Encounter at dusk: deep in a forest

He said: ''The sun has withdrawn, and the moon. It's many a night since I've caught sight of a single star. I who have always, since breath began, been kept on course by what's up there.''

And he went on: ''The wonder is, that left like this - lost as a mote of dust in the dark - I who'd have said there could be for me no fall-back point, no stockpiled faith to be drawn upon as a last resort now - with so amazing an expectancy! - should await not sun! Not moon! Or stars as before in those bright, blind ranks - ''

And he said then: ''Oh that's all been got to the end of now. . . . Quite beyond pretext, or dispute, or hope. And so, from wherever it is I'm left without so much as a match to my name, I must wait!'' he said. ''Wait as if - ''

He stopped there. But later, on a posted card, was to write: '' - as if for an angel's sword to strike a burning spark from my own heart - ''