A tender pause succeeded, which all filled With solemn, some with wondering, thought; and then, Tempered, beyond his will or consciousness, To a contagious mood of sympathy, Publius most gently as feast-master spoke: "The height of miracle well calledst thou Such summoning of the dead to life again; For greater wonder were not possible. To see it, as thou sawest it, was a gift Indeed from the supernal powers; next is, To have it in report of one who saw it; And then, for attestation of thy word, Where attestation surely need was none Yet serving for attestation, to behold Here those who knew the dead man raised to life As husband and as father--all makes seem The story like reality itself. "And now," to Krishna turning, Publius said: "O Krishna, pray from thee a parallel. What comparable wonder wilt thou show That thou hast seen thy master Buddha work?" The countenance fell to Krishna hearing this, But quickly himself recovering he replied "I am not able out of all I know Concerning Buddha aught this day to tell As one that saw and heard; I never saw, I never heard, lord Buddha act or speak." "Then from report that some eye-witness gave Thee, speak and tell us what thou wilt, and we Will be therewith content"--so Publius, dashed A little from his lively hope, but fain To ease the discomposure of his guest. But Krishna, in no wise more cheerful, said: "Nor from eye-witness have I aught received That my lord Buddha either said or did: He lived and passed five hundred years ago." "But doubtless some memorials," Publius said, "Were written by eye-witnesses of him, While he still lived, or close upon his death, To keep so dear a memory alive And certify it to all aftertime. So, out of such memorials known to thee, Fresh still, though old five hundred years, because Then written when the images were fresh, Imprinted on the writer's mind of things He either saw or heard himself from Buddha-- Strange virtue has eye-witness testimony In simultaneous records of the time To stay, though old, perennially young-- I say, then, out of such memorials stored And treasured up in mind to thee speak thou, And it shall be to us as if thou hadst seen."