That’sthewaythewillisdonein’eaven。That’swotIarstforalldaylong——forittobedoneonearthasitisin’eaven。’WhatcouldIsay？CouldItellherthatthewilloftheDeityontheearthhecreatedwasonlythewilltodoevil——togivepain——tocrushthecreaturemadeinHisownimage。Whatelsedowemeanwhenwesayunderallhorrorandagonythatbefalls，`ItisGod’swill——God’swillbedone。’
　　BaseunbelieverthoughIam，Icouldnotspeakthewords。Oh，shehassomethingwehavenot。Herpoor，littlemisspentlifehaschangeditselfintoashiningthing，thoughitshinesandglowsonlyinthishideousplace。
　　Sheherselfdoesnotknowofitsshining。ButDrunkenBetwouldstaggeruptoherroomandasktobetoldwhatshecalledher`pantermine’
　　stories。Ihaveseenhertheresittinglistening——listeningwithstrangequietonheranddullyearninginhersoddeneyes。Sowouldotherandworsewomengotoher，andI，whohadstruggledwiththem，couldseethatshehadreachedsomeremotelongingintheirbeingswhichIhadnevertouched。Intimetheseedwouldhavestirredtolife——itisbeginningtostirevennow。Duringthemonthssinceshecamebacktothecourt——thoughtheyhavelaughedather——bothmenandwomenhavebeguntoseeherasacreatureweirdlysetapart。Mostofthemfeelsomethinglikeaweofher;theyhalfbelieveherprayerstobebewitchments，buttheywantthemontheirside。
　　Theyhaveneverwantedmine。ThatIhaveknown——KNOWN。ShebelievesthatherDeityisinAppleBlossomCourt——inthedireholesitspeoplelivein，onthebrokenstairway，ineverynookandawfulcrannyofit——
　　agreatGlorywewillnotsee——onlywaitingtobecalledandtoanswer。
　　Do_I_believeit——doyou——doanyofthoseanointedofuswhopreacheachdaysoglibly`GodisEVERYWHERE’？
　　Whoistheonewhobelieves？IfthereweresuchamanhewouldgoaboutasMosesdidwhen`Hewistnotthathisfaceshone。’"
　　Theyhadgoneouttogetherandwerestandinginthefoginthecourt。Thecurateremovedhishatandpassedhishandkerchiefoverhisdampforehead，hisbreathcomingandgoingalmostsobbingly，hiseyesstaringstraightbeforehimintotheyellownessofthehaze。
　　"Who，"hesaidafteramomentofsingularsilence，"whoareyou？"
　　AntonyDarthesitatedafewseconds，andattheendofhispauseheputhishandintohisovercoatpocket。
　　"IfyouwillcomeupstairswithmetotheroomwherethegirlGladlives，Iwilltellyou，"hesaid，"butbeforewegoIwanttohandsomethingovertoyou。"
　　Thecurateturnedanamazedgazeuponhim。
　　"Whatisit？"heasked。
　　Dartwithdrewhishandfromhispocket，andthepistolwasinit。
　　"Icameoutthismorningtobuythis，"hesaid。"Iintended——nevermindwhatIintended。Awrongturntakeninthefogbroughtmehere。Takethisthingfrommeandkeepit。"
　　Thecuratetookthepistolandputitintohisownpocketwithoutcomment。
　　Inthecourseofhislaborshehadseendesperatemenanddesperatethingsmanytimes。Hehadevenbeen——atmoments——adesperatemanthinkingdesperatethingshimself，thoughnohumanbeinghadeversuspectedthefact。Thismanhadfacedsometragedy，hecouldsee。
　　Hadhebeenonthevergeofacrime——hadhelookedmurderintheeyes？
　　Whathadmadehimpause？WasitpossiblethatthedreamofJinnyMontaubynbeingintheairhadreachedhisbrain——hisbeing？
　　Helookedalmostappealinglyathim，butheonlysaidaloud:
　　"Letusgoupstairs，then。"
　　Sotheywent。
