Page:The Great Secret.djvu/194

178 the laughing lips also trembled as much with divine instincts as with harmless mirth, for great painters are like children, they laugh while they watch the mysteries of eternity.

Do fond mothers ever think, while they watch those innocents on their laps laughing at the blue skies above them, how much more the baby knows and sees than they do? The dog and the cat also see what the baby does, although not so much, only the baby forgets and loses its gift when it begins to learn the ways of earth, but the dog and the cat see with their limited vision all their lives, and do not wonder.

Philip had seen a good portion of the interior of the place—the magnificent entrance hall and some of the reception rooms, as they entered. They had partaken of a slight collation, similar to what they would have done on earth's surface.

Now they were going back again, through cool and lighted halls, with these rare masterpieces on either side of them, of sculpture and painting, the exquisite tapestries and unique specimens of ceramic and floral decorations. It was all so precious, so unique, so perfect.

By and by they were ushered into the apartment where the wedding guests waited; a great assemblage they were, although Philip was too agitated to see much of them at this time, for he felt himself to be the centre of observation.

A vast hall spread out before him, with courtly guests ranged round and conversing in groups. Philip felt, as he walked towards the daïs where the final ceremony was to be enacted, that immortals were looking at him, and therefore felt confused.

"Courage, my friend," whispered Imenus. "You are the same as the greatest here, for the renown