It
would continue to burn while there was a drop of water on the earth, and
the whole world would be consumed. But it would be a frightful thing to
have in one's hands; for once it were cast upon the waters, the doom of
all that existed would be sealed beyond repeal.'
He took a long breath, and his eyes glittered with a devilish ardour. His
voice was hoarse with overwhelming emotion.
'Sometimes I am haunted by the wild desire to have seen the great and
final scene when the irrevocable flames poured down the river, hurrying
along the streams of the earth, searching out the moisture in all growing
things, tearing it even from the eternal rocks; when the flames poured
down like the rushing of the wind, and all that lived fled from before
them till they came to the sea; and the sea itself was consumed in
vehement fire.'
Margaret shuddered, but she did not think the man was mad. She had
ceased to judge him. He took one more particle of that atrocious powder
and put it in the bowl. Again he thrust his hand in his pocket and
brought out a handful of some crumbling substance that might have been
dried leaves, leaves of different sorts, broken and powdery.
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