AndIsaid，"Hassheevertriedtomove？"
　　Andhesaid，"Sometimesalimbhasquivered。Butsheiswise;sheknowsshecannotrisewiththeburdenonher。"
　　AndIsaid，"Whydoesnothewhostandsbyherleaveherandgoon？"
　　Andhesaid，"Hecannot。Look——"
　　AndIsawabroadbandpassingalongthegroundfromonetotheother，anditboundthemtogether。
　　Hesaid，"Whilesheliestherehemuststandandlookacrossthedesert。"
　　AndIsaid，"Doesheknowwhyhecannotmove？"
　　Andhesaid，"No。"
　　AndIheardasoundofsomethingcracking，andIlooked，andIsawthebandthatboundtheburdenontoherbackbrokenasunder;andtheburdenrolledontotheground。
　　AndIsaid，"Whatisthis？"
　　Andhesaid，"TheAge—of—muscular—forceisdead。TheAge—of—nervous—forcehaskilledhimwiththeknifeheholdsinhishand;andsilentlyandinvisiblyhehascreptuptothewoman，andwiththatknifeofMechanicalInventionhehascutthebandthatboundtheburdentoherback。TheInevitableNecessityitbroken。Shemightrisenow。"
　　AndIsawthatshestilllaymotionlessonthesand，withhereyesopenandherneckstretchedout。Andsheseemedtolookforsomethingonthefar—
　　offborderofthedesertthatnevercame。AndIwonderedifshewereawakeorasleep。AndasIlookedherbodyquivered，andalightcameintohereyes，likewhenasunbeambreaksintoadarkroom。
　　Isaid，"Whatisit？"
　　Hewhispered"Hush！thethoughthascometoher，’MightInotrise？’"
　　AndIlooked。Andsheraisedherheadfromthesand，andIsawthedentwhereherneckhadlainsolong。Andshelookedattheearth，andshelookedatthesky，andshelookedathimwhostoodbyher:buthelookedoutacrossthedesert。
　　AndIsawherbodyquiver;andshepressedherfrontkneestotheearth，andveinsstoodout;andIcried;"Sheisgoingtorise！"
　　Butonlyhersidesheaved，andshelaystillwhereshewas。
　　Butherheadsheheldup;shedidnotlayitdownagain。Andhebesidemesaid，"Sheisveryweak。See，herlegshavebeencrushedunderhersolong。"
　　AndIsawthecreaturestruggle:andthedropsstoodoutonher。
　　AndIsaid，"Surelyhewhostandsbesideherwillhelpher？"
　　Andhebesidemeanswered，"Hecannothelpher:shemusthelpherself。
　　Letherstruggletillsheisstrong。"
　　AndIcried，"Atleasthewillnothinderher！See，hemovesfartherfromher，andtightensthecordbetweenthem，andhedragsherdown。"
　　Andheanswered，"Hedoesnotunderstand。Whenshemovesshedrawsthebandthatbindsthem，andhurtshim，andhemovesfartherfromher。Thedaywillcomewhenhewillunderstand，andwillknowwhatsheisdoing。
　　Letheroncestaggerontoherknees。Inthatdayhewillstandclosetoher，andlookintohereyeswithsympathy。"
　　Andshestretchedherneck，andthedropsfellfromher。Andthecreatureroseaninchfromtheearthandsankback。
　　AndIcried，"Oh，sheistooweak！shecannotwalk！Thelongyearshavetakenallherstrengthfromher。Canshenevermove？"
　　Andheansweredme，"Seethelightinhereyes！"
　　Andslowlythecreaturestaggeredontoitsknees。
　　AndIawoke:andalltotheeastandtotheweststretchedthebarrenearth，withthedrybushesonit。Theantsranupanddownintheredsand，andtheheatbeatfiercely。Ilookedupthroughthethinbranchesofthetreeattheblueskyoverhead。Istretchedmyself，andImusedoverthedreamIhadhad。AndIfellasleepagain，withmyheadonmysaddle。
　　AndinthefierceheatIhadanotherdream。
