"Let's see it come once more," said Leo; "we shall never look upon its
like again in this world."
It seemed a bit of idle curiosity, but somehow I shared it, and so we
waited till, turning slowly round upon its own axis, it had flamed and
thundered by; and I remember wondering for how many thousands of years
this same phenomenon had been taking place in the bowels of the earth,
and for how many more thousands it would continue to take place. I
wondered also if any mortal eyes would ever again mark its passage, or
any mortal ears be thrilled and fascinated by the swelling volume of its
majestic sound. I do not think that they will. I believe that we are the
last human beings who will ever see that unearthly sight. Presently it
had gone, and we too turned to go.
But before we did so we each took Job's cold hand in ours and shook it.
It was a rather ghastly ceremony, but it was the only means in our
power of showing our respect to the faithful dead and of celebrating his
obsequies.
Pages:
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548