Page:Devil stories - an anthology.djvu/218

 DEVIL STORIES bolts could Stand. The doctor's conscience walked out of her prison, and came straight up to the field of battle, and said —

"Give up the first question."

And he obeyed.

"I confess it," he said. "But how could I have expected a great basic truth both religiously and psychologically so, from—from you?"

"Ah! my dear sir," was the reply, "you have erred in that line of thought, exactly as many others have. The truth is one and the same, to God, man, and devil."

"Second Question," said Dr. Hicok. "Reconcile the development theory, connection of natural selection and sexual relation, with the responsible immortality of the soul."

"Unquestionably," assented the other, as if to say, "Just as I expected."

"No theory of creation has any logical connection with any doctrine of immortality. What was the motive of creation?—that would be a question! If you had asked me that! But the question, 'Where did men come from?' has no bearing on the question, 'Have they any duties now that they are here?' The two are reconciled, because they do not differ. You can't state any inconsistency between a yard measure and a fifty-six pound weight."

The doctor nodded; he sat down; he took a glass of water, and pressed his hand to his heart. "Now, then," he said to himself, "once more! If I have to stand this fifteen minutes I shall be in some other world!"

The door from the inner room opened; and Mrs. [196]