That’sthewaythewillisdonein’eaven。That’swotIarstforalldaylong——forittobedoneonearthasitisin’eaven。’WhatcouldIsay？CouldItellherthatthewilloftheDeityontheearthhecreatedwasonlythewilltodoevil——togivepain——tocrushthecreaturemadeinHisownimage。Whatelsedowemeanwhenwesayunderallhorrorandagonythatbefalls，`ItisGod’swill——God’swillbedone。’
BaseunbelieverthoughIam，Icouldnotspeakthewords。Oh，shehassomethingwehavenot。Herpoor，littlemisspentlifehaschangeditselfintoashiningthing，thoughitshinesandglowsonlyinthishideousplace。
Sheherselfdoesnotknowofitsshining。ButDrunkenBetwouldstaggeruptoherroomandasktobetoldwhatshecalledher`pantermine’
stories。Ihaveseenhertheresittinglistening——listeningwithstrangequietonheranddullyearninginhersoddeneyes。Sowouldotherandworsewomengotoher，andI，whohadstruggledwiththem，couldseethatshehadreachedsomeremotelongingintheirbeingswhichIhadnevertouched。Intimetheseedwouldhavestirredtolife——itisbeginningtostirevennow。Duringthemonthssinceshecamebacktothecourt——thoughtheyhavelaughedather——bothmenandwomenhavebeguntoseeherasacreatureweirdlysetapart。Mostofthemfeelsomethinglikeaweofher;theyhalfbelieveherprayerstobebewitchments，buttheywantthemontheirside。
Theyhaveneverwantedmine。ThatIhaveknown——KNOWN。ShebelievesthatherDeityisinAppleBlossomCourt——inthedireholesitspeoplelivein，onthebrokenstairway，ineverynookandawfulcrannyofit——
agreatGlorywewillnotsee——onlywaitingtobecalledandtoanswer。
Do_I_believeit——doyou——doanyofthoseanointedofuswhopreacheachdaysoglibly`GodisEVERYWHERE’？
Whoistheonewhobelieves？IfthereweresuchamanhewouldgoaboutasMosesdidwhen`Hewistnotthathisfaceshone。’\"
Theyhadgoneouttogetherandwerestandinginthefoginthecourt。Thecurateremovedhishatandpassedhishandkerchiefoverhisdampforehead，hisbreathcomingandgoingalmostsobbingly，hiseyesstaringstraightbeforehimintotheyellownessofthehaze。
\"Who，\"hesaidafteramomentofsingularsilence，\"whoareyou？\"
AntonyDarthesitatedafewseconds，andattheendofhispauseheputhishandintohisovercoatpocket。
\"IfyouwillcomeupstairswithmetotheroomwherethegirlGladlives，Iwilltellyou，\"hesaid，\"butbeforewegoIwanttohandsomethingovertoyou。\"
Thecurateturnedanamazedgazeuponhim。
\"Whatisit？\"heasked。
Dartwithdrewhishandfromhispocket，andthepistolwasinit。
\"Icameoutthismorningtobuythis，\"hesaid。\"Iintended——nevermindwhatIintended。Awrongturntakeninthefogbroughtmehere。Takethisthingfrommeandkeepit。\"
Thecuratetookthepistolandputitintohisownpocketwithoutcomment。
Inthecourseofhislaborshehadseendesperatemenanddesperatethingsmanytimes。Hehadevenbeen——atmoments——adesperatemanthinkingdesperatethingshimself，thoughnohumanbeinghadeversuspectedthefact。Thismanhadfacedsometragedy，hecouldsee。
Hadhebeenonthevergeofacrime——hadhelookedmurderintheeyes？
Whathadmadehimpause？WasitpossiblethatthedreamofJinnyMontaubynbeingintheairhadreachedhisbrain——hisbeing？
Helookedalmostappealinglyathim，butheonlysaidaloud:
\"Letusgoupstairs，then。\"
Sotheywent。
