to prepare for the task. He find in patience
just how is his strength, and what are his powers.
He study new tongues. He learn new social life,
new environment of old ways, the politics, the law,
the finance, the science, the habit of a new land and
a new people who have come to be since he was.
His glimpse that he have had, whet his appetite only
and enkeen his desire. Nay, it help him to grow
as to his brain. For it all prove to him how
right he was at the first in his surmises. He
have done this alone, all alone! From a ruin
tomb in a forgotten land. What more may he not
do when the greater world of thought is open to him.
He that can smile at death, as we know him.
Who can flourish in the midst of diseases that kill
off whole peoples. Oh! If such an one was
to come from God, and not the Devil, what a force
for good might he not be in this old world of ours.
But we are pledged to set the world free. Our
toil must be in silence, and our efforts all in secret.
For in this enlightened age, when men believe not
even what they see, the doubting of wise men would
be his greatest strength. It would be at once
his sheath and his armor, and his weapons to destroy
us, his enemies, who are willing to peril even our
own souls for the safety of one we love. For
the good of mankind, and for the honour and glory
of God.”
After a general discussion it was determined that
for tonight nothing be definitely settled. That
we should all sleep on the facts, and try to think
out the proper conclusions. Tomorrow, at breakfast,
we are to meet again, and after making our conclusions
known to one another, we shall decide on some definite
cause of action . . .
I feel a wonderful peace and rest tonight. It
is as if some haunting presence were removed from
me. Perhaps . . .
My surmise was not finished, could not be, for I caught
sight in the mirror of the red mark upon my forehead,
and I knew that I was still unclean.
5 October.—We all arose early, and I think
that sleep did much for each and all of us.
When we met at early breakfast there was more general
cheerfulness than any of us had ever expected to experience
again.
It is really wonderful how much resilience there is
in human nature. Let any obstructing cause, no
matter what, be removed in any way, even by death,
and we fly back to first principles of hope and enjoyment.
More than once as we sat around the table, my eyes
opened in wonder whether the whole of the past days
had not been a dream. It was only when I caught
sight of the red blotch on Mrs. Harker’s forehead
that I was brought back to reality. Even now,
when I am gravely revolving the matter, it is almost
impossible to realize that the cause of all our trouble
is still existent. Even Mrs. Harker seems to
lose sight of her trouble for whole spells.
It is only now and again, when something recalls it
