Marcius was still more surprised when Leander assumed an oratorical attitude, and in his old-time impassioned manner began the recitation of Greek poetry. Then followed a scene from one of the tragedies of Sophocles. After closing, he waited a moment, as if expecting applause.
Marcius almost forgot the present in such a realistic dream of the past.
“Behold,” said the Master in a whisper, “the persistence of mental habit! Pressing though his business be with thee, this dramatic fragment must needs be projected from his surcharged soul before he can give his message!”
Leander now came forward and laid his hand upon the shoulder of Marcius. An intensely woeful expression was manifest.
“O Marcius! I have sent for thee! Behold I am disquieted! I fain would quench the hatred toward thee that was long ago kindled in my soul, but am not able! In spite of every effort it reasserts itself through habit! It is like a fire which when smothered in one place [pg 461]breaketh out anew of itself! I crave thy forgiveness, which, if thou dost grant it, may peradventure help to release me from this terrible thraldom!”
“Take courage, for it is freely granted! I give thee my love, and pronounce thy release!”
“I bless thy goodness, and thank thee that thou wast minded to follow the messenger to this place! But I have yet a great work to do! Behold the old thoughts rise up before me and will not be laid!”
Marcius gave him a kindly look, and replied,—
“Think of love, love, LOVE! for behold its presence in thy soul will at length displace all its opposites! That is the method by which thou mayest dissolve them into nothingness.”
“But, O Marcius! I have not yet told thee the worst! I tried to murder thee! With base gold I bought a potion that was to dull thy reason, destroy thy wisdom, and hasten thy mind and body to decay before the wonted time! Listen to my iniquity! With more gold, by my direction, Colurus was hired to administer the potion to thee! But, thanks to all the gods—none of which I have beheld since I left the body—thou art here and well! The potion took no effect, but, oh, the guilt is not the less! I am tormented beyond measure for having so rewarded the best friend I ever had! A fire rageth within my thought, and I have no rest! Horror and destruction, in living forms, follow and point at me!”