of Violet Slade in the song of the wind； 〃and I cannot understand
why I am not。 Tell me； is this paradise； Violet； or is it not
rather purgatory？〃
The notes ranged up and down again； and he perceived that she was
causing the wind to blow as she desiredin other words； she was
making it play upon his harp。
〃That depends on the individual；〃 she replied。 〃It is rather
sheol； the place of departed spirits。 Those whose consciences
made them happy on earth are in paradise here； while those good
enough to reach heaven at last； but in whom some dross remains；
are further refined in spirit； and to them it is purgatory。
Those who are in love can be happy in but one way while their
love lasts。 What IS happiness； anyway？〃
〃It is the state in which desires are satisfied； my fair Violet；〃
answered Ayrault。
〃Say； rather； the state in which desire coincides with duty；〃
replied the song。 〃Self…sacrifice for others gives the truest
joy； being with the object of one's love； the next。 You never
believed that I loved you。 I dissembled well； but you will see
for yourself some day； as clearly as I see your love for another
now。〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Ayrault； sadly； 〃I am in love。 I have no reason
to believe there is cause for my unrest； and； considering every
thing； I should be happy as man can be； yet； mirabile dictu； I am
inhades； in the very depths！〃
〃Your beloved is beyond my vision； your heart is all I can see。
Yet I am convinced she will not forget you。 I am sure she loves
you still。〃
〃I have always believed in homoeopathy to the extent of the
similia similibus curantur； Violet； and it is certain that where
nothing else will cure a man of love for one woman； his love for
another will。 You can see how I love Sylvia； but you have never
seemed so sweet to me as to…day。〃
〃It is a sacrilege； my friend； to speak so to me now。 You are
done with me forever。 I am but a disembodied spirit； and escaped
hades by the grace of the Omnipotent； rather than by virtue of
any good I did on earth。 So far as any elasticity is left in my
opportunities； I am dead as yon moon。 You have still the gift
that but one can give。 Within your animal body you hold an
immortal soul。 It is pliable as wax； you can mould it by your
will。 As you shape that soul； so will your future be。 It is the
ark that can traverse the flood。 Raise it； and it will raise
you。 It is all there is in yourself。 Preserve that gift； and
when you die you will； I hope； start on a plane many thousands of
years in advance of me。 There should be no more comparison
between us than between a person with all his senses and one that
is deaf and blind。 Though you are a layman； you should； with
your faith and frame of mind； soon be but little behind our
spiritual bishop。〃
〃I supposed after death a man had rest。 Is he； then； a bishop
still？〃
〃The progress； as he told you； is largely on the old lines。 As
he stirred men's hearts on earth； he will stir their souls in
heaven； and this is no irksome or unwelcome work。〃
〃You say he WILL do this in heaven。 Is he； then； not there yet？〃
〃He was not far from heaven on earth； yet technically none of us
can be in heaven till after the general resurrection。 Then； as
we knew on earth； we shall receive bodies； though； as yet；
concerning their exact nature we know but little more than then。
We are all in sheolthe just in purgatory and paradise； the
unjust in hell。〃
〃Since you are still in purgatory； are you unhappy？〃
〃No； our state is very happy。 All physical pain is past； and can
never be felt again。 We know that our evil desires are overcome；
and that their imprints are being gradually erased。 I
occasionally shed an intangible tear； yet for most of those who
strove to obey their consciences； purgatory； when essential；
though occasionally giving us a bitter twinge； is a joy…producing
state。 Not all the glories imaginable or unimaginable could make
us happy； were our consciences ill at ease。 I have advanced
slowly； yet some things are given us at once。 After I realized I
had irrevocably lost your love； though for a time I had hoped to
regain it； I became very restless； earth seemed a prison； and I
looked forward to death as my deliverer。 I bore you no malice；
you had never especially tried to win me； the infatuationthat
of a girl of eighteenhad been all on my side。 I lived five sad
and lonely years； although； as you know； I had much attention。
People thought me cold and heartless。 How could I have a heart；
having failed to win yours； and mine being broken？ Having lost
the only man I loved； I knew no one else could replace him； and I
was not the kind to marry for pique。 People thought me handsome；
but I felt myself aged when you ceased to call。 Perhaps when you
and she who holds all your love come to sheol； she may spare you
to me a little； for as a spirit my every thought is known； or
perhaps after the resurrection； when I； too； can leave this
planet； we shall all soar through space together； and we can
