NIGHT
　　Threedayshadpassed，andOrlandoBrothersonsatinhisroomatthehotelbeforeatableladenwithtelegrams，lettersandmarkednewspapers。Thenewsofhisachievementhadgoneabroad，andDerbywas，forthemoment，thecentreofinterestfortwocontinents。
　　Hissuccesswasanestablishedfact。Thesecondtrialwhichhehadmadewithhiscar，thistimewiththewholetowngatheredtogetherinthestreetsaswitnesses，hadprovednotonlythereliabilityofitsmechanism，butthegreatadvantageswhichitpossessedforadirectflighttoanygivenpoint。AlreadyhesawFortunebeckoningtohimintheshapeofanunconditionalofferofmoneyfromafirst-classsource；andbetterstill，-forhewasamanofuntiringenergyandboundlessresource-thatopportunityfornewandenlargedeffortwhichcomeswiththerecognitionofone’sexceptionalpowers。
　　Allthiswashisandmore。Asweeterhope，amoreenduringjoyhadfollowedhardupongratifiedambition。Dorishadsmiledonhim；-
　　Doris！Shehadcaughtthecontagionoftheuniversalenthusiasmandhadgivenhimherfirstungrudgingtokenofapproval。Ithadalteredhiswholeoutlookonlifeinaninstant，fortherewasaneagernessinthisdemonstrationwhichproclaimedtherelievedheart。
　　Shenolongertrustedeitherappearancesorherdream。Hehadsucceededinconqueringherdoubtsbytheveryforceofhispersonality，andtheshadowwhichhadhithertodarkenedtheirintercoursehadmeltedquiteaway。ShewasreadytotakehiswordnowandOswald’s，afterwhichtherestmustfollow。Lovedoesnotlagfarbehindanardentadmiration。
　　Fame！Fortune！Love！Whatmorecouldamandesire?Whatmorecouldthisman，withhisstrenuouspastandanunlimitedcapacityforanenlargedfuture，askfromfatethanthis。Yet，ashebendsoverhisletters，fingeringsome，butreadingnonebeyondalineortwo，hebetraysbutapassingelation，andhardlyliftshisheadwhenaburstofloudacclaimcomesringinguptohiswindowfromsomeardentpasser-by：”HurrahforBrotherson！Hehasputourtownonthemap！”
　　Whythisdespondency?Havethosetwodemonsseizedhimagain?Itwouldseemsoandwithnewandovermasteringfury。Afterthehouroftriumphcomesthehourofreckoning。OrlandoBrothersoninhishourofproudattainmentstandsnakedbeforehisownsoul’stribunalandthepleaderisdumbandthejudgeinexorable。ThereisbutoneWitnesstosuchstruggles；butoneeyetonotethewasteanddesolationofthedevastatedsoul，whenthestormisoverpast。
　　OrlandoBrothersonhassuccumbed；theattackwastookeen，hisforcestooshaken。Butastheheavyminutespass，heslowlyre-gathershisstrengthandrises，intheend，aconqueror。
　　Nevertheless，heknows，eveninthatmomentofregainedcommand，thatthepeacehehadthusboughtwithstrainandstressisbutmomentary；thatthebattleisonforlife：thatthedayswhichtoothereyeswouldcarryasenseofbrilliancy-daysteemingwithworkandoutwardsatisfaction-wouldholdwithintheirhiddendepthsabroodinguncertaintywhichwouldrobapplauseofitsmusicandevenovershadowtheangelfaceofLove。
　　Hequailedattheprospect，materialistthoughhewas。Thedays-theinterminabledays！Inhisunbrokenstrengthandtheglareofthenoondaysun，heforgottotakeaccountofthenightsloominginblackandendlessprocessionbeforehim。Itwasfromthedayphantomheshrank，andnotfromtheghoulwhichworksinthedarknessandmakesagraveoftheheartwhilehappiermortalssleep。
　　Andtheformerterrorseemedformidableenoughtohiminthishishourofstartlingrealisation，evenifhehadfreedhimselfforthenoncefromitscontrollingpower。Toescapeallfurthercontemplationofithewouldwork。Theselettersdeservedattention。HewouldcarrythemtoOswald，andintheirconsiderationfinddistractionfortherestoftheday，atleast。
