In fact, as time passed on, no one of any position or power would be brought into any sort of approximation to him. On the other hand he used to speak continually with the poorer people. Those that were sick especially delighted in his presence. There seemed to be in him a power of stimulating those that were sinking into apathy back again into life. Those who were worst off in the city seemed to feel when he spoke to them a promise of an alleviation of their sufferings. One day the clerk asked him “How is the child?” “It is well.” “But it still seems to breathe with as much difficulty.” “Yes, but see how happily it runs about.” “How do you manage to preserve it? Any child which I have seen would be pining miserably with such an affliction. What is the power which the being you tell of has given you?” “It is no power in the sense you mean.” “Surely it must be. Have I not followed you faithfully and done all I could to get the wisest in the city to listen to you? Surely the time has now come when you will tell me what this power is, and, if you can, let me share it.” “You do not know what you ask.” “Tell me, I pray.” “It is simply this, when I became aware through thought of the being that is over us I had no message or command from him. But I found that I could when I stood by any suffering being take some of the suffering and bear it myself. So as he of whom I tell does with us each moment of our lives I do occasionally and in a little manner.” “But what pleasure do you get that makes all this worth your while?” “There is no pleasure. I am glad to see the being freed from suffering, and living instead of sinking.” “Do you mean to say that there is nothing to hope for?” “I hope the time will come when I shall have a fuller knowledge of the being I know.” The clerk was silent. He went out. While he was still thinking over what he had heard in answer to his inquiries, a messenger came to him from the chief of the councillors of pleasure and pain, asking him to an interview. When the clerk had been ushered into the presence of the chief councillor, and was alone with him, the latter said: “I should like a little quiet conversation with you about your companion.” “I shall be glad.” “When you gave up your office and retired you had no expectation of being concerned in affairs of state again so soon.” “I did not expect, certainly, and I do not know what your meaning may be about my being concerned in affairs of state.”