study the stars as of old。〃
〃Your voice is a symphony； sweetest Violet； and I love to hear
your words。 Ah； would you could once more return to earth； or
that I were an ethereal spirit； that we might commune face to
face！ I would follow you from one end of Shadowland to the
other。 Of what use is life to me； with distractions that draw my
thoughts to earth as gravitation drew my body？ I wish I were a
shade。〃
〃You are talking for effect； Dickwhich is useless here； for I
see how utterly you are in love。〃
〃I AM in love； Violet； and though； as I said； I have no reason to
doubt Sylvia's steadfastness and constancy； I am very unhappy。 I
have always heard that time is a balsam that cures all ills； yet
I become more wretched every day。〃
〃Do all you can to preserve that love； and it will bring you joy
all your life。 Your happiness is my happiness。 What distresses
you； distresses me。〃
The tones here grew fainter and seemed about to cease。
〃Before you leave me；〃 cried Ayrault； 〃tell me how and when I may
see or hear you again。〃
〃While you remain on this planet； I shall be near； but beyond
Saturn I cannot go。〃
〃Yet tell me； Violet； how I may see you？ My love unattained； you
perceive； makes me wretched； while you always gave me calm and
peace。 If I may not kiss the hand I almost asked might be mine；
let me have but a glance from your sweet eyes； which will comfort
me so much now。〃
〃If you break the ice in the pool behind you； you shall see me
till the frame melts。〃
After this the silence was broken only by the sighing of the wind
in the trees。 The pool had suddenly become covered with ice
several inches thick。 Taking an axe； Ayrault hewed out a
parallelogram about three feet by four and set it on end against
the bank。 The cold grey of morning was already colouring the
east； and in the growing light Ayrault beheld a vision of Violet
within the ice。 The face was at about three fourths； and had a
contemplative air。 The hair was arranged as he had formerly seen
it； and the thoughtful look was strongest in the beautiful grey
eyes； which were more serious than of yore。 Ayrault stood
riveted to the spot and gazed。 〃I could have been happy with
her；〃 he mused； and to think she is no more！〃
As drops fell from the ice； tears rose to his eyes。
。 。 。 。 。 。 。
〃What a pretty girl！〃 said Bearwarden to Cortlandt； as they came
upon it later in the day。 〃The face seems etched or imprinted by
some peculiar form of freezing far within the ice。〃
The next morning they again set out； and so tramped； hunted； and
investigated with varying success for ten Saturnian days。 They
found that in the animal and plant forms of life Nature had
often； by some seeming accident； struck out in a course very
different from any on the earth。 Many of the animals were bipeds
and tripeds； the latter arranged in tandem； the last leg being
evidently an enormously developed tail； by which the creature
propelled itself as with a spring。 The quadrupeds had also
sometimes wings； and their bones were hollow； like those of
birds。 Whether this great motive and lifting power was the
result of the planet's size and the power of gravitation； or
whether some creatures had in addition the power of developing a
degree of apergetic repulsion to offset it； as they suspected in
the case of the boa…constrictor that fell upon Cortlandt on
Jupiter； they could not absolutely ascertain。 Life was far less
prolific on Saturn than on Jupiter； doubtless as a result of its
greater distance from the sun； and of its extremes of climate；
almost all organic life being driven to the latitudes near the
equator。 There were； as on Jupiter； many variations from the
forms of life to which they were accustomed； and adaptations to
the conditions in which they found themselves； but； with the
exception of the strange manifestations of spirit life； they
found the workings of the fundamental laws the same。 Often when
they woke at night the air was luminous； and they were convinced
that if they remained there long enough it would be easy to
devise some telegraphic code of light…flashes by which they could
communicate with the spirit world； and so get ideas from the host
of spirits that had already solved the problem of life and death；
but who were not as yet sufficiently developed to be able to
return to the earth。 One day they stopped to investigate what
they had supposed to be an optical illusion。 They observed that
leaves and other light substances floated several inches above
the surface of the water in the pools。 On coming to the edge and
making tests； they found a light liquid； as invisible as air；
superimposed upon the water； with sufficient buoyancy to sustain
dry wood and also some forms of life。 They also observed that
insects coming close to the surface and apparently inhaling it；
rapidly increased in size and weight； from which they concluded
it must throw off nitrogen； carbon； or some other nourishment in
the form of gas。 The depth upon the water was unaffected by
rain； which passed through