CHAPTER XLIII.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2033, 18 July 1885, Page 5 (Supplement)

CHAPTER XLIII.

"Father, Herbert," said Orinora— Harry, whose faoe had again darkened when he saw | the coils gathering round, and who ourcod I nAn and womankind in his heart, stood apart — " you do not, you can not see an clear as I do. Father, I am not the child you think. I was the child Orinora once, now I am anothtr. When the blow fell Ust night, when

Ih>ul nearly c«u3eri the death of the fattier and i the man I loved, I began to think how I could | save you. I saw cltaily what must occur : I would be handed over to thene ruonateis to dio in Paranoa's arms, unless I took tha poisou ; you would be fleeing into the Valley of Eternal Gloom. Then I asked why all should die when the death »i one would be enaugh? Yonr death would not save me; my death might be the mtans of giving you life and freedom. Oh, how I felc as if death wa^ up»n me, hcv I praytd to Achernar, to the pure spirits that dwell upon it, that have passed through the trimla and sufferings of tb.n land, to the Great Porer above us all, to guide me, I* give me the means of dying for you. And they heard, they taught me, in those awful hours we spent in the tower. It came to me slowly, very t>lowly ; at firafc ft mere glimmer, but crowing stronger and , stronger, till I saw it in the sky, surrounded by a blaze of light. I knew Par<ui«a alone Bought to possess m« : could I make that de^he your safety? Oh, I cannot tell you what it cost to conquer my abhorenee of him, poor wretched lover ; to tear myself from you, darling Herbert ; to resign all I had hoped and lived for. But step by step the puie spirts of the dead showed me tiiat happiness was won through Buttering ; that terrible as was the , pain, the reward would be greatbr. Yet for hours my selfish nature and my love fou ;ht against the sacrifice. Better to die with than to live withouu yon." " My child, n>y jnor, poor child," said John Moiden, his voice broken with sobs, tha tears raining down his venerable face. Herbert sat on the other aide, enfolding Orinora, unable to speck a word, his poul torn with anguish He hal loved Orinora ; ho now adored her. Even Harry, the hard, the cold, the cynical, the Beeker alter pleasure by profession and on system, felt there wa<? something in this too holy and sacrtd for him to approach, and staod away, his heart strongly agitated. Th»rp wai virtue and self-sacntice and pure love iv mi w'^nd after all 1 "But I conquered," said Orinora, with a sad, proud pathos in her voice that went to the heart a3 no tear 3 or wailing would, " and I resolved to die to save you all. What 13 it to die ? Only to leave this land of care anil : sorrow and to go to the Bright World v*heie sorrow is no more; where we will in tune meet nil we have loved, free from earthly stain and passion. Dear Herbert, do you remember the lines you taught me once when one evening »ur talk fell upon death, and you tried to teach me it v?aa not to bo dreaded, but welcomed. I remember them so well. I remember every line of poetry you taught me: II There is no death— what seam* so is transition : This life of mortal breath Is but a suburb of this life elysiao, Whose portal we call Death I" I remembered these lines so v/ell as I fought the great fight iv my agony, end they strengthened me. I seemed to loooe my bold of Jife, all desire for it, in the eager hope to save you. And when it was all over I felt so happy. I knew if I promised Paranoa to be his wife willingly, and to endeavour to love him, he would let you go. That I knew I cover could be his wife, that I could never love but you, Herbert, did not stay me. I accepted deatli for your sake." " I will not accept the saciific?, Orinora," replied Herbert ; " let us die together. I love you better now than life or the world." " How sweet it is to hear that," cried Orinora, kissing him ; "it pays for' ail. iiufc it must not be, Herbert ; fate has placed it beyond our power. When I had deoided on the sacrifice a terrible fear came into my heart. I felt Paranoa would do as I willed to gain my love on the promise of it, but when I laced that awfal crowd, ■when I saw those terrible faces, I knew it would not be in his power to save you, and I felt all was in vain. Then it was that again the Great Power came to my aid. In a freak I had put the Singoramba ia my bosom on what was to be our bridal night. I thought it would be well for the new Princess of the lale to wear it. When I felt all was lost I chanced to touoh it. In a moment it came into my mind what a. power this jewel had been in the days gone by. Paranoa and I had been playmates, and his old nurse told us, under pledge of pecrecy, the terrible tales of old, the legends of the gods, and Fhe had given the Si/igoramba to Paranoa ftß the gift of his dead mother. In the days of his boyish love ha gave it to me. For the moment I thought of trying its power upon the multitude ; I thought I had life in my hand. But I soon remembered what the old nurßehad taught us: that the Singoramba was only of avail in the hands of those who had the blood of the royal priests. If found with another the possessor would be torn to pieces. I came here with Paranoa, I won him over, and I armed him with the jewel. Life and freedom is yours ; accept and leave me to death. A few hours and from the bright shore 3 of Achenar I will look down upon and watch you while you live ; when death comes I will meet you on the threshold." . There was no ring of sorrow or regret in the girl's voice now ; there waa only a glorious enthusiasm that alniont carried her hearers to the other world to which she was hastening. The light of her eyes grew in otherworldneHS; it was not of this earth ; her face became rapt and angelic During this John Morden had lapsed into silence, and was evidently in deep thought. At the close of Orinora's speech he spoke. He had evidently come to a decision. " Herbert," he said " it 13 not Orinora whe speaks to us, but a Greater Power, a Power tkat has taught her without our aid the lesson He came to earth to teach, self-denial, which he exemplified in His life and death. It is for you to obey. It seemo to ma He has so ordered it. You will go back to the world purified and taught a lesson you would never have known but for this, and to you, no matter how long you live, Orinoru will be a guiding angel. Do not speak of a foolish sacrifice. Putting it clearly the matter resolvfi3 into this : either all of us shall die or one. You have no right to doom yourself at your age, and with such a future, to death ; you have no right to involve with you two friends who have no interest in your love. Ilezberl, you must go. As for me, I will never leave the island. I urn too old ; my heart has taken root here, and cannot be transplanted. Wheie Orinora ie, there will I be. We will die together. Could she have gone I would have ventured once more into the world. I hate ; it is better it should not be so. Paranoa wants Orinora ; let him havo the bride he will have. Henry Allan desires my life ; let it be his. But you must take the offer of life and save yourself acd your friends. Believe mo, I now see that this is all for the best ; that were it otherwise trials and agonies of another kind would be in store." Harry hardly knew whether to step forward and urge Herbert or not. For the first time in his life he felt what powerful emotion was. His life, hio pleaauieo, the glorious world beyond, hung upon a thread, upon Herbeit'a word !" '• Before you speak, Herbert," said Orinora, " listen to tho last worda I have to say. If you lovo me live to become the husband of my darling sister. In making her happy you will make mo happy. From that high world where I will be, 1 will look out upon your home with the eyes of love for ever. In these dread hourn when I wrestled with the awful problem, I toie myself away from thiß life. I speak to you as one who ia dying : if jou love me live I" 1 0 what an awful struggle passed in Her-