　　Oswaldwasagoodfellow。Ifpleasureweretobegottenfromthesetokensofgood-will，heshouldhavehisshareofit。AgleamofOswald’soldspiritinOswald’soncebrighteye，wouldgofartowardsthrottlingoneofthosedemonswhosetalonshehadjustreleasedfromhisthroat；andifDorisrespondedtoo，hewoulddeservehisfate，ifhedidnotsucceedingainingthatmasteryofhimselfwhichwouldmakesuchhoursasthesebutepisodesinalifebigwithinterestandpotentwithgreatemotions。
　　Risingwitharesoluteair，hemadeabundleofhispapersand，withtheminhand，passedoutofhisroomanddownthehotelstairs。
　　Amanstooddirectlyinhisway，ashemadeforthefrontdoor。
　　ItwasMr。Challoner。
　　Courtesydemandedsomeshowofrecognitionbetweenthem，andBrothersonwaspassingwithhisusualcoldbow，whenasuddenimpulseledhimtopauseandmeettheother’seye，withthesarcasticremark：”Youhaveexpressed，orsoIhavebeentold，somesurpriseatmychoiceofmechanician。Amanofvariedaccomplishments，Mr。
　　Challoner，butoneforwhomIhavenofurtheruse。If，therefore，youwishtocalloffyourwatch-dog，youareatlibertytodoso。
　　Ihardlythinkhecanbeserviceabletoeitherofusmuchlonger。”
　　Theoldergentlemanhesitated，seekingpossiblyforcomposure，andwhenheanswereditwasnotonlywithoutironybutwithacertainforcedrespect：”Mr。SweetwaterhasjustleftforNewYork，Mr。Brotherson。Hewillcarrywithhim，nodoubt，thefullparticularsofyourgreatsuccess。”
　　Orlandobowed，thistimewithdistinguishedgrace。Notaflickerofreliefhaddisturbedthecalmserenityofhisaspect，yetwhenamomentlater，hesteppedamonghisshoutingadmirersinthestreet，hisairandglancebetrayedaboundingjoyforwhichanothersourcemustbefoundthanthatofgratifiedpride。A
　　chainhadslippedfromhisspirit，andthoughthepeopleshrankalittle，evenwhiletheycheered，itwasratherfromaweofhisbearingandtherecognitionofthatsenseofapartnesswhichunderlayhissmilethanfromanyperceptionoftheman’srealnatureoroftheawesomepurposewhichatthatmomentexaltedit。Buthadtheyknown-couldtheyhaveseenintothistumultuousheart-whatasilencewouldhavesettleduponthesenoisystreets；andinwhatterrorandsoul-confusionwouldeachmanhaveslunkawayfromhisfellowsintothequietandsolitudeofhisownhome。
　　Brothersonhimselfwasnotwithoutasenseoftheincongruityunderlyingthisovation；for，asheslowlyworkedhimselfalong，thebrightnessofhislookbecamedimmedwithatingeofsarcasmwhichinitsturngavewaytoanexpressionofextrememelancholy-bothquiteunbefittingtheheroofthehourinthefirstflushofhisnew-bornglory。HadheseenDoris’youthfulfigureemergeforamomentfromthevine-hungporchhewasapproaching，bringingwithitsomedoubtofthereceptionawaitinghim?Possibly，forhemadeastandbeforehereachedthehouse，andsenthisfollowersback；afterwhichheadvancedwithanunhurryingstep，sothatseveralminuteselapsedbeforehefinallydrewupbeforeMr。Scott’sdoorandenteredthroughthenowemptyporchintohisbrother’ssitting-room。
　　HehadmeanttoseeDorisfirst，buthismindhadchanged。IfallpassedoffwellbetweenhimselfandOswald，ifhefoundhisbrotherresponsiveandwide-awaketotheinterestsandnecessitiesofthehour，hemightforegohisinterviewwithhertillhefeltbetterpreparedtomeetit。Forcallitcowardiceorsimplyareasonableprecaution，anydelayseemedpreferabletohiminhispresentmoodofdiscouragement，tothatfinalcastingofthedieuponwhichhungsomanyandsuchtremendousissues。Itwasthefirstmomentofrealhaltinhiswholetumultuouslife！Never，asdaringexperimentalistoragitator，hadheshrunkfromdangerseenorunseenorfromthreatutteredorunuttered，asheshrankfromthisyounggirl’sno；andsomethingofthedreadhehadfeltlestheshouldencounterherunawareinthehallandsobeledontospeakwhenhisownjudgmentbadehimbesilent，darkenedhisfeaturesasheenteredhisbrother’spresence。