AstheypassedthedooroftheroomwherethedeadwomanlayDartwentinandspoketoMissMontaubyn，whowasstillthere。
\"Iftherearethingswantedhere，\"
hesaid，\"thiswillbuythem。\"Andheputsomemoneyintoherhand。
Shedidnotseemsurprisedattheincongruityofhisshabbinessproducingmoney。
\"Well，now，\"shesaid，\"IWAS
wonderin’an’askin’。I’dlike’ercleanan’nice，an’there’smilkwantedbadforthebiby。\"
IntheroomtheymountedtoGladwastryingtofeedthechildwithbreadsoftenedintea。Pollysatnearherlookingonwithrestless，eagereyes。Shehadneverseenanythingofherownbabybutitslimpnewbornanddeadbodybeingcarriedawayoutofsight。Shehadnotevendaredtoaskwhatwasdonewithsuchpoorlittlecarrion。Thetyrannyofthelawoflifemadeherwanttopawandtouchthislatelybornthing，asheragonyhadgivenhernofruitofherownbodytotouchandpawandnuzzleandcaressasmothercreatureswillwhethertheybewomenortigressesordovesorfemalecats。
\"Letmeholdher，Glad，\"shehalfwhimpered。\"Whenshe’sfedletmegethertosleep。\"
\"Allright，\"Gladanswered;\"wecouldlookafter’erbetweenuswellenough。\"
Thethiefwasstillsittingonthehearth，butbeingfullfedandcomfortableforthefirsttimeinmanyaday，hehadrestedhisheadagainstthewallandfallenintoprofoundsleep。
\"Wot’sup？\"saidGladwhenthetwomencamein。\"Isanythin’
’appenin’？\"
\"Ihavecomeupheretotellyousomething，\"Dartanswered。\"Letussitdownagainroundthefire。Itwilltakealittletime。\"
GladwitheagereyesonhimhandedthechildtoPollyandsatdownwithoutamoment’shesitance，avidofwhatwastocome。Shenudgedthethiefwithfriendlyelbowandhestartedupawake。
\"’E’sgotsomethin’totellus，\"
sheexplained。\"Thecurick’scomeupto’earit，too。Sit’ere，Polly，\"
withelbowjerktowardthebundleofsacks。\"It’sgotitsstummickfullan’it’llgotosleepfastenough。\"
Sotheysatagainintheweirdcircle。Neitherthestrangenessofthegroupnorthesqualorofthehearthwereofanaturetobenewthingstothecurate。HiseyesfixedthemselvesonDart’sface，asdidtheeyesofthethief，thebeggar，andtheyoungthingofthestreet。Nooneglancedawayfromhim。
Histellingofhisstorywasalmostmonotonousinitssemi—reflectivequietnessoftone。Thestrangenesstohimself——thoughitwasastrangenessheacceptedabsolutelywithoutprotest——layinhistellingitatall，andinasenseofhisknowledgethateachofthesecreatureswouldunderstandandmysteriouslyknowwhatdepthshehadtouchedthisday。
\"JustbeforeIleftmylodgingsthismorning，\"hesaid，\"IfoundmyselfstandinginthemiddleofmyroomandspeakingtoSomethingaloud。IdidnotknowIwasgoingtospeak。IdidnotknowwhatI
wasspeakingto。Iheardmyownvoicecryoutinagony，`Lord，Lord，whatshallIdotobesaved？’\"
Thecuratemadeasuddenmove—
mentinhisplaceandhissallowyoungfaceflushed。Buthesaidnothing。
Glad’ssmallandsharpcountenancebecamecurious。
\"`Speak，Lord，thyservant’eareth，’\"shequotedtentatively。
\"No，\"answeredDart;\"itwasnotlikethat。Ihadneverthoughtofsuchthings。Ibelievednothing。
IwasgoingouttobuyapistolandwhenIreturnedintendedtoblowmybrainsout。\"
\"Why？\"askedGlad，withpassionatelyintenteyes;\"why？\"
\"BecauseIwaswornoutanddonefor，andalltheworldseemedwornoutanddonefor。AndamongotherthingsIbelievedIwasbeginningslowlytogomad。\"
