"Nay," quoth the Master-shipwright, "who am I That I should answer? As for me, poor man, Here is my trouble: 'if there be a Voice,' At first I cried, 'let me behold the mouth That uttereth it,' Thereon it held its peace. But afterward, I, journeying up the hills, Did hear it hollower than an echo fallen Across some clear abyss; and I did stop, And ask of all my company, 'What cheer? If there be spirits abroad that call to us, Sirs, hold your peace and hear,' So they gave heed, And one man said, 'It is the small ground-doves That peck upon the stony hillocks': one, 'It is the mammoth in yon cedar swamp That cheweth in his dream': and one, 'My lord, It is the ghost of him that yesternight We slew, because he grudged to yield his wife To thy great father, when he peaceably Did send to take her,' Then I answered, 'Pass,' And they went on; and I did lay mine ear Close to the earth; but there came up therefrom No sound, nor any speech; I waited long. And in the saying, 'I will mount my beast And on,' I was as one that in a trance Beholdeth what is coming, and I saw Great waters and a ship; and somewhat spake, 'Lo, this shall be; let him that heareth it, And seeth it, go forth to warn his kind, For I will drown the world,'" Niloiya saith, "Sir, was that all that ye went forth upon?" The master, he replieth, "Ay, at first, That same was all; but many days went by, While I did reason with my heart and hope For more, and struggle to remain, and think. 'Let me be certain'; and so think again, 'The counsel is but dark; would I had more! When I have more to guide me, I will go,' And afterward, when reasoned on too much, It seemed remoter, then I only said, 'O, would I had the same again'; and still I had it not. "Then at the last I cried, 'If the unseen be silent, I will speak And certify my meaning to myself. Say that He spoke, then He will make that good Which He hath spoken. Therefore it were best To go, and do His bidding. All the earth Shall hear the judgment so, and none may cry When the doom falls, "Thou God art hard on us; We knew not Thou wert angry. O! we are lost, Only for lack of being warned." "'But say That He spoke not, and merely it befell That I being weary had a dream. Why, so He could not suffer damage; when the time Was past, and that I threatened had not come, Men would cry out on me, haply me kill, For troubling their content. They would not swear, "God, that did send this man, is proved untrue," But rather, "Let him die; he lied to us; God never sent him." Only Thou, great King, Knowest if Thou didst speak or no. I leave The matter here. If Thou wilt speak again, I go in gladness; if Thou wilt not speak, Nay, if Thou never didst, I not the less Shall go, because I have believed, what time I seemed to hear Thee, and the going stands With memory of believing,' Then I washed, And did array me in the sacred gown, And take a lamb."