Chapter 12 - Page 2

"Date not God's love from thy nativity; look far, far back of it--to the
everlasting love."

"After death, I SHALL KNOW."

"Death!" he repeated, "Death that deceitful word. What is it? A dream,
that wakes us at the end of the night. This is the great saying that men
forget--Death is Life!"

"Yet life ceases."

"It does not, Annie. Death, is like the setting of the sun. The sun
never sets; life never ceases. Certain phenomena occur which deceive us,
because human vision is so feeble--we think the sun sets, and it never
ceases shining; we think our friends die, and they never cease living."

As he spoke these words Mary Damer entered, and she laid her hand on his
shoulder and said, "My dear Doctor Roslyn, after death what then? we are
not all good--what then?"

He looked at her wistfully and answered, "I will give you one thought,
Mary, to ponder--the blessedness of heaven, is it not an eternity older
than the misery of hell? Let your soul fearlessly follow where this fact
leads it; for there is no limit to God's mercy. Do you think it is His
way to worry a wandering sheep eternally? Jesus Christ thought better of
His father. He told us that the Great Shepherd of souls followed such
sheep into the wilderness, and brought them home in His arms, or on His
shoulder, and then called on the angels of heaven to rejoice because
they were found. Find out what that parable means, Mary. He whose name
is 'Love' can teach you."

Then he rose and went away, and Mary sat down in his place, and Annie
gradually came back to the material plane of everyday life and duty.
Indeed Mary brought this element in a very decided form with her; for
she had a letter in her hand from an old lover, and she was much excited
by its advent, and eager to discuss the particulars with Annie.

"It is from Captain Seabright, who is now in Pondicherry," she
explained. "He loves me, Annie. He loved me long ago, and went to India
to make money; now he says he has enough and to spare; and he asks me if
I have forgotten."

"There is Mr. Van Ariens to consider. You have promised to marry him,
Mary. It is not hard to find the right way on this road, I think."

"Of course. I would scorn to do a dishonourable or unhandsome thing. But
is it not very strange Willie Seabright should write to me at this time?
How contradictory life is! I had also a letter from Mr. Van Ariens by
the same mail, and I shall answer them both this evening." Then she
laughed a little, and added, "I must take care and not make the mistake
an American girl made, under much the same circumstances."