XI

On the Shores of Longing
Fy

T was in the old forgotten days when all
the western coast of Spain was sprinkled
with lonely hermitages among the rocks, and
with holy houses and towers of prayer; and
this west coast was thought to be the last
and outer-most edge of all land, for beyond
there lay nothing. but the vast ocean stream
and the sunset. There, in the west of the
world, on the brink of the sea and the lights
of the day that is done, lived the men of
God, looking for ever towards the east for
the coming of the Lord. Even the dead
were laid in the place of their resurrection
with their feet pointing to the morning, so
that when they should arise their faces would
be turned towards His coming. ‘Thus it
came to pass that the keen white wind out
of the east was named the wind of the dead
men’s feet.
Io