By and by we could from the plain see the city among the blue clouds.
But other clouds were gathering around a lofty tower--or was it a
rock?--that stood above the city, nearer the crest of the mountain.
Gray, and dark gray, and purple, they writhed in confused, contrariant
motions, and tossed up a vaporous foam, while spots in them gyrated like
whirlpools. At length issued a dazzling flash, which seemed for a
moment to play about the Little Ones in front of us. Blinding darkness
followed, but through it we heard their voices, low with delight.

"Did you see?"

"I saw."

"What did you see?"

"The beautifullest man."

"I heard him speak!"

"I didn't: what did he say?"

Here answered the smallest and most childish of the voices--that of
Luva:--

"He said, ''Ou's all mine's, 'ickle ones: come along!'"

I had seen the lightning, but heard no words; Lona saw and heard with
the children. A second flash came, and my eyes, though not my ears,
were opened. The great quivering light was compact of angel-faces. They
lamped themselves visible, and vanished.

A third flash came; its substance and radiance were human.

"I see my mother!" I cried.

"I see lots o' mothers!" said Luva.

Once more the cloud flashed--all kinds of creatures--horses and
elephants, lions and dogs--oh, such beasts! And such birds!--great birds
whose wings gleamed singly every colour gathered in sunset or rainbow!
little birds whose feathers sparkled as with all the precious stones
of the hoarding earth!--silvery cranes; red flamingoes; opal pigeons;
peacocks gorgeous in gold and green and blue; jewelly humming
birds!--great-winged butterflies; lithe-volumed creeping things--all in
one heavenly flash!

"I see that serpents grow birds here, as caterpillars used to grow
butterflies!" remarked Lona.

"I saw my white pony, that died when I was a child.--I needn't have been
so sorry; I should just have waited!" I said.

Thunder, clap or roll, there had been none. And now came a sweet rain,
filling the atmosphere with a caressing coolness. We breathed deep, and
stepped out with stronger strides. The falling drops flashed the colours
of all the waked up gems of the earth, and a mighty rainbow spanned the
city.

The blue clouds gathered thicker; the rain fell in torrents; the
children exulted and ran; it was all we could do to keep them in sight.

With silent, radiant roll, the river swept onward, filling to the margin
its smooth, soft, yieldi