‘ You must think me very simple,’ answered Will. ‘ Although I have never been out of this valley, believe me, I have used my eyes. I know how one thing lives on another ; for instance, how the fish hangs in the eddy to catch his fellows ; and the shepherd, who makes so pretty a picture carrying home the lamb, is only carrying it home for dinner. I do not expect to find all things right in your cities. That is not what troubles me ; it might have been that once upon a time ; but although I live here always, I have asked many questions and learned a great deal in these last years, and certainly enough to cure me of my old fancies. But you would not have me die like a dog and not see all that is to be seen, and do all that a man can do, let it be good or evil ? you would not have me spend all my days between this road here and the river, and not so much as make a motion to be up and live my life ?—I would rather die out of hand,’ he cried, ‘than linger on as I am doing.’

‘ Thousands of people,’ said the young man, ‘ live and die like you, and are none the less happy.’

‘ Ah ! ’ said Will, ‘ if there are thousands who would like, why should not one of them have my place ? ’

It was quite dark ; there was a hanging lamp in the arbour which lit up the table and the faces of the speakers ; and along the arch, the leaves upon the trellis stood out illuminated against the night sky, a pattern of transparent green upon a dusky purple. The fat young man rose, and, taking Will by the arm, led him out under the open heavens.

‘ Did you ever look at the stars ? ’ he asked, pointing upwards.

‘ Often and often,’ answered Will.

‘ And do you know what they are ? ’

‘ I have fancied many things.’

‘ They are worlds like ours,’ said the young man. ‘ Some of them less ; many of them a million times greater ; and some of the least sparkles that you see are not only worlds, but whole clusters of worlds turning about each other in the midst of space. We do not know what there may be in any of them ; perhaps the answer to all our difficulties or the cure of all our sufferings : and yet we can never reach them ; not all the skill of the craftiest of men can fit out a ship for the nearest of these our neighbours, nor would the life of the most aged suffice for such a journey. When a great battle has been lost or a dear friend is dead, when we are hipped or in high spirits, there they are unweariedly shining overhead. We may stand down here, a whole army of us together, and shout until we break our hearts, and not a whisper reaches them. We may climb the highest mountain, and we are no nearer them. All we can do is to stand down here in the garden and take off our hats ; the starshine lights upon our heads, and where mine is a little bald, I dare say you can see it glisten in the darkness. The mountain and the mouse. That is like to be all we shall ever have to do with Arcturus or Aldebaran. Can you apply a parable ? ’ he added, laying his hand upon Will’s shoulder. ‘ It is not the same thing as a reason, but usually vastly more convincing.’

Will hung his head a little, and then raised it once more to heaven. The stars seemed to expand and emit a sharper brilliancy ; and as he kept turning his eyes higher and higher, they seemed to increase in multitude under his gaze.

‘ I see,’ he said, turning to the young man. ‘ We are in a rat-trap.’

‘ Something of that size. Did you ever see a squirrel turning in a cage ? and another squirrel sitting philosophically over his nuts ? I needn’t ask you which of them looked more of a fool.’

The Parson’s Marjory