Soho Square was deserted. The mingled red and silver light from the burning houses and the moon lay across it; but nothing moved. We turned northward into Soho Street. It also was empty when we entered it; but while we walked up it a figure entered it from the Oxford Street end. As it approached, Glendyne made a gesture of recognition, and when the two met it was evident that they were well acquainted with one another.
“That you, Glendyne? Glad to see you again. It’s a week since we met, I think.”
It was a tall thin clergyman with a clear-cut ascetic face, clean-shaven in spite of the prevailing lack of soap. For the first time that night I saw that the city had thrown up a man who was definitely sane. His keen glance, his air of competence and his matter-of-fact mode of speech were in strong contrast to what I had become accustomed to expect from the inhabitants of this Inferno. Glendyne introduced me with some perfunctory words which left my presence unexplained; and the clergyman seemed to accept me without comment.
“Things are going from bad to worse, Glendyne,” he said. “I’m sometimes tempted to take advantage of your offer and clear out some of these places with a bomb or two.”
“What’s wrong now?” Glendyne inquired, without much apparent interest.
“Well, I can stand a good deal—have had to, you know. But when it comes to open idolatry in the West End, I must say I begin to draw the line.”
“Remember two can play at that game, if you do begin. If you interfere with them, they will interfere with you.”
“Of course, you’re quite right. So far we have had no persecution; I’ll say that for them. But sometimes temptation is as bad as persecution, or even worse. Persecution couldn’t last long now anyway; and it would only knit us together: but temptation is a different matter. I’ve lost two girls in the last three days—enticed away by the Dancers. Sickening business, for one knows how that always ends. One of them was taken from my side as we were walking along the street together; and I was jammed in the crowd and could do nothing. She just cracked up, got hysterical and darted off. I lost sight of her almost at once. Of course she never came back. Damn them!” he ended with extraordinary bitterness.
“Well, it can’t be helped. You do all that a man can do to keep them sane; and if you fail, it’s no fault of yours.”
“What has that to do with it?” cried the clergyman vehemently. “Do you think I care one way or another for that? It’s the sight of these souls going down to damnation that I care about. In a few days we must all meet our Judge, and these poor things go before Him soiled in body and soul! That’s what hurts, Glendyne. Six months ago we were all living a normal life; I was preaching the Gospel and doing my best to bring light into these people’s lives. I doubt I was slack in some ways, knowing what I do now. I didn’t realise the gulfs in the darkness through which we walked in this world. I knew very little of the horrors lurking under the surface. And now comes this outpouring of Hell! I used to think one should cover up all the worst in life, keep it from one’s eyes. Perhaps if I had known more, I might have been of more use now. But at first I didn’t know. I didn’t recognise the forms under which temptation could come. Half my flock had fallen before I had opened my eyes to what was happening. Think of that! My sheer ignorance of life, look what it has cost!”
“Well, well,” said Glendyne. “No use crying over spilt milk, is there? You did your best according to your lights. You weren’t trained as a mental specialist, you know.”
“Thanks so much, Bildad Redivivus, but I’m afraid your argument helps no more nowadays than it did a few thousand years ago in the Land of Uz. I ought to have known better; but I shut my eyes. I thought these things unclean and despised them; and now they have ruined my work because I did not take the trouble to understand them.
“You can’t guess what it is like now, Glendyne. They are celebrating the Black Mass in Hyde Park and holding Witches’ Sabbaths. All the old evil things which we thought had died out of the race have reappeared, all the foulest practices and superstitions have come to life. It’s terrible.”
“The old gods were never dead, although you pretended they were. Now they have come again, you have got to make the best of it. It’s not for long, anyway. Another week or two and the last food will be gone.”
“I pray for that day, Glendyne. I never thought to see it; but I go on my knees many times daily and pray that it may come soon. Some of my people I know will be steadfast; but the contagion attacks the younger ones with an awful swiftness.”
“Collective hysteria. I know. Keep them indoors as much as possible, especially the girls. You can do nothing more.”
“I suppose not. Anyway, I’ll do what I can, if only I can hold out till
