Then,suddenlyallthatdreamcreaturehadvanished;hewasonhisfeet,withathumpingheart,speaking。
Soonhehadnotremors,onlyadimconsciousnessthathiswordssoundedstrange,andaqueericypleasureinflingingthemoutintothesilence。Roundhimthereseemednolongermen,onlymouthsandeyes。Andhehadenjoymentinthefeelingthatwiththesewordsofhishewasholdingthosehungrymouthsandeyesdumbandunmoving。
Thenheknewthathehadreachedtheendofwhathehadtosay,andsatdown,remainingmotionlessinthecentreofavarioussound;
staringatthebackoftheheadinfrontofhim,withhishandsclaspedroundhisknee。Andsoon,whenthatlittlefarawayvoicewasoncemorespeaking,hetookhishat,andglancingneithertorightnorleft,wentout。
Insteadofthesensationofreliefandwildelationwhichfillstheheartofthosewhohavetakenthefirstplunge,Miltounhadnothinginhisdeepdarkwellbutthewatersofbitterness。Intruth,withthedeliveryofthatspeechhehadbutpartedwithwhathadbeenasortofanodynetosuffering。Hehadonlyputthefinepointonhisconviction,ofhowvainwashiscareernowthathecouldnotshareitwithAudreyNoel。HewalkedslowlytowardstheTemple,alongtheriverside,wherethelampswerepalingintonothingnessbeforethatdailycelebrationofDivinity,themeetingofdarkandlight。