"Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to
God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all
authority and power. For he must reign, all he hath put all enemies
under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."
"That enemy is destroyed, Molly. I've proved it. There's no death;
there's nothing but life. There's not even a shock, or a minute of
unhappiness. There's nothing but life, and then more life, and then
life again. I was never so alive as I am at this instant, or so capable
of doing things. Except for you, Molly, sweet one, and the baby that's
coming, and the family, I wouldn't go back."
If her eyes grew grave it was with thought and not with foreboding. She
returned once more to her book:
"For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must
put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on
incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall
be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in
victory."
"Yes," he said to her, "that is what has happened to me. Death has been
swallowed up in victory. If strength and energy and safety and joy
constitute victory, then I'm victorious. If it were not for you, O my
love--"
But she closed her book suddenly and rose. As she did so he could hear
the words she uttered, almost aloud.
"I must do that," she said, with determination. "It's what he'd like. I
must take it on myself."
CHAPTER V
He lost her for a while, and when he saw her again she was in the open
air. He was with her, though not exactly by her side. As far as he
could judge he was both leading her and following after her. He was
above her, and also holding her hand. If he could have been everywhere
about her at one and the same instant, it was that.
It seemed to be Sunday. There was no work going on in the streets, and
there was the Sunday air of leisure. Molly walked rapidly, her eyes
toward the ground. Her whole little figure expressed concentration of
purpose.
He knew the suburb. The shady streets, the trim green lawns, the low
stone walls with vines tumbling over them, the wooden houses painted
for the most part in dull tones of red and yellow, were those with
which he had always been familiar. High on a knoll he saw the deep
verandas of his own old home. Molly did not hesitate. She turned in at
the gate.
There was a short driveway, between clumps of shrubbery and under elms.
At a sudden turning she met Ethelind. The two girls stopped and looked
at each other as they came face to face.
"You're Ethelind, aren't you?" Molly said, without trembling or
awkwardness.
Ethelind's wild eyes were all ablaze.
"Yes, and you're Molly. I'm--I'm so glad you've come. I've wanted to
know you. I was coming one day to see you--I don't care what any one
says. I know it's what my brother would want me to do. We--we miss him
so."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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