　　IsawadesertandIsawawomancomingoutofit。Andshecametothebankofadarkriver;andthebankwassteepandhigh。（ThebanksofanAfricanriveraresometimesahundredfeethigh，andconsistofdeepshiftingsands，throughwhichinthecourseofagestheriverhaswornitsgiganticbed。）Andonitanoldmanmether，whohadalongwhitebeard;
　　andastickthatcurledwasinhishand，andonitwaswrittenReason。Andheaskedherwhatshewanted;andshesaid"Iamwoman;andIamseekingforthelandofFreedom。"
　　Andhesaid，"Itisbeforeyou。"
　　Andshesaid，"Iseenothingbeforemebutadarkflowingriver，andabanksteepandhigh，andcuttingshereandtherewithheavysandinthem。"
　　Andhesaid，"Andbeyondthat？"
　　Shesaid，"Iseenothing，butsometimes，whenIshademyeyeswithmyhand，IthinkIseeonthefurtherbanktreesandhills，andthesunshiningonthem！"
　　Hesaid，"ThatistheLandofFreedom。"
　　Shesaid，"HowamItogetthere？"
　　Hesaid，"Thereisoneway，andoneonly。DownthebanksofLabour，throughthewaterofSuffering。Thereisnoother。"
　　Shesaid，"Istherenobridge？"
　　Heanswered。"None。"
　　Shesaid，"Isthewaterdeep？"
　　Hesaid，"Deep。"
　　Shesaid，"Isthefloorworn？"
　　Hesaid，"Itis。Yourfootmayslipatanytime，andyoumaybelost。"
　　Shesaid，"Haveanycrossedalready？"
　　Hesaid，"Somehavetried！"
　　Shesaid，"Isthereatracktoshowwherethebestfordingis？"
　　Hesaid，"Ithastobemade。"
　　Sheshadedhereyeswithherhand;andshesaid，"Iwillgo。"
　　Andhesaid，"Youmusttakeofftheclothesyouworeinthedesert:theyaredraggeddownbythemwhogointothewatersoclothed。"
　　AndshethrewfromhergladlythemantleofAncient—received—opinionsshewore，foritwaswornfullofholes。Andshetookthegirdlefromherwaistthatshehadtreasuredsolong，andthemothsflewoutofitinacloud。Andhesaid，"Taketheshoesofdependenceoffyourfeet。"
　　Andshestoodtherenaked，butforonewhitegarmentthatclungclosetoher。
　　Andhesaid，"Thatyoumaykeep。SotheywearclothesintheLandofFreedom。Inthewateritbuoys;italwaysswims。"
　　AndIsawonitsbreastwaswrittenTruth;anditwaswhite;thesunhadnotoftenshoneonit;theotherclotheshadcovereditup。Andhesaid，"Takethisstick;holditfast。Inthatdaywhenitslipsfromyourhandyouarelost。Putitdownbeforeyou;feelyourway:whereitcannotfindabottomdonotsetyourfoot。"
　　Andshesaid，"Iamready;letmego。"
　　Andhesaid，"No——butstay;whatisthat——inyourbreast？"
　　Shewassilent。
　　Hesaid，"Openit，andletmesee。"
　　Andsheopenedit。Andagainstherbreastwasatinything，whodrankfromit，andtheyellowcurlsabovehisforeheadpressedagainstit;andhiskneesweredrawnuptoher，andheheldherbreastfastwithhishands。
　　AndReasonsaid，"Whoishe，andwhatishedoinghere？"
　　Andshesaid，"Seehislittlewings——"
　　AndReasonsaid，"Puthimdown。"
　　Andshesaid，"Heisasleep，andheisdrinking！IwillcarryhimtotheLandofFreedom。Hehasbeenachildsolong，solong，Ihavecarriedhim。
　　IntheLandofFreedomhewillbeaman。Wewillwalktogetherthere，andhisgreatwhitewingswillovershadowme。Hehaslispedonewordonlytomeinthedesert——’Passion！’Ihavedreamedhemightlearntosay’Friendship’inthatland。"
　　AndReasonsaid，"Puthimdown！"
　　Andshesaid，"Iwillcarryhimso——withonearm，andwiththeotherIwillfightthewater。"
