THROUGH THE EMERALD GATES.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXV, Issue 1309, 23 June 1899, Page 7

THROUGH THE EMERALD GATES.

By Ford Lynton.

A FAHTASY.

CHAPTER ITI

When Lucius awoke the. sun had made a golden fretwork of the boughs above his head, and - tongues of amber fire trembled through the boshes and played over the tangled copse, like elfish offspring of the Sun god himself. And Lucius was displeased that ho had slept so long, albeit he was glad that sleep had bven so sweet and refreshing in the spot where his love's body had lain for a while.

Then he ran eagerly to the hu», and inquired of the old woman how the. maiden was faring.

* She is once more sleeping/ said the dame, c though she, woke during the night, and <would fain know her whereabouts. B,ut I sa w that she needed rest, and was loth to tell her that a youth had carried her here ... . so led h*r lo think4hat I had brought her hither.'

* 'Tis well,' s«»id Lucius ; ' * kind mother, do not tells her otherwise. I love the m,aid, hut, she is proud, and would , grieve to think that I had chanced on her when overcome wilh weakness. .Let me, however, I pray thee, see her for a moment whilst she sleeps, that I may thus be refreshed and cheered for my journey.'

Then the old dame spake warningly. 'Son, thou art already late, and scant time is thino if thou wishest to find these Emerald Gates.' But Lucius was wroth, and answered in heat, ' What manner of man dost thou imagine me, that I should put the secret of the Gates before the welfare of my lovel Although she will not have me travel with her, I will not rpach these Gate? before she chances to reach them j and if it so happens that her strength fails, then I will. stay and comfort her, leaving to others the 1 , secret of these Emerald Gates. 1 Then the old woman smiled and looked with more favour upon Lucius than ever before. 'Thou speakest with greater wisdom than thou drtamest,' she said. 'Follow me.'

Lucius followed her into the bare ronm which served as a dwelling. 1 There is little but a covering from the wind and a protection from the cold,' said she, noting the fixed gaze of Lucius when he entered. But he heeded not her words, for, indeed, how the room looked he neither noted nor cared to note. Stella was there, and no palace could have filled his soul with such wondering joy and admiration. The light had been shielded from her face, but a stray sunbeam gleamed over the ruddy face of Lucius, and touched with a livelier crimson the. red lips of his love.

'The Sun-god^ carriej? my kisses to your lips, dear heart,' he murmured, and kneeling down gently he pressed his mouth to a stray wisp of hair that hung over the low couch.

Then he passed out again, meaning to wait hard by until such time as the maiden should start afrpsh on hpr journey. But the old dame took pity on his love, and thought to tell Stella when she awoke all that her lover had done, for even better than Lucius she divined how the maiden would take her lover's care of her to heart, whatever she might say. After a spacp, sha heard tho voice of Stella crying out to her, and going in she beheld her girdling herself for the journey. ' Good mother, how can I thank you for your succour?' said the maiden ; •though I grieve, indeed, that my body should be so much frailer than my purpose. 'You must thank one with blue eyes nnd ruddy of face,* said the old dame. 'It was he who brought you here and entreated for .help/ On hearing these words did Stella turn white as the driven snow, then red sb the reddest passion flower, and into her dark, tender eyes came a flash of anger. 'Tell me all, my mother,' she said. Then the old dame told her what she knew, ar d further, what she guessed ; how that the young man had watched over her from the starting out, yet not so as to offend her. Moreover the dame chided Stella. { If thou dost really love the youth there is nought to be wrathful about, inasmuch as he has watched over thy well-being.' • I am not wrathful with my Lucius,* said the maiden softly, • but I am sore displeased with my own weakness, in so far as I have not done what was my intent ; moreover I have delayed the journey of my Lucius. Is he near that I may speak to him f 1 Dost tbou think to find the gates by seeking? how little canst thou divine the nature of what thou lookest for/ said the dame. *Seek — seek — seek — thou wilt never find.' Then wascthe maiden downcast, for there was that about the old dame that told she spoke what was true. ' But is not seven days' journey, O mother, the journey towards the Emerald Ga'es ; and do they not lie westward beyond the purple hills? Surely the happy Felix, of blessed memory, found out the secret in seven days.' 1 Aye, truly so, I have heard,' answered the dame, « but the journey is nojt always so speedily made. Neither <iid the happy Felix seek for the gates, tut lighted on them through kindness of the Gods, Fear not, pretty ujaid ;

both thou and thy lover will pass through the gates, if the Gods so will it ; but not till thou hast quite forgotten the nature of thy quest. Those who seek never pass through.'

