Chapter 12. SPADEVIL
Maskull found that his new organs had no independent function of their own, but only intensified and altered his other senses. When he used his eyes, ears, or nostrils, the same objects presented themselves to him, but his judgment concerning them was different. Previously all external things had existed for him; now he existed for them. According to whether they served his purpose or were in harmony with his nature, or otherwise, they had been pleasant or painful. Now these words “pleasure” and “pain” simply had no meaning.
The other two watched him, while he was making himself acquainted with his new mental outlook. He smiled at them.
“You were quite right, Tydomin,” he said, in a bold, cheerful voice. “We have been fools. So near the light all the time, and we never guessed it. Always buried in the past or future—systematically ignoring the present—and now it turns out that apart from the present we have no life at all.”
“Thank Spadevil for it,” she answered, more loudly than usual.
Maskull looked at the man’s dark, concrete form. “Spadevil, now I mean to follow you to the end. I can do nothing less.”
The severe face showed no sign of gratification—not a muscle relaxed.
“Watch that you don’t lose your gift,” he said gruffly.
Tydomin spoke. “You promised that I should enter Sant with you.”