ow I have told thee of the Truth thou sawest in thy vision and wouldst
thou hear the Lesson?"

"Yes," I answered, "since I may as well be done with it at once, and
doubtless it will be good for me."

"The Lesson, Allan, is one which thou preachest--humility. Vain man
and foolish as thou art, thou didst desire to travel the Underworld in
search of certain ones who once were all in all to thee--nay, not all in
all since of them there were two or more--but at least much. Thus thou
wouldst do because, as thou saidest, thou didst seek to know whether
they still lived on beyond the gates of Blackness. Yes, thou saidest
this, but what thou didst hope to learn in truth was whether they lived
on in _thee_ and for _thee_ only. For thou, thou in thy vanity, didst
picture these departed souls as doing naught in that Heaven they had
won, save think of thee still burrowing on the earth, and, at times
lightening thy labours with kisses from other lips than theirs."

"Never!" I exclaimed indignantly. "Never! it is not true."

"Then I pray pardon, Allan, who only judged of thee by others that were
as men are made, and being such, not to be blamed if perchance from time
to time, they turned to look on women, who alas! were as they are made.
So at least it was when I knew the world, but mayhap since then its
richest wine has turned to water, whereby I hope it has been bettered.
At the least this was thy thought, that those women who had been thine
for an hour, through all eternity could dream of naught else save thy
perfections, and hope for naught else than to see thee at their sides
through that eternity, or such part of thee as thou couldst spare to
each of them. For thou didst forget that where they have gone there
may be others even more peerless than thou art and more fit to hold a
woman's love, which as we know on earth was ever changeful, and perhaps
may so remain where it is certain that new lights must shine and new
desires beckon. Dost understand me, Allan?"

"I think so," I answered with a groan. "I understand you to mean that
worldly impressions soon wear out and that people who have departed to
other spheres may there form new ties and forget the old."

"Yes, Allan, as do those who remain upon this earth, whence these others
have departed. Do men and women still re-marry in the world, Allan, as
in my day they were wont to do?"

"Of course--it is allowed."

"As many other things, or perchance this same thing, may be a