The Statue of Silence

by Clark Ashton Smith


I saw a statue, carven I knew not of what substance, nor with what form or
feature, because of the manifold draper of black which fell about it as a veil
or a pall. Turning to Psyche, who was with me, I said, "O thou who knowest by
name and form the eidola of all things, pray tell me what thing is this." And
she answered, "The name of it is Silence, but neither man nor god nor demon
knoweth the form thereof, nor its entity. The seraphim pause often before it,
waiting the day when the shape shall be unveiled, and the gods and demons of the
universe are mute in its presence, half-hoping, half-fearing the time when these
lips shall speak, and deliver forth one dreameth not what of oracle, or query,
or doom, or judgement."