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Page 38
I said at once that I did not wish to have to make a decision, but that
I preferred to leave it to him. I added that though I was conscious of
my deficiencies, I did not feel conscious of any particular capacities,
except that I found character a very fascinating study, especially in
connection with the circumstances of life upon earth.
"Very well," he said, "I think that you may perhaps be best suited to
the work of deciding what sort of life will best befit the souls who are
prepared to take up their life upon earth again. That is a task of deep
and infinite concern; it may surprise you," he added, "to learn that
this is left to the decision of other souls. But it is, of course, the
goal at which all earthly social systems are aiming, the right
apportionment of circumstances to temperament, and you must not be
surprised to find that here we have gone much further in that direction,
though even here the system is not perfected; and you cannot begin to
apprehend that fact too soon. It is unfortunate that on earth it is
commonly believed, owing to the deadening influence of material causes,
that beyond the grave everything is done with a Divine unanimity. But of
course, if that were so, further growth and development would be
impossible, and in view of infinite perfectibility there is yet very
much that is faulty and incomplete. But I am not sure what lies before
you; there is something in your temperament which a little baffles me,
and our plans may have to be changed. Your very absorption in your work,
your quick power of forgetting and throwing off impressions has its
dangers. But I will bear in mind what you have said, and you may for the
present resume your studies, and I will once more commend you; you have
done well hitherto, and I will say frankly that I regard you as capable
of useful and honourable work." He bowed in token of dismissal, and I
went back to my work with unbounded gratitude and enthusiasm.
XXI
Some time after this I was surprised one morning at the sudden entrance
of Amroth into my cell. He came in with a very bright and holiday
aspect, and, assuming a paternal air, said that he had heard a very
creditable account of my work and conduct, and that he had obtained
leave for me to have an exeat. I suppose that I showed signs of
impatience at the interruption, for he broke into a laugh, and said,
"Well, I am going to insist. I believe you are working too hard, and we
must not overstrain our faculties. It was bad enough, in the old days,
but then it was generally the poor body which suffered first. But indeed
it is quite possible to overwork here, and you have the dim air of the
pale student. Come," he said, "whatever happens, do not become priggish.
Not to want a holiday is a sign of spiritual pride. Besides, I have
some curious things to show you."
I got up and said that I was ready, and Amroth led the way like a boy
out for a holiday. He was brimming over with talk, and told me some
stories about my friends in the land of delight, interspersing them with
imitation of their manner and gesture, which made me giggle--Amroth was
an admirable mimic. "I had hopes of Charmides," he said; "your stay
there aroused his curiosity. But he has gone back to his absurd tones
and half-tones, and is nearly insupportable. Cynthia is much more
sensible, but Lucius is a nuisance, and Charmides, by the way, has
become absurdly jealous of him. They really are very silly; but I have a
pleasant plot, which I will unfold to you."
As we went down the interminable stairs, I said to Amroth, "There is a
question I want to ask you. Why do we have to go and come, up and down,
backwards and forwards, in this absurd way, as if we were still in the
body? Why not just slip off the leads, and fly down over the crags like
a pair of pigeons? It all seems to me so terribly material."
Amroth looked at me with a smile. "I don't advise you to try," he said.
"Why, little brother, of course we are just as limited here in these
ways. The material laws of earth are only a type of the laws here. They
all have a meaning which remains true."
"But," I said, "we can visit the earth with incredible rapidity?"
"How can I explain?" said Amroth. "Of course we can do that, because the
material universe is so extremely small in comparison. All the stars in
the world are here but as a heap of sand, like the motes which dance in
a sunbeam. There is no question of size, of course! But there is such a
thing as spiritual nearness and spiritual distance for all that. The
souls who do not return to earth are very far off, as you will sometime
see. But we messengers have our short cuts, and I shall take advantage
of them to-day."
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