I said, One thing tell me, sir--how much a man may have for the asking.--What he will--that is, what he can well use.--Who then shall be the judge thereof?--Who but the man himself?--What if he should turn to greed, and begin to hoard and spare?--Sawest thou not the man this day because of whom all business ceased for a time?--to that man had come a thought of accumulation instead of growth, and he dropped upon his knees in shame and terror. And thou sawest how all business ceased, and straightway that of the shop was made what below they call a church; for everyone hastened to the poor man’s help, the air was filled with praying breath, and the atmosphere of God-loving souls was around him; the foul thought fled, and the man went forth glad and humble, and to-morrow he will return for that which he needeth. If thou shouldst be present then, thou wilt see him more tenderly ministered unto than all the rest.--And if such a man prayed not?--If such a man slept ere he repented, he would wake with hatred in his heart towards the city and everyone therein, and would straightway flee into the wilderness. And the angel of the Lord would go out after him, and smite him with a word, and he would vanish from amongst us, and his life would be the life of one of those least of living things that are in your world born of the water; and there must he grow up again, crawling through the channels of thousand-folded difference, from animal to animal, until at length a human brain be given him, and after generations he become once again capable of being born of the spirit into the kingdom of liberty. Then shall all his past life open upon him, and in shame and dismay will he repent a thousand-fold, and will sin no more. Such, at least, are thoughts of our wise men upon the matter; but truly we know not.--It is good, I said. But how are men guided as to what lies to them to provide for the general good?--Every man doeth what thing he can, and the more his labour is desired, the more he rejoices.--If a man should desire that he could no where find in the city?--Then would he straightway do his endeavour to provide that thing for all in the city who might after him desire the same.--Now, sir, methinks I know and understand, I answered. And we rose and went farther.’” “I think that COULD be!” said the curate, breaking the silence that followed when Rachel ceased. “Not in this world,” said the draper. “To doubt that it COULD be,” said the gatekeeper, “would be to doubt whether the kingdom of heaven is a chimera or a divine idea.” CHAPTER XXIX. POLWARTH AND LINGARD.