work of man, but of a superior
intelligence."

"Superior, indeed!" replied Philip. "It is the work of Heaven!"

"That is a point not so easily admitted; there is another power as
well as that which is divine--that of the devil!--the arch-enemy of
mankind! But as that power, inferior to the power of God, cannot act
without His permission, we may indirectly admit that it is the will of
Heaven that such signs and portents should be allowed to be given on
certain occasions."

"Then our opinions are the same, good Father."

"Nay, not exactly, my son. Elymas, the sorcerer, was permitted to
practise his arts--gained from the devil--that it might be proved, by
his overthrow and blindness, how inferior was his master to the Divine
Ruler; but it does not therefore follow that sorcery generally was
permitted. In this instance it may be true that the Evil One has been
permitted to exercise his power over the captain and crew of that
ship, and, as a warning against such heavy offences, the supernatural
appearance of the vessel may be permitted. So far we are justifiable
in believing. But the great questions are, first, whether it be your
father who is thus doomed? and, secondly, how far you are necessitated
to follow up this mad pursuit, which, it appears to me--although it
may end in your destruction--cannot possibly be the means of rescuing
your father from his state of unhallowed abeyance? Do you understand
me, Philip?"

"I certainly understand what you would say, Father; but--"

"Answer me not yet. It is the opinion of this holy father as well
as of myself, that, allowing the facts to be as you suppose, the
revelations made to you are not from on high, but the suggestions of
the devil, to lead you into danger and ultimately to death; for if it
were your task, as you suppose, why did not the vessel appear on this
last voyage, and how can you (allowing that you met her fifty times)
have communication with that, or with those which are but phantoms and
shadows, things not of this world? Now what we propose is, that you
should spend a proportion of the money left by your father, in masses
for the repose of his soul, which your mother, in other circumstances,
would certainly have done; and that having so done, you should remain
quietly on shore until some new sign should be given to you which may
warrant our supposing that you are really chosen for this strange
pursuit?"

"But my oath, Father--my recorded vow?"

"From that