Part 9 (1/2)

Profound silence.

”Who stands sentry?”

”Achilles.”

And on the rocky causeway, close to the springing of the rainbow bridge, he saw a young man who carried a wonderful s.h.i.+eld.

”Mr. Bons, it is Achilles, armed.”

”I want to go back,” said Mr. Bons.

The last fragment of the rainbow melted, the wheels sang upon the living rock, the door of the omnibus burst open. Out leapt the boy--he could not resist--and sprang to meet the warrior, who, stooping suddenly, caught him on his s.h.i.+eld.

”Achilles!” he cried, ”let me get down, for I am ignorant and vulgar, and I must wait for that Mr. Bons of whom I told you yesterday.”

But Achilles raised him aloft. He crouched on the wonderful s.h.i.+eld, on heroes and burning cities, on vineyards graven in gold, on every dear pa.s.sion, every joy, on the entire image of the Mountain that he had discovered, encircled, like it, with an everlasting stream. ”No, no,” he protested, ”I am not worthy. It is Mr. Bons who must be up here.”

But Mr. Bons was whimpering, and Achilles trumpeted and cried, ”Stand upright upon my s.h.i.+eld!”

”Sir, I did not mean to stand! something made me stand. Sir, why do you delay? Here is only the great Achilles, whom you knew.”

Mr. Bons screamed, ”I see no one. I see nothing. I want to go back.”

Then he cried to the driver, ”Save me! Let me stop in your chariot. I have honoured you. I have quoted you. I have bound you in vellum. Take me back to my world.”

The driver replied, ”I am the means and not the end. I am the food and not the life. Stand by yourself, as that boy has stood. I cannot save you. For poetry is a spirit; and they that would wors.h.i.+p it must wors.h.i.+p in spirit and in truth.”

Mr. Bons--he could not resist--crawled out of the beautiful omnibus. His face appeared, gaping horribly. His hands followed, one gripping the step, the other beating the air. Now his shoulders emerged, his chest, his stomach. With a shriek of ”I see London,” he fell--fell against the hard, moonlit rock, fell into it as if it were water, fell through it, vanished, and was seen by the boy no more.

”Where have you fallen to, Mr. Bons? Here is a procession arriving to honour you with music and torches. Here come the men and women whose names you know. The mountain is awake, the river is awake, over the race-course the sea is awaking those dolphins, and it is all for you.

They want you----”

There was the touch of fresh leaves on his forehead. Some one had crowned him.

TELOS

From the _Kingston Gazette, Surbiton Times,_ and _Paynes Park Observer_.

The body of Mr. Septimus Bons has been found in a shockingly mutilated condition in the vicinity of the Bermondsey gas-works. The deceased's pockets contained a sovereign-purse, a silver cigar-case, a bijou p.r.o.nouncing dictionary, and a couple of omnibus tickets. The unfortunate gentleman had apparently been hurled from a considerable height. Foul play is suspected, and a thorough investigation is pending by the authorities.

THE END

OTHER KINGDOM

I

”_Quem_, whom; _fugis_, are you avoiding; _ab demens_, you silly a.s.s; _habitarunt di quoque_, G.o.ds too have lived in; _silvas_, the woods.' Go ahead!”