　　Hesaid，"Layhimdownontheground。Whenyouareinthewateryouwillforgettofight，youwillthinkonlyofhim。Layhimdown。"Hesaid，"Hewillnotdie。Whenhefindsyouhavelefthimalonehewillopenhiswingsandfly。HewillbeintheLandofFreedombeforeyou。ThosewhoreachtheLandofFreedom，thefirsthandtheyseestretchingdownthebanktohelpthemshallbeLove’s。Hewillbeamanthen，notachild。Inyourbreasthecannotthrive;puthimdownthathemaygrow。"
　　Andshetookherbosomfromhismouth，andhebither，sothatthebloodrandownontotheground。Andshelaidhimdownontheearth;andshecoveredherwound。Andshebentandstrokedhiswings。AndIsawthehaironherforeheadturnedwhiteassnow，andshehadchangedfromyouthtoage。
　　Andshestoodfaroffonthebankoftheriver。Andshesaid，"ForwhatdoIgotothisfarlandwhichnoonehaseverreached？Oh，Iamalone！Iamutterlyalone！"
　　AndReason，thatoldman，saidtoher，"Silence！Whatdoyouhear？"
　　Andshelistenedintently，andshesaid，"Ihearasoundoffeet，athousandtimestenthousandandthousandsofthousands，andtheybeatthisway！"
　　Hesaid，"Theyarethefeetofthosethatshallfollowyou。Leadon！makeatracktothewater’sedge！Whereyoustandnow，thegroundwillbebeatenflatbytenthousandtimestenthousandfeet。"Andhesaid，"Haveyouseenthelocustshowtheycrossastream？Firstonecomesdowntothewater—edge，anditissweptaway，andthenanothercomesandthenanother，andthenanother，andatlastwiththeirbodiespiledupabridgeisbuiltandtherestpassover。"
　　Shesaid，"And，ofthosethatcomefirst，somearesweptaway，andareheardofnomore;theirbodiesdonotevenbuildthebridge？"
　　"Andaresweptaway，andareheardofnomore——andwhatofthat？"hesaid。
　　"Andwhatofthat——"shesaid。
　　"Theymakeatracktothewater’sedge。"
　　"Theymakeatracktothewater’sedge——。"Andshesaid，"Overthatbridgewhichshallbebuiltwithourbodies，whowillpass？"
　　Hesaid，"Theentirehumanrace。"
　　Andthewomangraspedherstaff。
　　AndIsawherturndownthatdarkpathtotheriver。
　　AndIawoke;andallaboutmewastheyellowafternoonlight:thesinkingsunlitupthefingersofthemilkbushes;andmyhorsestoodbymequietlyfeeding。AndIturnedonmyside，andIwatchedtheantsrunbythousandsintheredsand。IthoughtIwouldgoonmywaynow——theafternoonwascooler。Thenadrowsinesscreptovermeagain，andIlaidbackmyheadandfellasleep。
　　AndIdreamedadream。
　　IdreamedIsawaland。Andonthehillswalkedbravewomenandbravemen，handinhand。Andtheylookedintoeachother’seyes，andtheywerenotafraid。
　　AndIsawthewomenalsoholdeachother’shands。
　　AndIsaidtohimbesideme，"Whatplaceisthis？"
　　Andhesaid，"Thisisheaven。"
　　AndIsaid，"Whereisit？"
　　Andheanswered，"Onearth。"
　　AndIsaid，"Whenshallthesethingsbe？"
　　Andheanswered，"INTHEFUTURE。"
　　AndIawoke，andallaboutmewasthesunsetlight;andonthelowhillsthesunlay，andadeliciouscoolnesshadcreptovereverything;andtheantsweregoingslowlyhome。AndIwalkedtowardsmyhorse，whostoodquietlyfeeding。Thenthesunpasseddownbehindthehills;butIknewthatthenextdayhewouldariseagain。
　　VI。ADREAMOFWILDBEES。
　　Amothersataloneatanopenwindow。Throughitcamethevoicesofthechildrenastheyplayedundertheacacia—trees，andthebreathofthehotafternoonair。Inandoutoftheroomflewthebees，thewildbees，withtheirlegsyellowwithpollen，goingtoandfromtheacacia—trees，droningallthewhile。Shesatonalowchairbeforethetableanddarned。Shetookherworkfromthegreatbasketthatstoodbeforeheronthetable:
