Horror which was about to convulse and overwhelm all mankind. Then
in his dream, a great mist rose up before his eyes,--a mingling as
of sea-fog and sun-flame,--and as this in turn slowly cleared,--
dispersing itself in serpentine coils of golden-grey vapour,--he
found himself standing on the edge of a vast sea, glittering in a
light that was neither of earth nor of heaven, but that seemed to be
the inward reflection of millions of flashing sword blades. And as
he stood gazing across the width of the waters, the sky above him
grew black, and a huge ring of fire rose out of the east, instead of
the beloved and familiar sun,--fire that spread itself in belching
torrents of flame upward and downward, and began to absorb in its
devouring heat the very sea. Then came a sound of many thunders,
mingled with the roar of rising waters and the turbulence of a great
whirlwind,--and out of the whirlwind came a Voice saying--"Now is
the end of all things on the earth,--and the whole world shall be
burnt up as a dead leaf in a sudden flame! And we will create from
out its ashes new heavens and a new earth, and we will call forth
new beings wherewith to people the fairness of our fresh creation,--
for the present generation of mankind hath rejected God,--and God
henceforth rejecteth His faithless and unworthy creatures! Wherefore
let now this one dim light amid the thousand million brighter lights
be quenched,--let the planet known to all angels as the Sorrowful
Star fall from its sphere forever,--let the Sun that hath given it
warmth and nourishment be now its chief Destroyer, and let
everything that hath life within it, perish utterly and revive no
more!"

And Cardinal Felix heard these words of doom. Powerless to move or
speak, he stood watching the terrible circle of fire, extend and
expand, till all the visible universe seemed melting in one red