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This is the heavenly light； the pearly stain
Was but a wind…cloud drifting oer the stars！
VI
I find I have so many things in common with the old Master of Arts；
that I do not always know whether a thought was originally his or
mine。 That is what always happens where two persons of a similar
cast of mind talk much together。 And both of them often gain by the
interchange。 Many ideas grow better when transplanted into another
mind than in the one where they sprang up。 That which was a weed in
one intelligence becomes a flower in the other。 A flower； on the
other hand； may dwindle down to a mere weed by the same change。
Healthy growths may become poisonous by falling upon the wrong mental
soil； and what seemed a night…shade in one mind unfold as a morning…
glory in the other。
I thank God；the Master said；that a great many people believe a
great deal more than I do。 I think； when it comes to serious
matters； I like those who believe more than I do better than those
who believe less。
Why；said I；you have got hold of one of my own working axioms。
I should like to hear you develop it。
The Member of the Haouse said he should be glad to listen to the
debate。 The gentleman had the floor。 The Scarabee rose from his
chair and departed；I thought his joints creaked as he straightened
himself。
The Young Girl made a slight movement； it was a purely accidental
coincidence； no doubt； but I saw That Boy put his hand in his pocket
and pull out his popgun； and begin loading it。 It cannot be that our
Scheherezade； who looks so quiet and proper at the table； can make
use of That Boy and his catapult to control the course of
conversation and change it to suit herself！ She certainly looks
innocent enough； but what does a blush prove； and what does its
absence prove； on one of these innocent faces？ There is nothing in
all this world that can lie and cheat like the face and the tongue of
a young girl。 Just give her a little touch of hysteria；I don't
mean enough of it to make her friends call the doctor in； but a
slight hint of it in the nervous system；and 〃Machiavel the waiting…
maid〃 might take lessons of her。 But I cannot think our Scheherezade
is one of that kind； and I am ashamed of myself for noting such a
trifling coincidence as that which excited my suspicion。
I say；the Master continued；that I had rather be in the company
of those who believe more than I do； in spiritual matters at least；
than of those who doubt what I accept as a part of my belief。
To tell the truth；said I；I find that difficulty sometimes in
talking with you。 You have not quite so many hesitations as I have
in following out your logical conclusions。 I suppose you would bring
some things out into daylight questioning that I had rather leave in
that twilight of half…belief peopled with shadowsif they are only
shadowsmore sacred to me than many realities。
There is nothing I do not question；said the Master；I not only
begin with the precept of Descartes； but I hold all my opinions
involving any chain of reasoning always open to revision。
I confess that I smiled internally to hear him say that。 The old
Master thinks he is open to conviction on all subjects； but if you
meddle with some of his notions and don't get tossed on his horns as
if a bull had hold of you； I should call you lucky。
You don't mean you doubt everything？I said。
What do you think I question everything for； the Master replied；
if I never get any answers？ You've seen a blind man with a stick；
feeling his way along？ Well； I am a blind man with a stick； and I
find the world pretty full of men just as blind as I am； but without
any stick。 I try the ground to find out whether it is firm or not
before I rest my weight on it； but after it has borne my weight； that
question at least is answered。 It very certainly was strong enough
once； the presumption is that it is strong enough now。 Still the
soil may have been undermined； or I may have grown heavier。 Make as
much of that as you will。 I say I question everything； but if I find
Bunker Hill Monument standing as straight as when I leaned against it
a year or ten years ago； I am not very much afraid that Bunker Hill
will cave in if I trust myself again on the soil of it。
I glanced off； as one often does in talk。
The Monument is an awful place to visit；I said。…The waves of time
are like the waves of the ocean； the only thing they beat against
without destroying it is a rock； and they destroy that at last。 But
it takes a good while。 There is a stone now standing in very good
order that was as old as a monument of Louis XIV。 and Queen Anne's
day is now when Joseph went down into Egypt。 Think of the shaft on
Bunker Hill standing in the sunshine on the morning of January 1st in
the year 5872！
It won't be standing；the Master said。…We are poor bunglers
compared to those old Egyptians。 There are no joints in one of their
obelisks。 They are our masters in more ways than we know of； and in
more ways than some of us are willing to know。 That old Lawgiver
wasn't learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians for nothing。 It
scared people well a couple of hundred years ago when Sir John
Marsham and Dr。 John Spencer ventured to tell their stories about the
sacred ceremonies of the Egyptian priesthood。 People are beginning
to find out now that you can't study any religion by itself to any
good purpose。 You must have comparative theology as you have
comparative anatomy。 What would you make of a cat's foolish little
good…for…nothing collar…bone； if you did not know how the same bone
means a good deal in other creatures；in yourself； for instance； as
you 'll find out if you break it？ You can't know too much of your
race and its beliefs； if you want to know anything about your Maker。
I never found but one sect large enough to hold the whole of me。
And may I ask what that was？I said。
The Human sect；the Master answered。 That has about room enough
for me；at present； I mean to say。
Including cannibals and all？said I。
…Oh； as to that； the eating of one's kind is a matter of taste； but
the roasting of them has been rather more a specialty of our own
particular belief than of any other I am acquainted with。 If you
broil a saint； I don't see why； if you have a mind； you shouldn't
serve him up at your
Pop！ went the little piece of artillery。 Don't tell me it was
accident。 I know better。 You can't suppose for one minute that a
boy like that one would time his interruptions so cleverly。 Now it
so happened that at that particular moment Dr。 B。 Franklin was not at
the table。 You may draw your own conclusions。 I say nothing； but I
think a good deal。
I came back to the Bunker Hill Monument。…I often thinkI said
of the dynasty which is to reign in its shadow for some thousands of
years； it may be。
The 〃Man of Letters；〃 so called； asked me； in a tone I did not
exactly like； whether I expected to live long enough to see a
monarchy take the place of a republic in this country。
No；said I；I was thinking of something very different。 I was
indulging a fancy of mine about the Man who is to sit at the foot of
the monument fo