Let us hear what he said about Us.

THE OTHER SPIRITS.

Let's.

RECORDING ANGEL (raising receiver of aerial telephone).

3 oh 4 oh oh 3 5, s.p.a.ce.... Hulloa.

Is that the Superstellar Library?

I'm the Recording Angel. Kindly send me By Spirit-Messenger a copy of "The Dynasts" by T. Hardy. Thank you.

A pause. Enter Spirit-Messenger, with copy of "The Dynasts."

Thanks.

Exit Spirit-Messenger. The Recording Angel reads "The Dynasts" aloud.

Just as the reading draws to a close, enter the Spirit of Mr. Clement Shorter and Chorus of Subtershorters. They are visible as small grey transparencies swiftly interpenetrating the brains of the spatial Spirits.

SPIRIT OF THE PITIES.

It is a book which, once you take it up, You cannot readily lay down.

SPIRIT SINISTER.

There is Not a dull page in it.

SPIRIT OF THE YEARS.

A bold conception Outcarried with that artistry for which The author's name is guarantee. We have No hesitation in commending to our readers A volume which- The Spirit of Mr. Clement Shorter and Chorus of Subtershorters are detected and expelled.

-we hasten to denounce As giving an entirely false account Of our impressions.

SPIRIT IRONIC.

Hear, hear!

SPIRIT SINISTER.

Hear, hear!

SPIRIT OF THE PITIES.

Hear!

SPIRIT OF THE YEARS.

Intensive vision has this Mr. Hardy, With a dark skill in weaving word-patterns Of subtle ideographies that mark him A man of genius. So am not I, But a plain Spirit, simple and forthright, With no d.a.m.ned philosophical fal-lals About me. When I visited that planet And watched the animalculae thereon, I never said they were "automata"

And "jackaclocks," nor dared describe their deeds As "Life's impulsion by Incognizance."

It may be that those mites have no free will, But how should I know? Nay, how Mr. Hardy?

We cannot glimpse the origin of things, Cannot conceive a Causeless Cause, albeit Such a Cause must have been, and must be greater Than we whose little wits cannot conceive it.

"Incognizance"! Why deem incognizant An infinitely higher than ourselves?

How dare define its way with us? How know Whether it leaves us free or holds us bond?

SPIRIT OF THE PITIES.

Allow me to a.s.sociate myself With every word that's fallen from your lips.

The author of "The Dynasts" has indeed Misused his undeniably great gifts In striving to belittle things that are Little enough already. I don't say That the phrenetical behaviour Of those aforesaid animalculae Did, while we watched them, seem to indicate Possession of free-will. But, bear in mind, We saw them in peculiar circ.u.mstances- At war, blinded with blood and l.u.s.t and fear.

Is it not likely that at other times They are quite decent midgets, capable Of thinking for themselves, and also acting Discreetly on their own initiative, Not drilled and herded, yet gregarious- A wise yet frolicsome community?

SPIRIT IRONIC.

What are these "other times" though? I had thought Those midgets whiled away the vacuous hours After one war in training for the next.

And let me add that my contempt for them Is not done justice to by Mr. Hardy.

SPIRIT SINISTER.

Nor mine. And I have reason to believe Those midgets shone above their average When we inspected them.

A RUMOUR (tactfully intervening).

Yet have I heard (Though not on very good authority) That once a year they hold a festival And thereat all with one accord unite In brotherly affection and good will.

SPIRIT OF THE YEARS (to Recording Angel).

Can you authenticate this Rumour?

RECORDING ANGEL.

Such festival they have, and call it "Christmas."

SPIRIT OF THE PITIES.

Then let us go and reconsider them Next "Christmas."

SPIRIT OF THE YEARS (to Recording Angel).

When is that?

RECORDING ANGEL (consults terrene calendar).

This day three weeks.

SPIRIT OF THE YEARS.

On that day we will re-traject ourselves.

Meanwhile, 'twere well we should be posted up In details of this feast.

SPIRIT OF THE PITIES (to Recording Angel).

Aye, tell us more.

RECORDING ANGEL.

I fancy you could best find what you need In the Complete Works of the late Charles d.i.c.kens.

I have them here.

SPIRIT OF THE YEARS.

Read them aloud to us.

The Recording Angel reads aloud the Complete Works of Charles d.i.c.kens.

RECORDING ANGEL (closing "Edwin Drood").

'Tis Christmas Morning.

SPIRIT OF THE YEARS.

Then must we away.

SEMICHORUS I. OF YEARS (aerial music).

'Tis time we press on to revisit That dear little planet, To-day of all days to be seen at Its brightest and best.

Now holly and mistletoe girdle Its halls and its homesteads, And every biped is beaming With peace and good will.

SEMICHORUS II.

With good will and why not with free will?

If clearly the former May nest in those bosoms, then why not The latter as well?

Let's lay down no laws to trip up on, Our way is in darkness, And not but by groping unhampered We win to the light.

The Spirit and Chorus of the Years traject themselves, closely followed by the Spirit and Chorus of the Pities, the Spirits and Choruses Sinister and Ironic, Rumours, Spirit Messengers, and the Recording Angel.

There is the sound of a rushing wind. The Solar System is seen for a few instants growing larger and larger-a whorl of dark, vastening orbs careering round the sun. All but one of these is lost to sight. The convex seas and continents of our planet spring into prominence.

The Spirit of Mr. Hardy is visible as a grey transparency swiftly interpenetrating the brain of the Spirit of the Years, and urging him in a particular direction, to a particular point.

The Aerial Visitants now hover in mid-air on the outskirts of Casterbridge, Wess.e.x, immediately above the County Gaol.

SPIRIT OF THE YEARS.

First let us watch the revelries within This well-kept castle whose great walls connote A home of the pre-eminently blest.

The roof of the gaol becomes transparent, and the whole interior is revealed, like that of a beehive under gla.s.s. Warders are marching mechanically round the corridors of white stone, unlocking and clanging open the iron doors of the cells. Out from every door steps a convict, who stands at attention, his face to the wall.

At a word of command the convicts fall into gangs of twelve, and march down the stone stairs, out into the yard, where they line up against the walls.

Another word of command, and they file mechanically, but not more mechanically than their warders, into the Chapel.

SPIRIT OF THE PITIES.

Enough!

SPIRITS SINISTER AND IRONIC.

'Tis more than even we can bear.

SPIRIT OF THE PITIES.