in white, one to the right and one to the
left of Mine Own, and they to be for Faithfulness, and did be maids,
because that they watched by a maid; and had likewise been matrons, if
that the Dead had been wife unto any.

And the place at the Head of the Last Rest did be empty, and did be for
me; and he that stood to the head, did be for Love; for it did be the
chief, and did hold dominion over and did make to live both Faithfulness
and Honour. And this to be the way of the Burial alway.

And lo! I took my courage into my heart; and I stood to the head of Mine
Own Maid; and I lookt down upon the wondrous white glory of the garment,
which did be white because that Mine Own did be a Maid; yet did be
worked with yellow Flowers of Weeping, as we did call them, because that
she had died in love. And I to know that no hand had toucht that
wonderful garment, save the hands of maidens.

And behold! as I stood there, from far away over the Land, there did
come a far and faint sound; and the sound did come more nigh, so that I
knew that afar off, beyond the Hills of the Babes, the Millions did
begin to sing the Calling Song, where Million did call husht unto
Million, and the sound did come onward toward where we did be, and did
go over us, and pass onward in a husht and wondrous breathing of sound,
as that all the Love that did be ever in this world, did call in a low
anguish unto a lost Beloved. And the sound to pass away and away over
that mighty Country in the deep Earth, and did hush and hush unto a
great and utter silence, save for a faint murmur of countless women
weeping, that did be in the air of that Land of Quiet.

And there to be a space of silence, and again the silence to be broken
by a far sound; and there to come again from beyond the far Hills of the
Babes a strange and low sound, and did be as of a wind wandering through
damp forests. And the sound grew, and came across the Hills of the
Babes, and did be breathed forth by Million after Million, so that in a
little I to hear the Song of Weeping sung very low and sorrowful by the
multitudes. And the Song came onward over all that great Country, and
past over us, and went onward into the far Land beyond the Dome, and did
be caught by the voices of Millions that did be hid in great distances,
and so to go onward forever, and to die at last unto a mighty silence.

And the Master Monstruwacan lookt at me from the feet of Mine Own Maid,
and I to know that the moment