He came over the brow of the hill, and out Beyond 

 of the way of the mountain-wind, and, being t ^ ie Blue 

 tired, lay down among the heather and stared 

 across the grey wilderness of the sea. The 

 sun set, and the invisible throwers of the nets 

 trailed darkness across the waves and up the 

 wild shores and over the faces of the cliffs. 

 Stars climbed out of shadowy abysses, and the 

 great chariots of the constellations rode from 

 the west to the east and from the north to the 

 south. His eyes closed, but when he opened 

 them again to see if a star quivering on the 

 verge of the horizon had in that brief moment 

 sprung like a deer above the drowning wave 

 or had sunk like a white seabird passing out 

 of sight, he saw a great and kingly figure 

 standing beside him. So great in stature, so 

 splendid in kingly beauty was the mysterious 

 one who had so silently joined him, that he 

 thought this must be one of the gods. 



" Do you not know me, my son ? " said the 

 kingly stranger. 



The boy looked at him in awe and wonder, 

 but unrecognisingly. 



" Do you not know me, my son ? " he heard 

 again . . . " for I am your father Pendragon. 

 But my home is yonder, and there I go before 

 long, and that is why I have come to you as a 

 vision in a dream ..." and, as he spoke, he 

 319 



