LOVE ETERNAL by H. RIDER HAGGARD TO THE REV. PHILIP T. BAINBRIGGE Vicar of St. Thomas’ Regent Street, London            You, whose privilege it is by instruction and example to            strengthen the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees of            many, may perhaps care to read of one whose human love led            her from darkness into light and on to the gates of the Love            Eternal. CONTENTS CHAPTER I. HONEST JOHN CHAPTER II. ISOBEL KISSES GODFREY CHAPTER III. THE PLANTAGENET LADY CHAPTER IV. THE GARDEN IN THE SQUARE CHAPTER V. MADAME RIENNES CHAPTER VI. EXPERIENCES CHAPTER VII. MR. KNIGHT AND DUTY CHAPTER VIII. THE PASTEUR TAKES THE FIELD CHAPTER IX. THE PASTEUR CONQUERS CHAPTER X. GODFREY BECOMES A HERO CHAPTER XI. JULIETTE’S FAREWELL CHAPTER XII. HOME CHAPTER XIII. THE INTERVENING YEARS CHAPTER XIV. TOGETHER CHAPTER XV. FOR EVER CHAPTER XVI. LOVE AND LOSS CHAPTER XVII. INDIA CHAPTER XVIII. FRANCE—AND AFTER CHAPTER XIX. MARRIAGE CHAPTER XX. ORDERS CHAPTER XXI. LOVE ETERNAL LOVE ETERNAL CHAPTER I HONEST JOHN More than thirty years ago two atoms of the eternal Energy sped forth from the heart of it which we call God, and incarnated themselves in the human shapes that were destined to hold them for a while, as vases hold perfumes, or goblets wine, or as sparks of everlasting radium inhabit the bowels of the rock. Perhaps these two atoms, or essences, or monads indestructible, did but repeat an adventure, or many, many adventures. Perhaps again and again they had proceeded from that Home august and imperishable on certain mornings of the days of Time, to return thither at noon or nightfall, laden with the fruits of gained experience. So at least one of them seemed to tell the other before all was done and that other came to believe. If so, over what fields did they roam throughout the æons, they who having no end, could have no beginning? Not those of this world only, we may be sure. It is so small and there are so many others, millions upon millions of them, and such an infinite variety of knowledge is needed to shape the soul of man, even though it remain as yet imperfect and but a shadow of what it shall be. Godfrey Knight was born the first, six months later she followed (her name was Isobel Blake), as though to search for him, or because whither he went, thither she must come, that being her doom and his. Their circumstances, or rather those of their parents, were very different but, as it chanced, the houses in which they dwelt stood scarcely three hundred yards apart.