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wavelet of scent； every toss of a flower's head in the breeze； came
with a sting in its pleasurefor there was no woman to whom they
belonged。 Yet he could not shut them out； for God and not woman is
the heart of the universe。 Would the day ever come when the
loveliness of Mary St。 John； felt and acknowledged as never before；
would be even to him a joy and a thanksgiving？ If ever； then
because God is the heart of all。
I do not think this mood； wherein all forms of beauty sped to his
soul as to their own needful centre； could have lasted over many
miles of his journey。 But such delicate inward revelations are none
the less precious that they are evanescent。 Many feelings are
simply too good to lastusing the phrase not in the unbelieving
sense in which it is generally used； expressing the conviction that
God is a hard father； fond of disappointing his children； but to
express the fact that intensity and endurance cannot yet coexist in
the human economy。 But the virtue of a mood depends by no means on
its immediate presence。 Like any other experience； it may be
believed in； and； in the absence which leaves the mind free to
contemplate it； work even more good than in its presence。
At length he came in sight of the Alpine regions。 Far off； the
heads of the great mountains rose into the upper countries of cloud；
where the snows settled on their stony heads； and the torrents ran
out from beneath the frozen mass to gladden the earth below with the
faith of the lonely hills。 The mighty creatures lay like grotesque
animals of a far…off titanic time； whose dead bodies had been first
withered into stone； then worn away by the storms； and covered with
shrouds and palls of snow； till the outlines of their forms were
gone； and only rough shapes remained like those just blocked out in
the sculptor's marble； vaguely suggesting what the creatures had
been； as the corpse under the sheet of death is like a man。 He came
amongst the valleys at their feet； with their blue…green waters
hurrying seawardsfrom stony heights of air into the mass of 'the
restless wavy plain'； with their sides of rock rising in gigantic
terrace after terrace up to the heavens； with their scaling pines；
erect and slight； cone…head aspiring above cone…head； ambitious to
clothe the bare mass with green； till failing at length in their
upward efforts； the savage rock shot away and beyond and above them；
the white and blue glaciers clinging cold and cruel to their ragged
sides； and the dead blank of whiteness covering their final despair。
He drew near to the lower glaciers； to find their awful abysses
tremulous with liquid blue； a blue tender and profound as if fed
from the reservoir of some hidden sky intenser than ours； he
rejoiced over the velvety fields dotted with the toy…like houses of
the mountaineers； he sat for hours listening by the side of their
streams； he grew weary； felt oppressed； longed for a wider outlook；
and began to climb towards a mountain village of which he had heard
from a traveller； to find solitude and freedom in an air as lofty as
if he climbed twelve of his beloved cathedral spires piled up in
continuous ascent。
After ascending for hours in zigzags through pine woods； where the
only sound was of the little streams trotting down to the valley
below； or the distant hush of some thin waterfall； he reached a
level； and came out of the woods。 The path now led along the edge
of a precipice descending sheer to the uppermost terrace of the
valley he had left。 The valley was but a cleft in the mass of the
mountain： a little way over sank its other wall； steep as a
plumb…line could have made it； of solid rock。 On his right lay
green fields of clover and strange grasses。 Ever and anon from the
cleft steamed up great blinding clouds of mist； which now wandered
about over the nations of rocks on the mountain side beyond the
gulf； now wrapt himself in their bewildering folds。 In one moment
the whole creation had vanished； and there seemed scarce existence
enough left for more than the following footstep； the next； a mighty
mountain stood in front； crowned with blinding snow； an awful fact；
the lovely heavens were over his head； and the green sod under his
feet； the grasshoppers chirped about him； and the gorgeous
butterflies flew。 From regions far beyond came the bells of the
kine and the goats。 He reached a little inn； and there took up his
quarters。
I am able to be a little minute in my description； because I have
since visited the place myself。 Great heights rise around it on all
sides。 It stands as between heaven and hell； suspended between
peaks and gulfs。 The wind must roar awfully there in the winter；
but the mountains stand away with their avalanches； and all the
summer long keep the cold off the grassy fields。
The same evening； he was already weary。 The next morning it rained。
It rained fiercely all day。 He would leave the place on the
morrow。 In the evening it began to clear up。 He walked out。 The
sun was setting。 The snow…peaks were faintly tinged with rose； and
the ragged masses of vapour that hung lazy and leaden…coloured about
the sides of the abyss； were partially dyed a sulky orange red。
Then all faded into gray。 But as the sunlight vanished； a veil
sank from the face of the moon； already half…way to the zenith； and
she gathered courage and shone； till the mountain looked lovely as a
ghost in the gleam of its snow and the glimmer of its glaciers。
'Ah！' thought Falconer； 'such a peace at last is all a man can look
forthe repose of a spectral Elysium； a world where passion has
died away； and only the dim ghost of its memory to disturb with a
shadowy sorrow the helpless content of its undreaming years。 The
religion that can do but this much is not a very great or very
divine thing。 The human heart cannot invent a better it may be； but
it can imagine grander results。
He did not yet know what the religion was of which he spoke。 As
well might a man born stone…deaf estimate the power of sweet sounds；
or he who knows not a square from a circle pronounce upon the study
of mathematics。
The next morning rose brilliantan ideal summer day。 He would not
go yet； he would spend one day more in the place。 He opened his
valise to get some lighter garments。 His eye fell on a New
Testament。 Dr。 Anderson had put it there。 He had never opened it
yet； and now he let it lie。 Its time had not yet come。 He went
out。
Walking up the edge of the valley； he came upon a little stream
whose talk he had heard for some hundred yards。 It flowed through a
grassy hollow； with steeply sloping sides。 Water is the same all
the world over； but there was more than water here to bring his
childhood back to Falconer。 For at the spot where the path led him
down to the burn； a little crag stood out from the bank；a gray
stone like many he knew on the stream that watered the valley of
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