　　ButOswaldwassunkinabitterreveryofhisown，andtooknoheedofthesesignsofdepression。Inthere-actionfollowingthesedaysofgreatexcitement，thepasthadre-asserteditself，andallwasgloominhisoncegeneroussoul。This，Orlandohadtimetoperceive，quickasthechangecamewhenhisbrotherreallyrealisedwhohisvisitorwas。Theglad”Orlando！”andtheforcedsmiledidnotdeceivehim，andhisvoicequaveredatrifleasheheldouthispacketwiththewords：”Ihavecometoshowyouwhattheworldsaysofmyinvention。Wewillsoonbegreatmen，”heemphasised，asOswaldopenedtheletters。”Moneyhasbeenofferedmeand-Read！read！”heurged，withanunconsciousdictatorialness，asOswaldpausedinhistask。”Seewhatthefateshavepreparedforus；foryoushallshareallmyhonours，asyouwillfromthisdaysharemyworkandenterintoallmyexperiments。Cannotyouenthusealittlebitoverit?Doesn’ttheprospectcontainanyallurementforyou?Wouldyouratherstaylockedupinthispettytown-””Yes；or-die。Don’tlooklikethat，Orlando。ItwasacowardlyspeechandIaskyourpardon。I’mhardlyfittotalkto-day。
　　Edith-”
　　Orlandofrowned。”Notthatname！”heharshlyinterrupted。”Youmustnothamperyourlifewithuselessmemories。Thatdreamofyoursmaybesacred，butitbelongstothepast，andagreatrealityconfrontsyou。Whenyouhavefullyrecoveredyourhealth，yourownmanhoodwillrebelataweaknessunworthyoneofourname。Rouseyourself，Oswald。Takeaccountofourprospects。Givemeyourhandandsay，’Lifeholdssomethingformeyet。IhaveabrotherwhoneedsmeifIdonotneedhim。Together，wecanproveourselvesinvincibleandwrenchfameandfortunefromtheworld。’”
　　Butthehandhereachedfordidnotriseathiscommand，thoughOswaldstartederectandfacedhimwithmanlyearnestness。”Ishouldhavetothinklonganddeeply，”hesaid，”beforeItookuponmyselfresponsibilitieslikethese。Iambrokeninmindandheart，Orlando，andmustremainsotillGodmercifullydeliversme。
　　Ishouldbeapoorassistanttoyou-adrag，ratherthanahelp。
　　DeeplyasIdeploreit，hardasitmaybeforoneofyourtemperamenttounderstandsocompleteanoverthrow，Iyetmustacknowledgemyconditionandprayyounottocountuponmeinanyplansyoumayform。Iknowhowthislooks-Iknowthatasyourbrotherandtruestadmirer，Ishouldrespond，andrespondstrongly，tosuchoverturesasthese，butthemotiveforachievementisgone。
　　Shewasmyall；andwhileImightwork，itwouldbemechanically。
　　Thelift，theelevatingthoughtisgone。”
　　Orlandostoodamomentstudyinghisbrother’sface；thenheturnedshortlyaboutandwalkedthelengthoftheroom。Whenhecameback，hetookuphisstandagaindirectlybeforeOswald，andasked，withanewnoteinhisvoice：”DidyouloveEdithChallonersomuchasthat?”
　　AglancefromOswald’seye，sadderthananytear。”Sothatyoucannotbereconciled?”
　　Agesture。Oswald’swordswerealwaysfew。
　　Orlando’sfrowndeepened。”SuchgriefIpartlyunderstand，”saidhe。”Buttimewillcureit。
　　Somedayanotherlovelyface-””We’llnottalkofthat，Orlando。””No，we’llnottalkofthat，”acquiescedtheinventor，walkingawayagain，thistimetothewindow。”Foryouthere’sbutonewoman；-
　　andshe’samemory。””Killed！”brokefromhisbrother’slips。”Slainbyherownhandunderanimpulseofwildnessandterror！CanIeverforgetthat?
　　Donotexpectit，Orlando。””Thenyoudoblameme?”OrlandoturnedandwaslookingfullatOswald。”Iblameyourunreasonablenessandyouroverweeningpride。”