A silence followed.  A vague, impalpable sense of restraint and captivity seemed closing me in on every side,—­I was imprisoned, as I thought, within invisible walls.  Then all at once this density of atmosphere was struck asunder by a dazzling light as of cloven wings, but I could see no actual shape or even suggestion of substance—­the glowing rays were all.  And the Voice spoke again with grave sweetness and something of reproach.

“Who speaks of losing the way?” it asked—­“when the way is, and has ever been, clear and plain?  Nature teaches it,—­Law and Order support it.  Obey and ye shall live:  disobey and ye shall die!  There is no other ruling than this out of Chaos!  Who is it that speaks of losing the way, when the way is, and has been and ever shall be, clear and plain?”

I stretched out my hands involuntarily.  My eyes filled with tears.

“O Angel invisible!” I prayed—­“Forgive my weakness and unwisdom!  How can the world be saved or comforted by a Love it never finds!”

Again a silence.  Again that dazzling, quivering radiance, flashing as in an atmosphere of powdered gold.

“What does the world seek most ardently?” it demanded—­“The Love of God?—­or the Love of Self?  If it seeks the first, all things in heaven and earth shall be added to its desire—­if the second, all shall be taken from it, even that which it hath!”

I had, as I thought, no answer to give, but I covered my weeping eyes with both hands and knelt before the unseen speaker as to some great Spirit enthroned.

“Love is not Love that loves Itself,”—­went on the Voice—­“Self is the Image, not the God.  Wouldst thou have Eternal Life?  Then find the secret in Eternal Love!—­’Love, which can move worlds and create universes,—­the love of soul for soul, angel for angel, god for god!”

I raised my head, and, uncovering my eyes, looked up.  But I could see nothing save that all-penetrating light which imprisoned me as it were in a circle of fire.

“Love is that Power which clasps the things of eternity and makes them all its own,”—­said the Voice in stronger tones of deeper music—­“It builds its solar system, its stars, its planets with a thought!—­it wakes all beauty, all delight with a smile!—­it lives not only now, but for ever, in a heaven of pure joy where every thousand years is but one summer day!  To Love there is no time, no space, no age, no death!—­what it gives it receives again,—­what it longs for comes to it without seeking—­God withholds nothing from the faithful soul!”

I still knelt, wondering if these words were intended only for me or for some other listener, for I could not now feel sure that I was without a companion in this strange experience.

“There is only one Way of Life,”—­went on the Voice—­“Only one way—­ the Way of Love!  Whosoever loves greatly lives greatly; whosoever misprizes Love is dead though living.  Give all thy heart and soul to Love if thou wouldst be immortal!—­for without Love thou mayst seek God through all Eternity and never find Him!”