if we find one heaven, we do but accept it as a pledge of other
heavens beyond it! The aspirations of Man are limitless,--hence
his best assurance of immortality, ... else why should he
perpetually long for things that here are impossible of
attainment? ... things that like faint, floating clouds rimmed
with light, suggest without declaring a glory unperceived?"

Lysia looked at him steadfastly, an under-gleam of malice shining
in her slumbrous eyes.

"Why? ... Because, good sir, the gods love mirth! ... and the
wanton Immortals are never more thoroughly diverted, than, when
leaning downward from their clear empyrean, they behold Man, their
Insect-Toy, arrogating to himself a share in their imperishable
Essence! To keep up the Eternal Jest, they torture him with vain
delusions, and prick him on with hopes never to be realized; aye!
and the whole vast Heaven may well shake with thunderous laughter
at the pride with which he doth put forth his puny claim to be
elected to another and fairer state of existence! What hath he
done? ... what does he do, to merit a future life? ... Are his
deeds so noble? ... is his wisdom so great? ... is his mind so
stainless? He, the oppressor of all Nature and of his brother
man,--he, the insolent, self-opinionated tyrant, yet bound slave
of the Earth on which he dwells ... why should he live again and
carry his ignoble presence into the splendors of an Eternity too
vast for him to comprehend? ..Nay, nay! ... I perceive thou art
one of the credulous, for whom a reasonless worship to an unproved
Deity is, for the sake of state-policy, maintained, . . I had
thought thee wiser! ... but no matter! thou shalt pay thy vows to
the shrine of Nagaya to-morrow, and see with what glorious pomp