All in a garden fair; the simple story of three boys ... - University Library

ii8 ALL IX A GARDEN FAIR,
Other hand, made no resistance, but obeyed
at once, and allowed the Thought to take pos-
session Hke a bailiff. In his case it was a voice
which called, a finger which pointed, a hand
which pushed, day and night, so that he could
never rest, never sleep, never sit down, never
s^^eak of anything unless in obedience to the
perpetual admonition of that Thought. As was
Christopher, so was our Hector. He accepted
the Thought after the briefest resistance, and
allowed it henceforth to guide and rule him.
If that Thought had not come to Hector
Philipon this history would never have been
written. If that Thought had not seized him
one knows not w^hat lives of discontent, un-
satisfied desire, and thwarted ambition might
have been the lot of these two clerks. And yet
they do not know the history of this supreme
moment, this wrestling and defeat. One can
hardly guess in what words, did they know it,
their gratitude could be expressed.