Then was Stella both troubled and perplexed : troubled, inasmuch as there seemed no hope of finding a way to the Emr-rald Gates ; puzzled, in so far as she did not understand the meaning of th»» o?d dame's la^t words. But of one thing she was determined. She would find her lover ; for good or for evil the Gods had thrown them together. More over, her spirit y«?arned toward Lucius, for she needed comfort and encouragement ; and she was ashamed of the pride which had divided her from him.

Now, light as was her footfall, the pager hearing of her lover had caught the sound j though, not knowing how she would take his presence, he turned away so that she might pass if she were minded.

Then, Stella, guessing what was in his rcind, felt her heart go out to Lufiis for hia tender kindnes?. And, with the love-light shining in her eyes, she hastened towards her lover. But when she had almost come up to hiir., Lucius the while looking intently the other way, she halted, and a sudden bashfullness came over her. Then Lucius turning round, saw his love standing before him, and he knew that she had come to hin, and a mist came over his eyes with the joy of seeing hia love in the glory of her beauty. Then she straightway forgot all that she had meant to say to him, and of the leasons for her behaviour, but, happening to glance up, her eyes met the eyes of Luciu?.

Wns it the autumn time after all 1 To many in the world, pprchance, the brown and scarlet tints of autumn, the fading leaves, the gentle melancholy of decay, were present. But for two souls that morning nature had suddenly sprung up in'o fresh life. Once more the sap of spring coursed through the trees, and the scantily- clad boughs were again wrapt in a rich verdure. The dull earth bhone with countless blossoms. Thp wood was alive with the song of happy bird?. Springtime had returned. At first, as they walked on together hand ir. hand, it seemed a dream from which they would awake.

But the signs of autumn were slowly fading away, and when once clear of wood they found that it was indeed no fancy. Their feet pressed once more the soft yielding carpet of green, of which autumn wots not. The air was sweet with the almond blossom, and Lucius and Stolla laughed for very joy of life. As for the secret of the Emerald Gates, and the wherefore of their journey, they had for a while no thought, tin of a sudden some ndventure hefel them which brought the object of their journey back again to their minds in a way of which they had never dreamed.

CHAPTER 111

Lucius heard a noise as of some one shouting, and looking towards the high road which lay some distance from the fields over which he and his love, Stella, were walking, he beheld, as it were, a cloud of dust rapidly coming nearer. The dimly-outlined figure of a horseman could then be sqen, and as the dust cleared away, Lucius saw that it was no other than his brother Lno. Leo made signs as if he would speak, so Lucius ran quickly towards him. • Hast thou sepn my maiden — she of the golden locks,' quoth Leo. And Lucius s»w that his brother was in sore distress, and looked like one distraught, with the dust of the road and the travel stains of his journey upon him. Then, said Lucius, • Nay. Only one maiden have I seen.' And his heart went out to his brother, insomuch as did remember his own sorrow. So Leo did tell Lucius how that his maiden had ridden with him for a long while, and what deeds of valiance he had done to protect his love and to remove from his way those jealous of his quick progress How, moreover, he had come within sight of tho Emerald Gates — gates wuh two vast bay trees, crowned with Laurel, and streaming with scarlet banner?. ' The gates were open but,' quoth Leo, ' seemed about to close ; so in my haste to enter I spurred my stfed, and bent forward, and in doing thus forgot for the moment about the maid, who, I fea**, disturbed by the sudden plunge of my horse, slipped away. I, intent or passing through, did not notice her cry or her fall to* some while, until just as the laurel leaves were rustling over my head, the gates swung to with a force that smote my horse back on to his haunchso, and cast me to the ground; stunned for a while. When I did recover, my steed was standing by me, browsing on some herbage by the wayside, and I did remember about the maid. But she wag not there. Nor have mine eyes lighted upon her since. So,' said Leo, ' I have lost my love, and have failed to pass the Emeiald Gates.*

Now, when Leo made mention of the Emerald Gates, Lucius reddened with sudden recollection ; for in truth he had forgotten about these gates since the morning.

