Presently there came a peasant boy down the path leading his ass; she had
two large panniers fastened to her sides; and they went down the road
before me.
I had never seen him before; but I should have liked to walk by him and to
have held his hand--only, he would not have known why.
Alassio, Italy.
VIII. LIFE'S GIFTS.
I saw a woman sleeping. In her sleep she dreamt Life stood before her, and
held in each hand a gift--in the one Love, in the other Freedom. And she
said to the woman, "Choose!"
And the woman waited long: and she said, "Freedom!"
And Life said, "Thou hast well chosen. If thou hadst said, 'Love,' I would
have given thee that thou didst ask for; and I would have gone from thee,
and returned to thee no more. Now, the day will come when I shall return.
In that day I shall bear both gifts in one hand."
I heard the woman laugh in her sleep.
London.
IX. THE ARTIST'S SECRET.
There was an artist once, and he painted a picture. Other artists had
colours richer and rarer, and painted more notable pictures. He painted
his with one colour, there was a wonderful red glow on it; and the people
went up and down, saying, "We like the picture, we like the glow."
The other artists came and said, "Where does he get his colour from?" They
asked him; and he smiled and said, "I cannot tell you"; and worked on with
his head bent low.
And one went to the far East and bought costly pigments, and made a rare
colour and painted, but after a time the picture faded.
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