The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-09-19
CHAPTER XIV.

CHAPTER XIV.
Scarcely 10 minutes later Tom entered
his sitting room. 1t was dark. He hated
the darkness. He wanted light-light to
keep the terrors from crowding upon him
--an invisible, awful horde. He lit the
lamp, staggered to the sinking fire and
fell exhausted into chair, where he sat
with heavily hanging arms and head
fallen forward. His breath came in
spurts, his heart was in his throat, his
wide, circled eyes were sightless, but his
inward vision was the more hideously
acute. Oh, God, the pathos Of what he
sawi
One after another he reviewed the
Weaknesses, the degradations Of his
life. How closely they pressed together
"a series of steps, each one lower, form
ing q stairway and descending into
gulf He stood faltering upon the edge
of the last, the darkness hungry for his
soul, the roar Of Al incoming torrent in
his ears.
Tonight he had stood face to face with
Virginia, not with the white memory
which had always followed him, but
with the living woman whose warm,
fragrant lips had surrendered to his kiss
for one ecstatic moment, long, long ago.
Oh, that fervent, remembered kiss! Oh,
her deep, mystical eyes =
Those eyes! All, they had read him
through and through, making his blood
leap and shiver! Her power was still
unshaken in his soul-nay, she was in
deed his soul, for near her he felt and un-
derstood more keenly, and life took on
deeper meaning. She was his light, his
breath, his revelation, with power in the
small compass Of one glance to save
him even from himself.
But she was lost to him forever. With
the sight of Dawson's face had come the
thought of what he was-not fit to stand
before her, not fit to touch her hand.
With'a cry like an animal strangling
he threw out his arms. Oh, II he could
be better--or worsel But to have al
ways seen the good and loved it, and yet
with unstable feet to have drifted away
to all that was vile, even while keeping
his eyes fixed upon the beacon that shed
its light in vain for him-this was tor
ture. Oh, II he could go backi If he
only could like q child go back and be-
gin all over againl
He got up slowly and fumbled among
the glasses on the table until he found
the bottle he wapted--a little wine to
help quench this aching regret, this self
reproach In every heart throb! He
drained the glass thirstily, let his folded
arms rest upon the table and laid his
head upon them.
The things Of the actual world slipped
away, ana his sleep was troubled by
dream.
He was alone. The night sighed around
him, the moon swung in the high, misty
spaces. He felt sense of predestina-
lion rs he moved along, as IL each step
aad been ordered by will other than
Ais own, as II he must walk that road
and eventually SEQ what lay ahead in the
mystery Of the far, blue shadows.
His vision became clearer. and he saw
himself clad in long, white gown, made
pilgrim fashion, a staff in his hand. The
silver at his feet became the sand of a
beach, and the sweet, monotonous whis-
per stealing through the desolate white
ness the incessant sobbing Of the sea.
Yes, be was walking on the very edge OF
the fretting waters.
A warm hand slipped into his, and
Virginia walked beside him. Her hair
was unbound. 1t softly lashed her
cheeks, and sometimes he felt its silken
caress. He drew her to him, seeking
her lips.
"stay with me. DEAR" he whispered.
"Stay with me now"
He felt the warmth Of her young, red
mouth on his, but her eyes remained
wide and bcseeching. She murmured
his name and led him on until they
stood before a building of austere and
awful structure. 1t seemed to have risen
from the waters. The waves broke in
greenish tongues upon its steps, and
within he saw fallen lamp sputterine
before ruined shrine. AS they paused
in the shadow of its door they heard the
sound of bare feet whispering upon
stone, and slowly up one staircase and
down another silent multitude poured,
all garbed like Virginia and himself In
the simple vestments Of the antique
world. Many of his friends were in the
throng, many of his old classmates; his
enemies, too-Delatole and Dawson. 1t
was curious thing that those going up
smiled at him, but those returning
poured down and passed him with revil-
ing glances or cold faces turned away.
In silence, with his loves hand cling.
ing to his, they Joined the ascending
line. Up, up, until his body was weary
and his veins throbbed with pain, and
still beyond were other shadowy stairs
under appalling arches. Faint and bat
ting for breath. they reached the top at
last. A vast hsll wrapped in luminous
gloom stretched away into immeasura-
BILE space. From its strange circular
windows they could see the green of the
sea, far. far below. the waves rolling In