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ified his body； but the evil came from within。
One day； after the lapse of many years； he met Angelo； whorecognized him。
〃Man！〃 exclaimed Angelo。 〃Yes； it is thou！ Art thou happy now？Thou hast sinned against God； and cast away His boon from thee… hastneglected thy mission in this world！ Read the parable of the intrustedtalent！ The MASTER； who spoke that parable； spoke the truth！ What hastthou gained？ What hast thou found？ Dost thou not fashion for thyself areligion and a dreamy life after thine own idea； as almost all do？Suppose all this is a dream； a fair delusion！〃
〃Get thee away from me； Satan！〃 said the monk； and he quittedAngelo。
〃There is a devil； a personal devil！ This day I have seen him！〃said the monk to himself。 〃Once I extended a finger to him； and hetook my whole hand。 But now；〃 he sighed； 〃the evil is within me； andit is in yonder man； but it does not bow him down； he goes abroad withhead erect； and enjoys his fort； and I grasped at fort in theconsolations of religion。 If it were nothing but a consolation？Supposing everything here were； like the world I have quitted； onlya beautiful fancy； a delusion like the beauty of the evening clouds；like the misty blue of the distant hills！… when you approach them；they are very different！ O eternity！ Thou actest like the great calmocean； that beckons us； and fills us with expectation… and when weembark upon thee； we sink； disappear； and cease to be。 Delusion！away with it！ begone！〃
And tearless； but sunk in bitter reflection； he sat upon hishard couch； and then knelt down… before whom？ Before the stone crossfastened to the wall？ No； it was only habit that made him take thisposition。
The more deeply he looked into his own heart； the blacker didthe darkness seem。 …〃Nothing within； nothing without… this lifesquanderied and cast away！〃 And this thought rolled and grew like asnowball； until it seemed to crush him。
〃I can confide my griefs to none。 I may speak to none of thegnawing worm within。 My secret is my prisoner； if I let the captiveescape； I shall be his！〃
And the godlike power that dwelt within him suffered and strove。
〃O Lord； my Lord！〃 he cried； in his despair； 〃be merciful andgrant me faith。 I threw away the gift thou hadst vouchsafed to me； Ileft my mission unfulfilled。 I lacked strength； and strength thoudidst not give me。 Immortality… the Psyche in my breast… away withit！… it shall be buried like that Psyche； the best gleam of my life；never will it arise out of its grave！〃
The Star glowed in the roseate air； the Star that shall surelybe extinguished and pass away while the soul still lives on； itstrembling beam fell upon the white wall； but it wrote nothing thereupon being made perfect in God； nothing of the hope of mercy； of thereliance on the divine love that thrills through the heart of thebeliever。
〃The Psyche within can never die。 Shall it live inconsciousness？ Can the inprehensible happen？ Yes； yes。 My beingis inprehensible。 Thou art unfathomable； O Lord。 Thy whole world isinprehensible… a wonder…work of power； of glory and of love。〃
His eyes gleamed； and then closed in death。 The tolling of thechurch bell was the last sound that echoed above him； above the deadman； and they buried him； covering him with earth that had beenbrought from Jerusalem； and in which was mingled the dust of many ofthe pious dead。
When years had gone by his skeleton was dug up； as the skeletonsof the monks who had died before him had been； it was clad in abrown frock； a rosary was put into the bony hand； and the form wasplaced among the ranks of other skeletons in the cloisters of theconvent。 And the sun shone without； while within the censers werewaved and the Mass was celebrated。
And years rolled by。
The bones fell asunder and became mingled with others。 Skulls werepiled up till they formed an outer wall around the church； and therelay also his head in the burning sun； for many dead were there； and noone knew their names； and his name was forgotten also。 And see；something was moving in the sunshine； in the sightless cavernous eyes！What might that be？ A sparkling lizard moved about in the skull；gliding in and out through the sightless holes。 The lizard nowrepresented all the life left in that head； in which once greatthoughts； bright dreams； the love of art and of the glorious； hadarisen； whence hot tears had rolled down； where hope and immortalityhad had their being。 The lizard sprang away and disappeared； and theskull itself crumbled to pieces and became dust among dust。
Centuries passed away。 The bright Star gleamed unaltered；radiant and large； as it had gleamed for thousands of years； and theair glowed red with tints fresh as roses； crimson like blood。
There； where once had stood the narrow lane containing the ruinsof the temple； a nunnery was now built。 A grave was being dug in theconvent garden for a young nun who had died； and was to be laid in theearth this morning。 The spade struck against a hard substance； itwas a stone； that shone dazzling white。 A block of marble soonappeared； a rounded shoulder was laid bare； and now the spade wasplied with a more careful hand； and presently a female head wasseen； and butterflies' wings。 Out of the grave in which the youngnun was to be laid they lifted； in the rosy morning； a wonderfulstatue of a Psyche carved in white marble。
〃How beautiful； how perfect it is！〃 cried the spectators。 〃A relicof the best period of art。〃
And who could the sculptor have been？ No one knew； no oneremembered him； except the bright star that had gleamed forthousands of years。 The star had seen the course of that life onearth； and knew of the man's trials； of his weakness… in fact； that hehad been but human。 The man's life had passed away； his dust hadbeen scattered abroad as dust is destined to be； but the result of hisnoblest striving； the glorious work that gave token of the divineelement within him… the Psyche that never dies； that lives beyondposterity… the brightness even of this earthly Psyche remained hereafter him； and was seen and acknowledged and appreciated。
The bright Morning Star in the roseate air threw its glancingray downward upon the Psyche； and upon the radiant countenances of theadmiring spectators； who here beheld the image of the soul portrayedin marble。
What is earthly will pass away and be forgotten； and the Star inthe vast firmament knows it。 What is heavenly will shine brightlythrough posterity； and when the ages of posterity are past； thePsyche… the soul… will still live on！
THE END。
1872
FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
THE PUPPET…SHOW MAN
by Hans Christian Andersen
ON board a steamer I once met an elderly man； with such a merryface that； if it was really an index of his mind； he must have beenthe happiest fellow in creation； and indeed he considered himselfso； for I heard it from his own mouth。 He was a Dane； the owner of atravelling theatre。 He had all his pany with him in a large box；for he was the proprietor of a puppet…show。 His inborn cheerfulness；he said； had been tested by a member of the Polytechnic Institution；and the experiment had made him pletely happy。 I did not at firstunderstand all this； but afterwards he explained the whole story tome； and here it is：…
〃I was giving a representation；〃 he said； 〃in the hall of theposting…house in the little town of Slagelse； there was a splendidaudience； entirely juvenile excepting two respectable matrons。 Allat once； a person in black； of student…like appearance； entered theroom； and sat down； he laughed aloud at the telling points； andapplauded quite at the proper time。 This was a very unusualspectator for me； and I felt anxious to know who he was。 I heardthat he was a member of the Polytechnic Institution in Copenhagen； whohad been sent out to lecture to the people in the provinces。Punctually at eight o'clock my performance closed； for children mustgo early to bed； and a manager must also consult the convenience ofthe public。
〃At nine o'clock the lecturer menced his lecture and hisexperiments； and then I formed a part of his audience。 It waswonderful both to hear and to see。 The greater part of it was beyondmy prehension； but it led me to think that if we men can acquire somuch； we must surely