And again the song to come full-remembered, and fresh, as that this
Eternity did be but the yesterday of that moment. And Mine Own to be
all in a sweet madness with those half-dreamed memories, and the wonder
and pain of all that no man hath ever said, and that shall be never
said; and of the utter lost years, and all that hath been lost, and all
forgotten greatness and splendour, and the dreadfulness of parting, and
the loveliness of beautiful things that do be hid in the abyss of the
years.
And it did be sudden to my quickened fancy, that there did be low echoes
all about us, of the voices of dear beautiful ones that have died; for
so did memory set a strange and lovely mystery about my spirit in that
moment, that I did be all shaken so much as Mine Own. And I to be as
that I drew my breath anigh to tears, and did be there with Naani amid
the quiet spareness of the trees and the rock of that part of the land;
but yet did be to see half dimly that I stood within a light, even as
the light that doth be the wonder of olden sunsets; and I to be, in the
same time, both _that_ man and _this_ man that now doth write; and to
have beside my spirit but one maid, that I did lack to know whether I
say to her Naani or Mirdath; for though the two that have been Mine Own
did be different-seeming to the eye, there to be but the spirit of one
maid beside me in that moment.
And surely, I did be there, all shaken unto the seeing of visions, as it
did seem; so that the Land about me to have grown half as that it did
lack that it be real unto my sight, because that I lookt inward unto
Lands that did be of Memory. And lo! in a moment this to go; and I to be
in that Country of the Seas, and to look newly unto Naani, and she to go
as I have told; and there to be the lonesome trees and the rocks in all
parts for a great way about.
And sudden, as I lookt at Mine Own, she to come round unto me, and she
held out her arms, and did gaze at me with such a love, as that she were
transfigured, and to need strangely that she be in mine arms; and
surely, I to an holy need that I have her unto me, because that, after
all, there did be no wonder so great as that wonder, that when all did
be said I did have Mine Own, after that all Eternity had nigh past.
And, in verity, we ran each to the other, and did be silent, because
that there was no speech of words by which we could say aught of all
that did be in our hearts. And truly you to be with me in understanding;
for you too, mayhap, to have suffered thiswise of dumbness; even if that
it hath not been so great. But yet to make you to know.
And presently, we grew quiet in the spirit; and Mine Own to come back
again to her joyousness, and to go beside by me, as we made forward.
And presently, Naani to begin that she look at me with dear impudences
again, that did be very sweet unto me; but yet to be like to lead unto
defyings.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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