And it was here, into the Country of Silence, that they brought down the
Dead to their Burial. And there came down into the Country of Silence,
maybe an Hundred Million, out of the Cities of the Pyramid, to be
present, and to do Honour.
Now they that had charge of the Dead, did lay them upon the road which
ran up unto The Gateway, even that same road which was named The Last
Road. And the Road moved upwards slowly with the Dead; and the Dead went
inward through The Gateway; first the poor Youths, and afterward they
that had given up life that they might save them.
And as the Dead went upwards, there was a very great Silence over all
the miles of the Country of Silence. But in a little while there came
from afar off, a sound as of a wind wailing; and it came onwards out of
the distance, and passed over the Hills of the Babes, which were a great
way off. And so came anigh to the place where I stood. Even as the
blowing of a sorrowful wind did it come; and I knew that all the great
multitudes did sing quietly; and the singing passed onwards, and left
behind it an utter silence; even as the wind doth rustle the corn, and
pass onwards, and all fall to a greater seeming quietness than before.
And the Dead passed inward through The Gateway, into the great light and
silence of the Dome; and came out no more.
And again from beyond the far Hills of the Babes there was that sound of
the millions singing; and there rose up out of the earth beneath, the
voices of the underground organs; and the noise of the sorrow passed
over me, and went again into the distance, and left all hushed.
And lo! as there passed inward to the silence of the Dome the last of
those dead Heroes, there came again the sound from beyond the Hills of
the Babes; and as it came more nigh, I knew that it was the Song of
Honour, loud and triumphant, and sung by countless multitudes. And the
Voices of the Organs rose up into thunder from the deep earth. And there
was a great Honour done to the glory of the Dead. And afterwards, once
more a silence. Then did the Peoples of the Cities arrange themselves so that from every
city whence had come a Hero, were the People of that City gathered
together. And when they were so gathered, they set up Tokens of Memory
to the Dead of their City. But afterwards did charge Artists to the
making of sculpture great and beautiful to that same end; and now did
but place Tablets against that time.