And, do you know what I was doing? I was
swimming against the tide of natural law, stronger than all mankind,
unconquerable, eternal. There wasn't the smallest corner of the world
the better for my broken life. There wasn't a child, a man, or a woman
content to grasp my hand and climb out. There were plenty who mocked
me. But they fell back again. They fell back always."
"Oh, but you can't tell that," she cried. "You can't be sure."
"You can be as sure of it as of life itself," he answered. "Come, take
my advice. I know. I can save you a broken youth--a broken heart.
Keep away from there."
He pointed out of the window eastwards.
"You can be charitable like the others, subscribe to societies, visit
the sick, read the Bible, play at it as long as you like--but keep away
from the real thing. If you feel the fever in your veins--fly. Go
abroad, study art, literature, music--anything. Only don't listen to
that cry. It will draw you against your will even. But not you nor the
whole world of women, or the world full of gold, will ever stop it. It
is the everlasting legacy to the world of outraged nature.
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