VII
Roseheart Gives Greeting WHEN all things had become clear to Roseheart she arose swiftly, and went unto Telwyn the King, and the Queen her mother. And upon her face was a shining which was the shining of her soul. And she said unto them, "I give you greeting, my father and my mother."
And looking upon her they were glad exceedingly, and exchanged looks the one with the other, for that the face of The Going of Wur Roseheart was no longer gray with grief.
First answered Ellaline, saying, "Greeting to thee, my daughter. Where now is Wur, that thou hast the look of happiness?"
Sudden wonder made wide the eyes of Roseheart. "In good sooth I know not," she answered. "I have not seen her at all any more since the coming of the Shining One."
Telwyn the King leaned him forward in eagerness, asking, "The Shining One? What meanest thou?"
Into the face of Roseheart came the far, wondering look of children, Roseheart, Her Task but in her heart was a song. "I know not," she made answer, "unless it was an angel of the Lord God, to shew me the things that I must do, and that which I must become." Herewith the voice of the maid grew wondrous sweet. "Of my garment of sorrow must I make raiment of joy to cover the nakedness of the poor. To the sick must I take the flowers of kindness that are now as snowdrops blossoming under the mantle of the winter of grief. I am to look into the eyes of the old and find patience, and into the hearts of children and find hope. And I am to tend the bed of pain, and ease the suffering of the sons of men in Telwyn Perceiveth such measure as I may, that all things may befall me as the Lord God desireth."
Into the face of Telwyn there came a tenderness like that of women, and in his voice were the tears a man may not suffer in his eyes. "Great is the joy in my heart," he said, "for that thou art indeed become a woman. And well I wot that the Lord God is with thee, that thou knowest these things of wisdom."
And Ellaline, looking into the face of her daughter, drew her to her heart, and spake on this wise: "Deep grief has it been to me that in thy pain I might not The Queen Speaketh help thee, but must leave thee to the care of Wur, that woman of sorrow. Nathless have I prayed for thee without ceasing. Blessed be the name of the Lord God that He hath found the Way for thee."
Now on the morrow when Telwyn the King went among his people, to see that all was well, and nought amiss that might be set right, he put Roseheart his daughter upon a white palfrey; and himself upon a mighty red horse, led her whithersoever he went, that she might see all things in the wisdom and tenderness newly come to her. And from his deep eyes like the caverns of the sky, he watched her, Telwyn and Roseheart as pity grew in her, and knowledge, and quick device of succor. Daylong they rode, at the noontide having bite and sup with a woodcutter and his wife, newly blessed with a fine man child. And Roseheart, taking the child in her arms, laughed and wept that he was so small and sweet, and for that he clung to her, and turned to her breast. And when the shadows grew long, and they set their faces toward the castle, the maid was sore weary, but she knew it not, for the pity in her, and the thought of all awry in the world that must be set right.
And it befell that she dreamed that night of a babe that lay Roseheart Steadfast upon her breast, and so sweet it was, that she woke weeping for very joy.
Thereafter daily the maid went forth with the King her father, or at whiles with the Queen her mother, whenas she was wont to say unto Telwyn with sweet gravity, "This is a matter for women, of which thou knowest nought."
And the King smiled in his beard at the woman-ways of her. But hours there were when that Roseheart was a-weary, and an-hungered for Flame, her troth-plight lord. Yet always, remembering her dream, she arose from grief, and with the Her Need and Desire trouble of others, and what she might do for them, filled the emptiness of her heart. And so great was her need and desire to become as the woman of the great dream, that slowly as a slender moon fills with silver, or a rosebud greatens to fullness, did Roseheart the maid grow in fashion and seeming and good sooth toward the very truth of her desire, to be as that woman whose form was radiance and whose eyes were stars.
VIII
Thrice Bloomed the Rose THRICE the snowdrops came and went, thrice bloomed the rose; thrice the harvest ripened to the scythe, and winter flushed to spring, and Flame, son of Lokus, was not yet come from overseas to claim his promise of his troth-plight maiden.