Fromthethiefthereburstforthalowgroanandheturnedhisfacetothewall。
\"I’vebeenthere，\"hesaid;\"I’mneartherenow。\"
Darttookupspeechagain。
\"Therewasnoanswer——none。
AsIstoodwaiting——Godknowsforwhat——thedeadstillnessoftheroomwaslikethedeadstillnessofthegrave。
AndIwentoutsayingtomysoul，`Thisiswhathappenstothefoolwhocriesaloudinhispain。’\"
\"I’vecriedaloud，\"saidthethief，\"andsometimesitseemedasifananswerwascoming——butIalwaysknewitneverwould！\"inatorturedvoice。
\"’Tain’tfairtoarstthatwye，\"
Gladputinwithshrewdlogic。
\"MissMontaubynsheallersknowsitWILLcome——an’itdoes。\"
\"Something——notmyself——turnedmyfeettowardthisplace，\"saidDart。
\"Iwasthrustfromonethingtoanother。Iwasforcedtoseeandhearthingscloseathand。IthasbeenasifIwasunderaspell。Thewomanintheroombelow——thewomanlyingdead！\"Hestoppedasecond，andthenwenton:\"Thereistoomuchthatiscryingoutaloud。AmansuchasIam——ithasFORCEDitselfuponme——cannotleavesuchthingsandgivehimselftothedust。IcannotexplainclearlybecauseIamnotthinkingasIamaccustomedtothink。Achangehascomeuponme。Ishallnotusethepistol——asImeanttouseit。\"
Gladmadeafriendlyclutchatthesleeveofhisshabbycoat。
\"RightO！\"shecried。\"That’sit！YoubuckupsimeasItoldyer。
Y’ain’tstonybrokean’there’s’allersto—morrer。\"
AntonyDart’sexpressionwasweirdlyretrospective。
\"Ididnotthinksothismorning，\"
heanswered。
\"Butthereis，\"saidthegirl。
\"Ain’ttherenow，curick？There’saloto’workinyeryet;yercoulddoallsortso’thingsify’ain’ttooproud。I’ll’elpyer。So’llthecurick。Y’ain’tfoundoutyetwhatalittlefolkscanliveontillluckturns。Me，I’mgoin’totryMissMontaubyn’swye。Le’sbothtry。Le’sbelievethingsiscomin’。
Le’sget’ertotalktoussomemore。\"
Thecuratewasthinkingthethingoverdeeply。
\"Yersee，\"Gladenlargedcheerfully，\"yerlookalmostlikeagentleman。
P’rapsyercanwriteagood’andan’spellallright。Canyer？\"
\"Yes。\"
\"Ithink，perhaps，\"thecuratebeganreflectively，\"particularlyifyoucanwritewell，Imightbeabletogetyousomework。\"
\"Idonotwantwork，\"Dartansweredslowly。\"AtleastIdonotwantthekindyouwouldbelikelytoofferme。\"
Thecuratefeltashock，asifcoldwaterhadbeendashedoverhim。
Somehowithadnotonceoccurredtohimthatthemancouldbeoneoftheeducateddegenerateviciousforwhomnopowertohelplayinanyhands——yethewasnotthecommonvagrant——andhewasplainlyonthepointofproducinganexcuseforrefusingwork。
Theotherman，seeinghisstartandhisamazed，troubledflush，putoutahandandtouchedhisarmapologetically。
\"Ibegyourpardon，\"hesaid。
\"OneofthethingsIwasgoingtotellyou——Ihadnotfinished——wasthatIAMwhatiscalledagentleman。
Iamalsowhattheworldknowsasarichman。IamSirOliverHolt。\"
Eachmemberofthepartygazedathimaghast。Itwasanenormousnametoclaim。Eventhetwofemalecreaturesknewwhatitstoodfor。Itwasthenamewhichrepresentedthegreatestwealthandpowerintheworldoffinanceandschemesofbusiness。
Itstoodforfinancialinfluencewhichcouldchangethefaceofnationalfortunesandbringaboutcrises。Itwasknownthroughouttheworld。YesterdaythenewspaperrumorthatitsownerhadmysteriouslyleftEnglandhadcausedmenon’Changetodiscusspossibilitiestogetherwithloweredvoices。
