Mr. Heard, barely conscious of what he was doing, obeyed the counsel.  Raising his hand, he pushed the silken awning to one side.  Then he peered skyward, into the noonday zenith; into an ocean of blue, immeasurable.  There was no end to this azure liquid.  Gazing thus, his intelligence became aware of the fact that there are skies of different kinds.  This one was not quite like his native firmament.  Here was no suggestion of a level space overhead, remote, but still conceivable—­a space whereon some god might have sat enthroned, note-book in hand, jotting down men’s virtues, and vices, and what not.  A sky of this kind was obviously not built to accommodate deities in a sitting posture.

Instead of commenting on this simple observation he remarked: 

“I mean, whether one should publicly approve of van Koppen’s ladies, supposing they exist.”

“Why should I approve or disapprove?  Old Koppen’s activities do not impinge on mine.  Like a sensible fellow he cultivates a hobby.  He indulges himself.  Why interfere?  Tell me, why should I disapprove of things?”

“Look here, Keith!  Not long ago you were disapproving of vertical gods.”

“That is different.  They do impinge on my activities.”

“Are the peculiar hobbies of their votaries distasteful to you?”

“Not at all.  Their hobbies do not clash with mine.  To feel righteous, or to feel sinful, is quite an innocent form of self-indulgence—­”

“Innocent self-indulgence?  Dear me!  You seem to be taking morality by the throat for a change.  Is that your conception of sin?  How should Moses have come to inscribe some particular form of wrong-doing into his Code, if it had not proved harmful to the community at large?”

His friend paused before replying.  He took out another cigar, bit off its end, and lighted it.  Then he sent a few fragrant whiffs over the sea.  At last he said: 

“Moses!  I have a clear portrait of Moses in my mind; a clear and favourable portrait.  I imagine him gentle, wise, and tolerant.  Picture to yourself such a man.  He is drawing up a preliminary list of the more noteworthy forms of misconduct, with a view to submitting it for Divine approval, to be welded later into the so-called Ten Commandments.  He is still puzzling, you perceive, which sins ought to be included and which left out.  Now that particular offence of which our millionaire is accused happens to have been left out of consideration so far.”

“Why has it been left out?” enquired the bishop.

“Nomadic habits.  And besides—­Moses, don’t forget, is a kindly old fellow, who likes people to have as much harmless amusement as possible; he is not always sniffing about to discover evil.  But Aaron, or some other old family friend of his, thinks differently.  He is a person such as we all know—­a sour-faced puritan who has lost the vigour which people, rightly or wrongly, attribute to van Koppen.  This man forgets what he used