As the last note of the sweet Voice died away, the fiery snake climbedinto the heart of the cloud. Now the cloud rolled from the horns oflight, and was gathered into the blackness. The vision of the crescentmoon grew dim and vanished. Then, as the Goddess passed, once more camethe faint and dreadful music of the shaken sistra, and all was still.
I hid my face in my robe, and even then, though my outstretched handcould touch the chill corpse of that father who had died cursing me,I felt hope come back into my heart, knowing that I was not altogetherlost nor utterly rejected of Her whom I had forsaken, but whom I yetloved. And then weariness overpowered me, and I slept.