Gladstaredatthecurate。Forthefirsttimeshelookeddisturbedandalarmed。
\"Blimme，\"sheejaculated，\"’e’sgoneoff’isnut，porechap！——’e’sgoneoffit！\"
\"No，\"themananswered，\"youshallcometome\"——hehesitatedasecondwhileashadepassedoverhiseyes——\"TO—MORROW。Andyoushallsee。\"
Herosequietlytohisfeetandthecuraterosealso。Abnormalastheclimaxwas，itwastobeseenthattherewasnomistakeabouttherevelation。Themanwasacreatureofauthorityandusedtocarryingconvictionbyhisunsupportedword。
Thatmadeitself，bysomeclear，unspokenmethod，plain。
\"YouareSirOliverHolt！Andafewhoursagoyouwereonthepointof——\"
\"Endingitall——inanobscurelodging。Afterwardtheearthwouldhavebeenshovelledontoawork—
housecoffin。Itwasanawfulthing。\"
Heshookoffapassionateshudder。
\"Therewasnowealthonearththatcouldgivemeamoment’sease——
sleep——hope——life。ThewholeworldwasfullofthingsIloathedthesightandthoughtof。Thedoctorssaidmyconditionwasphysical。Perhapsitwas——perhapsto—dayhasstrangelygivenahealthfuljolttomynerves——perhapsIhavebeendraggedawayfromtheagonyofmorbidityandplungedintonewintenseemotionswhichhavesavedmefromthelastthingandtheworst——SAVED
me！\"
Hestoppedsuddenlyandhisfaceflushed，andthenquiteslowlyturnedpale。
\"SAVEDME！\"herepeatedthewordsasthecuratesawtheawedbloodcreepinglyrecede。\"Whoknows，whoknows！Howmanyexplanationsoneisreadytogivebeforeonethinksofwhatwesaywebelieve。
Perhapsitwas——theAnswer！\"
Thecuratebowedhisheadreverently。
\"Perhapsitwas。\"
ThegirlGladsatclingingtoherknees，hereyeswideandawedandwithasuddengushofhysterictearsrushingdownhercheeks。
\"That’sthewye！That’sthewye！\"shegulpedout。\"Noonewon’tneverbelieve——theywon’t，NEVER。That’swhatshesees，MissMontaubyn。Youdon’t，’Edon’t，\"
withajerktowardthecurate。\"I
ain’tnothin’butME，butblimmeifI
don’t——blimme！\"
SirOliverHoltgrewpalerstill。
HefeltashehaddonewhenJinnyMontaubyn’spoordresssweptagainsthim。Hisvoiceshookwhenhespoke。
\"SodoI，\"hesaidwithasuddendeepcatchofthebreath;\"itwastheAnswer。\"
InafewmomentsmorehewenttothegirlPollyandlaidahandonhershoulder。
\"Ishalltakeyouhometoyourmother，\"hesaid。\"Ishalltakeyoumyselfandcareforyouboth。Sheshallknownothingyouareafraidofherhearing。Ishallaskhertobringupthechild。Youwillhelpher。\"
Thenhetouchedthethief，whogotupwhiteandshakingandwitheyesmoistwithexcitement。
\"Youshallneverseeanothermanclaimyourthoughtbecauseyouhavenottimeormoneytoworkitout。
Youwillgowithme。Thereareto—morrowsenoughforyou！\"
Gladstillsatclingingtoherkneesandwithtearsrunning，buttheuglinessofhersharp，smallfacewasathinganangelmighthavepausedtosee。
\"Youdon’twanttogoawayfromhere，\"SirOliversaidtoher，andsheshookherhead。
\"No，notme。ItoldyerwotI
wanted。Lemmedoit。\"
\"Youshall，\"heanswered，\"andIwillhelpyou。\"
ThethingswhichdevelopedinAppleBlossomCourtlater，thethingswhichcametoeachofthosewhohadsatintheweirdcircleroundthefire，therevelationsofnewexistencewhichcametoherself，arousednoamazementinJinnyMontaubyn’smind。Shehadaskedandbelievedallthings——andallthiswasbutanotheroftheAnswers。
