The Mystics

the grain of doubt had been scattered over the banquet he had set himself to enjoy. It was one thing to fool men who yearned to be fooled-even to fool women whose peculiarities set them apart

binding of the Scitsym caught the subdued light. The sight of the book had nerved him, as it never failed to do; but for all his regained firmness, the sense of uneasy shame h

f, the Mystics were in reality nothing but the products of a neurotic age-mere hysterical dabblers in the truths of the universe. She was too delicately feminine, he told himself with growing conviction, too intelligent and self-controlled, to be more than temporarily attracted to any such exotic creed. She might toy with it for a while, but the day must inevitably dawn when

ing. The stream of suppliants for his favor was all but exh

e interviews, the sonorous gong announced the last visitor; the

arked her early manner. She came towards the table with

n when she entered the room, as was his custom with the other members of the sect. Involuntarily and

nced up at him, and something of

ired," she

smi

t disappo

e confu

ed slightly and glanced at

to refuse any common weakness to

olor crossed her

ely

ming to gather up her coura

some people are so strong that the

could have told the date on which the change had occurred-perhaps neither was conscious that it had even taken place. But the fact remained that, with her, h

said again, as she mad

her eyes once

to the people he has come to teach. All the prophets of the world have essentially belonged to their own times. If you had sat upon the Throne all day and communed with your Soul, I sho

ssion crossed th

eem a-f

ied in my life, as in these last three weeks. Every disappointment and dissatisfaction seems to have slipped away; I seem to have

; that you must crave for the moment when, having taught us everything, you will go out into the world and teach the Unb

hink that all

hough the contact of glances em

or being so selfish-so jealous of those

dim light of the room, the muscles of his hard

ise me?" she

one-you least of all," he ans

unexpected words, she tur

angry w

eed,

it? What have

ained

d forward in her chair, looking

displeased you. Won't you

e fixed upon the Scitsym, he was conscious in every fibre of the appeal the unstudied gesture made-

ned unbroken; at last, with a little sound

odness. You think I have imagined that, because you are kind and patient and tolerant, I migh

ingers over hers. The pressure of his hand was like stee

ed to hear you say just that one word man!" He paused almost triumphan

cinated; then a faint sound of alarm esc

ed the room, and stood silent spectators of the tableau. One wa

n the Precursor hastened to save the situation. He made a lon

m within you, calling one among us towards the Light!" He glanced quickly over his should

med to gather himself together. Stepping f

eshold unguarded, we concluded that the audiences for the day were over." His prominen

ed to his face, the stern rigidity to his figure. Very slo

th dignity. "He holds audience whenever, wherever, and howev

escaped his mind. For a while inaction reigned in the room; then, with a pale face a

she had disappeared; then Ba

on, I also would leave the Presence;" and with a pert