THE PROCESSION OF UNKNOWN POWERS.1 A YOUTH Went forth in the morning twilight and sat on a summit of a hill, gazing upon the still slumbering villages below. While he sat there a weird procession passed before him. Out of the region of shadows they came, into the same they passed from their vast circuit; and between dusk and dusk their tall swarthy forms were revealed in full outline by the flaming star which each bore with an uplifted hand. The other hand of each was bent with open palm earthward. Though their faces were stern, yet were they beautiful ; but though the youth longed that their eyes should turn towards him and some word fall from their lips, silently they passed on, each with eyes 1 Suggested by one of the last designs of the late David Scott. bent forward on the vacancy. He spoke, but they heeded not; he shouted, but they responded not; at last he wept and implored, and stretched toward them pleading hands, but they returned him no sign. At length the sun rose; its splendour shot over the earth, and nothing could be seen but light columns of rose-tinged cloud. From these the youth turned and hastened homeward; through the day he sat dreaming of his vision, and in the night he could not rest. Ere the daybreak he sat again on the summit, and to his great joy the procession of genii again appeared. This time, he thought, they will surely speak to me; or, at least, they will pause and alight upon the earth, or give me some sign of the errand on which they are bound. But it was not so: still their feet touched not the earth, no star was lowered, nor eye bent downward; the plaintive cries of the youth gained no response, and the morning light again smote the wondrous forms into floating mist. |