The night was a miracle of silver.
Again I stood beside Christopherus Columbus; from land streamed their singing and their thin, drumming and clashing music.

At hand it is rather harsh than sweet, but distance sweetened it.
"What will be here in the future--if there are not already here, after your notion, great cities and bridges and shipping, and only our eyes holden and our hands and steps made harmless?
Or nearly harmless, for we have slain some Indians!" He had made a gesture of deprecation.

"Ah, that, I hardly doubt, was my fancy! But in the future I see them, your cities!" "Do you see them, from San Salvador onward and everywhere,--Spanish cities ?" "Necessarily--seeing that the Holy Father hath given the whole of the land to Spain." He looked at the moon that was so huge and bright, and listened to the savage music.

"If we go far enough--walking afar--who knoweth what we shall find ?" He stood motionless.

"_I_ do not know.