"I can say no more," he said; "but you all know what they are, and who
they are. God bless them for our natural leaders and our friends in the
Lord! And now, what think you, shall we not climb the mountain?"
It is a steep road from the little village through the pine plantations,
until one comes out upon the mountain-side itself. At that point a green
gorge stretches up between two spurs of the hill above, a green gorge
covered with soft, pneumatic turf cropped like a lawn by the innumerable
sheep which range over those high pastures. And then on and up, through
the pleasant, slanting valley, until the heather-covered plateau is
reached.
There one surveys a vast expanse of wild and lonely moor, all purple,
green, and brown. At huge distances great peaks rise up--the peaks of
the Snowdon range--and on clear moments the white and glistening cap of
the emperor mountain of Wales shines in its distant majesty.
So they went out into the sunshine, and wound their way through the
lower slopes of the pines quietly and gravely, without many words, but
with the quickening sense of hope and anticipation strong in each rugged
and faithful heart.
Upon the great green gorge they made their way, a skein of black
figures. Before them all Sir Thomas and Lady Ducaine walked together.
The bridegroom was dressed in a simple suit of tweed, and with a soft
grey hat upon his head. The bride wore an ordinary coat and skirt, like
any mountaineering lady who has essayed the heights upon a brilliant
day.
As they went together, a little in advance of the main company, they
spoke hardly a word to each other. But their faces were eloquent. In the
man's eyes there was a thankfulness so supreme and perfect that the
girl's filled with tears when she looked at that serene and radiant
face. With no word said, they knew that they were now each other's for
ever and ever. All toil, all trouble, all heart-burnings,
heart-searchings and sorrow were over. Nothing could ever alter the
great central fact: they were married, they were one, one spirit, one
body, one for ever in the sight of earth and Heaven, one in the high
endeavor of good which was to be the purpose and completion of their
lives.
"Are you happy, dear?" he said to her once, turning his radiant face
upon her.
She looked at him for a moment without speaking, and he knew that he had
never seen her more beautiful, and perhaps never would see her more
beautiful again, than she was at that moment.
"Oh, my life and my love," she answered, "I did not know that God could
give such happiness in this world!"
And as she finished, fifty yards below them upon the mountain-side they
heard that the Brethren who accompanied them were bursting into sudden
song, into spontaneous chords of music, a wedding anthem for them.
"O Lord of life and love,
Come Thou again to-day;
And bring a blessing from above
That ne'er shall pass away.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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