　　somelayonherkneeandhalfcoveredthebookthatrestedthere。Shewatchedtheneedlegoinandout;andthedrearyhumofthebeesandthenoiseofthechildren’svoicesbecameaconfusedmurmurinherears，assheworkedslowlyandmoreslowly。Thenthebees，thelong—leggedwasp—likefellowswhomakenohoney，flewcloserandclosertoherhead，droning。
　　Thenshegrewmoreandmoredrowsy，andshelaidherhand，withthestockingoverit，ontheedgeofthetable，andleanedherheaduponit。
　　Andthevoicesofthechildrenoutsidegrewmoreandmoredreamy，camenowfar，nownear;thenshedidnothearthem，butshefeltunderherheartwheretheninthchildlay。Bentforwardandsleepingthere，withthebeesflyingaboutherhead，shehadaweirdbrain—picture;shethoughtthebeeslengthenedandlengthenedthemselvesoutandbecamehumancreaturesandmovedroundandroundher。Thenonecametohersoftly，saying，"Letmelaymyhanduponthysidewherethechildsleeps。IfIshalltouchhimheshallbeasI。"
　　Sheasked，"Whoareyou？"
　　Andhesaid，"IamHealth。WhomItouchwillhavealwaystheredblooddancinginhisveins;hewillnotknowwearinessnorpain;lifewillbealonglaughtohim。"
　　"No，"saidanother，"letmetouch;forIamWealth。IfItouchhimmaterialcareshallnotfeedonhim。Heshallliveonthebloodandsinewsofhisfellow—men，ifhewill;andwhathiseyelustsfor，hishandwillhave。Heshallnotknow’Iwant。’"Andthechildlaystilllikelead。
　　Andanothersaid，"Letmetouchhim:IamFame。ThemanItouch，Ileadtoahighhillwhereallmenmayseehim。Whenhediesheisnotforgotten，hisnameringsdownthecenturies，eachechoesitontohisfellows。Think——nottobeforgottenthroughtheages！"
　　Andthemotherlaybreathingsteadily，butinthebrain—picturetheypressedclosertoher。
　　"Letmetouchthechild，"saidone，"forIamLove。IfItouchhimheshallnotwalkthroughlifealone。Inthegreatestdark，whenheputsouthishandheshallfindanotherhandbyit。Whentheworldisagainsthim，anothershallsay，’YouandI。’"Andthechildtrembled。
　　Butanotherpressedcloseandsaid，"Letmetouch;forIamTalent。Icandoallthings——thathavebeendonebefore。Itouchthesoldier，thestatesman，thethinker，andthepoliticianwhosucceed;andthewriterwhoisneverbeforehistime，andneverbehindit。IfItouchthechildheshallnotweepforfailure。"
　　Aboutthemother’sheadthebeeswereflying，touchingherwiththeirlongtaperinglimbs;and，inherbrain—picture，outoftheshadowoftheroomcameonewithsallowface，deep—lined，thecheeksdrawnintohollows，andamouthsmilingquiveringly。Hestretchedouthishand。Andthemotherdrewback，andcried，"Whoareyou？"Heanswerednothing;andshelookedupbetweenhiseyelids。Andshesaid，"Whatcanyougivethechild——health？"
　　Andhesaid，"ThemanItouch，therewakesupinhisbloodaburningfever，thatshalllickhisbloodasfire。ThefeverthatIwillgivehimshallbecuredwhenhislifeiscured。"
　　"Yougivewealth？"
　　Heshookhishead。"ThemanwhomItouch，whenhebendstopickupgold，heseessuddenlyalightoverhisheadinthesky;whilehelooksuptoseeit，thegoldslipsfrombetweenhisfingers，orsometimesanotherpassingtakesitfromthem。"
　　"Fame？"
　　Heanswered，"likelynot。ForthemanItouchthereisapathtracedoutinthesandbyafingerwhichnomansees。Thathemustfollow。Sometimesitleadsalmosttothetop，andthenturnsdownsuddenlyintothevalley。
