THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON THE KING
“ Then thrill upon thrill rushed through me, and I fell down
and knelt upon the flat roof of the temple. And presently as
I knelt, I perceived other suns rising around me, one in the
North, and one in the South, and one in the West. And the
one in the North was as a great bull blowing blood and flame
from its nostrils; and the one in the South was as an eagle
plucking forth the entrails of a Nubian slave; and the one in
the West was as a man swallowing the ocean.
“And whilst I watched these suns rising around me, behold,
though I knew it not, a fifth sun had arisen beneath where I
was standing, and it was as agreat wheel of revolving lightnings.
And gazing at the Wonder that flamed at my feet, I partook
of its glory and became brilliantly golden, and great wings of
flame descended upon me, and as they enrolled me I grew
thirty cubits in height—perhaps more.
“Then the sun upon which I was standing rose above the
four other suns, and as it did so I found myself standing before
an ancient man with snow-white beard, whose countenance
was a-fired with benevolence. And as I looked upon him, a
great desire possessed me to stretch forth my hand and touch
his beard; and as the desire grew strong, a voice said unto
me, ‘ Touch, it is granted thee.’
“So I stretched forth my hand and gently placed my fingers
upon the venerable beard. And as I did so, the ancient man
bent forward, and placing his lips to my forehead kissed me.
And so sweet was that kiss that I would have lingered; but
I was dismissed, for the other four suns had risen to a height
equal to mine own.
“And seeing this I stretched out my wings and flew, sinking
through innumerable sheets of blinding silver. And presently
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