When the Underdog came upon the scene, the roar, ashamed of its unreality, had slunk off into the wilderness, and all was quiet in the gloom and the shadow of death. Fidu sniffed pathetically at his dead master, and then, filled with remorse, he whined piteously, for now that his master was dead the poor mad dog regretted that he had lost Gud's reason. For a long time Fidu sat in silent vigil by his dead master's side, grieving as hard as a poor mad dog could. But at last he arose and licked the right hand of Gud, which he had bitten in his madness, and gazed again into his dead master's face. Then, mad though he was, Fidu turned and trotted with unerring canine instinct back to the bridge across the stream. Reaching the bridge he faltered not but dove off bravely into the deep, dark water and retrieved Gud's reason. All wet and cold, he came back to his poor master's side and laid Gud's reason down beside Gud's head and then barked loudly. But Gud did not hear the bark of the Underdog, for Gud was dead. So it must be that the hero of this tale, in what shall come hereafter, is only the Ghost of Gud. Chapter XXXIII The mists that whirl in greater mists Around the cliffs of space Leave little drops of water Upon his wrinkled face. Have you heard Him, as walking through The valleys of the night He paces ever back and forth, Silent, old and white? Upon some jagged piece of dust As high as night is high, He watches all the tiny worlds Go spinning down the sky. Around Him are the burning stars That toss like little ships, The winds blow out of dim unknowns Across his very lips. Have you seen Him amid the silence, Vast as a silken cloud, Lifting His arms with jeweled pendants Cloaked in a heavy shroud? When sweeping through the open night Great pinions touch the face; Vast wings that fold the face of God Against the breast of space; We hear the hills that all one's life Were silent as the sun, Break forth in songs that waited there Since life had first begun. We reach out for the fluttering hand And finding it is gone, We know the stars that shake the sky Are only old and wan. We stand and listen and we know That rising through the night Pass all the hosts of all the years Death ever hides from sight. So much and yet so little then With thrust that follows thrust.... The paltry things of paltry life Shrink swiftly into dust. We lift our hungry hands to Heaven For pity and in pain The only answer ever given Is that fancy and faith remain. Wars we wage that One might rule.... Proud and jealous is He. With fire and sword we crush the fool Who does not bend the knee.