And he handed the volume in question to its author, who turned it over with the most curious air of careless recognition--in his fancy he again saw Zabastes writing each line of it down to Sah- luma's dictation!
"It's very well printed"--he said at last,--"and very tastefully bound. You have superintended the work con amore, Villiers, . . and I am as obliged to you as friendship will let me be. You know what that means?"
"It means no obligation at all"--declared Villiers gayly.. "because friends who are the least worthy the name take delight in furthering each other's interests and have no need to be thanked for doing what is particularly agreeable to them. You really like the appearance of it, then? But you've got the sixth edition. This is the first."
And he took up from a side-table a quaint small quarto, bound is a very superb imitation of old embossed leather, which Alwyn, beholding, was at once struck by the resemblance it bore to the elaborate designs that had adorned the covers of the papyrus volumes possessed by his Shadow-Self, Sahluma!
"This is very sumptuous!" he said with a dreamy smile--"It looks quite antique!"
"Doesn't it!" exclaimed Villiers, delighted--"I had it copied from a first edition of Petrarca which happens to be in my collection. This specimen of 'Nourhalma' has become valuable and unique. It was published at ten-and-six, and can't be got anywhere under five or six guineas, if for that. Of course a copy of each edition has been set aside for YOU."
Alwyn laid down the book with a gentle indifference.
"My dear fellow, I've had enough of 'Nourhalma,'" ... he said ... "I'll keep a copy of the first edition, if only as a souvenir of your good-will and energy in bringing it out so admirably--but for the rest! ... the book belongs to me no more, but to the public,-- and so let the public do with it what they will!"
Villiers raised his eyebrows perplexedly.
"I believe, after all, Alwyn, you don't really care for your fame!"
"Not in the least!" replied Alwyn, laughing. "Why should I?"
"You longed for it once as the utmost good!"
"True!--but there are other utmost goods, my friend, that I desire more keenly."
"But are they attainable?"--queried Villiers. "Men, and specially poets, often hanker after what is not possible to secure."
"Granted!" responded Alwyn cheerfully--"But I do not crave for the impossible. I only seek to recover what I have lost."
"And that is?"
"What most men have lost, or are insanely doing their best to lose"--said Alwyn meditatively.. "A grasp of things eternal, through the veil of things temporal."