Hol eschaton; In my lectures I tell it; for there he is in me,
made visible for the dwelling-place of all life; in my discourse I
tell it; there he will speak to you, wherever I am."
"You speak to me in the breath of my mouth," I answered. "I have not
heard you before, and now you are the voice and therefore the
conception of me; but why should you speak to others?"
He laughed a little. "We have two cousins, and would they not
assent to an argument, one of them in hiding, but not the other?"
"I agree with the first: what is more, I care to know the whole truth
about you; and, because of this, I am ashamed to speak it, even to
your lord."
He turned slyly on me. "Well, it all depends on the detail of this
arrangement, and I offer to do my best. I will break my lips first."
"Nay, I will not hear your end of it, and then you shall, and
you alone, choose to hear my end of that. I am not my brother, and you
would be obliged to persuade me. I shall not hear it, but you must,
in the name of the Lord Jesus."
Ah, the man thought I was a brawny trooper!
I took him by the hand and led him to the door, and looked him
into his face, and saw that it was dark and gloomy, and not sweet,
but vapid and desperate. "Father," he whispered, "give me the
money, I must work to find a cloak and try to be abroad."
I held the door open to him, and, as soon as he was out of the room,
I gave him the money. "Tell me," I asked, "is it you who are that
is calling on me?"
We were alone with the shop, but he did not answer. "But I have a
sudden idea," I said; "I shall answer." The sound of the steps upon
the stairs sounded in his ear