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ld out his left arm and pass his right hand over it as though he stroked the wings of doves。 i made a violent effort which seemed almost to tear me in two； and said with forced determination： you would sweep me away into an indefinite world which fills me with terror； and yet a man is a great man just in so far as he can make his mind reflect everything with indifferent precision like a mirror。 i seemed to be perfectly master of myself； and went on； but more rapidly： i mand you to leave me at once； for your ideas and phantasies are but the illusions that creep like maggots into civilizations when they begin to decline； and into minds when they begin to decay。 i had grown suddenly angry； and seizing the alembic from the table； was about to rise and strike him with it； when the peacocks on the door behind him appeared to grow immense； and then the alembic fell from my fingers and i was drowned in a tide of green and blue and bronze feathers； and as i struggled hopelessly i heard a distant voice saying： our master avicenna has written that all life proceeds out of corruption。 the glittering feathers had now covered me pletely； and i knew that i had struggled for hundreds of years； and was conquered at last。 i was sinking into the depth when the green and blue and bronze that seemed to fill the world became a sea of flame and swept me away； and as i was swirled along i heard a voice over my head cry； the mirror is broken in two pieces； and another voice answer； the mirror is broken in four pieces； and a more distant voice cry with an exultant cry； the mirror is broken into numberless pieces； and then a multitude of pale hands were reaching towards me； and strange gentle faces bending above me； and half wailing and half caressing voices uttering words that were forgotten the moment they were spoken。 i was being lifted out of the tide of flame； and felt my memories； my hopes； my thoughts； my will； everything i held to be myself； melting away； then i seemed to rise through numberless panies of beings who were； i understood； in some way more certain than thought； each wrapped in his eternal moment； in the perfect lifting of an arm； in a little circlet of rhythmical words； in dreaming with dim eyes and half？closed eyelids。 and then i passed beyond these forms； which were so beautiful they had almost ceased to be； and； having endured strange moods； melancholy； as it seemed； with the weight of many worlds； i passed into that death which is beauty herself； and into that loneliness which all the multitudes desire without ceasing。 all things that had ever lived seemed to e and dwell in my heart； and i in theirs； and i had never again known mortality or tears； had i not suddenly fallen from the certainty of vision into the uncertainty of dream； and bee a drop of molten gold falling with immense rapidity； through a night elaborate with stars； and all about me a melancholy exultant wailing。 i fell and fell and fell； and then the wailing was but the wailing of the wind in the chimney； and i awoke to find myself leaning upon the table and supporting my head with my hands。 i saw the alembic swaying from side to side in the distant corner it had rolled to； and michael robartes watching me and waiting。 i will go wherever you will； i said； and do whatever you bid me； for i have been with eternal things。 i knew； he replied； you must need answer as you have answered； when i heard the storm begin。 you must e to a great distance； for we were manded to build our temple between the pure multitude by the waves and the impure multitude of men。
．co
Rosa AlchemicaIII
。
i did not speak as we drove through the deserted streets； for my mind was curiously empty of familiar thoughts and experiences； it seemed to have been plucked out of the definite world and cast naked upon a shoreless sea。 there were moments when the vision appeared on the point of returning； and i would half？remember； with an ecstasy of joy or sorrow； crimes and heroisms； fortunes and misfortunes； or begin to contemplate； with a sudden leaping of the heart； hopes and terrors； desires and ambitions； alien to my orderly and careful life； and then i would awake shuddering at the thought that some great imponderable being had swept through my mind。 it was indeed days before this feeling passed perfectly away； and even now； when i have sought refuge in the only definite faith； i feel a great tolerance for those people with incoherent personalities； who gather in the chapels and meeting？places of certain obscure sects； because i also have felt fixed habits and principles dissolving before a power； which was hysterica passio or sheer madness； if you will； but was so powerful in its melancholy exultation that i tremble lest it wake again and drive me from my new？found peace。
when we came in the grey light to the great half？empty terminus； it seemed to me i was so changed that i was no more； as man is； a moment shuddering at eternity； but eternity weeping and laughing over a moment； and when we had started and michael robartes had fallen asleep； as he soon did； his sleeping face； in which there was no sign of all that had so shaken me and that now kept me wakeful； was to my excited mind more like a mask than a face。 the fancy possessed me that the man behind it had dissolved away like salt in water； and that it laughed and sighed； appealed and denounced at the bidding of beings greater or less than man。 this is not michael robartes at all： michael robartes is dead； dead for ten； for twenty years perhaps； i kept repeating to myself。 i fell at last into a feverish sleep； waking up from time to time when we rushed past some little town； its slated roofs shining with wet； or still lake gleaming in the cold morning light。 i had been too pre？occupied to ask where we were going； or to notice what tickets michael robartes had taken； but i knew now from the direction of the sun that we were going westward； and presently i knew also； by the way in which the trees had grown into the semblance of tattered beggars flying with bent heads towards the east； that we were approaching the western coast。 then immediately i saw the sea between the low hills upon the left； its dull grey broken into white patches and lines。
when we left the train we had still； i found； some way to go； and set out； buttoning our coats about us； for the wind was bitter and violent。 michael robartes was silent； seeming anxious to leave me to my thoughts； and as we walked between the sea and the rocky side of a great promontory； i realized with a new perfection what a shock had been given to all my habits of thought and of feelings； if indeed some mysterious change had not taken place in the substance of my mind； for the grey waves； plumed with scudding foam； had grown part of a teeming； fantastic inner life； and when michael robartes pointed to a square ancient？looking house； with a much smaller and newer building under its lee； set out on the very end of a dilapidated and almost deserted pier； and said it was the temple of the alchemical rose； i was possessed with the phantasy that the sea； which kept covering it with showers of white foam； was claiming it as part of some indefinite and passionate life； which had begun to war