battle in which he may
well fall, and if I could feel sorry here, which I can't, I should
weep, O reverend sir, because I have died before that battle began and
therefore cannot stand at his side in the battle and be killed for him
as a servant should for his master!'

"'You will stand at his side in the battle,' said your [missing line
in printed version--JB] do as it is fitting that you should. And
afterwards, Hans, you will make report to me of how the battle went and
of what honour my son has won therein. Moreover, know this, Hans, that
though while you live in the world you seem to see many other things,
they are but dreams, since in all the world there is but one real
thing, and its name is Love, which if it be but strong enough, the stars
themselves must obey, for it is the king of every one of them, and all
who dwell in them worship it day and night under many names for ever and
for ever, Amen.'

"What he meant by that I am sure I don't know, Baas, seeing that I have
never thought much of women, at least not for many years since my last
old vrouw went and drank herself to death after lying in her sleep on
the baby which I loved much better than I did her, Baas.

"Well, before I could ask him, or about hell either, he was gone like a
whiff of smoke from a rifle mouth in a strong wind."

Hans paused, puffed at his pipe, spat upon the ground in his usual
reflective way and asked:

"Is the Baas tired of the dream or would he like to hear the rest?"

"I should like to hear the rest," I said in a low voice, for I was
strangely moved.

"Well, Baas, while I was standing in that place which was so full of
quiet, turning my hat in my hands and wondering what work they would set
me to there among the devils, I looked up. There I saw coming towards
me two very beautiful women, Baas, who had their arms round each other's
necks. They were dressed in white, with the little hard things that are
found in shells hanging about them, and bright stones in their hair.
And as they came, Baas, wherever they set a foot flowers sprang up, very
pretty flowers, so that all their path across the quiet place was marked
with flowers. Birds too sang as they passed, at least I think they were
birds though I could not see them."

"What were they like, Hans?" I whispered.

"One of them, Baas, the taller I did not know. But the other I knew well
enough; it was she whose name is holy, not to be mentioned. Yet I must
mention that name; it