Evening journal., 1892-12-16


the velvet covering of the lid came off
and the tiny gilt ornaments ratified
downward
By now the full moonlight pierced
the window and quivered on the floor
AS gazed on the tremulous pattern it
changed into quaint devices Of hearts
daggers, rings and thousand other to-
kens. All suddenly another object
glided among them so quickly that ]
wondered whether my eyes had been at
fault-a tiny satin shoe, stained crimson
across the lappets. A revulsion Of feel
ing came 20 my soul and drove away all
my fear. had seen that self same shoe
white and unsoiled twenty years before
when vain, vain Rose danced among
her reapers at the harvest home. And
my voice cried out in ecstasy; Rose
heart of minel Delight Of all the worlds
delightsp
She stood before me, wondering,
amazed. Alas, so changed The red and
yellow silk shawl still covered her shoul-
ders; her hair still hung in those eldritch
curls. But the beautiful face had grown
wan and tired, and across the forehead
were drawn lines like silver threads She
threw her arms around my neck, and
pressing her bosom heavily on mine
sobbed so piteously that l grew afraid
for her and drew back the long masses
of hair which had fallen forward, and
kissed again and again those lips that
were too lovely for simile. Never came
word of chiding from them. "Love,"
she said, when she had regained her
breath, "the past struggle was sharp and
torturing-the future struggle will be
crueler still. What a great love yours
was to wait and trust for so longl Would
that mine had been as powerful Poor,
weak heart that ! could not endurew
The tones of wild fear throbbed
through all her speech strongly, but yet
with insufficient power to prevent her
from feeling the tenderness Of those mo-
ments. Often timorously raising her
head from my shoulder she looked
around, and then turned with a soft.
inarticulate and glad murmur to hide
her face ON my bosom. / spoke fer
vently; told of the years spent away
from her; how, when working in the
diamond fields, she had ever been pres
ent in my fancy: how at night her name
had fallen from my lips in my only
prayer; how had dreamed Of her among
the greatest in the land-the richest
and l dare swear the loveliest woman in
the world.
l grew warmer still. All the gladness
which had been constrained for so long
now burst wildly from my lips; a myriad
of rich ideas resolved into words which,
being spoken, wove one long and deli
cious fit Of passion. AS we stood to-
gether the moon frightened and filled
the chamber with light like the days.
| The ridges Of the surrounding moorland
stood out in sharp relief.
Rose drank in my declarations thirst
| lily, but soon interrupted me with a
heavy sigh "Come away" she said
softly. Il no longer live in this house.
You must stay with me tonight. This
place is so wretched now, for time, that
in you and me has only strengthened
love, has wrought much ruin here"
Half leaning on me she led me from
the precincts of Breton hall. We
walked in silence over the waste that
crowns the valley Of the Whitelands,
and being near the verge of the rocks
saw the great pine wood sloping down
ward, lighted near us by the moon, but
soon lost in density. Along the mysteri-
GUS line where the light changed into
gloom, intricate shadows of withered
summer bracken struck and receded in
a mimic battle. Before up lay the
Priests cliff. The moon was yelled
here by a grove of elms, whose ever
swaying branches alternately increased
and lessened her brightness. This was
place Of notoriety--a veritable Col
gotha-a haunt fit only for demons.
Murder and theft had been punished
here, and to this day freside stories are
told of evil women dancing around that
Druids' circle, carrying hearts plucked
from gibbeted bodies
Rose" / whispered, "why have you
brought me here"
She made no reply, but pressed her
head more closely TO my shoulder.
Scarcely had my lips closed than q
sound like a hiss of a half strangled
snake vibrated among the trees. 1t grew
louder and louder. A monstrous shadow
lowered above.
Rose from my bosom murmured
"Love is strong as death! Love is strong
as deathw
l locked her in my arms so tightly
that she grew breathless. 'Hold me, +"
she painted. "You are strong"
A cold hand touched our foreheads, so
that benumbed we sank together to the
ground, to fall instantly into a dream
less slumber.
When / awoke the clear gray light Of
the early morning had spread over the
country. Beyond the hall garden the
sun was just bursting through the
clouds and had already spread a long
golden haze along the horizon. The
babbling of thestreamlet that runs down
to Halkton was so distinct that it seemed
almost at my side. How sweetly the
wild thyme smelledl Filled with the ten
der recollections of the night, without
turning l called Rose Pascal from her
sleep.
Sweetheart, sweetheart, waken! walk
enl wakenl See how glad the world
looks-see the omens Of a happy futurer