i thought of marius 's old words , spoken long ago to me when we existed still in the age of powdered wigs and satin slippers-that the old religion , christianity , was dying , and maybe no new religion would rise : `` maybe something more wonderful will take place , '' marius had said , `` the world will truly move forward , past all gods and goddesses , past all devils and angels ... '' was n't that the destiny of this world , really ?