Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno Concluded.djvu/295

XVI] "I see no help for thatthough I shall be sorry to give up my favorite studies. Still, medicine, disease, pain, sorrow, sinI fear they're all linked together. Banish sin, and you banish them all!"

"Military science is a yet stronger instance," said the Earl. "Without sin, war would surely be impossible. Still any mind, that has had in this life any keen interest, not in itself sinful, will surely find itself some congenial line of work hereafter. Wellington may have no more battles to fightand yet

He lingered over the beautiful words, as if he loved them: and his voice, like distant music, died away into silence.

After a minute or two he began again. "If I'm not wearying you, I would like to tell you an idea of the future Life which has haunted me for years, like a sort of waking nightmareI ca'n't reason myself out of it."