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。”