"For practical purposes of support," replied Michael grimly, "it
is at any rate a great deal better than the ball. May I ask if
you are going to leave me here?"

"Yes, yes. I mount! I mount!" cried the professor in ungovernable
excitement. "_Altiora peto_. My path is upward."

"How often have you told me, Professor, that there is really no
up or down in space?" said the monk. "I shall mount up as much as
you will."

"Indeed," said Lucifer, leering over the side of the flying ship.
"May I ask what you are going to do?"

The monk pointed downward at Ludgate Hill. "I am going," he said,
"to climb up into a star."

Those who look at the matter most superficially regard paradox as
something which belongs to jesting and light journalism. Paradox
of this kind is to be found in the saying of the dandy, in the
decadent comedy, "Life is much too important to be taken
seriously." Those who look at the matter a little more deeply or
delicately see that paradox is a thing which especially belongs
to all religions. Paradox of this kind is to be found in such a
saying as "The meek shall inherit the earth." But those who see
and feel the fundamental fact of the matter know that paradox is
a thing which belongs not to religion only, but to all vivid and
violent practical crises of human living. This kind of paradox
may be clearly perceived by anybody who happens to be hanging in
mid-space, clinging to one arm of the Cross of St. Paul's.