"Come," Rachel said, and took her by the hand. So hand in hand they went to Mary's house, The elder guided as the younger led, And neither speaking, stilled with solemn thought. Mary and Martha met the twain, with mute, Subdued, affectionate greeting, at the door, And, understanding without word their wish, Straight led them inward, with a quietude Of gesture that spoke peace and peace infused, To the place where in quietude reposed That slumberer late so violently lulled To this so placid sleep. The room was flushed With hue of gold in hangings round the walls And rugs of russet muffling deep the floor, That made a kind of inner light diffused, Like sunshine without sun and shadowless. A golden-curtained window opened east, And east the upturned face of Stephen looked, Lying there motionless in that fast sleep-- So lying that, had he his eyelids raised, He without moving might have seen the morn. The rest, with one accord not entering, stood About the door without, silent, and saw While the wife sole went to the husband's side. That instant, lo, from out the breaking dawn A level sunbeam through the curtain slipped And touched the fair translucent face with light. Ruth marked it and she testified and said, Falling upon her knees beside the couch: "I take it as a token, Lord, from Thee; Even so send Thou Thy light into my heart! Lo, by the side of him made beautiful In death, of whom I was unworthy, here I give myself--alas, that it should be Too late for him to have known it!--to his Lord. I trust to be forgiven for my sin! I thank Thee that I was not weight enough Upon him to prevail against Thy might Within him and prevent this sacrifice-- Accomplished all without my help, nay, all In spite of my resistance! O my God, How hast Thou humbled me! To have had no part, Wife with her husband to have borne no part-- Save hindering what she could!--when such a deed Of martyrdom for Christ was possible! Behold, O Lord, thus late I take my part! This now is also mine, as well as his, This sacrifice. I have offered him to Thee! And if my share be heavier even than his-- To live bereaved more grievous martyrdom Than to have died--this too is my desert, Accept the witness of my widowhood!"