and at that moment , far away ; on earth , as he now could not help remembering , men were at war , and white-faced subalterns and freckled corporals who had but lately begun to shave , stood in horrible gaps or crawled forward in deadly darkness , awaking , like him , to the preposterous truth that all really depended on their actions ; and far away in time horatius stood on the bridge , and constantine settled in his mind whether he would or would not embrace the new religion , and eve herself stood looking upon the forbidden fruit and the heaven of heavens waited for her decision .