There is an abrupt moment of silence as the light becomes dim again & Kwan-yin's face is frozen still. Then the first priest sings.
What then are Mercy's gifts? The rose-red slopes
Of hills ... the secret twisted hands of trees?
Shall not the moon & the stars redeem lost hopes?
What fairer gifts shall Mercy bring than these?
For, in the end, when our beseeching clamor
Dies with our bells; when fear devours our words;
Lo, she shall come & hold the night with glamor,
Lo, she shall come & sow the dawn with birds.
Ah thou irrelevant saviour, ah thou bringer
Of treasure from the empty sky, ah thou
Who answerest death with song, shall such a singer
Be silent now? Shall thou be silent now?
The 105th beat of the bell is now reached and there is a pause in the ringing.
All:
KWAN-YIN.
The bell is rung slowly three times. Then there is absolute silence. There is now a tenseness in the attitudes of all the worshippers, they lean forward and look with suspense into Kwan-yin's quite impassive golden face.
The lights go out suddenly.