The stranger said: “Say to him: ‘Though you should seek to make that name immortal in this land; and should write it in gold dust, and set it with diamonds, and cement it with human blood, shed from the Zambezi to the sea, yet--.” The stranger passed his foot over the words; Peter Halket looked down, and he saw only a bed of smooth white ashes where the name had been. The stranger said: “And if he should curse yet further, and say, ‘There is not one man nor woman in South Africa I cannot buy with my money! When I have the Transvaal, I shall buy God Almighty Himself, if I care to!’ “Then say to him this one thing only, ‘Thy money perish with thee!’ and leave him.” There was a dead silence for a moment. Then the stranger stretched forth his hand. “Yet in that leaving him, remember;--It is not the act, but the will, which marks the soul of the man. He who has crushed a nation sins no more than he who rejoices in the death throe of the meanest creature. The stagnant pool is not less poisonous drop for drop than the mighty swamp, though its reach be smaller. He who has desired to be and accomplish what this man has been and accomplished, is as this man; though he have lacked the power to perform. Nay, remember this one thing more:--Certain sons of God are born on earth, named by men Children of Genius. In early youth each stands at the parting of the way and chooses; he bears his gift for others or for himself. But forget this never, whatever his choice may be; that there is laid on him a burden that is laid not on others--all space is open to him, and his choice is infinite--and if he falls beneath it, let men weep rather than curse, for he was born a Son of God.” There was silence again. Then Peter Halket clasped his arms about the stranger’s feet. “My master,” he cried, “I dare not take that message. It is not that men may say, ‘Here is Trooper Peter Halket, whom we all know, a man who kept women and shot niggers, turned prophet.’ But it is, that it is true. Have I not wished--” and Peter Halket would have poured out all his soul; but the stranger prevented him.