Passing a heap of fossil platitudes Gud came to an oasis in a Desert of
Righteousness and saw nineteen pretty murderers hanging in a row. There
also he saw the couple who were parted at the altar, a woman who had
lost her intuition, and a herd of ambitious animals who believed in the
transmigration of souls.
Gud entered the caravansary of the place and bargained with the keeper
thereof to make a supper with meat and wine--after which there should be
dancing.
To the supper, Gud bade a Skeptic, a Cynic, a Critic and a Cryptic. And
Gud and his guests made merry.
Gud blew four halos of phosphorescent smoke and gave one to each of his
guests. Whereupon they were flattered and waxed loquacious, and the
Cynic said to Gud: "If you had not insisted on following that Impossible
Curve, but had come here by the straight way, how much sooner you would
have joined us."
"True," agreed the Critic, "but the straight and narrow way would have
seemed much further, for it lies wholly in the Desert of Righteousness."
"But most of all I hate to see," remarked the Cynic, "is a female cat
sitting on a gravestone in the moonlight, after I carefully killed her
the day before."
"Quite true," replied the Cryptic, with a weary shrug.