When I was left alone once more I gave myself up to the enchanting
sense of perfect happiness that now seemed to possess my whole being.
The world of glorious Nature showed me an aspect of brilliancy and
beauty that could no more be shadowed by fear or foreboding--it was a
mirror in which I saw reflected the perfect Mind of the Divine. Nothing
existed to terrify or daunt the advancing Soul which had become
cognisant of its own capabilities, and which, by the very laws
governing it, is preordained to rise to the utmost height of supernal
power. I had dimly guessed this truth--but I had never surely known it
till now. Now, I recognised that everything is and must be subservient
to this interior force which exists to 'replenish the earth and subdue
it'--and that nothing can hinder the accomplishment of its resolved
Will. As I sat by the window thinking and dreaming, I began to wonder
what would be the nature of that 'last fear' of which Aselzion had
spoken? Why should the word 'fear' be mentioned, when there was no
cause for fear of any kind? Fear can only arise from a sense of
cowardice,--and cowardice is the offspring of weakness. From this
argument it followed that my strength was not yet thoroughly tested to
Aselzion's satisfaction,--that he still thought it possible that some
latent weakness in my spirit might display itself on further trial. And
I resolved that if such was his idea, he should be proved wrong.
Nothing, I vowed, should move me now--not all the world arrayed in arms
against me should hinder my advance towards the completion of myself in
the love of my Beloved!
I have already said that there was no visible chronicle of time in the
House of Aselzion, save such as was evidenced by the broadening or
waning light of day. Just now I knew it was late afternoon, as the
window where I sat faced the west, and the sun was sinking in a blaze
of glory immediately opposite to me. Bars of gold and purple and pale
blue formed a kind of cloud gateway across the heavens, and behind this
the splendid orb shone in a halo of deep rose. Watching the royal
pageantry of colour on all sides, I allowed myself to go forth as it
were in spirit to meet and absorb it,--inwardly I set my whole being in
tune with the great wave of light which opened itself over the sea and
land, and as I did so found every nerve in my body thrilled with
responsive ecstasy, even as harpstrings may be thrilled into sound by
the sweep of the wind. I rose and went out, through the loggia into the
garden--feeling more like a disembodied spirit than a mortal, so light
and free and joyous were my very movements--so entirely in unison was I
with everything in Nature. The sunset bathed me in its ruby and purple
magnificence,--I lifted my eyes to the heavens and murmured almost
unconsciously--"Thank God for Life! Thank God for Love! Thank God for
all that Life and Love must bring to me!"
A sea-gull soaring inland flew over my head with a little cry--its
graceful poise reminded me of the days I had passed in Morton Harland's
yacht, when I had watched so many of these snow-white creatures dipping
into the waves, and soaring up again to the skies--and on a sudden
impulse I stretched out my hand, determining to stay the bird's flight
if I could and bring it down to me. The effort succeeded,--slowly, and
as if checked by some obstacle it felt but could not see, the lovely
winged thing swept round and round in an ever descending circle and
finally alighted on my wrist. I held it so for a moment--it turned its
head towards me, its ruby-brown eyes sparkling in the sun--then I
tossed it off again into the air of its own freedom, where after
another circling sweep or two it disappeared, and I walked on in a
happy reverie, realising that what I could do with the visible things
of Nature I could do as easily with the invisible. A sense of power
vibrated through me [Footnote: The philosophy of Plato teaches that Man
originally by the power of the Divine Image within him could control
all Nature, but gradually lost this power through his own
fault.]--power to command, and power to resist,--power that forbade all
hesitation, vacillation or uncertainty--power which being connected by
both physical and spiritual currents with this planet, the Earth, and
the atmosphere by which it is surrounded, lifts all that it desires
towards itself, as it rejects what it does not need.
Returning slowly through the garden, and lingering by the beds of
flowers that adorned it, I noticed how when I bent over any particular
blossom, it raised itself towards me as though drawn upward by a
magnet. I was not inclined to gather a single one for my own
pleasure--some occult sympathy had become established between me and
these beautiful creations--and I could no more sever a rose from its
stem than I could kill a bird that sang its little song to me. On
re-entering my room I found the usual refection prepared for me--fresh
fruit and bread and water--the only kind of food I was allowed. It was
quite sufficient for me,--in fact I had not felt at any time the
sensation of hunger. I began to wonder how long I had been a
'probationer' in the House of Aselzion? Days or weeks? I could not
tell. I was realising the full truth that with the things of the
infinite time has no existence, and I recalled the verse of the ancient
psalm:
"A thousand ages in Thy sight Are like an evening gone, Short as the
watch that ends the night Before the rising sun."
And while my thoughts ran in this groove, I opened the book of the
'Secret of Life'--and as if in answer to my inward communing, found the
following: