Then it may be all made up to him."

"I see no reason to hope so. Either there is no God, and we shall still
be at the mercy of the blind destiny we suffer under here; or there is a
God, the God who looks on at this world and makes no sign! The sooner we
escape from Him by annihilation the better."

"Christians would tell you He had given a sign."

"Yes; so they do in words and deny it in deeds. Nothing is sadder in
the whole tragedy, or comedy, than these pitiable efforts to hide the
truth, to gloss it over with fables which nobody in his heart of hearts
believes--at least in these days. Why not face the worst like men? If we
can't help being unhappy we can help being dishonest and cowardly.
Existence is a misfortune. Let us frankly confess that it is, and make
the best of it."

He was not looking at his watch now; he was pacing the room. At last, he
was in earnest, and had forgotten all accidents of time and place before
the same enigma which perplexed myself.

"The best of it!" I re-echoed. "Surely, under these circumstances, the
best thing would be to commit suicide?"

"No," he cried, stopping and turning sharply upon me. "The worst,
because the most cowardly; so long as you have strength, brains,
money--anything with which you can do good."

He looked past me through the window into the outer air, no longer
faintly tinged, but dyed deep red by the light of the unseen but