　　Hemustfollowit，thoughnoneelseseesthetracing。"
　　"Love？"
　　Hesaid，"Heshallhungerforit——butheshallnotfindit。Whenhestretchesouthisarmstoit，andwouldlayhisheartagainstathingheloves，then，faroffalongthehorizonheshallseealightplay。Hemustgotowardsit。Thethingheloveswillnotjourneywithhim;hemusttravelalone。Whenhepressessomewhattohisburningheart，crying，’Mine，mine，myown！’heshallhearavoice——’Renounce！renounce！thisisnotthine！’"
　　"Heshallsucceed？"
　　Hesaid，"Heshallfail。Whenherunswithotherstheyshallreachthegoalbeforehim。Forstrangevoicesshallcalltohimandstrangelightsshallbeckonhim，andhemustwaitandlisten。Andthisshallbethestrangest:faroffacrosstheburningsandswhere，toothermen，thereisonlythedesert’swaste，heshallseeabluesea！Onthatseathesunshinesalways，andthewaterisblueasburningamethyst，andthefoamiswhiteontheshore。Agreatlandrisesfromit，andheshallseeuponthemountain—topsburninggold。"
　　Themothersaid，"Heshallreachit？"
　　Andhesmiledcuriously。
　　Shesaid，"Itisreal？"
　　Andhesaid，"WhatISreal？"
　　Andshelookedupbetweenhishalf—closedeyelids，andsaid，"Touch。"
　　Andheleanedforwardandlaidhishanduponthesleeper，andwhisperedtoit，smiling;andthisonlysheheard——"Thisshallbethyreward——thattheidealshallberealtothee。"
　　Andthechildtrembled;butthemothersleptonheavilyandherbrain—
　　picturevanished。Butdeepwithinhertheantenatalthingthatlayherehadadream。Inthoseeyesthathadneverseentheday，inthathalf—
　　shapedbrainwasasensationoflight！Light——thatitneverhadseen。
　　Light——thatperhapsitnevershouldsee。Light——thatexistedsomewhere！
　　Andalreadyithaditsreward:theIdealwasrealtoit。
　　London。
　　VII。INARUINEDCHAPEL。
　　"Icannotforgive——Ilove。"
　　Therearefourbarewalls;thereisaChristuponthewalls，inred，carryinghiscross;thereisaBlessedBambinowiththefacerubbedout;
　　thereisMadonnainblueandred;thereareRomansoldiersandaChristwithtiedhands。Alltheroofisgone;overheadistheblue，blueItaliansky;therainhasbeatenholesinthewalls，andtheplasterispeelingfromit。Thechapelstandsherealoneuponthepromontory，andbydayandbynighttheseabreaksatitsfeet。Somesaythatitwassetherebythemonksfromtheislanddownbelow，thattheymightbringtheirsickhereintimesofdeadlyplague。Somesaythatitwassetherethatthepassingmonksandfriars，astheyhurriedbyupontheroadway，mightstopandsaytheirprayershere。Nownoonestopstoprayhere，andthesickcomenomoretobehealed。
　　BehinditrunstheoldRomanroad。IfyouclimbitandcomeandsittherealoneonahotsunnydayyoumayalmosthearatlasttheclinkoftheRomansoldiersuponthepavement，andthesoundofthatoldertime，asyousitthereinthesun，whenHannibalandhismenbrokethroughthebrushwood，andnoroadwas。
　　Nowitisveryquiet。Sometimesapeasantgirlcomesridingbybetweenherpanniers，andyouhearthemule’sfeetbeatuponthebricksofthepavement;sometimesanoldwomangoespastwithabundleofweedsuponherhead，orabrigand—lookingmanhurriesbywithabundleofsticksinhishand;butfortheresttheChapelliesherealoneuponthepromontory，betweenthetwobaysandhearstheseabreakatitsfeet。