heart he went out to them. Love, a fierce and tender flame, arose; pity,
a breath from the vast; sympathy, born of unity. This triple fire sent
forth its rays; they surrounded those dark souls; they pervaded them;
they beat down oppression.

*****

While Ananda, with spiritual magic, sent forth the healing powers
through the four quarters of the world, far away at that moment a king
sat enthroned in his hall. A captive was bound before him--bound, but
proud, defiant, unconquerable of soul. There was silence in the hall
until the king spake the doom and torture for this ancient enemy.

The king spake: "I had thought to do some fierce thing to thee and
so end thy days, my enemy. But I remember now, with sorrow, the great
wrongs we have done to each other, and the hearts made sore by our
hatred. I shall do no more wrong to thee; thou art free to depart. Do
what thou wilt. I will make restitution to thee as far as may be for thy
ruined state."

Then the soul which no might could conquer was conquered utterly--the
knees of the captive were bowed and his pride was overcome. "My
brother," he said, and could say no more.

*****

To watch for years a little narrow slit high up in a dark cell, so high
that he could not reach up and look out, and there to see daily the
change from blue to dark in the sky, had withered a prisoner's soul.
The bitter tears came no more, hardly even sorrow, only a dull, dead
feeling. But that day a great groan burst from him. He heard outside the
laugh of a child who was playing and gathering flowers under the high,
gray walls. Then it all came over him--the divine things missed, the
light, the glory, and the beauty that the earth puts forth for her
children. The arrow slit was darkened, and half of a little bronze face
appeared.

"Who are you down there in the darkness who sigh so? Are you all alone
there? For so many years! Ah, poor man! I would come down to you if I
could, but I will sit here and talk to you for a while. Here are flowers
for you," and a little arm showered them in by handfuls until the room
was full of the intoxicating fragrance of summer. Day after day the
child came, and the dull heart entered once more into the great human
love.

*****

At twilight, by a deep and wide river, an old woman sat alone, dreamy
and full of memories. The lights of the swift passing boats and the
light of the stars were just as in childhood and the old love-time. Old,
feeble, it was time f