Chapter XVII

A final belch of fire like blood, Overbroke all heaven in one flood Of doom. Then fire was sky, and sky Fire, and both, one brief ecstasy, Then ashes. But I heard no noise (Whatever was) because a voice Beside me spoke thus, “Life is done, “Time ends, Eternity’s begun, “And thou art judged for evermore.”

As in “Christmas-Eve,” the question rises of a Presence in the awful scene.