Page:Karl Gjellerup - The Pilgrim Kamanita - 1911.djvu/242

 conducted by our stalwart guide, we passed through the rapidly growing crowd, who respectfully made way for us, to the temple.

Here we spread the carpets upon the steps and twined garlands of flowers round about the old weather-worn and crumbling pillars. Then Medini and I picked a whole basketful of roses and strewed the petals upon the carpet at the top of the steps for the Master to stand upon.

Meanwhile the assembled people had grouped themselves in a wide semicircle, the lay-hearers to the left, the monks and nuns to the right, of the temple—the front ranks sitting on the grass. We also now took our places on an overturned pillar, only a few paces from the steps.

There were probably about five hundred people there, yet an all but absolute silence reigned in the whole circle, and no sound was to be heard save the fitful rustling and low whispering of the forest leaves.