Page 55 - erewhon

ing the north-west, and the sun was full upon me. Oh, how
its light cheered me! But what I saw! It was such an expanse
as was revealed to Moses when he stood upon the summit
of Mount Sinai, and beheld that promised land which it was
not to be his to enter. The beautiful sunset sky was crimson
and gold; blue, silver, and purple; exquisite and tranquillis-
ing; fading away therein were plains, on which I could see
many a town and city, with buildings that had lofty steeples
and rounded domes. Nearer beneath me lay ridge behind
ridge, outline behind outline, sunlight behind shadow, and
shadow behind sunlight, gully and serrated ravine. I saw
large pine forests, and the glitter of a noble river winding its
way upon the plains; also many villages and hamlets, some
of them quite near at hand; and it was on these that I pon-
dered most. I sank upon the ground at the foot of a large
tree and thought what I had best do; but I could not collect
myself. I was quite tired out; and presently, feeling warmed
by the sun, and quieted, I fell off into a profound sleep.
I was awoke by the sound of tinkling bells, and looking
up, I saw four or five goats feeding near me. As soon as I
moved, the creatures turned their heads towards me with
an expression of infinite wonder. They did not run away,
but stood stock still, and looked at me from every side, as
I at them. Then came the sound of chattering and laughter,
and there approached two lovely girls, of about seventeen
or eighteen years old, dressed each in a sort of linen gaber-
dine, with a girdle round the waist. They saw me. I sat quite
still and looked at them, dazzled with their extreme beauty.
For a moment they looked at me and at each other in great

Erewhon