A number indeed did
live differently afterwards, but their new life was less excellent
than the old: some among them had long served a good cause, but when
they heard him praise it and their labour, they returned to their own
lands to find what they had loved less lovable and their arm lighter
in the battle, for he had taught them how little a hair divides the
false and true; others, again, who had served no cause, but wrought
in peace the welfare of their own households, when he had expounded
the meaning of their purpose, found their bones softer and their will
less ready for toil, for he had shown them greater purposes; and
numbers of the young, when they had heard him upon all these things,
remembered certain words that became like a fire in their hearts, and
made all kindly joys and traffic between man and man as nothing, and
went different ways, but all into vague regret.
When any asked him concerning the common things of life; disputes
about the mear of a territory, or about the straying of cattle, or
about the penalty of blood; he would turn to those nearest him for
advice; but this was held to be from courtesy, for none knew that
these matters were hidden from him by thoughts and dreams that filled
his mind like the marching and counter-marching of armies. Far less
could any know that his heart wandered lost amid throngs of
overcoming thoughts and dreams, shuddering at its own consuming
solitude.
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