But every time he went into Myrrha's quiet little cell he would become aware that another side of life also lay open to him. The innocent grace and the pale countenance of the young girl touched him deeply. He longed to believe in anything in which she believed: the gentle Galilean, and the miracle of immortality. He would listen to the tales of Juventinus, and the life of desert anchorites he, too, thought sublime. Anatolius observed with surprise that for himself truth existed both in the intoxication of life and in its renunciation; both in the triumph of matter and in the triumph of soul; both in chastity and in voluptuousness. His intelligence remained clear, and his conscience without remorse. Even doubt had for him its pleasure, like a kind of new game. These deep and gentle waves of opinion, transitions from Christianity to Paganism, lulled his soul rather than distressed it. One evening Myrrha fell asleep before the open window. On awakening, she said to Juventinus with a bright smile-- "I've had a strange dream...." "What was it?" "I don't remember. But it was happy. Do you think that the whole world will gain salvation?" "All the righteous; sinners will be punished." "Righteous? sinners?... That is not my idea," answered Myrrha, still smiling, as if she was trying to remember the dream. "Do you know, Juventinus, that all, all shall be saved, and that God will not suffer one to be lost!" "So the great master Origen believed. He used to say, 'My Saviour cannot rejoice so long as I am in iniquity.' But that is a heresy...." Myrrha, not listening, went on-- "Yes! yes! that must be so. I understand it at last. All shall be saved, to the very last. God will not allow one of His creatures to perish." "I wish I too could believe it," murmured Juventinus, "but I should be afraid...." "One must fear nothing; where there is love, fear is cast out. I do not fear anything." "And He?" demanded Juventinus. "Who?" "He, the Unnameable, the Arch-rebel!" "He also, He also!" cried Myrrha, with strong conviction. "So long as there shall be even a soul that has not gained salvation, no creature can enjoy full felicity. If there be no bounds to Love, if Love is infinite, then all shall be in God, and God in all. Friend, will not that be happiness? We have not yet taken full account of that. Every soul must be blessed, do you understand?" "And Evil?" "There is no evil, if there is no Death." Through the open window came the echo of the Bacchic songs of the friends of Anatolius, making merry in their purple galleys on the blue twilight sea. Myrrha pointed to them-- "And that is also beautiful, and that is also to be blest," she murmured. "What? These vicious songs?" asked Juventinus, dreading her reply. Myrrha shook her head-- "No! all is well, all is pure. Beauty comes from God. Friend, what are you afraid of? To love, one must be unspeakably free!... Fear absolutely nothing. You are still ignorant what happiness life can give!"