no
more. They began to whisper one to another. They fell apart, and made
way for her and her attendants. They stopped; they forgot their own
affairs; some ran into the shops and called out the persons who were
within; they gaped, and whispered, and nodded, and held up their hands,
and with one accord began to follow.

Further on, heads appeared from the windows of pleasure-towers and
pleasure-domes; doors opened; all who could walk joined themselves to
the crowd which was following the wondrous lady and her five strange
companions.

Deeper and deeper into the city; on past the region of shops into the
region of gardens and mansions; up by a gradual ascent to the place of
the largest and tallest towers and domes; on they went, the six
white-gowned and bare-footed figures before, and the crowd behind; and
the further they went, the greater became the crowd; and still there was
no sound from the people, except the sound of an awestruck whispering.

The dark cloud on the mountain-top was now plainly in view before them
between the towers and domes, and they could see the great mass of the
King's Tower where it rose to the cloud and lost itself within it. At
the end of the street which they were now following a majestic gateway
could be seen, and beyond it a park.

Behind them the street was choked from wall to wall with a vast
multitude. From every house, as the multitude passed, its people poured
forth and joined the throng; business was forgotten; shops and houses
were deserted; it seemed as if the whole city was in the street,
following the lady and her five attendants. She looked not behind her
once. She seemed to be unaware of anything in the world about her; her
eyes shone like stars; she had forgotten even her companions; she spoke
not a word, but looked forward to the stately gateway and the park
beyond. Still no sound came from the multitude, except a sound of
whispering.

They reached the gateway. On each side was a great stone pillar,
supporting a gate of massive bronze. The gates were open. Without an
instant's hesitation she led the way within, and as she did so placed
her left hand on her heart. The throng seemed to waver a moment, and
then as the six barefoot and white-gowned figures moved swiftly up the
driveway into the park, it flowed in silently between the gates, and
followed at a respectful distance.

Before them, at a distance, on a knoll from which terraces of velvet
grass descended, stood th