DeMille_Cord_and_Creese.txt topic ['13', '324', '378', '393']
farmer's wagon,
and a horse was standing in the distance.
[: " ."]
rode up and saw the prostrate figure of a man. dismounted.
farmers stood aside and disclosed the face.
was .
stooped down. was already dusk but even in that dim light he
saw the coils of a thin cord wound tightly about the neck of this
victim, from one end of which a leaden bullet hung down.
that light also he saw the hilt of a weapon which had been plunged
into his heart, from which the blood had flowed in torrents.
was a creese. the handle was carven a name:
.
.
[: teleutaion aspasmon domen.]
excitement which had prevailed through the village of was
intensified by the arrival there of the body of the old man. his
mysterious death no one could account except one person.
one was , whom surprised by his speedy return, and
to whom he narrated the circumstances of the discovery. knew who
it was that could wield that cord, what arm it was that had held that
weapon, and what heart it was that was animated by sufficient vengeance
to strike these blows.
, finding his purpose thus unexpectedly taken away, remained in
the village and waited. was one whom he wished to see again.
the following day arrived from . met
with deep emotion, and learned from his brother the astonishing story of
.
the following day that long-lost sister herself appeared in company
with . . form, always fragile, now appeared frailer than
ever, her face had a deeper pallor, her eyes an intenser lustre, her
expression was more unearthly. joy which the brothers felt at
finding their sister was subdued by an involuntary awe which was
inspired by her presence. seemed to them as she had seemed to others
like one who had arisen from the dead.
the sight of her 's face grew radiant--all pain seemed to
leave him. bent over him, and their wan lips met in the only kiss
which they had ever exchanged, with all that deep love which they had
felt for one another. sat by his bedside. seemed to appropriate
him to herself. others acknowledged this quiet claim and gave way to
it.
she kissed 's lips he murmured faintly:
" knew you would come."
"," said . " will go together.
", sweetest and dearest," said . " therefore we meet now
never to part again."
looked at him fondly.
" time of our deliverance is near, oh my friend."
"," repeated , with a smile of ecstasy--"near. , you
have already by your presence brought me nearer to my immortality."
. was pale and wan; and the shock which she felt at the
sight of her brother at first overcame her.
said nothing to her through the day, but as evening came on he
went up to her and in a low voice said, " us take a walk."
. looked at him earnestly, and then put on her bonnet.
was quite dark as they left the house. walked along the road.
sea was on their left.
" is the last that we shall see of one another, ,"
said , after a long silence. " have left forever."
" ! are you going?" asked . , anxiously.
" join the army."
" army!"
" ," said , "even my discovery of my father's death
has not changed me. my thirst for vengeance could not take the
place of my love. -- flung myself with all the ardor that could
command into the pursuit of my father's murderers. forced myself to an
unnatural pitch of pitilessness and vindictiveness. set out to pursue
one of the worst of these men with the full determination to kill him.
saved me from blood-guiltiness. found the man dead in the road.
this all my passion for vengeance died out, and was brought face
to face with the old love and the old despair. each of us would die
rather than do wrong, or go on in a wrong course. only thing left
for us is to separate forever."
", forever," murmured . .
", ," he continued, taking her hand, "you are the one
who was not only my sweet companion but the bright ideal of my youth.
always stood transfigured in my eyes. , , were in my mind
something perfect--a bright, brilliant being unlike any other.
you were really what believed you mattered not so far as the effect
upon me was concerned. were at once a real and an ideal being.
believed in you, and believe in you yet.
" was not a lover; was a devotee. feelings toward you are such as
describes his feelings toward his . love is tender and
reverential. exalt you to a plane above my own. say may sound
extravagant to you, but it is actual fact with me. it should be so
can not tell. can only say-- am so made.
" part, and leave you; but shall be like , suppose, and as
the years pass, instead of weakening my love they will only refine it
and purify it. will be to me a guardian angel, a patron saint--your
name shall always mingle with my prayers. it impious to name your
name in prayer? turn away from you because would rather suffer than
do wrong. not pray for my darling?"
" don't know what to do," said . , wearily. " power over
me is fearful. , would do any thing for your sake. talk about
your memories; it is not for me to speak about mine. you
idealize me or not, after all, you must know what really am."
