TIME PASSESall of which were now open to them and asking,Were they allies? Were they enemies? How longwould they endure?So some random light directing them fromsome uncovered star, or wandering ship, or theLighthouse even, with its pale footfall upon stairand mat, the little airs mounted the staircase andnosed round bedroom doors. But here surely, theymust cease. Whatever else may perish and dis-appear what lies here is steadfast. Here one mightsay to those sliding lights, those fumbling airs, thatbreathe and bend over the bed itself, here you canneither touch nor destroy. Upon which, wearily,ghostlily, as if they had feather-light fingers andthe light persistency of feathers, they would look,once, on the shut eyes and the loosely claspingfingers, and fold their garments wearily and dis-appear. And so, nosing, rubbing, they went tothe window on the staircase, to the servants’bedrooms, to the boxes in the attics; descending,blanched the apples on the dining-room table,fumbled the petals of roses, tried the picture onthe easel, brushed the mat and blew a little sandalong the floor. At length, desisting, all ceasedtogether, gathered together, all sighed together;all together gave off an aimless gust of lamentationto which some door in the kitchen replied; swungwide; admitted nothing; and slammed to.197