　　AstheypassedthedooroftheroomwherethedeadwomanlayDartwentinandspoketoMissMontaubyn，whowasstillthere。
　　"Iftherearethingswantedhere，"
　　hesaid，"thiswillbuythem。"Andheputsomemoneyintoherhand。
　　Shedidnotseemsurprisedattheincongruityofhisshabbinessproducingmoney。
　　"Well，now，"shesaid，"IWAS
　　wonderin’an’askin’。I’dlike’ercleanan’nice，an’there’smilkwantedbadforthebiby。"
　　IntheroomtheymountedtoGladwastryingtofeedthechildwithbreadsoftenedintea。Pollysatnearherlookingonwithrestless，eagereyes。Shehadneverseenanythingofherownbabybutitslimpnewbornanddeadbodybeingcarriedawayoutofsight。Shehadnotevendaredtoaskwhatwasdonewithsuchpoorlittlecarrion。Thetyrannyofthelawoflifemadeherwanttopawandtouchthislatelybornthing，asheragonyhadgivenhernofruitofherownbodytotouchandpawandnuzzleandcaressasmothercreatureswillwhethertheybewomenortigressesordovesorfemalecats。
　　"Letmeholdher，Glad，"shehalfwhimpered。"Whenshe’sfedletmegethertosleep。"
　　"Allright，"Gladanswered;"wecouldlookafter’erbetweenuswellenough。"
　　Thethiefwasstillsittingonthehearth，butbeingfullfedandcomfortableforthefirsttimeinmanyaday，hehadrestedhisheadagainstthewallandfallenintoprofoundsleep。
　　"Wot’sup？"saidGladwhenthetwomencamein。"Isanythin’
　　’appenin’？"
　　"Ihavecomeupheretotellyousomething，"Dartanswered。"Letussitdownagainroundthefire。Itwilltakealittletime。"
　　GladwitheagereyesonhimhandedthechildtoPollyandsatdownwithoutamoment’shesitance，avidofwhatwastocome。Shenudgedthethiefwithfriendlyelbowandhestartedupawake。
　　"’E’sgotsomethin’totellus，"
　　sheexplained。"Thecurick’scomeupto’earit，too。Sit’ere，Polly，"
　　withelbowjerktowardthebundleofsacks。"It’sgotitsstummickfullan’it’llgotosleepfastenough。"
　　Sotheysatagainintheweirdcircle。Neitherthestrangenessofthegroupnorthesqualorofthehearthwereofanaturetobenewthingstothecurate。HiseyesfixedthemselvesonDart’sface，asdidtheeyesofthethief，thebeggar，andtheyoungthingofthestreet。Nooneglancedawayfromhim。
　　Histellingofhisstorywasalmostmonotonousinitssemi—reflectivequietnessoftone。Thestrangenesstohimself——thoughitwasastrangenessheacceptedabsolutelywithoutprotest——layinhistellingitatall，andinasenseofhisknowledgethateachofthesecreatureswouldunderstandandmysteriouslyknowwhatdepthshehadtouchedthisday。
　　"JustbeforeIleftmylodgingsthismorning，"hesaid，"IfoundmyselfstandinginthemiddleofmyroomandspeakingtoSomethingaloud。IdidnotknowIwasgoingtospeak。IdidnotknowwhatI
　　wasspeakingto。Iheardmyownvoicecryoutinagony，`Lord，Lord，whatshallIdotobesaved？’"
　　Thecuratemadeasuddenmove—
　　mentinhisplaceandhissallowyoungfaceflushed。Buthesaidnothing。
　　Glad’ssmallandsharpcountenancebecamecurious。
　　"`Speak，Lord，thyservant’eareth，’"shequotedtentatively。
　　"No，"answeredDart;"itwasnotlikethat。Ihadneverthoughtofsuchthings。Ibelievednothing。
　　IwasgoingouttobuyapistolandwhenIreturnedintendedtoblowmybrainsout。"
　　"Why？"askedGlad，withpassionatelyintenteyes;"why？"
　　"BecauseIwaswornoutanddonefor，andalltheworldseemedwornoutanddonefor。AndamongotherthingsIbelievedIwasbeginningslowlytogomad。"
