But the meaninghad gone out of everything for him.
The conscription, all the whole performance of the war was
absolutelycircumstantially necessary.
Each formulated religion is in the endonly a great
idea.
Then broke a terrific thunderstorm, and hail
lasheddown with a noise like insanity. Always like for to fixthese things up in
person. He was so tempted, save for a sense of impending disaster at the bottomof
his soul. She was ratherpretty, a descendant of an English family.
AT last he had it all out with himself, right to
the bitter end. There, thought Somers, you have the whole spirit of Australian
labour. Harriet was disgusted athaving been dragged away from home.
And fish leaped in the furry water, as if thewind
had turned them upside-down. And whenJanuary came he fell ill with the influenza,
and was ill for a longtime.
Is human life just opposed to human reason? He
wondered what instructions theyhad had about him. Richard faced out all his memories
like a nightmare in the night, andcut clear. Not to save humanity or tohelp humanity
or to have anything to do with humanity. The ever-renewed dragon of a great old
ideal, with its foulpoison-breath.
The verycommandment suggests that it is possible to
have other gods, and to putthem before Jehovah.
There you are, mum,he said, with a rough
salute.
While the family was at dinner thatevening a ring
sounded at the front door.
SupposingI love my neighbour more than myself. But
first, why had it all come back on him?