No Way Out

           TheFairypalacesburstintoillumination,beforepalemorningshowedthemonstrousserpentsofsmoketrailingthemselvesoverCoketown.Aclatteringofclogsuponthepavement;arapidringingofbells;andallthemelancholymadelephants,polishedandoiledupfortheday’smonotony,wereattheirheavyexerciseagain.

           Stephenbentoverhisloom,quiet,watchful,andsteady.Aspecialcontrast,aseverymanwasintheforestofloomswhereStephenworked,tothecrashing,smashing,tearingpieceofmechanismatwhichhelaboured.Neverfear,goodpeopleofananxiousturnofmind,thatArtwillconsignNaturetooblivion.Setanywhere,sidebyside,theworkofGodandtheworkofman;andtheformer,eventhoughitbeatroopofHandsofverysmallaccount,willgainindignityfromthecomparison.

           SomanyhundredHandsinthisMill;somanyhundredhorseSteamPower.Itisknown,totheforceofasinglepoundweight,whattheenginewilldo;but,notallthecalculatorsoftheNationalDebtcantellmethecapacityforgoodorevil,forloveorhatred,forpatriotismordiscontent,forthedecompositionofvirtueintovice,orthereverse,atanysinglemomentinthesoulofoneoftheseitsquietservants,withthecomposedfacesandtheregulatedactions.Thereisnomysteryinit;thereisanunfathomablemysteryinthemeanestofthem,forever.—Supposingweweretoreverseourarithmeticformaterialobjects,andtogoverntheseawfulunknownquantitiesbyothermeans!

           Thedaygrewstrong,andshoweditselfoutside,evenagainsttheflaminglightswithin.