“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her lips close to the terrible mouth. “I made a god of my own tongue instead of you. But now I understand. And, oh! Serpent, teach me the right way to live, and keep me from growing bitter.”
Then, as before, she imprinted a light kiss, tender and loving, on the unkissable mouth, and silently bowed her head some minutes on the table.
Then on a sudden Rosalie rose, her eyes wide open, and stared at the golden god. They stared in wonderment, but growing understanding. The light of dawning wisdom was in her eyes.
One minute, two minutes, three, passed away. She turned round suddenly, emerged into the church, dark now as once before about a year ago. A light was in her hand; she cared not how she came by it, but partly knew.
A priest from one of the choir stalls was watching her, with a feeble candle in his hand.
He called out “Treason! Blasphemy!” to see a woman thus emerge from behind the sacred curtain. It was James Peter.
Rushing forward, he slipped over a footstool, and fell down heavily. His light was extinguished. Down the vast aisle, with the lightness of a spirit, Rosalie ran. Her eyes were laughing, a flush was on her once pale cheek.
James Peter, rising, followed her. He puffed and groaned at every priestly step.
But when the door was open she turned and nodded to him in the distance. The door closed. He was in darkness. He had followed solely upon her light.
Not till the lights were brought for Evensong did he extricate himself from the toils of the massive building. Then he told his tale.
“I tell you she turned round at the door and called to me ‘Bon soir, monsieur! Adieu!’” he cried for the third time to his companions.
“Good Lord! What does it mean?” said one.
“As dumb as the Serpent!” replied James Peter. “She went into the Holy Place, and is cured.”
“Yes! I called ‘Blasphemy!’ but the damned footstool tripped me! Had it not been for that I had caught her and brought her up before the great High Priest.”
“Don’t speak so sneeringly, brother Thomas John. I said a footstool tripped me.”
“I followed her eyes till the door closed, and forgot about them. Besides, not being a smoker, I never carry any.”
“Did you say you found a woman in the Holiest Place?” asked others, crowding round.