The Golden Key

"You have tasted of death now," said the old man. "Is it good?" "It is good," said Mossy. "It is better than life." "No," said the old man: "it is only more life."

Then the Old Man of the Earth stooped over the floor of the cave, raised a huge stone from it, and left it leaning. It disclosed a great hole that went plumb-down. That is the way, he said. But there are no stairs. You m…