began to diverge from it, mixing up the story with many admonitions and philosophical reflections, very wise and salutary, but not what Joseph cared to hear at that moment.  He was in no wise interested at that moment to hear that he had done well in testing all the different sects of the Jews, and though the Essenes were certainly the most learned, they did not possess the whole truth.  With a determination that was impossible to oppose, Mathias said:  the whole truth is not to be found, even among the Essenes, and, my good friend, I would not encourage in you a hope that you may be permitted ever during your mortal life to discover the whole truth.  It exists not in any created thing:  but glimpses of the light are often detected, now here, now there, shining through a clouded vase.  But the simile, he added, of the clouded vase gives rise to the thought that the light resides within the vase:  the very contrary of which is the case.  For there is no light in the vase itself:  the light shines from beyond the skies, and I should therefore have compared man to a crystal itself that catches the light so well that it seems to our eyes to be the source of light, which is not true in principle or in fact, for in the darkness a crystal is as dark as any other stone.  In such part do I explain the meaning that the wicked man, having no divine irradiation, is without instruction of God and knowledge of God’s creations; he is as a fugitive from the divine company, and cannot do else than hold that everything is created from the world to be again dissolved into the world.  And being no better than a follower of Heraclitus—­But who is Heraclitus?  Joseph asked.

A clouded face was turned upon Joseph, and for some moments the sage could not collect his thoughts sufficiently to answer him.  Who is Heraclitus? he repeated, and then, with a general interest in his pupil, he ran off a concise exposition of that philosopher’s doctrine—­a mistake on his part, as he was quick enough to admit to himself; for though he reduced his statement to the lowest limits, it awakened in Joseph an interest so lively that he felt himself obliged to expose this philosopher’s fallacies; and in doing this he was drawn away from his subject, which was unfortunate.  The hour was near by when the Essenes would, according to rule, retire to their cells for meditation, and—­foreseeing that he could not rid himself of the burden which Joseph’s question imposed upon him—­he abandoned Heraclitus in a last refutation, to warn Joseph that he must not resume his questions.

But if I do not ask at once, my chance is gone for ever; for your discourse is like the clouds, always taking new shapes, Joseph pleaded.  In dread lest all be forgotten, I repeat to myself what you have said, and so lose a great deal for a certain remembrance.