“What then?  Why, I must submit!” I answered, slowly—­“I can wait, even for another thousand years!”

There was a silence, during which I felt Aselzion’s eyes upon me.  Then he spoke again in a lighter tone.

“Let us for the moment talk of what the world calls ‘miracle’”—­he said—­“I believe you are just now conscious of perfect health, and of a certain joy in the mere fact of life.  Is it not so?”

Smiling, I bent my head in acquiescence.

“Understand then”—­he continued—­“that while you control the life-forces of which you are made, by the power of an all-commanding spirit, this perfect health, this certain joy will continue.  And more than this—­everything in Nature will serve you to this end.  You have but to ask your servants and they will obey.  Ask of the sun its warmth and radiance,—­it will answer with a quick bestowal—­ask of the storm and wind and rain their powers of passion,—­they will give you their all,—­ask of the rose its fragrance and colour, and the very essence of it shall steal into your blood,—­there is nothing you shall seek that you will not find.  Try your own powers now!”—­ and with the word he got up and opened the window a little wider, then signed to me to step out on the balcony—­“Here are roses climbing up on their appointed way—­bend them to-wards you by a single effort of the will!”

I gazed at him in complete surprise and bewilderment.  His answering looks were imperative.

“By a single effort of the will!” he repeated.

I obeyed him.  Raising my eyes to the roses where they clambered upwards round the loggia, I inwardly commanded them to turn towards me.  The effect was instantaneous.  As though blown by a light breeze they all bent down with their burden of bright blossom—­some of the flowers touching my hands.

“That would be called ‘miraculous’ by the ignorant,” said Aselzion—­ “And it is nothing more than the physical force of the magnetic light-rays within you, which, being focused in a single effort, draw the roses down pliantly to your will.  No more miracle is there in this than that of the common magnet which has been vainly trying to teach us lessons about ourselves these many years.  Now, relax your will!”

Again I obeyed, and the roses moved gently away and upward to their former branching height.

“This is an object lesson for you,”—­said Aselzion, smiling then—­ “You must understand that you are now in a position to draw everything to you as easily as you drew those roses!  You can draw the germs of health and life to mix and mingle with your blood—­or—­ you can equally draw the germs of disease and disintegration.  The action is with you.  From the sun you can draw fresh fuel for your brain and nerves—­from the air the sustenance you demand—­from beautiful things their beauty, from wise things their learning, from powerful things their force—­nothing can resist the radiating energy you possess if you only remember how to employ it.  In every action it must be focused on the given point—­it must not be disturbed or scattered.  The more often it is used the more powerful it becomes—­ the more all-conquering.  But never forget that it must work within the Creative Principle of Love—­not outside it.”