And seeing his brother downcast, he sought to cheer him, saying, * I care not, Leo, for these Emerald Gates, since in sooth I have found in the love of the maiden Stella as much happiness as is, I wot, granted to mortal man;. Albeit, even were it not so, this happi-

ness suffices for me. We will therefore seek for thy love, and do thou go forward to essay the passage of the Emerald Gates once more.'

And Leo considered with himself, arguing thus : •! may never hap on my maiden again, till it be too late to pass through the gates' (and he wot not, neither did Lucius, that the opportunity had indeed come to Leo, bu^ could not be vouchsafed again) ; ' but if I pass through the gates, 1 may light on other maidens as fair and as sweet as she who was my maiden, or with the favours bpstowed on those* happy enough to enter, T may be vouchsafed a view of the maiden again. My brother does foolishly in throwing away his chance, but his foolishness may prove my good fortune, and I will not dissuade htm from his quest after the maiden I have los*.'

Then he said, lße it so, brother ; T will seek again the gates, and re« turn to thee.'

'Do so, my brother,' said Lucius, 8 the air is sweet with the spring, and I and my love will abide hero when if co be we have found thy maiden. Then L«o laughed loudly. 4lt is wpll if thou thinkrat these chill autumn winds savour of springtime.' Thereupon he rode off, and in his heart he felt contempt for his brother. And L>ci»»s, when his brother spoke about the autumn, was perplexed, and lookins; round him, thought for the moment that he himself had been deceived. The verdure looked as if the freshness had departed, and the wind blew more keenly, but as he stayed considering the matter, a soft hand slid into his own, and two loving eyes looked up, questioning. And, to his wondering gaze, the brillanco of the spring once more crept over the verdure, and the air was onefi again soft and sweet with the balm of the youthful year. 'Dear heart,' said she, lif thou art troubled, I am also troubled. 1

1 Sweetheart,' said Lucius, kissing the upturned face, • trouble cannot have a resting placa in my heart when thou : art present, but for the moment I am concerned for uiy brother, inasmuch as he has lost his maid — and knowing all you are to nn>, I must perforce sorrow for the less which has befallen my brother.'

Then did a fire flash into the eyes of S'ella, as does the lightning break in upon the peaceful calm oE ihe starlight evening in summer ; and she said, ' Of a truth I cannot share your sorrow for one so hard of heart and so heedless as your . brother ; for yesterday in the storm I spied his maiden moving back in the direction of the city, and although T besought her to come with me, she would no*, being bruised in spirit as well as in body by your brother's ne«W. He does not deserve the love of a woman.

Then did Stella tell to Lucius what the maiden with the golden hair had spoken to her. And the anger of Lucius was kindled against his V»roth«*r, for he perceived how that beneath all the knightly attainments and grace of manner, lay a hard and selfish heart. And the sun was now at its he'ght it being midda} ; so Lucius nnd S^el'a rested for a while on the banks of a clear crystal stream that flowrd along the valley, having its source in the purp'e hills. And the purling of the stream was as mu<ic in their ears, the twain being in some measure weiry with their journey. And over them floated a green willow for a canopy, whereof Lucius was glad, not for his own sake, for he minded not the heat, but that it did shield the head of his love from the mid-day ardour of the sun. And when thpy had s'ak<*d their thirst in the stream, Lucius, looking round, spied some figure approaching. And first he took it to be an old man, for the hood was drawn well over the face, but as it came nearer he saw it was none other than the old dame who had protected Stella.

And both Lucius and Stella greeted her warmly, and bade her welcome. * None the less welcome, perchance,' quoth the old dame, ' since I have with me wherewithal to satisfy your hunger.' So saying she disclosed to then-, ft basket filled with the finest fruits, pears, peaches, and grapes warm with the sun, and fragrant in their mellowness 1 .

