethatlaythereshewoundedit。Thedropsdrippedslowlydownontothestone，andavoicecried，\"Whatdoyouseek？\"
Sheanswered，\"Thereisaman;Iholdhimnearerthananything。Iwouldgivehimthebestofallblessings。\"
Thevoicesaid，\"Whatisit？\"
Thegirlsaid，\"Iknownot，butthatwhichismostgoodforhimIwishhimtohave。\"
Thevoicesaid，\"Yourprayerisanswered;heshallhaveit。\"
Thenshestoodup。Shecoveredherbreastandheldthegarmenttightuponitwithherhand，andranoutoftheforest，andthedeadleavesflutteredunderherfeet。Outinthemoonlightthesoftairwasblowing，andthesandglitteredonthebeach。Sheranalongthesmoothshore，thensuddenlyshestoodstill。Outacrossthewatertherewassomethingmoving。Sheshadedhereyesandlooked。Itwasaboat;itwasslidingswiftlyoverthemoonlitwaterouttosea。Onestooduprightinit;thefacethemoonlightdidnotshow，butthefiguresheknew。Itwaspassingswiftly;itseemedasifnoonepropelledit;themoonlight’sshimmerdidnotletherseeclearly，andtheboatwasfarfromshore，butitseemedalmostasiftherewasanotherfiguresittinginthestern。Fasterandfasteritglidedoverthewateraway，away。Sheranalongtheshore;shecamenonearerit。Thegarmentshehadheldclosedflutteredopen;shestretchedoutherarms，andthemoonlightshoneonherlongloosehair。
Thenavoicebesideherwhispered，\"Whatisit？\"
Shecried，\"WithmybloodIboughtthebestofallgiftsforhim。Ihavecometobringithim！Heisgoingfromme！\"
Thevoicewhisperedsoftly，\"Yourprayerwasanswered。Ithasbeengivenhim。\"
Shecried，\"Whatisit？\"
Thevoiceanswered，\"Itisthathemightleaveyou。\"
Thegirlstoodstill。
Faroutatseatheboatwaslosttosightbeyondthemoonlightsheen。
Thevoicespokesoftly，\"Artthoucontented？\"
Shesaid，\"Iamcontented。\"
Atherfeetthewavesbrokeinlongripplessoftlyontheshore。
V。THREEDREAMSINADESERT。
UnderaMimosa—Tree。
AsItravelledacrossanAfricanplainthesunshonedownhotly。ThenI
drewmyhorseupunderamimosa—tree，andItookthesaddlefromhimandlefthimtofeedamongtheparchedbushes。Andalltorightandtoleftstretchedthebrownearth。AndIsatdownunderthetree，becausetheheatbeatfiercely，andallalongthehorizontheairthrobbed。Andafterawhileaheavydrowsinesscameoverme，andIlaidmyheaddownagainstmysaddle，andIfellasleepthere。And，inmysleep，Ihadacuriousdream。
IthoughtIstoodontheborderofagreatdesert，andthesandblewabouteverywhere。AndIthoughtIsawtwogreatfigureslikebeastsofburdenofthedesert，andonelayuponthesandwithitsneckstretchedout，andonestoodbyit。AndIlookedcuriouslyattheonethatlayupontheground，forithadagreatburdenonitsback，andthesandwasthickaboutit，sothatitseemedtohavepiledoveritforcenturies。
AndIlookedverycuriouslyatit。Andtherestoodonebesidemewatching。
AndIsaidtohim，\"Whatisthishugecreaturewholieshereonthesand？\"
Andhesaid，\"Thisiswoman;shethatbearsmeninherbody。\"
AndIsaid，\"Whydoesshelieheremotionlesswiththesandpiledroundher？\"
Andheanswered，\"Listen，Iwilltellyou！Agesandageslongshehaslainhere，andthewindhasblownoverher。Theoldest，oldest，oldestmanlivinghasneverseenhermove:theoldest，oldestbookrecordsthatshelayherethen，assheliesherenow，withthesandabouther。Butlisten！
Olderthantheoldestbook，olderthantheoldestrecordedmemoryofman，ontheRocksofLanguage，onthehard—bakedclayofAncientCustoms，nowcrumblingtodecay，arefoundthemarksofherfootsteps！Sidebysidewithhiswhostandsbesideheryoumaytracethem;andyouknowthatshewhonowliesthereoncewanderedfreeovertherockswithhim。\"
AndIsaid，\"Whydoesshelietherenow？\"
Andhesaid，\"Itakeit，agesagotheAge—of—dominion—of—muscular—forcefoundher，andwhenshestoopedlowtogivesucktoheryoung，andherbackwasbroad，heputhisburdenofsubjectionontoit，andtieditonwiththebroadbandofInevitableNecessity。Thenshelookedattheearthandthesky，andknewtherewasnohopeforher;andshelaydownonthesandwiththeburdenshecouldnotloosen。Eversinceshehaslainhere。Andtheageshavecome，andtheageshavegone，butthebandofInevitableNecessityhasnotbeencut。\"
AndIlookedandsawinhereyestheterriblepatienceofthecenturies;
thegroundwaswetwithhertears，andhernostrilsblewupthesand。