[: " . ."]
" you be glad never to see me again?"
hand which held trembled.
" you would be happier," said she.
" you be glad if could conquer this love of mine, and meet you
again as coolly as a common friend?"
" want you to be happy, ," she replied. " would suffer myself to
make you happy."
was weeping. folded her in his arms.
" once," said he, "the only time, , in this life."
wept upon his breast.
"[: aspasmon domen]" said , murmuring in a low
voice the opening of the song of the dead, so well known, so often song,
so fondly remembered--the song which bids fare-well to the dead when the
friends bestow the "last kiss."
bent down his head. head fell. lips touched her forehead.
felt the beating of his heart; she felt his frame tremble from head
to foot; she heard his deep-drawn breathing, every breath a sigh.
" is our last farewell," said he, in a voice of agony.
he tore himself away, and, a few minutes later, was riding from the
village.
.
.
month passed. gave no sign. short note which he wrote to
announced his arrival at , and informed him that important
affairs required his departure abroad.
cottage was but a small place, and determined to have
conveyed to the . ambulance was obtained from ,
and on this and were taken away.
arriving at found her diary in its place of
concealment, the memory of old sorrows which could never be forgotten.
those old sorrows were passing away now, in the presence of her new
joy.
yet that joy was darkened by the cloud of a new sorrow.
was dying. frail form became more and more attenuated every day, his
eyes more lustrous, his face more spiritual. every step of that way
which led to the grave went with him, seeming in her own face and
form to promise a speedier advent in that spirit-world where she longed
to arrive. these watched, and . added her
tender care.
by day grew worse. last one day he called for his
violin. had caused it to be sent for on a previous occasion, but had
never used it. love for music was satisfied by the songs of
. he wished to exert his own skill with the last remnants of
his strength.
was propped up by pillows, so that he might hold the
instrument. him reclined on a sofa. large, lustrous eyes
were fixed on him. breathing, which came and went rapidly, showed
her utter weakness and prostration.
drew his bow across the strings.
was a strange, sweet sound, weak, but sweet beyond all words--a long,
faint, lingering tone, which rose and died and rose again, bearing away
the souls of those who heard it into a realm of enchantment and delight.
tone gave strength to . was as though some unseen power
had been invoked and had come to his aid. tones came forth more
strongly, on firmer pinions, flying from the strings and towering
through the air.
strength of these tones seemed to emanate from some unseen power; so
also did their meaning. was a meaning beyond what might be
intelligible to those who listened--a meaning beyond mortal thought.
understood it, and so did . eyes grew brighter, a
flush started to her wan cheeks, her breathing grew more rapid.
music went on. subtle, more penetrating, more thrilling in its
mysterious meaning, it rose and swelled through the air, like the song
of some unseen ones, who were waiting for newcomers to the
land.
gave a piercing cry. rushed to 's sofa.
lay back, her marble face motionless, her white lips apart, her eyes
looking upward. the lips breathed no more, and in the eyes there no
longer beamed the light of life.
the cry of the violin fell from 's hand, and he
sank back. face was turned toward . saw her and knew it all.
[: .]
said not a word, but lay with his face turned toward her. wished
to carry her away, but he gently reproved them.
"!" he murmured. " a short time you will carry away another also.
."
waited.
hour before midnight all was over. had passed--those pure
spirits, from a world which was uncongenial to a fairer world and a
purer clime.
were buried side by side in the vaults. then returned
to . . went back to . new rector was
surprised at the request of the lady of to be allowed to
become organist in . offered to pension off the old
man who now presided there. request was gladly acceded to. zeal
was remarkable. day she visited the church to practice at the
organ. became the purpose of her life. of all the pieces two
were performed most frequently in her daily practice, the one being the
; the other, the [: teleutaion aspasmon] of .
. ! ! !
that cry of hers unavailing? nothing was known for some
time. . once mentioned to his wife that the .
had joined the , and had gone to .
mentioned this because he had seen a paragraph stating that a
had been killed in the war, and wondered whether it could
by any possibility be their old friend or not.
, the one who had been so long a prisoner and a slave
soon became mistress.
gloom which had rested over the house was dispelled, and and
his wife were soon able to look back, even to the darkest period of
their lives, without fear of marring their perfect happiness.