Part 14 (1/2)

_Superior._ Hus.h.!.+ I will hear him to the end.

_Paul Ruttledge._ That is not all. These things may be accomplished and yet nothing be accomplished. The Christian's business is not reformation but revelation, and the only labours he can put his hand to can never be accomplished in Time. He must so live that all things shall pa.s.s away.

[_He stands silent for a moment and then cries, lifting his hand above his head._] Give me wine out of thy pitchers; oh, G.o.d, how splendid is my cup of drunkenness. We must become blind, and deaf, and dizzy. We must get rid of everything that is not measureless eternal life. We must put out hope as I put out this candle. [_Puts out a candle._] And memory as I put out this candle. [_As before._] And thought, the waster of Life, as I put out this candle. [_As before._] And at last we must put out the light of the Sun and of the Moon, and all the light of the World and the World itself. [_He now puts out the last candle, the chapel is very dark. The only light is the faint light of morning coming through the window._] We must destroy the World; we must destroy everything that has Law and Number, for where there is nothing, there is G.o.d.

[_The_ SUPERIOR _comes forward. One of_ PAUL'S Friars _makes as if to speak to him. The_ SUPERIOR _strikes at him with the back of his hand_.

_Superior._ [_To_ PAUL RUTTLEDGE.] Get out of this, rebel, blasphemous rebel!

_Paul Ruttledge._ Do as you like to me, but you cannot silence my thoughts. I learned them from Jesus Christ, who made a terrible joy, and sent it to overturn governments, and all settled order.

[PAUL'S Friars _rush to save him from the_ SUPERIOR.

_Paul Ruttledge._ There is no need for violence. I am ready to go.

_Colman._ [_Taking his hand._] I will go with you.

_Aloysius._ I will go with you too.

_Several other Friars._ And I, and I, and I.

_Superior._ Whoever goes with this heretic goes straight into the pit.

_Bartley._ Do not leave us behind you. Let us go with you.

_Colman._ Teach us! teach us! we will help you to teach others.

_Paul Ruttledge._ Let me go alone, the one more, the one nearer falsehood.

_Bartley._ We will go with you! We will go with you! We must go where we can hear your voice.

_A Friar._ [_Who stands behind the_ SUPERIOR.] G.o.d is making him speak against himself.

_Paul Ruttledge._ No, the time has not come for you. You would be thinking of your food at midday and listening for the bells at prayer time. You have not yet heard the voices and seen the faces.

_Superior._ A miracle! G.o.d is making the heretic speak against himself.

Listen to him!

_Aloysius._ We will not stay behind, we will go with you.

_Bartley._ We cannot live without hearing you!

_Paul Ruttledge._ I am led by hands that are colder than ice and harder than diamonds. They will lead me where there will be hard thoughts of me in the hearts of all that love me, and there will be a fire in my heart that will make it as bare as the wilderness.

_Aloysius._ We will go with you. We too will take those hands that are colder than ice and harder than diamonds.

_Several Monks._ We too! we too!