clarke , in the deep folds of dream , was conscious that the path from his father 's house had led him into an undiscovered country , and he was wondering at the strangeness of it all , when suddenly , in place of the hum and murmur of the summer , an infinite silence seemed to fall on all things , and the wood was hushed , and for a moment in time he stood face to face there with a presence , that was neither man nor beast , neither the living nor the dead , but all things mingled , the form of all things but devoid of all form .