He climbed a hill and caught the first golden gleam of the rising sun. His eyes shone, and his face. In his eyes two suns were reflected. But there was only one sun. And they were two and now were to become one. The Perfect Day had dawned. And just as she, lying in her bed with her face in her hands, had thanked God for His goodness, so he. He flung his right hand up towards the sun in the brightening sky and said deeply, "My God, I thank Thee for this day and most of all for her!" And, down below, he saw her coming out of the house towards him. He sprang down to meet her, caught her hands, and looked right down through her eyes into her heart, and was satisfied. LX Arm in arm they paced the beach till the sun was well up, and their bank of sand shone in the flood of golden light as it had never shone before,--fresh and sweet as if but new-created. A light wind had come with the sun. The small waves came hurrying in as though they were invited guests. At sight of the wedding-party they broke into crisp white laughter, curled themselves over in league-long sickles of tenderest lucent green, and raced up the sands to their feet in long soft swirls of liquid amber, laced with bubbles and edged with creamy foam. "They haste to the wedding, to pay their tribute to the only bride they have ever set eyes on," said Wulf, as they stopped to watch them. "And each one is glad to give his life for a single peep at her." "Foolish little waves," laughed she. "I am going to make their very close acquaintance presently. How beautiful the sea is this morning!"--as her eyes travelled out to the wide blue sweep beyond, with its dapple of purple shadows. "The most beautiful sea and the most wonderful morning that ever was," he asserted heartily. "But it is only a beginning. There will be many more like it. And still better." "I am so glad it is so sweet a day. A dull one would have troubled me." "But it could not possibly have been anything else." "Oh, but it could." "In mere outward accident perhaps. But I've got the sun inside me. I wonder it doesn't show through." "It does," she laughed joyously. "You are all aglow." "And never man had better reason. I would not change places with all the kings of all the earth rolled into one." "Nor I with all the queens. We are happier here by far with nothing but ourselves." "Ourselves, and our Love, and infinite Hope. Now let us go and eat. My bride must not starve. That would be a bad beginning. Did you sleep?" "Not a wink. I heard you go out." "And I was pluming myself on not having made a sound." While she was making cakes he busied himself making a pen out of a quill he had picked up on the beach, and she smiled when she saw what he was at. "And the ink?" she asked. "I've got it all ready. I always carry some with me in case of need," at which she knitted her brows prettily and looked puzzled.