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"It isn't time," I said

They brought me cool white wine It was ulp of it "It's not enough," I said softly, weakly, but I was falling asleep

I went down into the pillows, and I felt Bianca's cloth wipe my forehead and ive that small comfort, which was all the world to me All the world All the world

I had forgotten what I had seen on the other side! My eyes snapped open Recover it, I thought desperately But I reh I had just talked to him in another room He had said I couldn't remember And there was so s as only ht understand

I closed my eyes I slept Dreams couldn't come to me I was too ill, too feverish, but in my oay, stretched thin upon a consc

iousness of the ish air beneath the baldaquin, upon the blurred words of the boys and Bianca's sweet insistence, I did sleep The hours ticked I knew theot used to the sweat that smothered my skin, and the thirst that hurtfor my Master to come

I have so lass city! I must explain that I was oncebut I couldn't quite remember A painter, yes, but what sort of painter, and how, and my name? Andrei? When had I been so called?

Chapter 7

7

SLOWLY over my consciousness of the sickbed and the humid room there dropped the dark veil of Heaven Spread out in all directions were the sentinel stars, splendid as they shone above the glinting towers of the glass city, and in this half-sleep, now aided by theto me

Each froave forth a precious glireat chords were struck inside each flayrations broadcast through all the universal world

Such sounds I had never heard with my earthly ears But no disclaimer can approximate this airy and translucent music, this harmony and symphony of celebration

Oh, Lord, if Thou wert music, this then would be Thy voice, and no discord could ever prevail against Thee Thou wouldst cleanse the ordinary world of every troubling noise with this, the fullest expression of Thy n, and all triviality would fade away, overwhel perfection

This was ue,

Stay with ed, and let ht and sound, but only give myself to it utterly and unquestionably