THE UNSEEN PRESENCE
The world was a new and a wonderful world as, leaving the chapel, Mora
turned her steps homeward. She had been wont to regard temptation
itself as sinful, but now this sacred fact "in all points tempted like
as we are" seemed to sanctify the state of being tempted, providing she
could add the three triumphant words: "Yet without sin."
As she walked, with springy step, down the grassy paths among the
heather, the Unseen Presence moved beside her.
It seemed strange that she should have found in the world this sweet
secret of the Perpetual Presence, which had evaded her in the Nunnery.
Often when her duties had taken her elsewhere in the Convent, or during
the walk through the underground way on the return from the Cathedral,
or even when walking for refreshment in the Convent garden, she would
yearn for the holy stillness of the chapel, or to be back in her cell
that she might kneel at the shrine of the Virgin and there realise the
adorable purity of our blessèd Lady's heart; or, prostrating herself
before the crucifix, gaze upon those piercèd feet, then slowly lift her
eyes to the other sacred wounds, and force her mind to realise and her
cold heart to receive the mighty fact that the Divine Redeemer thus
hung and suffered for her sins.
Transports of realisation had come to her in her cell, or when she kept
vigil in the Convent chapel, or when from the height of the Cathedral
clerestory she gazed down upon the High Altar, the lighted candles, the
swinging censers, and heard the chanting of the monks, and the tinkle
of the silver bell. But these transports had resulted from her own
determination to realise and to respond. The mental effort over, they
faded, and her heart had seemed colder than before, her spirit more
dead, her mind more prone to apathy. The greater the effort to force
herself to apprehend, the more complete had been the reaction of
non-realisation.
But now, in this deep wonder of new experience, there was no effort.
She had but waited with every inlet of her being open to receive. And
now the power was a Real Presence within, revealing an equally Real
Presence without. The Risen Christ moved beside her as she walked.
Her eyes were no longer holden that she should not know Him, for the
promised Presence of the _Paracletos_ filled her, unveiling her
spiritual vision, whispering within her glowing heart; "It is the Lord!"
"Which Voice we heard," wrote Saint Peter, "when we were with Him in
the Holy Mount." She, too, had first heard it there; but, as she
descended, it was with her still. The songs of the birds, the rush of
the stream, the breeze in the pines, the bee on the wing, all Nature
seemed to say: "It is the Lord!"
Sorrow, suffering, disillusion might await her on the plain; but, with
the Presence beside her, and the Voice within, she felt strong to face
them, and to overcome.
Noon found her in her garden, calm and serene; yet wondering, with
quickening pulses, whether at nightfall or even at sunset, Hugh would
ride in; and what she must say if, giving some other reason for his
journey to Worcester, he deceived her as others had deceived; failed
her as others had failed.
And wondering thus, she rose and moved with slow step to the terrace.
For a while she stood pondering this hard question, her eyes lifted to
the distant hills.
Then something impelled her to turn and glance into the banqueting
hall, and there--on the spot where he had knelt that she might bless
him at parting--stood Hugh, his arms folded, his eyes fixed upon her,
waiting till she should see him.