The Man of Adamant (From: "The Snow Image and Other Twice-Told Tales")

In a time of rigid piety and harsh judgment, a solitary zealot named Richard Digby convinces himself that true salvation can belong to no one but he. He rejects the world’s churches as false idols, believing that only his narrow, self‑crafted path can lead to heaven. Determined to protect his “treasure of true faith,” he abandons his village, armed with an axe, a sword and a gun, and heads into the unforgiving forest.

Deep in the woods, after three days of wandering, Digby discovers a dark, secluded cave that seems to echo his own convictions. He imagines the cavern as a holy sanctuary where his prayers will be heard without the “corrupt” voices of the masses. As he steps inside, the gloom and strange dripping stones—hardened like adamant—reinforce his belief that he has finally found the narrow entrance to divine peace, ready to seal himself away from the world he despises.