CHAPTER VI.
_AT LAST: AN ALLEGORY._
"I am sorry we have come to the Gold page," said Alice, with a sigh,folding her hands together as she seated herself in the bow-window seaton the Sunday before their parents were to sail for America.
"_Sorry!_" echoed Minnie, "why, I am very glad indeed!"
"Because it is the last, I mean," answered Alice; "we shall miss ourSunday afternoon story dreadfully."
"I propose that Agnes tells us one every Sunday," said John.
Agnes shook her head, but answered, half-smiling. "Sometimes, perhaps, Imay, but you know they cannot be all allegories."
"Oh, no!" said Hugh; "but let us begin our last page now."
Gold--Glory.
Once again I dreamed, and once again I saw the boys in whom I took somuch interest.
This time they were nearing the Hills, above which the radiance shone.
The country was still of the same mountainous description, and I thoughtI could see beneath the steep ascent before me a River winding in andout.
The golden light seemed to shine down on some parts of the River, butgenerally it was dark and sombre.
Just now the boys were standing near it, and Edred was gazing down intoits depths.
"It is rather dreadful, Alwin," he exclaimed, turning round and glancingin his companion's face, "to think of having to cross this before wereach the Palace of the King."
"Yes," answered Alwin, "and when we look down into it, instead oflooking up at the Glory, we do get depressed. But, you know, Edred, ourDeliverer has promised to bear us safely through."
"Of course He has. He would not leave those whom He has delivered atsuch a price to perish in the final water, Alwin. No; I will not lookdown into the River any longer, but rather, as you say, to the Glorybeyond. But I wish I knew more of its delights."
"The Guide-book tells us a great deal about it; and often since we haveneared this River, I have had to turn to the description of it to cheermy fainting courage."
"I wish I were acquainted with the Guide-book as you are, Alwin; but Ido love it much more than I used--I love it dearly! What does it say?"
"Shall I read it to you?"
"Yes, do," answered Edred, throwing himself down on the grass by theside of the water, and settling himself into an attitude of expectancy.
Alwin once more drew from his knapsack the Guide-book, which had seenmuch service since my eyes had first fallen upon it, and with one glanceupwards at the radiance over the Hills, he turned towards his companionand read in a thrilling tone from the book in his hand, words whichseemed familiar to me, though I could not tell in my dream where I heardthem:
"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and thefirst earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And God shallwipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death,neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: forthe former things are passed away. Then came unto me one of the sevenangels..., and he carried me away in the spirit to a great and highmountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descendingout of heaven from God, having the glory of God: and her light was likeunto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb arethe temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of themoon to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lambis the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walkin the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory andhonour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: forthere shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and thehonour of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into itanything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, ormaketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. Andthere shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lambshall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him: and they shall see Hisface; and His name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be nonight there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for theLord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever."
Alwin ceased reading, and Edred, whose eyes, from being turned on hisfriend's face at first, had been latterly directed upwards, now rosefrom the ground with a new light shining in them.
"Alwin," he said solemnly, "I always have dreaded this River, but I donot any longer. I have long known that I should soon have to passthrough it. Ever since we were in that Cavern of Death I have known it,but now I fear it no longer. The words of the Guide-book have taken awaymy terror. See, I shall soon be where the light will never fade away."
As he spoke a touch of golden light which had for a moment illumined thedark river passed away from it, and the gloom grew deeper.
But Edred thought not of it, his eyes were fixed on the Light beyond.
"You are not going to leave me alone?" said the younger boy yearningly.
"I must; I have been sent for by the King. He told me some little timeago that it would be soon."
"Oh, Edred!" murmured Alwin.
"He will bear you through too," answered Edred kindly. "I could not havebelieved that His words would have cheered me so. I am quite joyful ingoing now. I only long to cross."
As he spoke he stepped into the River, which looked to me so dark anddrear.
Now a mist brooded over the River, between those standing on the bankand the Shore beyond, and so Edred was lost to my sight.
Alwin stood long looking after him, with tear-dimmed eyes; but by-and-byhe turned once more to the Book in his hand, and as he read it I noticedthat the sorrow passed away from his face.
"A little while," he murmured to himself, and turned to go on hisjourney.
But I saw that his road lay close to the River; and, or ever I wasaware, I found he too had entered the water, and was actually crossingover to the bright Land.
As the waters got deeper and deeper, his face only grew the moreradiant, and when the mist almost hid him from my view, I heard atriumphant voice exclaiming, "Thanks be unto God for His unspeakableGift."
* * * * *
Minnie's little head was laid on Agnes's lap during the narration ofthis dream, and she now raised it with an earnest look.
"And that is _all_?" she said, sighing.
"All, except that there is no _end_ to the Glory," replied Agnes.
"No," said John, "I often think that is the best of Heaven--there willbe no 'leaving-off' there."
"That is just it," answered Agnes, "and the summing-up of all theseWordless pages--of Sin--Blood--Righteousness--Glory--seems to me to beexpressed in these words, 'That ye might walk worthy of the Lord untoall pleasing.... Who hath made us meet to be partakers of theinheritance of the saints in light.'"