I uoiVh «oul. lid fun, he lo«\!ii Him b^u'ifm | aii^el, as he had never loved woniivn. But ho ftl-o tdt that hor reasons were uia&usworabld ; th'tt f neio was but one solution of the C^rnb'e prnW. ,n For all to die, lor him in condpmn to ik j *th his deac Ebby, wbo had done and sulfetcd so much for him and helpleua Harry, was niadncß3. And it came to that : death to one, life to the others ; or death to all I " My angel love," snid Herbert at laat, " I listen to your voice as one who sppaks from th« v ord beyond ; I bgo clearly the dread alternative. For rayrelf I would looner die — I feel little interest now in life— but; for the Hake of others I will live," " You will live," said Orinora with a clear triumphant shout, " Oh, ray love you have miido me happy bey»nd earth. The clouds hn,ve rolled awray, the darkness is past, and I are t/ie light that never fadea. Bsinember Herbert the old son*.; I bau<* in tho> day? when I ft as not what I ssub',n b ', but which are co true : But a few and weary yews, But a few though bitter tears, But a sorrow moro or leaa, And some days of happiness, And the struggle soon is o'er. We will reach the silver shore, Take from ear'h our final flight, Fiom the regions of the night To the happy homes afar, To my golden lignt"d sSar — " 'Tis the glorious star That is named Acbernar, Which ehinei from afar In the spangled sea ; And a voice I hear From that sacred sphere, Calling, ' Home, home to me.' " " I will remember these lines while I am on the weary earth," said Herbert, who could hardly speak ; " they will b** wi*ih me in the day and in the night. I will avail the summons — the call to horns." "If it is permitted," Baid Orinora, " I will visit you in the time to come ; visit you as when drat you taw me, for some verses you lepcated have alwayd rung in my ears ; they have settled in my heart. How keautiful they are : " Come: wcav the form by which I know Thy spirit in time, among thy peers — Tho hope of unaccomplished years Ba larga and lucid round tby brow. Coma : not in the watcnes of the niyht, But where the sunbeam broodoth warm ; Come 1 beauteous in thy after form, And like a purer light m light 1 " " Listen,'" she cried, starting up, " it is the tiumpjt, the drum: they summon us to the last hcoue of all. Come father, come darling, come friend, let us go. AU fear has now vanished. You go to life and to the great world : Ito the life eternal, and a world that never alters. Come : let us go to the bridal of heaven and of earth."