Whileonthebrinkthusonebeforetheother

Wewentuponourway, oftthegoodMaster

Said: "Takethouheed! sufficeitthatIwarnthee."

Ontherightshouldersmotemenowthesun,

That, rayingout, alreadythewholewest

Changedfromitsazureaspectintowhite.

AndwithmyshadowdidImaketheflame

Appearmorered; andeventosuchasign

ShadessawImany, astheywent, giveheed.

Thiswasthecausethatgavethemabeginning

Tospeakofme; andtothemselvesbeganthey

Tosay: "Thatseemsnotafactitiousbody!"

Thentowardsme, asfarastheycouldcome,

Camecertainofthem, alwayswithregard

Nottostepforthwheretheywouldnotbeburned.

"Othouwhogoest, notfrombeingslower

Butreverentperhaps, behindtheothers,

Answerme, whointhirstandfireamburning.

Nortomeonlyisthineanswerneedful;

Forallofthesehavegreaterthirstforit

ThanforcoldwaterEthioporIndian.

Tellushowisitthatthoumakestthyself

Awalluntothesun, asifthouhadstnot

Enteredasyetintothenetofdeath."

Thusoneofthemaddressedme, andIstraight

Shouldhaverevealedmyself, wereInotbent

Onothernoveltythatthenappeared.

Forthroughthemiddleoftheburningroad

Therecameapeoplefacetofacewiththese,

Whichheldmeinsuspensewithgazingatthem.

ThereseeIhasteninguponeitherside

Eachoftheshades, andkissingoneanother

Withoutapause, contentwithbriefsalute.

Thusinthemiddleoftheirbrownbattalions

Muzzletomuzzleoneantmeetsanother

Perchancetospytheirjourneyortheirfortune.

Nosooneristhefriendlygreetingended,

Oreverthefirstfootsteppassesonward,

Eachoneendeavourstooutcrytheother;

Thenew-comepeople: "SodomandGomorrah!"