Oswald Langdon | Page 7

concluded to go. With
evident reluctance he stated his purpose to Sir Donald and Esther.
These so cordially urged longer stay that Oswald readily consented.
"Why not stay here longer, and see more of Northfield?"
He had no wish to find any sufficient answer to this question. To his
visual survey Northfield was then in smiling review.
Sir Donald suggested a ride on horseback. The air was pleasant and the

sky cloudless. Oswald admired the picturesque variety of wood, stream,
hill, and level field, with their blending, many-colored shades. Esther
commented with enthusiasm upon the incidents of each loved spot,
seeming a little girl again among the sweet scenes of her childhood
home. Sir Donald listened with pleased smile to Esther's minute
description of each coincidence of the past. At times there crossed his
refined, mobile face tremulous shades, suggestive of pathetic memories.
The panorama of twenty-five years was passing before his reminiscent
gaze, softened and blended by subdued tints of receding lights.
Turning a wooded curve, they came upon a grassy nook by a pebbly
stream shaded with trees. The granite inscriptions with choicely
selected bushes and flowers needed no interpreter.
Esther saw that Sir Donald wished to be alone. Without spoken sign,
she rode on, accompanied by Oswald.
Sir Donald dismounted. This strong, mature, chastened man never
thought of wife and child as sleeping there. They dwelt too far and safe
for such pulseless rest. With clarified visions and adjusted lenses these
gazed from their high mounts of observation upon "those graves called
human existence, not yet resurrected unto life."
Esther led the way along a narrow path to an open space, where she and
Oswald dismounted. Neither referred to Sir Donald's whim in
remaining behind.
Oswald had spent a half-hour alone with this interesting girl without
reference to the mystery which had eluded his subtle, absorbing inquiry
for the past three weeks.
Upon being joined by Sir Donald, the party rode on for some distance
along the bank of a lake, until coming to a graveled road and following
its meandering course, they returned to the Northfield mansion.
Next day was the Sabbath. Oswald attended the parish church with Sir
Donald and Esther.

Having from early childhood felt the restraints of religious training,
Oswald yielded to the sweet solemnity of the hour. Though his
controlling aspirations, in their uncurbed impetuosity and youthful
conceit, were little consciously tinged with the higher sentiments of
ethical teaching, yet Christian principles were entitled to unquestioned
homage. Feeling slight commendation for that meek attitude of
majestic patience, "led like a lamb to the slaughter," he thrilled at sight
of an heroic warrior figure, clad in royal Bozrah-vintage-tinted purple,
with powerful victor tread, returning from "Edom" conquest. There was
not much of "comeliness" in the "marred face" of an unresenting Christ,
but how fascinating the autocratic, prophet-painted, empire-inscribed
pose of Redemption's Champion, clad in ermine of final decree,
alternately welcoming his ancient "Elect," and with awful leftward
gesture upon countless millions pronouncing the changeless judgment
of "Depart."
Esther's lips quivered with sympathetic emotion at the divine
tenderness for human despair. In the miracles she saw heavenly
interposition to relieve earthly want. Barley loaves, fish, and wine were
for the hungry, thirsty, ravenous crowd. Clay anointings were for the
blind, quickened ears for deaf mutes, leprous healings for diseased
outcasts, and recalled vital breath to pulseless mortality, responsive to
human prayer. Esther faintly comprehended the inexorable justice of
final judgment, but pitied poor, erring, bewildered, helpless human
wanderers, gravitating so swiftly and surely to drear, friendless caverns
of eternal night.
Afterward, in comment to Oswald and Esther, Sir Donald said:
"Is not patience royalty's most crucial test? How easy, kingly assertion!
How hard, autocratic forbearance! How little evidence of omnipotence
in vindictive wrath! Are not human weaknesses rightful claimants to a
divine protectorate? Are not the crowning glories of these grand figures
of Hebrew imagery in their pathetic antitypes? Is not the progressive
evolution of the ages more sublime than spontaneous precocity?
Restoring to normal functions ear, eye, and tongue is not so miraculous
as are continuous creations of auricular and visual senses, with all the

wondrous resulting harmonies of speech, sound, and song. Healing an
'unclean' wretch of his foul disorder ranks not the healthy rhythm of an
infant's pulse. The inexplicable life of an interesting young girl is more
mysterious than was the resurrection of Lazarus."
The ritual had an unspeakable charm for Esther and Oswald.
Monday, Oswald saw Esther only briefly, as some matters of household
supervision absorbed her care. He felt lonely, but improved the time in
writing several letters which had been delayed. Such employment
would do when Esther was out of sight. It seemed a day lost.
Many years had receded into vague retrospect before the absorbing
interests of three brief