Hearest thou, my Holly?"
I felt it was hopeless to argue against casuistry of this nature, which,
if it were carried to its logical conclusion, would absolutely destroy
all morality, as we understand it. But her talk gave me a fresh thrill
of fear; for what may not be possible to a being who, unconstrained by
human law, is also absolutely unshackled by a moral sense of right and
wrong, which, however partial and conventional it may be, is yet
based, as our conscience tells us, upon the great wall of individual
responsibility that marks off mankind from the beasts?
But I was deeply anxious to save Ustane, whom I liked and respected,
from the dire fate that overshadowed her at the hands of her mighty
rival. So I made one more appeal.
"Ayesha," I said, "thou art too subtle for me; but thou thyself hast
told me that each man should be a law unto himself, and follow the
teaching of his heart. Hath thy heart no mercy towards her whose place
thou wouldst take? Bethink thee--as thou sayest--though to me the thing
is incredible--he whom thou desirest has returned to thee after many
ages, and but now thou hast, as thou sayest also, wrung him from the
jaws of death.
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