San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-12-26


ing but dark shadow moving before
her toward the opposite end OF the
passage, farther and farther from the
hanging lamp. The delicate, dark
profile stood out clearly. Uuorua
held her breath, walking swiftly for
ward. But in moment the lady
went on, and entering the chapel-like
room from which a great balconied
window looked down into the church
above the choir. As Unorna went in
she saw her kneeling upon one OF the
stools her hands folded, her head in
clined, her eyes closed, black veil
loosely thrown over her still blac&er
hair, and falling down upon her
shoulders without hiding her face.
Unorna sank upon her knees, COM
pressing her lips to restrain the inco-
( herent exclamation that almost broke
from them in spite of her, clasping her
! hands desperately, so that the faint
{ blve veins stood out upon the marble
I surface.
! Below hundreds of candles blazed
upon the altar in the choir and sent
their full yellow radiance uron the
| faces OF the TWO women, as they kne't
there almost side by side.
The sweet singing Of the nuns
came softly up from below, echoing to
the groined roof, rising and falling,
high and low, and the full radiance
of the many waXen tapers shone
steadily from the great altar, gliding
and warming statue and cOrnice and
ancient moulding. and casting deep
: shadows into all the places that it
could not reach. And still the two
women knelt in their high balcony,
the one rapt in ferveut prayer, the
other wondering that the presence of
such hatred as hers should have no
power to kill, and all the time max
ing supreme effort to compose her
own features into the expression Of
friendly sympathy and interest which
she knew she would need, so soon as
the singing ceased and it was time ia
leave the church again.
The psalms were finished. There
WIS a pause, and then the words OF
the ancient hymn hoated up to Uuor-
mas cars familiar in years gone by.
pro tua elemental,
Sis praesul ct custodia,
PrOeul recedent somnis,
Et noccium fantasmata:
| Western que nostrlIm comprime.
LET dreams be far, and phantasms
Of the night-bind tn u our foe, sang
Beatrice in long sweet notes.
Unorna heard no more. The light
dazzled her and the blood beat in her
heart. 1t seemed as though no prayer
that was ever prayed could be offered
up more directly against herself, and
the voice that sang it, though not
loud, had the rare power of carrying
every syllable distinctly in its magic
tones, even to great distance.
Afraid to look around lest her face
should betray her emotion, Unorni
glanced down at the kneeling nuns
She started. Sister Paul, alone OF
them all, was looking up, her faded
eyes fixed on Unorna's with q look
that implored and yet despaired, hel
clasped hands little raised from the
low desk before her, most evidently
Offering rb the words with the whole
fervent intention OF her pure soul, as
an intercessiOn for Unorna's sins.
For one moment the strong, crue
heart almost wavered, not through
fear, but under the nameless impress
sion that sometimes takes hold of mer
and women.
Then followed the Cauticle-NunC
dimittis, Domine-the voice of the
priOress in the versicles after thai
and the voices of the nuns no longer
singing as they made the responses
the Creed-a few more versicles anc
responses, the short, final prayers,
and all was over. From the church
below came up the soft sound thai
many women make when they move
silently together. The nuns were
passing out 10 their appointed order
Beatrice remained kneeling g
few moments longer, crossed herself
and then rose. At the same moment
Unorna was on her feet
I'VE seem to be the only ladies II
retreat" she said.
Yes" Beatrice answered. Even
in that one syllable something Of the
quality OF her thrilling voice vibrateC
for an instant. They walked a few
steps farther in silence.
II am not exactly in retreat, she
said presently, either because she fell
that it would be almost rude to say
nothing, or because she wished hel
position to be clearly understood. %
am waiting here for some one who /:
to come for me"
1T is a very quiet place to rest in, "
said Unorna. 81 am fond OF it. "
| ooy,a barn narbanS ~