1 Then,' said Lucius, * how is this, good mother, that tho >gh it be springtime, yet the treasures of autumn are forthcoming as well V f It matters not how,' said the dame with a smile, 'seeing that they are here. But what of the Emerald Gates f Then did Lucius protest with a laugh that he would answer no question and touch no fruit till he had been assured that the old dame had satisfied her hunger. 1 '.Eat you both and be content. Within a few minutes of this place 1 could show you fruit in -abundance to serve us all for many days.' And after they had eaten, the old dame reminded Lucius ©f her question about the' Emerald- Gates. *Of a truth,' answered Lucius, putting his arm round Stella, and drawing her gently towards him. 'I have found all the happiness that I wish for, and more than I xteserve, in the love of this sweet maid.'

' All joy is fleeting and hollow which comes not from the Eiuorald Gates/

said the old dame. • I know, for the gods have granted me, whilst I was old, the vision of these gates, and did allow rn"> to pass through;' So saying, she pulled away her hood, and Lucius and Stella.did not see that, although her skin was the skin of uri old woman, her eyes were, full of youth and a wonderful happinea?. *It i«s a.» •ny Father, Felix, looked/ murmured Lucius, and a , misery overshadowrd both of them, for their hearts told the.n how great and lasting was the happiness of this dame, and th*»y feared for the sudden ending to their own happiness. Then did Stella cteep nearer to Lucius, till the dark glory of her hair covered his head and neck as with a cloud of incense, and her soft oliyetinted cheek pressed against his rtiddy skinned face.

'Truly, thou canst see l»y mine eyes that I speak not falsely,' said the dame 5 • and now, fond lovers, before you give yourself up to needless repining, look into each other's eyes and then look into the stream.'

Then did Lucius put Sella gently from him, and raising his blue eyes g»z<*d into those dark, tender depths that he loved so well. And, behold, as he looked, a new and still more wonderful change came orer them ; for they glistened with that deep, mysterious joy which comes to none who have not passed through the Emerald Gates : and he felt the hands which were locked in his tremble, and read in her radiant gsz* how that she akso knew that the happiness of the Emerald Gites.was their.".

Then, looking into. the stream, they Haw how the crystal waters blended their happy figures with the bright sunshine, and how they geemed to mingle with the blue sky and the green verdure — one and all melting into and becoming a dazzling symbol of youth ; the eternal youth of nature.

'Those who. seek, never find,' said the dame. 'The Emerald Gates can nevpr be passed by those who make it their only object to seek for them. And those worthy to enter reck not for a while ■ when they have entered, though, now, perchance, thou know'st why it scemelh spring, and if thou can's t remember when the glory of the spring came into thy life, even though to others it reemed to be still autumn, then thou knowt-st the moment when th« passage through the Emerald Gates was made.'

Then did Lucius eageily make os if to ask more question?, but the oIJ dame had gonp, and they were alone again. And as the sun sank lower, and the golden light became tinged with the crimson of evening, the landscape grew fairer still to the two happy travellers, for the richness of summer seemed to blend with the freshness of spring, and roses and lilies sprang up along the path which the lovers were treading Then, as the crimson in the west began to deepen into purplf, and the magic incantation of night was breathed into their ears by the warm evening breeze, Stella spied a lovely arbour, sweet with flowers, and carpeted with soft, yielding green. Then said the maid, • Dear heart, let us rest nere during the night, for the happiness that has come to us is so great that my mind grows faint with thinking on it. And Lucius answered, 'Be it so, sweetheart,' and taking her into his arms, he kissed her mouth, cheeks, eyes, and hair till «he forgot that it was evening, and thought the morning sunshine had returned. Then — each with an arm about the other — they made their way to the arbour of rest, whilst the spirit of sleep floated over them and touched their eyelids with her soft, slumbrous draperies. And a great peace crept into their souls. Such a peace as those alone know who have felt the joy of youth and love. And this exceding joy com»s to those who have passed through the Emerald Gates.