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question。 He is not the person to ask it。 I wonder that he
does not see the impropriety； the absurdity of his meddling at
all in this affair。 Besides； he could not understand my
answer even if he believed it。 But to the explanation； I say；
Yes！ I will give it； not to Graham； but to you。 I make you
this proposition。 To…morrow is Sunday。 We shall be excused
from service if we tell the master that we have important
business to settle together。 You shall come with me on one of
my long walks。 I will tell you all about them。 Then you can
be the judge whether there is any harm in them。〃
〃Does that satisfy you？〃 I said to Graham。
〃Yes；〃 he answered； 〃that seems fair enough。 I am content
to leave it in that way for the present。 And to make it still
more fair； I want to take back what I said awhile ago； and to
ask Keene's pardon for it。〃
〃Not at all；〃 said Keene； quickly； 〃it was said in haste；
I bear no grudge。 You simply did not understand； that is
all。〃
So we turned to go down the hill； and as we turned；
Dorothy met us； coming out of the shadows。
〃What are you men doing here？〃 she asked。 〃I heard your
voices from below。 What were you talking about？〃
〃We were talking；〃 said Keene； 〃my dear Dorothy； we were
talkingabout walkingyes； that was itabout walking； and
about views。 The conversation was quite warm； almost a
debate。 Now； you know all the view…points in this region。
Which do you call the best； the most satisfying； the finest
prospect？ But I know what you will say： the view from the
little knoll in front of Hilltop。 For there； when you are tired
of looking far away； you can turn around and see the old school；
and the linden…trees； and the garden。〃
〃Yes；〃 she answered gravely； 〃that is really the view that
I love best。 I would give up all the others rather than lose
that。〃
III
There was a softness in the November air that brought back
memories of summer； and a few belated daisies were blooming in
the old clearing； as Keene and I passed by the ruins of the
farm…house again； early on Sunday morning。 He had been
talking ever since we started； pouring out his praise of
knowledge； wide； clear； universal knowledge； as the best of
life's joys； the greatest of life's achievements。 The
practical life was a blind； dull routine。 Most men were
toiling at tasks which they did not like； by rules which they
did not understand。 They never looked beyond the edge of
their work。 The philosophical life was a spider's webfilmy
threads of theory spun out of the inner consciousnessit touched
the world only at certain chosen points of attachment。 There was
nothing firm； nothing substantial in it。 You could look through
it like a veil and see the real world lying beyond。 But the
theorist could see only the web which he had spun。 Knowing did
not come by speculating； theorising。 Knowing came by seeing。
Vision was the only real knowledge。 To see the world； the whole
world； as it is； to look behind the scenes； to read human life
like a book； that was the glorious thingmost satisfying；
divine。
Thus he had talked as we climbed the hill。 Now； as we
came by the place where we had first met； a new eagerness
sounded in his voice。
〃Ever since that day I have inclined to tell you something
more about myself。 I felt sure you would understand。 I am
planning to write a booka book of knowledge； in the true
sensea great book about human life。 Not a history； not a
theory； but a real view of life； its hidden motives； its
secret relations。 How different they are from what men dream
and imagine and play that they are！ How much darker； how much
smaller； and therefore how much more interesting and wonderful。
No one has yet writtenperhaps because no one has yet
conceivedsuch a book as I have in mind。 I might call it a
'Bionopsis。'〃
〃But surely；〃 said I； 〃you have chosen a strange place to
write itthe Hilltop Schoolthis quiet and secluded region！
The stream of humanity is very slow and slender hereit
trickles。 You must get out into the busy world。 You must be
in the full current and feel its force。 You must take part in
the active life of mankind in order really to know it。〃
〃A mistake！〃 he cried。 〃Action is the thing that blinds
men。 You remember Matthew Arnold's line：
In action's dizzying eddy whurled。
To know the world you must stand apart from it and above it；
you must look down on it。〃
〃Well； then；〃 said I； 〃you will have to find some secret
spring of inspiration； some point of vantage from which you
can get your outlook and your insight。〃
