of Nature, to conquer death, to make yourself as a God?”
“You are wrong at the very outset,” he replied. “There is but one God, our Father Eternal in the heavens, and did you but acknowledge Him, you would be a happier man. Neither I nor any of His creatures can transcend the laws which He has ordained from the beginning; some understand them better than others—that is all.”
“You were not dead then?”
“No. Of course not. God alone has power over life and death.”
“But”
“Stay; do you know anything of the philosophy of the Buddhist adepts?”
“Very little.”
“Then to try to explain what you have seen is hopeless. To comprehend these things the mind needs long and careful training. Believe me when I say that this is but a tithe of the mysteries which I will reveal to you before we finally part.”
“Would that we might part now and forever—that your spell was removed from that dear boy,” I replied, bitterly.
“Do not say so. He has his work to do, you have yours.”
“Would that we had never met.”
“We were destined to meet. God willed it.”
“At least I was powerless to prevent it; but I earnestly beseech you to release my friend from the glamour you have cast over him, and go your own way.”
“No; I cannot. It is not to be.”
“It should be so if I could make it so.”
“That you cannot do!”
“I know it. I have tried.”
“And failed.”
“Hopelessly failed.”
And yet you do not seem to feel as hardly toward me as I should expect.”
“I have tried to do so, but even there I fail, and I do not know why I should, unless it is that you have cast some portion of your spell over me.”
He laughed softly.
“My dear sir, to hear you talk, one would think I was some cheap magician. I could no more cast a spell over you than you could cast one over me.”
“I am assured to the the contrary. The experience of the last hour proves to the contrary.”
