ning his garments, he stretched
himself across the threshold, and the congregation passed out over his
body, some kicking it in pious loathing, some trampling on it
viciously. The penitent remained rigid, his face pressed to the
ground. Only, when his brother Joseph trampled upon him, he knew by
subtle memories of his tread and breathing who the coward was.

When the last of the congregants had passed over his body, Uriel arose
and went through the pillared portico, speaking no word. The
congregants, standing in groups about the canal-bridge, still
discussing the terrible scene, moved aside, shuddering, silenced, as
like a somnambulist that strange figure went by, the shoulders thrown
back, the head high, in superb pride, the nostrils quivering, but the
face as that of the dead. Never more was he seen of men. Shut up in
his study, he worked feverishly day and night, writing his
autobiography. _Exemplar Humanae Vitae_--an Ensample of Human Life, he
called it, with tragic pregnancy. Scarcely a word of what the world
calls a man's life--only the dry account of his abstract thought, of
his progress to broader standpoints, to that great discovery--"All
evils come from not following Right Reason and the Law of Nature." And
therewith a virulent denunciation of Judaism and its Rabbis: "They
would crucify Jesus even now if He appeared again." And, garnering the
wisdom of his life-experience, he bade every man love his neighbor,
not because God bids him, but by virtue of being a man. What Judaism,
what Christianity contains of truth belongs not to revealed, but to
natural religion. Love is older than Moses; it binds men together. The
Law of Moses separates them: one brings harmony, the other discord
into human society.

His task was drawing to an end. His long fight with the Rabbis was
ending, too. "My cause is as far superior to theirs as truth is more
excellent than falsehood: for whereas they are advocates for a fraud
that they may make a prey and slaves of men, I contend nobly in the
cause of Truth, and assert the natural rights of mankind, whom it
becomes to live suitably to the dignity of their nature, free from the
burden of superstitions and vain ceremonies."

It was done. He laid down his quill and loaded his pair of
silver-mounted pistols. Then he placed himself at the window as of
yore, to watch in his two mirrors for the passing of his brother
Joseph. He knew his hand would not fail him. The days wore on, but
each