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〃'I will pour my hot life into you；' said the second； 'your brain is numb；
and your limbs are dead now； but they shall live with a fierce free life。
Oh； let me pour it in！'
〃'Oh； follow us；' they cried； 'and live with us。 Nobler hearts than yours
have sat here in this darkness to wait； and they have come to us and we to
them； and they have never left us； never。 All else is a delusion； but we
are real； we are real； we are real。 Truth is a shadow； the valleys of
superstition are a farce： the earth is of ashes； the trees all rotten； but
wefeel uswe live！ You cannot doubt us。 Feel us how warm we are！ Oh；
come to us！ Come with us！'
〃Nearer and nearer round his head they hovered； and the cold drops melted
on his forehead。 The bright light shot into his eyes； dazzling him； and
the frozen blood began to run。 And he said：
〃'Yes； why should I die here in this awful darkness？ They are warm； they
melt my frozen blood！' and he stretched out his hands to take them。
〃Then in a moment there arose before him the image of the thing he had
loved； and his hand dropped to his side。
〃'Oh； come to us！' they cried。
〃But he buried his face。
〃'You dazzle my eyes；' he cried； 'you make my heart warm； but you cannot
give me what I desire。 I will wait herewait till I die。 Go！'
〃He covered his face with his hands and would not listen； and when he
looked up again they were two twinkling stars； that vanished in the
distance。
〃And the long； long night rolled on。
〃All who leave the valley of superstition pass through that dark land； but
some go through it in a few days； some linger there for months； some for
years； and some die there。〃
The boy had crept closer； his hot breath almost touched the stranger's
hand； a mystic wonder filled his eyes。
〃At last for the hunter a faint light played along the horizon； and he rose
to follow it； and he reached that light at last； and stepped into the broad
sunshine。 Then before him rose the almighty mountains of Dry…facts and
Realities。 The clear sunshine played on them； and the tops were lost in
the clouds。 At the foot many paths ran up。 An exultant cry burst from the
hunter。 He chose the straightest and began to climb； and the rocks and
ridges resounded with his song。 They had exaggerated； after all； it was
not so high； nor was the road so steep！ A few days； a few weeks； a few
months at most； and then the top！ Not one feather only would he pick up；
he would gather all that other men had foundweave the netcapture Truth…
…hold her fasttouch her with his handsclasp her！
〃He laughed in the merry sunshine； and sang loud。 Victory was very near。
Nevertheless； after a while the path grew steeper。 He needed all his
breath for climbing； and the singing died away。 On the right and left rose
huge rocks； devoid of lichen or moss； and in the lava…like earth chasms
yawned。 Here and there he saw a sheen of white bones。 Now too the path
began to grow less and less marked； then it became a mere trace； with a
footmark here and there； then it ceased altogether。 He sang no more； but
struck forth a path for himself； until it reached a mighty wall of rock；
smooth and without break； stretching as far as the eye could see。 'I will
rear a stair against it； and； once this wall climbed； I shall be almost
there；' he said bravely； and worked。 With his shuttle of imagination he
dug out stones； but half of them would not fit； and half a month's work
would roll down because those below were ill chosen。 But the hunter worked
on； saying always to himself； 'Once this wall climbed； I shall be almost
there。 This great work ended！'
〃At last he came out upon the top； and he looked about him。 Far below
rolled the white mist over the valleys of superstition； and above him
towered the mountains。 They had seemed low before； they were of an
immeasurable height now； from crown to foundation surrounded by walls of
rock； that rose tier above tier in mighty circles。 Upon them played the
eternal sunshine。 He uttered a wild cry。 He bowed himself on to the
earth； and when he rose his face was white。 In absolute silence he walked
on。 He was very silent now。 In those high regions the rarefied air is
hard to breathe by those born in the valleys； every breath he drew hurt
him； and the blood oozed out from the tips of his fingers。 Before the next
wall of rock he began to work。 The height of this seemed infinite； and he
