hing, dear, that our blessed Lord made that stern
Commandment. The Church may have given a wrong interpretation to it--you
say it has, and I am too ignorant to answer you, even if I wished to,
which I don't. But I am sure my Lord foresaw all such mistakes, and all
the hardships that would come to many poor women (perhaps some men,
too), as well as the wreck the world might fall to for want of this
unyielding stay, when He issued his divine and irrevocable law that
never under any circumstances should marriage be broken.

Oh, I am sure of it, dear, quite sure, and before His unsearchable
wisdom I bow my head, although my heart is torn.

Yet think, darling, how light is the burden that is laid upon us!
Marriage vows are for this world only. The marriage law of the Church
which lasts as long as life does not go on one moment longer. The
instant death sets my body free, my soul may fly to where it belongs. If
I were going to live ten, twenty, thirty years, this might be cold
comfort, but I am not.

Then why should we be sorry? You cannot be mine in this life and I
cannot be yours, so Death comes in its mercy and majesty to unite us!
Our love will go far beyond life, and the moment the barrier of death is
passed our union will begin! And once it begins it will never end! So
Death is not really a separator, but a great uniter! Don't you see that,
dearest? One moment of parting--hardly a moment, perhaps--and then we
shall be together through all Eternity! How wonderful! How glorious! How
triumphant!

Do you believe in individual immortality, dear? I do. I believe that in
the other life I shall meet and know my dear ones who are in heaven.
More than that, I believe that the instant I pass from this life I shall
live with my dear ones who are still on earth. That is why I am willing
to go--because I am sure that the moment I draw my last breath I shall
be standing by your side.

So don't let there be any weeping for me, dear. "Nothing is here for
tears; nothing but well and fair." Always remember--love is immortal.

I will not say that I could not have wished to live a little longer--if
things had been otherwise with both of us. I should like to live to see
your book published and your work finished (I know it will be some day),
and baby grow up to be a good girl and a beautiful one too (for that's
something, isn't it?); and I should like to live a little longer for
another reason, a woman's reason--simply to be loved, and