She looked sweetly at him! She was come to
forgive his sins! Was it then true? Was there no sin of murder on
his soul? Was she there to assure him that he might yet hope for the
world to come? He stretched out his arms to her. She turned away. He
thought she had vanished. The next moment she was in the chapel, but
he did not hear her, and stood gazing up. She threw her arms around
him. The contact of the material startled him with such a revulsion,
that he uttered a cry, staggered back, and stood looking at her in
worse perplexity still. He had done the awful thing, yet had not
done it! He stood as one bound to know the thing that could not be.
"Don't be frightened, uncle," said Arctura. "I am not dead. The
sepulchre is the only resurrection-house! Uncle, uncle! thank God
with me."
The earl stood motionless. Strange thoughts passed through him at
their will. Had her presence dispelled darkness and death, and
restored the lost chapel to the light of day? Had she haunted it
ever since, dead yet alive, watching for his return to pardon him?
Would his wife so receive him at the last with forgiveness and
endearment? His eyes were fixed upon her. His lips moved tremulously
once or twice, but no word came. He turned from her, glanced round
the place, and said,
"It is a great improvement!"
I wonder how it would be with souls if they waked up and found all
their sins but hideous dreams! How many would loathe the sin? How
many would remain capable of doing all again? But few, perhaps no
burdened souls can have any idea of the power that lies in God's
forgiveness to relieve their consciousness of defilement.
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