The Radiant City : $b An AllegoryGarratt, Evelyn R.
Religion
The Radiant City : $b An Allegory
Garratt, Evelyn R.
Allegories; Christian fiction; Christian life; Christian pilgrims and pilgrimages -- Fiction
"No difficulty whatever," said Madam Vanity, for that was her name,
"and it is the only way if you want to enjoy Achshaph. They must never
guess that you are a pilgrim to the Radiant City."
Iddo looked grave for a moment, and then stood listening.
"Did you hear that?" she asked.
"Hear what, my dear? I only heard the breeze in the trees."
"I thought I heard my mother's voice," said Iddo, with a little gasp,
then she added, "I don't think I ought to come, and I am sure that
mother would not like me to be afraid of letting people know that I am
a pilgrim."
"You will be with her again very soon, and it is only just for an hour
that you will play at being something else," and all the while Madam
Vanity was speaking, she was making a lovely wreath for the girl's
hair, and at her last words she fastened it among her tresses, and bade
her look at herself once more.
"You'll be a thorough success in Achshaph," she said gaily, "come, put
away those scruples and enjoy yourself," and after helping Iddo to hide
away her armour in the grass, and to arrange her sword within the folds
of her skirt so that it did not show, she took her hand and led the way.
And for the next few hours Iddo almost forgot that she was a pilgrim.
"This is my cousin," said Madam Vanity, and as she spoke another small
person came towards Iddo with a smile. Her name was Love of Admiration,
and she, like Madam Vanity, looked so small and unformidable, that it
never struck Iddo that they were enemies that had prevented many a one
from starting on the journey to the Radiant City, and had hindered and
worried real Pilgrims with their suggestions and temptations.
Love of Admiration took her into a lovely glade where there were a
number of youths and girls playing games, and no sooner were they aware
of Iddo than they came round her exclaiming at her beauty, and begging
her to play with them. Iddo, flushed and excited, was only too pleased
to join them, and she was made so much of and admired so greatly that
she was perfectly happy, and was quite unconscious of the flight of the
hours. Her companions vied with one another in getting her beautiful
fruit to eat, in presenting her with the rarest flowers, and in
choosing her for their partner in the games.
There was one girl called Aimee, to whom Iddo took a special fancy,
she was older than herself, and had a more thoughtful face than her
companions. Thinking that Iddo might be shy among so many strangers,
she took great notice of her, and Iddo rewarded her kindness by a
wholehearted devotion. How swiftly the hours flew by the girl did
not know; it seemed to her like a happy dream; and conscious of her
popularity and of the admiration she attracted, she began to think
herself of some importance, and contrasted herself very favourably with
the other girls with whom she came into contact. The expression of her
face was gradually altering, for Madam Vanity and her cousin were often
at her side holding conversation with her.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account