He stopped short and looked me full in the face。
〃And that；〃 cried he； 〃is precisely what I have found！〃
Then he turned and pushed along the narrow trail so
swiftly that I had hard work to follow him。 After a few
minutes we came to a little stream； flowing through a grove of
hemlocks。 Keene seated himself on the fallen log that served
for a bridge and beckoned me to a place beside him。
〃I promised to give you an explanation to…dayto take you
on one of my long walks。 Well； there is only one of them。 It
is always the same。 You shall see where it leads； what it
means。 You shall share my secretall the wonder and glory of
it！ Of course I know my conduct； has seemed strange to you。
Sometimes it has seemed strange even to me。 I have been
doubtful； troubled； almost distracted。 I have been risking a
great deal； in danger of losing what I value； what most men
count the best thing in the world。 But it could not be
helped。 The risk was worth while。 A great discovery； the
opportunity of a lifetime； yes； of an age； perhaps of many
ages； came to me。 I simply could not throw it away。 I must
use it； make the best of it； at any danger； at any cost。 You
shall judge for yourself whether I was right or wrong。 But you
must judge fairly； without haste； without prejudice。 I ask you
to make me one promise。 You will suspend judgment； you will say
nothing； you will keep my secret； until you have been with me
three times at the place where I am now taking you。〃
By this time it was clear to me that I had to do with a
case lying far outside of the common routine of life；
something subtle； abnormal； hard to measure； in which a clear
and careful estimate would be necessary。 If Keene was
labouring under some strange delusion； some disorder of mind；
how could I estimate its nature or extent； without time and
study； perhaps without expert advice？ To wait a little would
be prudent； for his sake as well as for the sake of others。
If there was some extraordinary； reality behind his mysterious
hints； it would need patience and skill to test it。 I gave
him the promise for which he asked。
At once； as if relieved； he sprang up； and crying； 〃Come
on； follow me！〃 began to make his way up the bed of the brook。
It was one of the wildest walks that I have ever taken。 He
turned aside for no obstacles； swamps； masses of interlacing
alders； close…woven thickets of stiff young spruces；
chevaux…de…frise of dead trees where wind…falls had mowed down
the forest； walls of lichen…crusted rock； landslides where heaps
of broken stone were tumbled in ruinous confusionthrough
everything he pushed forward。 I could see； here and there； the
track of his former journeys： broken branches of witch…hazel and
moose…wood； ferns trampled down； a faint trail across some
deeper bed of moss。 At mid…day we rested for a half…hour to
eat lunch。 But Keene would eat nothing； except a little
pellet of some dark green substance that he took from a flat
silver box in his pocket。 He swallowed it hastily； and
stooping his face to the spring by which he had halted； drank
long and eagerly。
〃An Indian trick；〃 said he； shaking the drops of water
from his face。 〃On a walk； food is a hindrance； a delay。 But
this tiny taste of bitter gum is a tonic； it spurs the courage
and doubles the strengthif you are used to it。 Otherwise I
should not recommend you to try it。 Faugh！ the flavour is vile。〃
He rinsed his mouth again with water； and stood up；
calling me to come on。 The way； now tangled among the
nameless peaks and ranges； bore steadily southward； rising all
the time； in spite of many brief downward curves where a steep
gorge must be crossed。 Presently we came into a hard…wood
forest； open and easy to travel。 Breasting a long slope； we
reached the summit of a broad； smoothly rounding ridge covered
with a dense growth of stunted spruce。 The trees rose above
our heads； about twice the height of a man； and so thick that
we could not see beyond them。 But； from glimpses here and
there； and from the purity and lightness of the air； I judged
that we were on far higher ground than any we had yet
traversed； the central comb； perhaps； of the mountain…system。
A few yards ahead of us； through the crowded trunks of the
dwarf forest； I saw a gray mass； like the wall of a fortress；
across our path。 It was a vast rock； rising from the crest of
the ridge； lifting its top above the sea of foliage。 At its
base there were heaps of shattered stones； and deep crevices
almost like caves。 One side of the rock was broken by a slanting
gully。
〃Be careful；〃 cried my comp