Heimbert rose from his pious duty, and his first glance fell on Zelinda,
who stood smiling by his side, and his second upon the wholly changed
scene around. The rocky cavern and grotto had disappeared, the distorted
forms of trees and beasts, half terrible and half charming as they were,
had vanished also; a gentle grassy hill sloped down on every side of the
point where he stood, toward the sandy waste; springs gushed out
here and there in refreshing beauty; date-trees bent over the little
paths--everything, indeed, in the now opening day was full of sweet and
simple peace.
“Thank God!” said Heimbert, turning to his companion, “you can now
surely feel how infinitely more lovely, grand, and beautiful is
everything as our dear Father has created it than it can be when
transformed by the highest human art. The Heavenly Gardener has indeed
permitted us, his beloved children, in his abundant mercy, to help
forward his gracious works, that we may thus become happier and better;
but we must take care that we change nothing to suit our own rash wilful
fancies; else it is as if we were expelling ourselves a second time from
Paradise.” “It shall not happen again,” said Zelinda humbly. “But may
you in this solitary region, where we are not likely to meet with any
priest of our faith, may you not bestow on me, as one born anew, the
blessing of Holy Baptism?”
Heimbert, after some consideration, replied, “I hope I may do so. And if
I am wrong, God will pardon me. It is surely done in the desire to bring
to him so worthy a soul as soon as possible.”
So they walked together, silently praying and full of smiling happiness,
down to one of the pleasant springs of the oasis, and just as they
reached the edge and prepared themselves for the holy work the sun rose
before them as if to confirm and strengthen their purpose, and the
two beaming countenances looked at each other with joy and confidence.
Heimbert had not thought of the Christian name he should bestow on his
disciple, but as he scooped up the water, and the desert lay around him
so solemn in the rosy glow of morning, he remembered the pious hermit
Antony in his Egyptian solitude, and he baptized the lovely convert,
Antonia.
They spent the day in holy conversation, and Antonia showed her friend
a little cave, in which she had concealed all sorts of store for her
sustenance when she first dwelt on the oasis. “For,” said she, “the good
God is my witness that I came hither only that I might, in solitude,
become better acquainted with him and his created works, without knowing
at that time in the least of any magic expedients. Subsequently the
Dervish came, tempting me, and the horrors of the desert joined in a
fearful league with his terrible power, and then by degrees followed all
that alluring spirits showed me either in dreams or awake.”
Heimbert had no scruple to take with him for the journey any of the wine
and fruits that were still fit for use, and Antonia assured him that by
the direct way, well known to her, they would reach the fruitful shore
of this waterless ocean in a few days. So with the approach of evening
coolness they set out on their journey.