　　Fromthethiefthereburstforthalowgroanandheturnedhisfacetothewall。
　　"I’vebeenthere，"hesaid;"I’mneartherenow。"
　　Darttookupspeechagain。
　　"Therewasnoanswer——none。
　　AsIstoodwaiting——Godknowsforwhat——thedeadstillnessoftheroomwaslikethedeadstillnessofthegrave。
　　AndIwentoutsayingtomysoul，`Thisiswhathappenstothefoolwhocriesaloudinhispain。’"
　　"I’vecriedaloud，"saidthethief，"andsometimesitseemedasifananswerwascoming——butIalwaysknewitneverwould！"inatorturedvoice。
　　"’Tain’tfairtoarstthatwye，"
　　Gladputinwithshrewdlogic。
　　"MissMontaubynsheallersknowsitWILLcome——an’itdoes。"
　　"Something——notmyself——turnedmyfeettowardthisplace，"saidDart。
　　"Iwasthrustfromonethingtoanother。Iwasforcedtoseeandhearthingscloseathand。IthasbeenasifIwasunderaspell。Thewomanintheroombelow——thewomanlyingdead！"Hestoppedasecond，andthenwenton:"Thereistoomuchthatiscryingoutaloud。AmansuchasIam——ithasFORCEDitselfuponme——cannotleavesuchthingsandgivehimselftothedust。IcannotexplainclearlybecauseIamnotthinkingasIamaccustomedtothink。Achangehascomeuponme。Ishallnotusethepistol——asImeanttouseit。"
　　Gladmadeafriendlyclutchatthesleeveofhisshabbycoat。
　　"RightO！"shecried。"That’sit！YoubuckupsimeasItoldyer。
　　Y’ain’tstonybrokean’there’s’allersto—morrer。"
　　AntonyDart’sexpressionwasweirdlyretrospective。
　　"Ididnotthinksothismorning，"
　　heanswered。
　　"Butthereis，"saidthegirl。
　　"Ain’ttherenow，curick？There’saloto’workinyeryet;yercoulddoallsortso’thingsify’ain’ttooproud。I’ll’elpyer。So’llthecurick。Y’ain’tfoundoutyetwhatalittlefolkscanliveontillluckturns。Me，I’mgoin’totryMissMontaubyn’swye。Le’sbothtry。Le’sbelievethingsiscomin’。
　　Le’sget’ertotalktoussomemore。"
　　Thecuratewasthinkingthethingoverdeeply。
　　"Yersee，"Gladenlargedcheerfully，"yerlookalmostlikeagentleman。
　　P’rapsyercanwriteagood’andan’spellallright。Canyer？"
　　"Yes。"
　　"Ithink，perhaps，"thecuratebeganreflectively，"particularlyifyoucanwritewell，Imightbeabletogetyousomework。"
　　"Idonotwantwork，"Dartansweredslowly。"AtleastIdonotwantthekindyouwouldbelikelytoofferme。"
　　Thecuratefeltashock，asifcoldwaterhadbeendashedoverhim。
　　Somehowithadnotonceoccurredtohimthatthemancouldbeoneoftheeducateddegenerateviciousforwhomnopowertohelplayinanyhands——yethewasnotthecommonvagrant——andhewasplainlyonthepointofproducinganexcuseforrefusingwork。
　　Theotherman，seeinghisstartandhisamazed，troubledflush，putoutahandandtouchedhisarmapologetically。
　　"Ibegyourpardon，"hesaid。
　　"OneofthethingsIwasgoingtotellyou——Ihadnotfinished——wasthatIAMwhatiscalledagentleman。
　　Iamalsowhattheworldknowsasarichman。IamSirOliverHolt。"
　　Eachmemberofthepartygazedathimaghast。Itwasanenormousnametoclaim。Eventhetwofemalecreaturesknewwhatitstoodfor。Itwasthenamewhichrepresentedthegreatestwealthandpowerintheworldoffinanceandschemesofbusiness。
　　Itstoodforfinancialinfluencewhichcouldchangethefaceofnationalfortunesandbringaboutcrises。Itwasknownthroughouttheworld。YesterdaythenewspaperrumorthatitsownerhadmysteriouslyleftEnglandhadcausedmenon’Changetodiscusspossibilitiestogetherwithloweredvoices。
