The Star in the West

98 THE STAR IN THE WEST Then from the centre of Eternity came a voice , " Tell thou the secret of the pillar .” “ Eternal Beauty , One and absolute ! ” flashes from his tongue . Again the voice asks , “ Thou knowest me for Beauty ! Canst thou bear the fuller vision ? " Then on my withered gaze that Beauty grew Rosy quintessence of alchemic dew ! The Self -informing Beauty ! In my heart The many were united : and I knew.1 And yet : I was wed Unto the part and could not grasp the whole . Thus , I was broken on the wheel of Truth . Fled all the hope and purpose of my youth , The high desire , the secret joy , the sin That coiled its rainbow dragon scales within . Hope's being , life's delight , time's eager tooth ; All , all are gone ; the serpent sloughs his skin ! The quest is mine ! Here ends mortality In contemplating the eternal Thee . Here , She is willing . Stands the Absolute Reaching its arms toward me . I am mute , I draw toward . Oh , suddenly I see The treason - pledge , the royal prostitute .? Thus does he fail at the very threshold of his higher self . He hears echoing “ Gereth , I am thine !” And falling back on his purpose , the illusions of spirit and mind dissolve to the desolate cry of “ Unready . Haggard and worn , back to the court he wends his weary way , back to the King , back to his self's de sire ; and there , taunted by the husband of the mis 1 The Temple of the Holy Ghost , vol . i, p . 191 . 2 lbid .