That was long ago.

We have had no news of them of late.

They may do now more marvelous, vaster things." "And the moral ?" "I said, 'They do them there.' Perhaps this is there." "I take you!" I said and half-laughed.

"We may be in Cathay all this while, under the golden roofs, with the bells strung from the eaves.
Yonder line of cranes standing in the shallow water, watching us, may, God wot, be tall magicians in white linen and scarlet silk!" He crossed himself.

The cranes had lifted themselves and flown away.