260 Shadowings 



grave of that enemy. And the Souls mocked his 

 desire : 



" Thine enemy will not waste much thought 

 upon thee. He is no half-man, thine enemy ! 

 The ghosts in that body have room and great 

 light. High are the ceilings of their habitation ; 

 wide and clear the passageways; luminous the 

 courts and pure. Like a fortress excellently gar- 

 risoned is the brain of thine enemy; and to 

 any point thereof the defending hosts can be 

 gathered for battle in a moment together. His 

 generation will not cease nay ! that face of his 

 will multiply throughout the centuries ! Because 

 thine enemy in every time provided for the 

 needs of his higher ghosts : he gave heed to their 

 warnings ; he pleasured them in all just ways ; 

 he did not fail in reverence to them. Wherefore 

 they now have power to help him at his need. 

 . . . How hast thou reverenced or pleasured us ? " 



The Man remained silent for a space. Then, as 

 in horror of doubting, he questioned : 



"Wherefore should ye fear if nothingness 

 be the end?" 



" What is nothingness ? " the Souls responded. 

 "Only in the language of delusion is there 



