XLVIII
The morning sea of silence broke into ripples of bird
songs; and the
flowers were all merry by the roadside; and the
wealth of gold was scattered through the rift of the clouds while we
busily went on our way and paid no heed.
We sang no glad songs nor played; we went not to the village for
barter; we spoke not a word nor smiled; we lingered not on the way.
We quickened our pave more and more as the time sped by.
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 traveled, and I surrendered my
mind without struggle to the maze of shadows and songs.
At last, when I woke from my slumber and opened my eyes, I saw
thee standing by me, flooding my sleep with thy smile. How I had
feared that the path was long and wearisome, and the struggle to
reach thee was hard!
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