Explore "The Bells of Sydney" by J.D. Hennessey on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Let a hidden thing be but once discovered, and how it stares at us. We marvel then that when we did not see it before. There is absolutely no escaping it, and we upbraid ourselves for lack of shrewdness and sagacity, that it was not at once distinguished. This was my feeling now in regard to my other self. The absurd idea which I had held, that my physical body was possessed by a demon, had completely vanished, and the more I thought of the poor thing, away there in prison, the more I pitied it--and myself too. My anger burned less even against De Vere. There was after all no devilry in the matter. As he had put it when sinking to his death in the Queensland Quicksand; it was not sorcery, but simply his larger knowledge of Nature's secrets which gave to him seemingly supernatural power.
De Vere however only knew in part--like others. The effect of his assault on me, he could only have very partially understood, or he would at once have recognised me when we met again in Queensland.