Long had he wandered from land to land, seeking ever the shape of his dream. Ever he made forms of beauty with his hands, whatsoever he saw, and Flame Journeyeth men marveled thereat, so cunning-true they were, and skillful. And everywhere was he tempted with all manner of lures to flesh and spirit that he forsake his dream and take his ease and pleasure like other men, but he would not. And it befell that on a day when he was riding through the forest, he came upon a carle that beat a woman, his wife. And Flame was wroth with the carle, and fell upon him in fury, that so he should misuse the strength that God had given him. And the anger of Flame was as the strength of ten men, but when he had the throat of the man in his fingers, and would have slain him, all suddenly his He Groweth in Strength anger was not. And in good pity of the fellow that he was yet in youth, he loosed him, and admonished him, and went his ways. And the strength of the man that he had spared to God's good life was added to his own strength.
And with his good strength of the body was come strength of his soul also. Wherefore, when in his wanderings he came upon a fair land wherein was much kindness, and after a while that land, which had an aged king, was threatened by savage men from wild forest land beyond, he girded on his sword and led the people in war that they might put to confusion He Serveth Need the savage men who sought to slay them, and take their fat lands, and the homes where they were born. And when their enemies were driven out, the old King embraced with tears him who had risked his life for them, and besought him, saying, "Flame, son of Lokus, what wouldst thou? Whatsoever thou ask, that will I give thee." And Flame, with a look of far horizons in his eyes that were like the sea, answered him on this wise: "God be gracious to thee for thy kindness, but it is I who am in thy debt, for that I have learned the sweetness of giving myself wholly, even unto death, if need be, that innocent folk should He Fareth On not suffer, nor evil prevail. I am a selfish man, thinking little enough of other folk, as I go my way dreaming, and that now I have seen somewhat other than that is a mercy of the Lord God."
And though the people clamoured that he should stay with them, he went his way, and came into a new land, and dwelt there for a time. And being comely, with grace and courtliness in his mien, and the beauty of the sea in his eyes, when he looked eagerly into the faces of women, seeking his dream, many were sick with love of him. And they made devices that he should tarry Of Black Words with them, some in innocence and good faith, as a maid may, and some fawning, and whispering black words to the youth and heat of his blood.
Of these last there came betimes a witch-woman, who discerning with cunning the eyes of Flame that they were like the sea, made herself as a moon-woman, that he should follow her. And Flame, looking upon her, whose face was as silver, felt somewhat surge within him answering her desire. And the woman glided before him until they were come into the desert.
And when the moon-woman moved not so swiftly, but lingered, The Moon-Woman and Flame would have touched her, she laughed, and would and would not, and reaching for her, he stumbled, and fell upon the ground, yet held her fast. And the night was black upon them.
When the early morning was come, Flame turned him from the moon-woman exulting that now at last he had drunk of the cup, desire whereof had tormented him. But as he turned, some way off in brightness stood Senta the Radiant One. And she drew near, and spake not, but shed her light, without pity, upon the moon-woman. And Flame saw that she was not beautiful, but a hag, and The Face of Leprosy her face of silver the face of leprosy, white and horrible, and as old as the world. And he looked about him, and saw in the desert the bones of men. Then did he cry out in fear, "I am in the place of the dead!"
And he rose up swiftly and fled away till he was come to the edge of the desert, and thence into a gentle land, of murmuring streams, and trees on the which was fruit of divers kinds, and good to the taste. And after that Flame had drunk of the waters, and eaten of the fruit, the Lord God was pitiful of his shame and weariness, and he slept.
Sleeping, once more he dreamed Cometh the Dream of that woman of radiance, starry-eyed. But whereas aforetime he might not see the fashion of her face, it was now revealed to him in the seeming of his troth-plight maiden, glorified. Now was the rose full blown, the child become a woman, in strength, and tenderness, and wisdom, and her beauty was as music under the moon. Then unto him in his dream spake the Voice of Vision on this wise: "Now that thou hast proved thyself in turning thee from the place of the dead, shalt thou have fullness of life, withal. Thou hast looked upon death in battle, and feared not, for that thou sawest therein that life which The Voice of Vision is greater than thine own life; and thou hast looked upon that life which is sin, and hast seen therein the death of the spirit. Wherefore arise, and go straightway to claim the maiden Roseheart for thy wife, that the true life of body and spirit may be fulfilled unto thee. And whatsoever thou fashionest with thy hands, that shalt thou fashion also with thy heart and soul, in the light of the vision the Lord God hath given thee. Arise."
With a great cry of joy he awoke, and strength was fulfilled to him as it had been a fountain, ever leaping and ever renewed. Wherewith straightway Strength Fulfilled he arose, and girt up his mantle for the journey, that swift might be the way of his going.