Thor, having stared in silence at his descendant, came out with a stentorian Viking laugh, which Balder sustained with perfect good-humor.
"Ho, ho!--the devil is in you, son!--in those black eyes of yours,--ho, ho! No other Helwyse ever had such eyes,--or such ideas either! Well, but supposing you passed the condensation point, what then?"
Balder, who was entirely in earnest about the matter, answered gravely,-"I cease to be; but what was I becomes the pure, life-giving, spiritual substance, and enters into fresh personalities, and so passes up again in endless circulation."
"Hum! and how with the evil ones, boy?"
"As with all waste matter; they are cast aside, and, as distinct souls, are gradually annihilated. But they may still manure the soil, and involuntarily help the growth of others. Sooner or later, in one or another form, all come into use."
"For all I see, then," quoth Thor, "your devils come to the same end as your gods!"
"There is the same kind of difference," returned the philosopher, "as between light and earth,--both of which help the growth of flowers; but light gives color and beauty, earth only the insipid matter. I would rather be the light."
"Another thing," proceeded Thor, ignoring this distinction; "admitting all else, how do you account for your region of condensation?"
"By the necessity of perfection," answered Balder, after some consideration. "There would be no meaning in existence unless it tended towards perfection. But you have hit on the unanswerable question."
Thor shook his head and huge grizzled beard. "German University humbug!" growled he. "Get you into a scrape some day. The cloud's not made in that way, I tell you! Come, let's go back to the inn."
"Take my arm," said Balder; and as together they descended the spur of the mountain, he added lovingly, "I'll bring no clouds across your sky, my dear old man!" So the hospitable inn received them.
The discussion between the two was never renewed; but Balder held to his creed. He elaborated and fortified what had been mere outline before. No dogma can be conceived which many circumstances will not seem to confirm and justify. But we cannot attempt to keep abreast of Balder's deductions. There are as many theological systems as individual souls; and no system can be wholly apprehended by any one save its author.
Mastery of men and things,--supreme knowledge to the end of supreme power,--such seems to have been his ambition,--an ambition too abstract and lofty for much rivalry. Nature and human nature were at once his laboratory and his instruments. His senses were to him outlets of divinity. The good and evil of such a scheme scarce need pointing out. It was the apotheosis of self-respect; but self-respect raised to such a height becomes self-worship; human vision dazzles at the sublimity of the prospect; at the moment of greatest weakness the soul arrogates invincible power, and falls! For, the mightier man is, the more absolutely does he need the support of a mightier Man than he can ever be.