said nothing。 The sound of his tool rang night and day upon the iron rocks
into which he cut steps。 Years passed over him； yet he worked on； but the
wall towered up always above him to heaven。 Sometimes he prayed that a
little moss or lichen might spring up on those bare walls to be a companion
to him； but it never came。〃 The stranger watched the boy's face。
〃And the years rolled on； he counted them by the steps he had cuta few
for a yearonly a few。 He sang no more； he said no more； 'I will do this
or that'he only worked。 And at night； when the twilight settled down；
there looked out at him from the holes and crevices in the rocks strange
wild faces。
〃'Stop your work； you lonely man； and speak to us；' they cried。
〃'My salvation is in work； if I should stop but for one moment you would
creep down upon me；' he replied。 And they put out their long necks
further。
〃'Look down into the crevice at your feet；' they said。 'See what lie
therewhite bones！ As brave and strong a man as you climbed to these
rocks。' And he looked up。 He saw there was no use in striving； he would
never hold Truth； never see her； never find her。 So he lay down here； for
he was very tired。 He went to sleep forever。 He put himself to sleep。
Sleep is very tranquil。 You are not lonely when you are asleep； neither do
your hands ache； nor your heart。 And the hunter laughed between his teeth。
〃'Have I torn from my heart all that was dearest； have I wandered alone in
the land of night； have I resisted temptation； have I dwelt where the voice
of my kind is never heard； and laboured alone； to lie down and be food for
you； ye harpies？'
〃He laughed fiercely； and the Echoes of Despair slunk away； for the laugh
of a brave； strong heart is as a death blow to them。
〃Nevertheless they crept out again and looked at him。
〃'Do you know that your hair is white？' they said； 'that your hands begin
to tremble like a child's？ Do you see that the point of your shuttle is
gone？it is cracked already。 If you should ever climb this stair；' they
said； 'it will be your last。 You will never climb another。'
〃And he answered； 'I know it！' and worked on。
〃The old； thin hands cut the stones ill and jaggedly； for the fingers were
stiff and bent。 The beauty and the strength of the man was gone。
〃At last； an old； wizened； shrunken face looked out above the rocks。 It
saw the eternal mountains rise with walls to the white clouds； but its work
was done。
〃The old hunter folded his tired hands and lay down by the precipice where
he had worked away his life。 It was the sleeping time at last。 Below him
over the valleys rolled the thick white mist。 Once it broke； and through
the gap the dying eyes looked down on the trees and fields of their
childhood。 From afar seemed borne to him the cry of his own wild birds；
and he heard the noise of people singing as they danced。 And he thought he
heard among them the voices of his old comrades； and he saw far off the
sunlight shine on his early home。 And great tears gathered in the hunter's
eyes。
〃'Ah！ They who die there do not die alone；' he cried。
〃Then the mists rolled together again； and he turned his eyes away。
〃'I have sought；' he said； 'for long years I have laboured； but I have not
found her。 I have not rested； I have not repined； and I have not seen her；
now my strength is gone。 Where I lie down worn out other men will stand；
young and fresh。 By the steps that I have cut they will climb； by the
stairs that I have built they will mount。 They will never know the name of
the man who made them。 At the clumsy work they will laugh； when the stones
roll they will curse me。 But they will mount； and on my work； they will
climb； and by my stair！ They will find her； and through me！ And no man
liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself。'
〃The tears rolled from beneath the shrivelled eyelids。 If Truth had
appeared above him in the clouds now he could not have seen her； the mist
of death was in his eyes。
〃'My soul hears their glad step coming；' he said； 'and they shall mount！
they shall mount！' He raised his shrivelled hand to his eyes。
〃Then slowly from the white sky above； through the still air； came
something falling； falling； falling。 Softly it fluttered down； and dropped
on to the breast of the dying man。 He felt it with his hands。 It was a
feather。 He died holding it。〃
The boy had shaded his eyes wi