صفحة 44 من 83

The sun rose to the mid sky and doves cooed in the shade.

Withered leaves danced and whirled in the hot air of noon. The

shepherd boy drowsed and dreamed in the shadow of the banyan

tree, and I laid myself down by the water and stretched my tired

limbs on the grass.

My companions laughed at me in scorn; they held their heads high

and hurried on; they never looked back nor rested; they vanished

in the distant blue haze. They crossed many meadows and hills,

and passed through strange, far-away countries. All honour to

you, heroic host of the interminable path! Mockery and reproach

pricked me to rise, but found no response in me. I gave myself up

for lost in the depth of a glad humiliation-in the shadow of a

dim delight.

The repose of the sun-embroidered green gloom slowly spread over

my heart. I forgot for what I had travelled, and I surrendered my

mind without struggle to the maze of shadows and songs.