He walking thus one sunny afternoon, The Indian met him at the hither goal And entrance to his wonted rounding ways, And with such salutation greeted him As seemed to seek access for mutual speech. Paul, out of insulation and himself Emerging wholly at his fellow's call, Rallied at once to be a social man; He welcomed Krishna frankly to his side, And they twain walked and talked together there. "O Paul," said Krishna, "I am not at rest; Thou, and that Mary's story of her Lord, Have deeply shaken my repose in me. There must have been, lodged in me from the first, A witness ready to speak up and say, 'Hearken, O Krishna!' when the name of 'God' Fell on my ear. For since that word from thee, I have not ceased to hear within me cry Reverberant through the chambers of my soul-- Like a voluminous echo shouting round Reduplicated images of voice-- Clamor and attestation vehement Confirming what thou saidst that day of God, And of our orphanhood without Him. Oh, My friend, that I might find Him, I, even I!" Such passion in passivity moved Paul To pity, which he hid, while thus he spoke: "It is the answer of the infinite Within thee to the infinite above Thee and beneath thee and about thee round. God made thee for Himself, and Himself is The only good that can content thy mind. Feel after Him and find Him, He is nigh, Drawn nigh and drawing nigh, in Jesus Christ. Not to believe in Him, God's Son made flesh-- He once revealed to thee--this, this, is sin; And sin is death; but to believe is life. Believe and live, O Krishna." "Thy word 'sin,' O Paul," said Krishna, "it perplexes me. What is sin? Evil, I guess. Now evil I know In many forms--forms many, essence one-- Misery all. But sin to thee, I trow, Is something else than simple misery." "O, yea," said Paul, "and measurelessly more. No misery is like sin, but sin is evil Not to be told in terms of misery. The sinner is an enemy of God; God is against him, and the wrath of God Abides upon him; such is the evil of sin. For sin is the transgression of the law, That law which is the will of God express In precept, or that law more broad, more deep, Higher, which is the will of God inwrought Into the substance of the human heart. Thou canst not live transgressor of this law And be at peace; God is too merciful To suffer it. For mercy it is in God Which wrath we call; against the sinner, wrath; But toward the man, mercy eager to save: The wrath of God is as the shepherd's crook Which with threat drives the foolish flock to fold. Hasten, obey, be folded, thou, by Him, The shepherd and the bishop of thy soul. Within is safety, life, and peace, and joy; Ruin, without, and wretchedness, and death."