　　Gladstaredatthecurate。Forthefirsttimeshelookeddisturbedandalarmed。
　　"Blimme，"sheejaculated，"’e’sgoneoff’isnut，porechap！——’e’sgoneoffit！"
　　"No，"themananswered，"youshallcometome"——hehesitatedasecondwhileashadepassedoverhiseyes——"TO—MORROW。Andyoushallsee。"
　　Herosequietlytohisfeetandthecuraterosealso。Abnormalastheclimaxwas，itwastobeseenthattherewasnomistakeabouttherevelation。Themanwasacreatureofauthorityandusedtocarryingconvictionbyhisunsupportedword。
　　Thatmadeitself，bysomeclear，unspokenmethod，plain。
　　"YouareSirOliverHolt！Andafewhoursagoyouwereonthepointof——"
　　"Endingitall——inanobscurelodging。Afterwardtheearthwouldhavebeenshovelledontoawork—
　　housecoffin。Itwasanawfulthing。"
　　Heshookoffapassionateshudder。
　　"Therewasnowealthonearththatcouldgivemeamoment’sease——
　　sleep——hope——life。ThewholeworldwasfullofthingsIloathedthesightandthoughtof。Thedoctorssaidmyconditionwasphysical。Perhapsitwas——perhapsto—dayhasstrangelygivenahealthfuljolttomynerves——perhapsIhavebeendraggedawayfromtheagonyofmorbidityandplungedintonewintenseemotionswhichhavesavedmefromthelastthingandtheworst——SAVED
　　me！"
　　Hestoppedsuddenlyandhisfaceflushed，andthenquiteslowlyturnedpale。
　　"SAVEDME！"herepeatedthewordsasthecuratesawtheawedbloodcreepinglyrecede。"Whoknows，whoknows！Howmanyexplanationsoneisreadytogivebeforeonethinksofwhatwesaywebelieve。
　　Perhapsitwas——theAnswer！"
　　Thecuratebowedhisheadreverently。
　　"Perhapsitwas。"
　　ThegirlGladsatclingingtoherknees，hereyeswideandawedandwithasuddengushofhysterictearsrushingdownhercheeks。
　　"That’sthewye！That’sthewye！"shegulpedout。"Noonewon’tneverbelieve——theywon’t，NEVER。That’swhatshesees，MissMontaubyn。Youdon’t，’Edon’t，"
　　withajerktowardthecurate。"I
　　ain’tnothin’butME，butblimmeifI
　　don’t——blimme！"
　　SirOliverHoltgrewpalerstill。
　　HefeltashehaddonewhenJinnyMontaubyn’spoordresssweptagainsthim。Hisvoiceshookwhenhespoke。
　　"SodoI，"hesaidwithasuddendeepcatchofthebreath;"itwastheAnswer。"
　　InafewmomentsmorehewenttothegirlPollyandlaidahandonhershoulder。
　　"Ishalltakeyouhometoyourmother，"hesaid。"Ishalltakeyoumyselfandcareforyouboth。Sheshallknownothingyouareafraidofherhearing。Ishallaskhertobringupthechild。Youwillhelpher。"
　　Thenhetouchedthethief，whogotupwhiteandshakingandwitheyesmoistwithexcitement。
　　"Youshallneverseeanothermanclaimyourthoughtbecauseyouhavenottimeormoneytoworkitout。
　　Youwillgowithme。Thereareto—morrowsenoughforyou！"
　　Gladstillsatclingingtoherkneesandwithtearsrunning，buttheuglinessofhersharp，smallfacewasathinganangelmighthavepausedtosee。
　　"Youdon’twanttogoawayfromhere，"SirOliversaidtoher，andsheshookherhead。
　　"No，notme。ItoldyerwotI
　　wanted。Lemmedoit。"
　　"Youshall，"heanswered，"andIwillhelpyou。"
　　ThethingswhichdevelopedinAppleBlossomCourtlater，thethingswhichcametoeachofthosewhohadsatintheweirdcircleroundthefire，therevelationsofnewexistencewhichcametoherself，arousednoamazementinJinnyMontaubyn’smind。Shehadaskedandbelievedallthings——andallthiswasbutanotheroftheAnswers。