take it, and before others it is suddenly flung in the middle of the
day. And with this gift that Time hath brought him from the gods a man
must go forth into the dark to possess no other thing for so long as
the gods are willing."

But the King went back to his palace and gathered the greatest of his
prophets and his councillors and asked them more particularly
concerning Time. And they told the King how that Time was a great
figure standing like a tall shadow in the dusk or striding, unseen,
across the world, and how that he was the slave of the gods and did
Their bidding, but ever chose new masters, and how all the former
masters of Time were dead and Their shrines forgotten. And one said:

"I have seen him once when I went down to play again in the garden of
my childhood because of certain memories. And it was towards evening
and the light was pale, and I saw Time standing over the little gate,
pale like the light, and he stood between me and that garden and had
stolen my memories because he was mightier than I."

And another said:

"I, too, have seen the Enemy of my House. For I saw him when he strode
over the fields that I knew well and led a stranger by the hand to
place him in my home to sit where my forefathers sat. And I saw him
afterwards walk thrice round the house and stoop and gather up the
glamour from the lawns and brush aside the tall poppies in the garden
and spread weeds in his pathway where he strode through the remembered
nooks."

And another said: