A Journey in Other Worlds: A Romance of the Future
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CHAPTER V.
AYRAULT'S VISION.
When Ayrault's watch was ended, he roused Cortlandt, who took hisplace, and feeling a desire for solitude and for a last long lookat the earth, he crossed the top of the ridge on the slope ofwhich they had camped, and lay down on the farther side. TheSouth wind in the upper air rushed along in the mighty whirl,occasionally carrying filmy clouds across the faces of the moons;but about Ayrault all was still, and he felt a quiet and serenerepose. He had every intention of remaining awake, and waspondering on the steadfastness of the human heart and theconstancy of love, when his meditations began to wander, and,with his last thoughts on Sylvia, he fell asleep. Not a branchmoved, nor did a leaf fall, yet before Ayrault's, sleeping eyes astrange scene was enacted. A figure in white came near and stoodbefore him, and he recognized in it one Violet Slade, a veryattractive girl to whom he had been attentive in his collegedays. She was at that time just eighteen, and people believedthat she loved him, but for some reason, he knew not why, he hadnot proposed.
"I thought you had died," he said, as she gazed at him, "but youare now looking better than ever."
"From the world's point of view I AM dead," she replied. "I diedand was buried. It is therefore permissible that I should showyou the truth. You never believed I loved you. I have wishedearnestly to see you, and to have you know that I did."
"I did you an injustice," Ayrault answered, perceiving all thatwas in her heart. "Could mortals but see as spirits do, therewould be no misunderstandings."
"I am so glad to see you," she continued, "and to know you arewell. Had you not come here, we could probably not have metuntil after your death; for I shall not be sufficiently advancedto return to earth for a long time, though my greatest solacewhile there was my religion, which is all that brought me here.We, however, know that as our capacity for true happinessincreases we shall be happier, and that after the resurrectionthere will be no more tears. Farewell," she whispered, while hereyes were filled with love.
Ayrault's sleep was then undisturbed for some time, when suddenlyan angel, wreathed in light, appeared before him and spoke thesewords: "He that walked with Adam and talked with Moses has sentme to guard you while you sleep. No plague or fever, wild beastor earthquake, can molest you, for you are equally protected fromthe most powerful monster and the most insidious disease-germ.'Blessed is the man whose offences are covered and whose sins areforgiven.' Sleep on, therefore, and be refreshed, for the bodymust have rest."
"A man may rest indeed," replied Ayrault, "when he has a guardianangel. I had the most unbounded faith in your existence before Isaw you, and believe and know that you or others have oftenshielded me from danger and saved my life. Why am I worthy of somuch care?"
"'Whoso dwelleth under the defence of the Most High shall abideunder the shadow of the Almighty,'" answered the angel, andthereupon he became invisible, a diffused light taking his place.Shortly afterwards this paled and completely vanished.
"Not only am I in paradise," thought Ayrault; "I believe I amalso in the seventh heaven. Would I might hear such wordsagain!"
A group of lilies then appeared before the sleeper's eyes. Inthe midst was one lily far larger than the rest, and of adazzling white. This spoke in a gentle voice, but with the tonesof a trombone:
"Thy thoughts and acts are a pleasure to me. Thou hast raised noidols within thy heart, and thy faith is as incense before me.Thy name is now in the Book of Life. Continue as thou hastbegun, and thou shalt live and reign forever."
Hereupon the earth shook, and Ayrault was awakened. Greatboulders were rolling and crashing down the slope about him,while the dawn was already in the east.
"My mortal eyes and senses are keener here while I sleep thanwhen I wake," he thought, as he looked about him, "for spirits,unable to affect me while waking, have made themselves felt in mymore sensitive state while I was asleep. Nevertheless, this isnone other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
"The boulders were still in motion when I opened my eyes," hemused; "can it be that there is hereabouts such a flower as in mydreams I seemed to see?" and looking beyond where his head hadlain, he beheld the identical lily surrounded by the group thathis closed eyes had already seen. Thereupon he uncovered hishead and departed quickly. Crossing the divide, he descended tocamp, where he found Cortlandt in deep thought.
"I cannot get over the dreams," said the doctor, "I had in thefirst part of the night. Notwithstanding yesterday's excitementand fatigue, my sleep was most disturbed, and I was visited byvisions of my wife, who died long ago. She warned me againstskepticism, and seemed much distressed at my present spiritualstate."
"I," said Bearwarden, who had been out early, and had succeededin bringing in half a dozen birds, "was so disturbed I could notsleep. It seemed to me as though half the men I have ever knowncame and warned me against agnosticism and my materialistictendencies. They kept repeating, 'You are losing the reality forthe shadow.'"
"I am convinced," said Ayrault, "that they were not altogetherdreams, or, if dreams indeed, that they were superinduced by ahigher will. We know that angels have often appeared to men inthe past. May it not be that, as our appreciativeness increases,these communications will recur?" Thereupon he related his ownexperiences.
"The thing that surprised me," said Cortlandt, as they finishedbreakfast, "was the extraordinary realism of the scene. We mustsee if our visions return on anything but an empty stomach."