"
"It is too beautiful to spell tragedy," I said.
"Ah, who knows? What is so fascinating as tragedy for those who are only
lookers-on?"
"But, Edmund," I protested, "why do you, who are always the most hopeful,
now fall into despondency?"
"I am not desponding," he replied, straightening up. "But this soundless
music thrills me with its mysterious power, and sometimes it throws me
into dejection, though I cannot tell why. To me, when what I firmly
believe was the great anthem of this wonderful race, was played in the
sky with spectral harmonies, there was, underlying all its mystic beauty,
an infinite sadness, an impending sense of something tragic and
terrible."
I was deeply surprised and touched by Edmund's manner, and would have
questioned him further, but we were interrupted by the officials, who now
led us across the vast apartment and to the foot of a kind of throne
which stood directly under the great clock face. Then, for the first
time, we recognized Ala, seated on the throne. Beside her was a person of
majestic stature, with features like those of a statue of Zeus, and long
curling hair of snowy whiteness.
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