that rolls him over some three inches nearer to the ditchwater
besought by his instinct."

'I ask you, did you ever hear? The flaccid frog! But on we go.'

'"Professors, prophets, masters, each hitherto has had his creed and
system to offer, good mayhap for the term; and each has put it forth
for the truth everlasting, to drive the dagger to the heart of time,
and put the axe to human growth!--that one circle of wisdom issuing
of the experience and needs of their day, should act the despot over
all other circles for ever!--so where at first light shone to light
the yawning frog to his wet ditch, there, with the necessitated
revolution of men's minds in the course of ages, darkness radiates."

'That's old Nevil. Upon my honour, I haven't a notion of what it all
means, and I don't believe the old rascal Shrapnel has himself. And pray
be patient, my dear colonel. You will find him practical presently.
I'll skip, if you tell me to. Darkness radiates, does it!

'"The creed that rose in heaven sets below; and where we had an
angel we have claw-feet and fangs. Ask how that is! The creed is
much what it was when the followers diverged it from the Founder.
But humanity is not where it was when that creed was food and
guidance. Creeds will not die not fighting. We cannot root them up
out of us without blood."

'He threatens blood!--'

'"Ours, my Beauchamp, is the belief that humanity advances beyond
the limits of creeds, is to be tied to none. We reverence the