Page:Artabanzanus (Ferrar, 1896).djvu/219

Rh thou jolly Doctor, with thy milk-and-water, ratsbane-looking friend up there to join our holy circle? "Freedom is our watchword, Liberty our banner. We have no master, and our eyes are bright; no deadly pall of future fear hangs over us, and our hearts are light. We can see, and judge, and put things together. We worship no Creator, for the good reason—there is not one to worship; we worship our noble selves; ha! ha! ho! ho! and we're jolly and happy, and careless and free. Are we not, my trusty followers and dearest friends? If I had a thousand wives and ten thousand children, I would have them all here about me now. Join us, Doctor; join us, Mr. Puddingface, or whatever your precious name may be.'

The followers set up a shout of approbation, but the Doctor drove his horses on to the end of the bridge, turned them round to go back to the Demon's palace, and as he passed the band of athiests spoke these few words:

'Professor Muddlebrain, if you can learn nothing yourself, attempt not to teach others. Your mind is a dark chamber where light cannot enter. You are a blind fool, and a leader of blind fools. Away with you; vanish from my sight!'

They obeyed him. They burst into shrieks of hideous laughter, and to my horror and astonishment leaped over the parapet of the bridge into the boiling gulf, following to the last man their hoary leader, and I could see them by the faint light dashed upon the rocks of the Island of Ignorance.

In the course of our drive my protector had said but little. Now, however, when he had dismissed his carriage, he spoke these words as we walked slowly up and down the courtyard of the palace:

'I ought to apologize, Ubertus, for my late abruptness, with which you have good reason to be offended. I have a