CHAPTER X

rcoming.”Theyfeltthattheycouldnotdotheirwork,orwouldnotbepaidenoughfordoingit.Thespacebetweenthemandtheircarriages,insteadofbeingempty,wascloggedwithamediumthatpressedagainsttheirflesh,thecarriagecushionsscaldedtheirtrousers,theireyespricked,domesofhotwateraccumulatedundertheirhead-gearandpoureddowntheircheeks.Salaamingfeebly,theydispersedfortheinteriorofotherbungalows,torecovertheirself-esteemandthequalitiesthatdistinguishedthemfromeachother. AlloverthecityandovermuchofIndiathesameretreatonthepartofhumanitywasbeginning,intocellars,uphills,undertrees.April,heraldofhorrors,isathand.Thesunwasreturningtohiskingdomwithpowerbutwithoutbeauty—thatwasthesinisterfeature.Ifonlytherehadbeenbeauty!Hiscrueltywouldhavebeentolerablethen.Throughexcessoflight,hefailedtotriumph,healsoinhisyellowy-whiteoverflownotonlymatter,butbrightnessitselflaydrowned.Hewasnottheunattainablefriend,eitherofmenorbirdsorothersuns,hewasnottheeternalpromise,thenever-withdrawnsuggestionthathauntsourconsciousnesshewasmerelyacreature,liketherest,andsodebarredfromglory.