My Dream,

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXX, Issue XXVI, 27 June 1903, Page 1826

My Dream,

I dreamed that 1 stood on the confines of the Earth gazing down into a vast abyss, and out of the depths of its great darkness there floated upwards a silver mist. Silently and swiftly it drifted up, and then changed from mist to a host of glorious beings. The change was swift and indescribable, and the beings floated by me, light as the mist, beautiful us the stars, shadowy as the twilight, and shining with a silver radiance. Onward they floated to a shadow-land that lay on the opposite side of the great abyss. When they had all passed over into the shadow I felt a sudden sense of a great loneliness and desolation, and I thought that 1 would follow the beautiful forms to their world and dwell with them for ever. As these thoughts came to me I saw that a frail bridge—which before I had not noticed—spanned the great abyss, and I tried to step forward and gain it; but bands of steel had encased my feet and held me chained to the eartb-

I tried to unloose them, but they gripped me like a vice, and all the time the beautiful beings were floating further and further away, and 1 saw a great castle looming up through the shadow, and the beings were all gliding towards it. Soon they would enter its gates and leave me forever, so I stretched out my hands to them and tried to call them back, for surely, I thought, they would not leave me desolate in a great and awful silence. But my voice would not come. I could not speak, and as I stood there struggling the shadowy beings drew nearer the castle and entered its gates.

I was left alone! alone! and I sank to the earth with a bitter eery. Then a harsh, discordant voice, rang out: “Oh! fool! thou eanst not follow! They are Phantoms from a Phantom World—the Bridge is built of years—thou mayest not cross it! For, though thine eyes may pierce the gloom so thou seest the Shadow-land, yet thou shalt not see within the castle walls. Never more shalt thou behold the beautiful Spirit-people, for that land of shadows is an enchanted land; a land of everlasting Silence, and the eastle is called “The Palace of What-might-liave-been,” and thou mayest never enter its portals, never pluck the sweet flowers that blossom in its gardens. Go back into the World —live thou thy life. Loneliness shalt thou feel forever, for thine eyes have seen the Phantom World, and ever shall thy soul be calling to its Spiritpeople; but they will answer not, for it is a land of everlasting Silence, and thy voice cannot cross the great abyss. Gt back into the World. I say! Forget what thou hast seen! Forget! Forget!” The voice ceased, and I felt the awful loneliness and silence, and cried aloud: “Oh! Thou who speakest! Come to me! Come, oh! Come to me through the great Silence! For this loneliness is greater than I can bear! Take me to the Phantom World, for there only shall my spirit rest. Let the Spirit-people be my people; let me dwell in the Shadowland, for T have seen the Palace of What-might-have-bcen! And 1 cannot forget! I cannot forget!” I waited for the answering voice, but none came. Only through the great silence it seemed that a low sweet voice floated up from the chasm, and I thought that it sang: “There is a God of Love forever more!” And 1 bent down and gazed into the black darkness and listened, but the voice sang no more; or perhaps I had only heard the sighing of the wind, for eould that song have been an answer to my cry?

OLIVE TILLY, A.C.