the hour, those who were called and chosen.

Slowly, but with no doubt or hesitation whatever, and in something of a
solemn expectancy, the two animals passed through the broken tumultuous
water and moored their boat at the flowery margin of the island. In
silence they landed, and pushed through the blossom and scented herbage
and undergrowth that led up to the level ground, till they stood on
a little lawn of a marvellous green, set round with Nature's own
orchard-trees--crab-apple, wild cherry, and sloe.

'This is the place of my song-dream, the place the music played to me,'
whispered the Rat, as if in a trance. 'Here, in this holy place, here if
anywhere, surely we shall find Him!'

Then suddenly the Mole felt a great Awe fall upon him, an awe that
turned his muscles to water, bowed his head, and rooted his feet to the
ground. It was no panic terror--indeed he felt wonderfully at peace and
happy--but it was an awe that smote and held him and, without seeing, he
knew it could only mean that some august Presence was very, very near.
With difficulty he turned to look for his friend and saw him at his
side cowed, stricken, and trembling violently. And still there was utter
silence in the populous bird-haunted branches around them; and still the
light grew and grew.

Perhaps he would never have dared to raise his eyes, but that, though
the piping was now hushed, the call and the summons seemed still
dominant and imperious. He might not refuse, were Death himself waiting
to strike him instantly, once he had looked with mortal eye on things
rightly kept hidden. Trembling he obeyed, and raised his humble head;
and then, in that utter clearness of the imminent dawn, while Nature,
flushed with fullness of incredible colour, seemed to hold her breath
for the event, he looked in the very eyes of the Friend and Helper;
saw the backward sweep of the curved horns, gleaming in the growing
daylight; saw the stern, hooked nose between the kindly eyes that were
looking down on them humourously, while the bearded mouth broke into a
half-smile at the corners; saw the rippling muscles on the arm that lay
across the broad chest, the long supple hand still holding the pan-pipes
only just fallen away from the parted lips; saw the splendid curves of
the shaggy limbs disposed in majestic ease on the sward; saw, last of
all, nestling between his very hooves, sleeping soundly in entire peace
and contentment, the little, round, podgy, childis