FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77  
78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   >>   >|  
n up over the forest top against the sky. There arose within him clearly, as he stood in a bitter trance, every little circumstance of the household;--what his father and his mother were; the common and quiet joy, without words, which he knew not till then had been hidden in sleep, and in meal-times, and in trifling acts; the happiness which he now felt would have grown daily out of helping them in their declining years. Yet these had been forsaken for a dream, excited perchance by evening radiance on the hills, by bright skies seen through the trees, by distant sounds, the very delight of which was lost when home was left. He stood close at hand, and, notwithstanding, the whole was more irrecoverable than ever--the open air came down to the foundations, and was spread across the chamber floor. The late dead forest was now putting forth its green buds--the grass was verdant with the spring--flowers were blossoming in it--birds were singing--and all nature was warmly bursting up again into full life after winter. The bells of the convent near rang loudly for the vesper-service, as it was Easter-day, the festival of Resurrection; and when the wanderer turned round the forest, he beheld village children rolling on the grass their coloured Paschal eggs. In these many years the unhappy departure of him and his companions had been forgotten. All were rejoicing because of some nameless cheer. But at the door of one cottage there sat an old pair upon a wooden bench, enjoying the warm evening air, and gazing at the children--while a young maiden, their daughter, stood behind in the doorway, her fair hair tinged with the golden light. These good people accosted the wanderer kindly, for they saw that his features were darkened by hotter suns; and it seemed to them that perhaps, he was a pilgrim and had been in the East. Their greeting was in accordance with the custom at that season of Easter, and they said, 'Peace be with you--Christ is risen,' expecting the usual answer--'Yea, he is risen indeed.' But the wanderer stared blankly upon them and the young girl, wondering, in truth, as all the events of his past life came fast upon his mind, and as he recollected the old feelings with which he had set out from home. For a deep mystery of Home appeared at that moment to be revealed to him; he almost understood why it was vain, and had been to him vain, to seek abroad for that which all the while was nearest of all things to the soul. Ye
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77  
78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

forest

 

wanderer

 

evening

 
children
 
Easter
 

gazing

 
tinged
 

maiden

 

doorway

 

golden


daughter
 

departure

 

unhappy

 

companions

 

forgotten

 
rolling
 

village

 

coloured

 

Paschal

 
rejoicing

wooden

 
cottage
 

nameless

 

enjoying

 

feelings

 

recollected

 

wondering

 
events
 

mystery

 

nearest


abroad

 

things

 

moment

 

appeared

 

revealed

 

understood

 

blankly

 

stared

 

pilgrim

 

beheld


hotter

 

darkened

 

accosted

 

people

 

kindly

 

features

 
greeting
 

expecting

 

answer

 

Christ