ride, but the readiness with which the people generally acknowledged
its miraculous character. I was one of those that witnessed the ascent,
but I saw no signs that the crowd appreciated its significance. They
were astounded, but they did not fall down and worship."

"Ah," said the other, "but you forget the long drought and the rain that
the Sunchild immediately prevailed on the air-god to send us. He had
announced himself as about to procure it for us; it was on this ground
that the King assented to the preparation of those material means that
were necessary before the horses of the sun could attach themselves to
the chariot into which the balloon was immediately transformed. Those
horses might not be defiled by contact with this gross earth. I too
witnessed the ascent; at the moment, I grant you, I saw neither chariot
nor horses, and almost all those present shared my own temporary
blindness; the whole action from the moment when the balloon left the
earth, moved so rapidly, that we were flustered, and hardly knew what it
was that we were really seeing. It was not till two or three years later
that I found the scene presenting itself to my soul's imaginary sight in
the full splendour which was no doubt witnessed, but not apprehended, by
my bodily vision."

"There," said my father, "you confirm an opinion that I have long
held.--Nothing is so misleading as the testimony of eye-witnesses."

"A spiritual enlightenment from within," returned Mr. Balmy, "is more to
be relied on than any merely physical affluence from external objects.
Now, when I shut my eyes, I see the balloon ascend a little way, but
almost immediately the heavens open, the horses descend, the balloon is
transformed, and the glorious pageant careers onward till it vanishes
into the heaven of heavens. Hundreds with whom I have conversed assure
me that their experience has been the same as mine. Has yours been
different?"

"Oh no, not at all; but I always see some storks circling round the
balloon before I see any horses."

"How strange! I have heard others also say that they saw the storks you
mention; but let me do my utmost I cannot force them into my mental image
of the scene. This shows, as you were saying just now, how incomplete
the testimony of an eye-witness often is. It is quite possible that the
storks were there, but the horses and the chariot have impressed
themselves more vividly on my mind than anything else has."

"Quite s