ir surfaces undulate; but the moving cause is this: At the
centre of these planes is a pole, the analogue, we will say, of the
magnetic pole on earth, that has a more effective attraction for a gas
than for a liquid. When liquids approach the periphery of the circle,
the rapid rotation and decreased pressure cause them to break up,
whereupon the elementary gases return to the centre in the atmosphere,
if near the surface, forming a gentle breeze. On nearing the centre,
the cause of the separation being removed, the gases reunite to form a
liquid, and the centrifugal force again sends this on its journey."

"Is there no way," asked Bearwarden, "by which a man may retrieve
himself, if he has lost or misused his opportunities on earth?"

"The way a man lays up treasures in heaven, when on earth," replied the
spirit, "is by gladly doing something for some one else, usually in
some form sacrificing self. In hell no one can do anything for any one
else, because every one can have the semblance of anything he wishes by
merely concentrating his mind upon it, though, when he has it, it is
but a shadow and gives him no pleasure. Thus no one can give any one
else anything he cannot obtain himself; and if he could, since it would
be no sacrifice on his part, he would derive no great moral comfort
from it. Neither can any one comfort any one else by putting his acts
or offences in a new light, for every one knows the whole truth about
himself and everybody else, so that nothing can be made to appear
favourably or unfavourably. All this, however, is supposing there is
the desire to be kind; but how can spirits that were selfish and
ill-disposed on earth, where there are so many softening influences,
have good inclinations in hell, where they loathe one another with
constantly increasing strength?

"Inasmuch as both the good and the bad continue on the lines on which
they started when on earth, we are continually drawing nearer to God,
while they are departing. The gulf may be only one of feeling, but
that is enough. It follows, then, that with God as our limit, which we
of course can never reach, their limit, in the geometrical sense, must
be total separation from Him. Though all spirits, we are told, live
forever, it occurs to me that in God's mercy there may be a gradual
end; for though to the happy souls in heaven a thousand years may seem
as nothing, existence in hell must drag along with leaden limbs, and a
single ho