excitement about the nameless shades of the souls of all his
aunts and uncles. A moment before he had been dying alone. Now
he was living in the same world with a man; an inexhaustible
ecstasy. In the gallery below the ball Father Michael had found
that man who is the noblest and most divine and most lovable of
all men, better than all the saints, greater than all the
heroes--man Friday.

In the confused colour and music of his new paradise, Michael
heard only in a faint and distant fashion some remarks that this
beautiful solid man seemed to be making to him; remarks about
something or other being after hours and against orders. He also
seemed to be asking how Michael "got up" there. This beautiful
man evidently felt as Michael did that the earth was a star and
was set in heaven.

At length Michael sated himself with the mere sensual music of
the voice of the man in buttons. He began to listen to what he
said, and even to make some attempt at answering a question which
appeared to have been put several times and was now put with some
excess of emphasis. Michael realized that the image of God in
nickel buttons was asking him how he had come there. He said that
he had come in Lucifer's ship. On his giving this answer the
demeanour of the image of God underwent a remarkable change. From
addressing Michael gruffly, as if he were a malefactor, he began
suddenly to speak to him with a sort of eager and feverish
amiability as if he were a child. He seemed particularly anxious
to coax him away from the balustrade. He led him by the arm
towards a door leading into the building itself, soothing him all
the time. He gave what even Michael (slight as was his knowledge