conceive the exact shape of the church as it would be when it was
finished, or only conceived it bit by bit. One thing, however, was very
distinct in his mind, and that was the proposed spire and the clock. As
a result, there was the spire standing at the end of the shadowy church
vivid and distinct. And there was the clock with its two copper hands
exactly on the stroke of noon!

"Tell me what you see, Little Flower," said Menzi in a hollow voice.

"I see what Father told me he would think of, a church and the spire of
the church, and the clock pointing to twelve."

"Do you all see that," asked Menzi, "and is it what the Teacher said he
would think about?"

"Yes, Doctor," they answered.

"Then look once more, for _I_ will think of something. I will think of
that church falling. Look once more."

They looked, and behold the shadowy fabric began to totter, then it
seemed to collapse, and last of all down went the spire and vanished in
the smoke.

"Have you seen anything, O people?" said Menzi, "for standing behind
this smoke I can see nothing. Mark that it is thick, since through it I
am invisible to you."

This was true, since they could only perceive the tips of his
outstretched fingers appearing upon each side of the smoke-fan.