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           Wearereadytoconsideranysuggestionthattheworldmayofferquiteimpartially.Ireflectnowthattheearthisonlyapebbleflickedoffaccidentallyfromthefaceofthesunandthatthereisnolifeanywhereintheabyssesofspace.’

           ’Inthissilence,’saidSusan,’itseemsasifnoleafwouldeverfall,orbirdfly.’

           ’Asifthemiraclehadhappened,’saidJinny,’andlifewerestayedhereandnow.’

           ’And,’saidRhoda,’wehadnomoretolive.’

           ’Butlisten,’saidLouis,’totheworldmovingthroughabyssesofinfinitespace.Itroars;thelightedstripofhistoryispastandourKingsandQueens;wearegone;ourcivilization;theNile;andalllife.Ourseparatedropsaredissolved;weareextinct,lostintheabyssesoftime,inthedarkness.’

           ’Silencefalls;silencefalls,’saidBernard.’Butnowlisten;tick,tick;hoot,hoot;theworldhashailedusbacktoit.Iheardforonemomentthehowlingwindsofdarknessaswepassedbeyondlife.Thentick,tick(theclock);thenhoot,hoot(thecars).Wearelanded;weareonshore;wearesitting,sixofus,atatable.Itisthememoryofmynosethatrecallsme.Irise;"Fight,"Icry,"fight!"rememberingtheshapeofmyownnose,andstrikewiththisspoonuponthistablepugnaciously.’

           ’Opposeourselvestothisillimitablechaos,’saidNeville,’thisformlessimbecility.Makinglovetoanursemaidbehindatree,thatsoldierismoreadmirablethanallthestars.Yetsometimesonetremblingstarcomesintheclearskyandmakesmethinktheworldbeautifulandwemaggotsdeformingeventhetreeswithourlust.