At last his strength failed him and he fell by the wayside in the darkness ; but his harp played as his spirit passed ; and it seemed to him that a Shining One stood by him , with wonderful starry eyes , and said to him , ` Lo , the music thy harp has played for so many years has been but the echo of the love and sympathy and purity and beauty in thine own soul ; and if at any time in the wanderings thou hadst opened the door of that soul to evil or envy or selfishness thy harp would have ceased to play .