A great gale roared and howled. The waters, driven onwards by itsfurious breath, beat upon the eastern cliffs till these melted like snowbeneath them, taking away field and church, town and protecting wall,and in return casting up the wrecks of ships and the bodies of dead men.
Morris could not sleep. Who could sleep in such an awful tempest? Whocould sleep that had passed through such a parting? Oh! his heartached, and he was as one sick to death, and with him continually was thethought of Stella, and before him came the vision of her eyes. He couldnot sleep, so rising, he dressed himself and went to the window. Highin the heavens swept clean of clouds by the furious blasts floated awandering moon, throwing her ghastly light upon the swirling, furioussea. Shorewards rushed the great rollers in unending lines, there tobreak in thunder and seethe across the shingle till the sea-wall stoppedthem and sent the spray flying upwards in thin, white clouds.
"God help those in the power of the sea to-night," thought Morris, "formany of them will not keep Christmas here."
Then it seemed to his mind, excited by storm and sorrow, as though somepower were drawing him, as though some voice were telling him that therewas that which he must hear. Aimlessly, half-unconsciously he wanderedto his workshop in the old chapel, turned on one of the lamps, and stoodat the window watching the majestic progress of the storm, and thinking,thinking, thinking.
While he remained thus, suddenly, thrilling his nerves as though with aquick shock of pain, sharp and clear even in that roar and turmoil, rangout the sound of an electric bell. He started round and looked. Yes;as he thought in all the laboratory there was only one bell that couldring, none other had its batteries charged, and that bell was attachedto the aerophone whereof the twin stood upon the altar in the DeadChurch. The instrument was one of the pair with which he had carried outhis experiments of the last two months.
His heart stood still. "Great God! What could have caused that bellto ring?" It could not ring; it was a physical impossibility unlesssomebody were handling the sister instrument, and at four o'clock in themorning, who could be there, and except one, who would know its working?With a bound he was by the aerophone and had given the answering signal.Then instantly, as though she were standing at his side in the room,for this machine does not blur the voice or heighten its tone, he heardStella speaking.
"Is it you who answer me?" she asked.
"Yes, yes," he said, "but where are you at this hour of the night?"
"Where you left me, in the Dead Church," floated back the quick replythrough the raving breadths of storm. "Listen: After you went mystrength gave out and I suppose that I fainted; at least, a little whileago I woke up from a deep sleep to find myself lying before the alterhere. I was frightened, for I knew that it must be far into the night,and an awful gale is blowing which shakes the whole church. I went tothe door and opened it, and by the light of the moon I saw that betweenme and the shore lies a raging sea hundreds of yards wide. Then I cameback and threw out my mind to you, and tried to wake you, if you slept;tried to make you understand that I wished you to go to the aerophoneand hear me."
"I will get help at once," broke in Morris.
"I beg you," came back the voice, "I beg you, do not stir. The timeis very short; already the waves are dashing against the walls of thechancel, and I hear the water rumbling in the vaults beneath my feet.Listen!" her voice ceased, and in place of it there swelled the shriekof the storm which beat about the Dead Church, the rush, too, of thewater in the hollow vaults and the crashing of old coffins as they werewashed from their niches. Another instant, and Stella had cut off thesesounds and was speaking again.
"It is useless to think of help, no boat, nothing could live upon thatfearful sea; moreover, within five minutes this church must fall andvanish."
"My God! My God!" wailed Morris.
"Do not grieve; it is a waste of precious time, and do not stir till theend. I want you to know that I did not seek this death. I never dreamedof such a thing. You must tell my father so, and bid him not to mournfor me. It was my intention to leave the church within ten minutes ofyourself. This cup is given to me by the hand of Fate. I did not fillit. Do you hear and understand?"
"I hear and understand," answered Morris.
"Now you see," she went on, "that our talk to-day was almost inspired.My web is woven, my picture is painted, and to me Heaven says, 'Hold.'The thought that it might be so was in your mind, was it not?"
"Yes."
"And I answered your thought, telling you that time is nothing. This Itell you again for your comfort in the days that remain to you of life.Oh! I bless God; I bless God Who has dealt so mercifully to me. Whereare now the long years of lonely suffering that I feared--I who standupon the threshold of the Eternal? . . . I can talk no more, the wateris rising in the church--already it is about my knees; but rememberevery word which I have said to you; remember that we are wed--trulywed, that I go to wait for you, and that even if you do not see me Iwill, if I may, be near you always--till you die, and afterwards will bewith you always--always."
"Stay," cried Morris.
"What have you to say? Be swift, the water rises and the walls arecracking."
"That I love you now and for ever and for ever; that I will remembereverything; and that I know beyond a doubt that you have seen, and speakthe truth."
"Thank you for those blessed words, and for this life fare you well."