Page:Arthur Machen - The Hill of Dreams.djvu/73

THE HILL OF DREAMS and trailed its limbs slowly, as it crept away to die. Lucian looked into his own life and his own will; he saw that in spite of his follies, and his want of success, he had not been consciously malignant, he had never deliberately aided in oppression, or looked on it with enjoyment and approval, and he felt that when he lay dead beneath the earth, eaten by swarming worms, he would be in a purer company than now, when he lived amongst human creatures. And he was to call this loathsome beast, all sting and filth, brother! 'I had rather call the devils my brothers,' he said in his heart, 'I would fare better in hell.' Blood was in his eyes, and as he looked up the sky seemed of blood, and the earth burnt with fire.

The sun was sinking low on the mountain when he set out on the way again. Burrows, the doctor, coming home in his trap, met him a little lower on the road, and gave him a friendly goodnight.

'A long way round on this road, isn't it?' said the doctor. 'As you have come so far, why don't you try the short cut across the fields? You will find it easily enough; second stile on the left hand, and then go straight ahead.' 63