All Men are Ghosts

his logic to pieces, and conclude by saying, with the air of people who keep their strongest argument to the last: "It looks, at all events, as though the friendly Universe had done

that very Universe whose friendliness he had set himself to prove. Among the many lonely souls who live in crowded places it would be hard to find one lonelier than he. Even the demonstrated friendliness of the Universe did not seem to thaw his heart, or

of daily practice to remind him of the failure, driving the reminder home with the help of expletives learnt in her father's stables long ago. John Scattergood would retire from these interviews talking to himself. "If I could keep her from the morphia," he would say, "I think I could bear the rest." He would then shut himself up in his study, would take out

ithin the four corners of his philosophy. But alas! All Q.E.D.'s are fatal to emotion, and it was Q.E.D. that Scattergood had placed at the end of his great thesis. In some respects he resembled that other great philosopher who became so absorbed in his proof of the existence of God that he forgot to say his prayers. The fact of the matter is, that after proving the ultima

ace of the world, or a moment of contact with any one of the innumerable friendly presences which the world harbours, was worth more to him, both as philosopher and man, than were all the achievemen

The Inflexible Method, thank God, saved him from that. But if you ask me how it all came about, I am bound to confess I don't know. All we can be sure of is that his mare did for Professor Scatte

ring them aloud. But the fact is, I am going to deliver a new course; and I find that horse-exercise quickens the action of the brain-a n

iful animal," sai

utiful." And then in his softe

ona, non so qu

etting out for his daily ride on a magnificent racehorse in the pink of condition was indeed a vision to fill the bold with astonishment and the timid with alarm. "The man is mad," said some; "will no one warn h

a suitable mount for a man of your years. She ought to b

uld induce me to part wit

hen think of your--" I was going to say "your wife," but I checked myself in time: "Think of your work. It's a very serious matter. Sure as f

now that?" he

d you escaped only by a miracle. She'll do it agai

again," he said in t

said, thinking that I ha

ow. I know it

nflexible

e. "There are different kinds of certainty,

n than the I

ed. "I'm sick to death of it. You'll do

thinking of; what I am concerned about is your life. Now, Scattergood," I added-fo

certain sort of fool. But not about Ethelberta. We understand each other perfectly. She looks after me and t

e heard to-day, and they're horribly confusing, even when they are

an," he said, "that Ethelberta m

reatly fear that Ethelberta may be one of its ministers. Now, here's a plain question. Would you be prepared to stand before your class to-morrow mo

uld find them rea

s good

ch I trust my lif

are

sons would lose their force. But until th

e reasons taboo? Have yo

far too serious. There is more at s

s at stake," said I; and I

gs of far greater importance. My life,

e to a beast for no reasons you can assign; or we, your disciples,

er risk," he ans

tter reasons for trusting your beast t

d

quite s

a

s, run the bigger risk in trusting ourselves to your

gely mistaken

can you have, other than those you have given us, for trust

easons I have given you, I have all those wh

hey affect yo

fect it

confirmation

irmat

lready conclusively proved, and yet

at way, if

hat you will be able one day to

if I live long enough, is to show that all of you ar

risking our lives on

he said; "and you are fools not to see it. Did

one of two things. Either you must radically change your system-or

eplied, "I shall no

iverse preserve you from being kille