"I wish I could go out into the sunshine again! But I have not been
unhappy. Indeed, I think I have been very happy."
There was an indescribable pause; Virginia's eyes modestly veiled, her
face suffused with a blissful light, as if her soul saw some soft and
exquisite dream; while Penn's bosom swelled with the long undulations of
hope and transport. Toby still lingered in the entrance of the cave.
"Toby," said Penn, such a radiance flashing from his brow as the negro
had never seen before, "my good Toby,"--and what ineffable human
sympathy vibrated in his tones!--"I wish you would go in and tell our
friends that the enemy has quite disappeared: will you?"
"Yes, massa!" said Toby, a ray of that happiness penetrating even the
old freedman's breast. For such is the beautiful law of our nature, that
love cannot be concealed; it cannot be monopolized by one, nor yet by
two; but when its divine glow is kindled in any soul, it beams forth
from the eyes, it thrills in the tones of the voice, it breathes from
all the invisible magnetic pores of being, and sheds sunshine and warmth
on all.
Toby went. Then an arm of manly strength, yet of all manly gentleness,
stole about the waist of the girl, and drew her softly, close, closer;
while something else, impalpable, ravishing, holy, drew her by a still
more potent attraction; until, for the first time in her young and pure
life, her mouth met another mouth with the soul's virgin kiss. Her lips
had kissed many times before, but her soul never. How long it lasted,
that sweet perturbation, that fervent experience of a touch, neither, I
suppose, ever knew; for at such times a moment is an eternity. As a
lightning flash in a dark night reveals, for a dazzling instant, a world
concealed before, so the electric interchange of two hearts charged with
love's lightning seems to open the very doors of infinity; and it is the
glory of heaven that shines upon them.
Not a word was spoken.
Then Penn held Virginia before him, and looked deep into her eyes, and
said, with a strange tremor of lip and voice,--using the gentle speech
of the Friends, into which old familiar channel his thoughts flowed
naturally in moments of strong feeling,--
"Wherever this dear face smiles upon me, there is my sunshine. I must be
very selfish; for notwithstanding all the dangers and discomforts by
which I see thee and thy father surrounded, the hours we have passed
together here have been the happiest of my life. Yea, and suffering and
privation would be never anything to me, if I could always have thee
with me, Virginia!"
How different, meanwhile, was the scene within the cave! How chafed the
fiery Lysander! How spitefully Salina bit her lips ever at sight of him!
And these two had once been lovers, and had seen rainbows span their
future also! Is it love that unites such, or is it only the yearning for
love? For love, the reality, fuses all qualities, and brings into
harmony all clashing chords.
Toby entered, the gleam of others' happiness still in his countenance.
"De enemy hab dis'peared; all gone down in de frog."
"The frog, Toby?" said Mr. Villars.
"Yes, sar; right smart frog down 'ar in de volley!"
"He means, a fog in the walley," said Carl.