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Benson, Robert Hugh, 1871-1914

"The Necromancers"

"
Laurie licked his dry lips. He told himself that he did not believe
one word of it.
"And ... and he is evil?" he asked.
The other shrugged his shoulders.
"Isn't that a relative term?" he said. "From one point of view,
certainly; but not necessarily from all."
"And ... and what's the good of it?"
The medium smiled a little.
"That's a question we soon cease to ask. You must remember that we
hardly know anything at all yet. But one thing seems more and more
certain the more we investigate, and that is that our point of view is
not the only one, nor even the principal one. Christianity, I fancy,
says the same thing, does it not? The 'glory of God,' whatever that
may be, comes before even the 'salvation of souls.'"
Laurie wrenched his attention once more to a focus.
"Then I was in danger?" he said.
"Certainly. We are always in danger--"
"You mean, if I hadn't prayed--"
"Ah! that is another question.... But, in short, if you hadn't
succeeded in getting past--well, you'd have failed."
Again there fell a silence.
It seemed to Laurie as if his world were falling about him. Yet he was
far from sure whether it were not all an illusion. But the extreme
quietness and confidence of this man in enunciating these startling
theories had their effect.


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