II
"Ah! it is journalese," said Oliver, at last, leaning back. "Tawdrystuff! But--but the thing!"
Mabel got up, passed across to the window-seat, and sat down. Her lipsopened once or twice, but she said nothing.
"My darling," cried the man, "have you nothing to say?"
She looked at him tremulously a moment.
"Say!" she said. "As you said, What is the use of words?"
"Tell me again," said Oliver. "How do I know it is not a dream?"
"A dream," she said. "Was there ever a dream like this?"
Again she got up restlessly, came across the floor, and knelt down byher husband once more, taking his hands in hers.
"My dear," she said, "I tell you it is not a dream. It is reality atlast. I was there too--do you not remember? You waited for me when allwas over--when He was gone out--we saw Him together, you and I. We heardHim--you on the platform and I in the gallery. We saw Him again pass upthe Embankment as we stood in the crowd. Then we came home and we foundthe priest."
Her face was transfigured as she spoke. It was as of one who saw aDivine Vision. She spoke very quietly, without excitement or hysteria.Oliver stared at her a moment; then he bent forward and kissed hergently.
"Yes, my darling; it is true. But I want to hear it again and again.Tell me again what you saw."
"I saw the Son of Man," she said. "Oh! there is no other phrase. TheSaviour of the world, as that paper says. I knew Him in my heart as soonas I saw Him--as we all did--as soon as He stood there holding the rail.It was like a glory round his head. I understand it all now. It was Hefor whom we have waited so long; and He has come, bringing Peace andGoodwill in His hands. When He spoke, I knew it again. His voice wasas--as the sound of the sea--as simple as that--as--as lamentable--asstrong as that.--Did you not hear it?"
Oliver bowed his head.
"I can trust Him for all the rest," went on the girl softly. "I do notknow where He is, nor when He will come back, nor what He will do. Isuppose there is a great deal for Him to do, before He is fullyknown--laws, reforms--that will be your business, my dear. And the restof us must wait, and love, and be content."
Oliver again lifted his face and looked at her.
"Mabel, my dear---"
"Oh! I knew it even last night," she said, "but I did not know that Iknew it till I awoke to-day and remembered. I dreamed of Him allnight.... Oliver, where is He?"
He shook his head.
"Yes, I know where He is, but I am under oath---"
She nodded quickly, and stood up.
"Yes. I should not have asked that. Well, we are content to wait."
There was silence for a moment or two. Oliver broke it.
"My dear, what do you mean when you say that He is not yet known?"
"I mean just that," she said. "The rest only know what He has done--notwhat He is; but that, too, will come in time."
"And meanwhile---"
"Meanwhile, you must work; the rest will come by and bye. Oh! Oliver, bestrong and faithful."
She kissed him quickly, and went out.
* * * * *
Oliver sat on without moving, staring, as his habit was, out at the wideview beyond his windows. This time yesterday he was leaving Paris,knowing the fact indeed--for the delegates had arrived an hourbefore--but ignorant of the Man. Now he knew the Man as well--at leasthe had seen Him, heard Him, and stood enchanted under the glow of Hispersonality. He could explain it to himself no more than could any oneelse--unless, perhaps, it were Mabel. The others had been as he hadbeen: awed and overcome, yet at the same time kindled in the very depthsof their souls. They had come out--Snowford, Cartwright, Pemberton, andthe rest--on to the steps of Paul's House, following that strangefigure. They had intended to say something, but they were dumb as theysaw the sea of white faces, heard the groan and the silence, andexperienced that compelling wave of magnetism that surged up likesomething physical, as the volor rose and started on that indescribableprogress.
Once more he had seen Him, as he and Mabel stood together on the deck ofthe electric boat that carried them south. The white ship had passedalong overhead, smooth and steady, above the heads of that vastmultitude, bearing Him who, if any had the right to that title, wasindeed the Saviour of the world. Then they had come home, and found thepriest.
That, too, had been a shock to him; for, at first sight, it seemed thatthis priest was the very man he had seen ascend the rostrum two hoursbefore. It was an extraordinary likeness--the same young face and whitehair. Mabel, of course, had not noticed it; for she had only seenFelsenburgh at a great distance; and he himself had soon been reassured.And as for his mother--it was terrible enough; if it had not been forMabel there would have been violence done last night. How collected andreasonable she had been! And, as for his mother--he must leave her alonefor the present. By and bye, perhaps, something might be done. Thefuture! It was that which engrossed him--the future, and the absorbingpower of the personality under whose dominion he had fallen last night.All else seemed insignificant now--even his mother's defection, herillness--all paled before this new dawn of an unknown sun. And in anhour he would know more; he was summoned to Westminster to a meeting ofthe whole House; their proposals to Felsenburgh were to be formulated;it was intended to offer him a great position.
Yes, as Mabel had said; this was now their work--to carry into effectthe new principle that had suddenly become incarnate in this grey-hairedyoung American--the principle of Universal Brotherhood. It would meanenormous labour; all foreign relations would have to bereadjusted--trade, policy, methods of government--all demandedre-statement. Europe was already organised internally on a basis ofmutual protection: that basis was now gone. There was no more anyprotection, because there was no more any menace. Enormous labour, too,awaited the Government in other directions. A Blue-book must beprepared, containing a complete report of the proceedings in the East,together with the text of the Treaty which had been laid before them inParis, signed by the Eastern Emperor, the feudal kings, the TurkishRepublic, and countersigned by the American plenipotentiaries....Finally, even home politics required reform: the friction of old strifebetween centre and extremes must cease forthwith--there must be but oneparty now, and that at the Prophet's disposal.... He grew bewildered ashe regarded the prospect, and saw how the whole plane of the world wasshifted, how the entire foundation of western life requiredreadjustment. It was a Revolution indeed, a cataclysm more stupendousthan even invasion itself; but it was the conversion of darkness intolight, and chaos into order.
He drew a deep breath, and so sat pondering.
* * * * *
Mabel came down to him half-an-hour later, as he dined early beforestarting for Whitehall.
"Mother is quieter," she said. "We must be very patient, Oliver. Haveyou decided yet as to whether the priest is to come again?"
He shook his head.
"I can think of nothing," he said, "but of what I have to do. Youdecide, my dear; I leave it in your hands."
She nodded.
"I will talk to her again presently. Just now she can understand verylittle of what has happened.... What time shall you be home?"
"Probably not to-night. We shall sit all night."
"Yes, dear. And what shall I tell Mr. Phillips?"
"I will telephone in the morning.... Mabel, do you remember what I toldyou about the priest?"
"His likeness to the other?"
"Yes. What do you make of that?"
She smiled.
"I make nothing at all of it. Why should they not be alike?"
He took a fig from the dish, and swallowed it, and stood up.
"It is only very curious," he said. "Now, good-night, my dear."
Lord of the World Page 17
