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finding that a little chainless bronze censer； set； upon the outside； with pieces of painted china by orazio fontana； which i had filled with antique amulets； had fallen upon its side and poured out its contents； i began to gather the amulets into the bowl； partly to collect my thoughts and partly with that habitual reverence which seemed to me the due of things so long connected with secret hopes and fears。 i see； said michael robartes； that you are still fond of incense； and i can show you an incense more precious than any you have ever seen； and as he spoke he took the censer out of my hand and put the amulets in a little heap between the athanor and the alembic。 i sat down； and he sat down at the side of the fire； and sat there for awhile looking into the fire； and holding the censer in his hand。 i have e to ask you something； he said； and the incense will fill the room； and our thoughts； with its sweet odour while we are talking。 i got it from an old man in syria； who said it was made from flowers； of one kind with the flowers that laid their heavy purple petals upon the hands and upon the hair and upon the feet of christ in the garden of gethsemane； and folded him in their heavy breath； until he cried against the cross and his destiny。 he shook some dust into the censer out of a small silk bag； and set the censer upon the floor and lit the dust which sent up a blue stream of smoke； that spread out over the ceiling； and flowed downwards again until it was like miltons banyan tree。 it filled me； as incense often does； with a faint sleepiness； so that i started when he said； i have e to ask you that question which i asked you in paris； and which you left paris rather than answer。
he had turned his eyes towards me； and i saw them glitter in the firelight； and through the incense； as i replied： you mean； will i bee an initiate of your order of the alchemical rose？ i would not consent in paris； when i was full of unsatisfied desire； and now that i have at last fashioned my life according to my desire； am i likely to consent？
you have changed greatly since then； he answered。 i have read your books； and now i see you among all these images； and i understand you better than you do yourself； for i have been with many and many dreamers at the same cross？ways。 you have shut away the world and gathered the gods about you； and if you do not throw yourself at their feet； you will be always full of lassitude； and of wavering purpose； for a man must forget he is miserable in the bustle and noise of the multitude in this world and in time； or seek a mystical union with the multitude who govern this world and time。 and then he murmured something i could not hear； and as though to someone i could not see。
for a moment the room appeared to darken； as it used to do when he was about to perform some singular experiment； and in the darkness the peacocks upon the doors seemed to glow with a more intense colour。 i cast off the illusion； which was； i believe； merely caused by memory； and by the twilight of incense； for i would not acknowledge that he could overe my now mature intellect； and i said： even if i grant that i need a spiritual belief and some form of worship； why should i go to eleusis and not to calvary？ he leaned forward and began speaking with a slightly rhythmical intonation； and as he spoke i had to struggle again with the shadow； as of some older night than the night of the sun； which began to dim the light of the candles and to blot out the little gleams upon the corner of picture？ frames and on the bronze divinities； and to turn the blue of the incense to a heavy purple； while it left the peacocks to glimmer and glow as though each separate colour were a living spirit。 i had fallen into a profound dream？like reverie in which i heard him speaking as at a distance。 and yet there is no one who munes with only one god； he was saying； and the more a man lives in imagination and in a refined understanding； the more gods does he meet with and talk with； and the more does he e under the power of roland； who sounded in the valley of roncesvalles the last trumpet of the bodys will and pleasure； and of hamlet； who saw them perishing away； and sighed； and of faust； who looked for them up and down the world and could not find them； and under the power of all those countless divinities who have taken upon themselves spiritual bodies in the minds of the modern poets and romance writers； and under the power of the old divinities； who since the renaissance have won everything of their ancient worship except the sacrifice of birds and fishes； the fragrance of garlands and the smoke of incense。
the many think humanity made these divinities； and that it can unmake them again； but we who have seen them pass in rattling harness； and in soft robes； and heard them speak with articulate voices while we lay in deathlike trance； know that they are always making and unmaking humanity； which is indeed but the trembling of their lips。
he had stood up and begun to walk to and fro； and had bee in my waking dream a shuttle weaving an immense purple web whose folds had begun to fill the room。 the room seemed to have bee inexplicably silent； as though all but the web and the weaving were at an end in the world。 they have e to us； they have e to us； the voice began again； all that have ever been in your reverie； all that you have met with in books。 there is lear； his head still wet with the thunder？storm； and he laughs because you thought yourself an existence who are but a shadow； and him a shadow who is an eternal god； and there is beatrice； with her lips half parted in a smile； as though all the stars were about to pass away in a sigh of love； and there is the mother of the god of humility who cast so great a spell over men that they have tried to unpeople their hearts that he might reign alone； but she holds in her hand the rose whose every petal is a god； and there； o swiftly she es！ is aphrodite under a twilight falling from the wings of numberless sparrows； and about her feet are the grey and white doves。 in the midst of my dream i saw him hold out his left arm and pass his right hand over it as though he stroked the wings of doves。 i made a violent effort which seemed almost to tear me in two； and said with forced determination： you would sweep me away into an indefinite world which fills me with terror； and yet a man is a great man just in so far as he can make his mind reflect everything with indifferent precision like a mirror。 i seemed to be perfectly master of myself； and went on； but more rapidly： i mand you to leave me at once； for your ideas and phantasies are but the illusions that creep like maggots into civilizations when they begin to decline； and into minds when they begin to decay。 i had grown suddenly angry； and seizing the alembic from the table； was about to rise and strike him with it； when the peacocks on the door behind him appeared to grow immense； and then the alembic fell from my fingers and i was drowned in a tide of green and blue and bronze feathers； and as i struggled hopelessly i heard a distant voice saying： our master avicenna has written that all life proceeds out of corruption。 the glittering feathers had now covered me pletely； and i knew that i had struggled for hundreds of years； and was conquered at last。 i was sinking into the depth when the green and blue and bronze that seemed to fill the world became a sea of flame and swept me away； and as i was swirled along i heard a voice over my head cry； the mirror is broken in two pieces； and another voice answer； the mirror is broken in four pieces； and a more distant voice cry with an exultant cry； the mirror is broken into numberless pieces； and then a multitude of pale hands were reaching towards me； and strange gentle faces bending above me； and half wailing and half caressing voices uttering words that were forgotten the moment they were spoken。 i was being lifted out of the tide of flame； and felt my memories； my hopes； my thoughts； my will； everything i held to be myself； melting away； then i seemed to rise through numberless panies of beings who were； i understood； in some way more certain than thought； each wrapped in his eternal moment； in the perfect lifti