THE PRINCESS' WEDDING.
The Princess' recovery was very slow, owing to the great depletion
of the physical body during her recent illness. Much care and
attention were bestowed upon her by her royal friends. All the
luxury which wealth alone could procure, and the kindly influences
of loving associates were brought to bear to speedily hasten the
restoration of their Princess to her former health and spirits.
Health was slowly but surely gaining the ascendency, but the spirits
of heart and mind were not of that buoyant, external nature that she
formerly displayed.
With her return to health, demands of a social nature were made
upon her. She enjoyed pleasures but a seriousness attended her every
movement that much annoyed her friends. The attendants and servants
were excited to wonder at her kind and thoughtful interests of
them--while many thought it was due to her weak physical condition,
others remarked, how much the Princess' sickness had improved her.
Those that before feared her, now began to love and seek to please
and serve her.
Rathunor was a daily visitor, and remembering the advice and
instructions of the Hierophant he was calm, silent, and patient in
his attentions to her and apparently took no heed of her fancies and
strange conversation. She would constantly plan amusements and
social entertainments on a grand scale, but with such a seriousness
of purpose that it quite annoyed Rathunor at times and caused him to
wonder if this was really his former Nu-nah.
While the annoyance came purely from the external, there was an
interior attraction that was, irresistibly, holding him spell-bound
to her side. His happiness now was greatest when they sat, rode or
walked in silence. Little did he dream, while in that silence which
so enraptured him, the soul of Nu-nah was blending and drawing the
electric life-essence from his own to hers. That interchange was
going on wherein there is no robbery, but an inter-blending of the
magnetic and electric life-forces that cause to spring into activity
the harmonious vibrations of a complete whole, and the reaction upon
both brain and the physical organism was health, contentment and
happiness that rises above all external cares, sorrows and discords.
Although the soul of the, now known, Princess was highly developed
it could find but few responsive echoes from the dormant spiritual
organs of the brain. These she must arouse to sensitiveness and
action. It was this that gave rise to the peculiar ideas, expressed
in her conversation, that so mystified her friends. Visitors soon
began to pour in upon her congratulations, presents and invitations
to once again enter the gilded salons of fashion and the round of
amusements that are the daily life of a favorite Princess. To all
she gave a modest, quiet reply, neither accepting nor rejecting
their attentions, which left them in wondering doubt at times of her
sanity.
In the midst of some grand occasion she would be suddenly missed and
on being sought out would be found concealed in some pleasant nook,
or even out in the open air, or beside an open window, absorbed in
meditation or gazing into the heavens. When her attention was
attracted she would start and, with a strange, far-away look in her
eyes that would indicate to a superficial observer she had been
asleep, would allow herself to be led back and enter the festivities
of the hour.
With all their efforts they could not enthuse her with the
excitement and merriment surrounding her. But, if any one should
become serious and express thoughts that appealed to the interior,
she was all attention and the questions that were so ready when such
an opportunity afforded showed plainly that, although present in
body, the soul and interests were in other realms and spheres than
this.
No one but Rathunor could hold her attention for any length of time.
With him she was animated, and charmingly beautiful and joyous and
would, with some enthusiasm, enter into the pleasantries of the hour
which brought to her face the charming attraction of natural beauty.
Behind those orbs of vision there seemed to shine forth a light that
was more radiant than the gorgeously brilliant illuminations of the
salons. Her beautiful face, her perfect form and bearing, made her
the center of attraction and she was much sought after. But, as soon
as she was induced to leave Rathunor's side, that which made her
presence so irresistibly attractive and radiant before, faded out.
Thus time passed on, and as health returned, Prince Rathunor pressed
his suit. There was now, no apparent reason why he could not claim
his promised bride and make the Princess Nu-nah his own. His more
earnest friends cautioned him to wait further developments and, in
an undertone, reminded him of the peculiar and unnatural bearing of
the Princess at times. They were sure, in time, their once lovely
Princess would be herself again. Rathunor listened, knowing their
kindly interest sprang from good motives, but he was silent--he
could not speak for none would understand. The yearnings of his
heart and soul would not be quelled by any outward show.
While to the world Nu-nah was a source of mystical wonder, to
Rathunor she was his stay and comfort. He needed no further evidence
and assurance of Nu-nah's love for him. Too often had he experienced
the response from within to her silent pleadings for light, truth
and wisdom. The attraction of the outer world was losing its
fascination for him, the longings from within grew stronger and more
clamorous for outward expression until, one day, he advanced the
subject of astrology to the Princess Nu-nah. For an instant, her
whole being was illuminated by that mysterious light--for a single
moment the soul arose to the supremacy of the brain and found a
faint glimmering expression that was visible to Rathunor's
ever-watchful eye.
"Astrology, my Rathunor, fascinates me with its name and the
wonders and mysteries it is said to reveal. Do you think those
Astrologer Priests of the Temple know whereof they speak, and do
they read the stars and gain from them the wisdom they are said to
possess?"
Here was the first opportunity to present these sacred subjects to
Nu-nah's mind. He tried to think and, feeling that the present
excitement of the brain's higher organs, was of a temporary nature,
he was really at a loss what to say that would be most effective and
impress itself indelibly upon her awakening brain.
"Yes, my dear Nu-nah, I believe they do possess the knowledge they
claim and, I also am convinced that much of that wisdom and
knowledge is gained through their understanding the laws of
astrology. Those celestial bodies in our heavens were not placed
there by our Divine Creator without a purpose. I believe they have
an influence upon us that can be learned, defined and utilized by
those who study and know this influence through astronomy and
astrology. Nu-nah what is that which produces the interior longings
to know? Is it not that there is something to know--something that
our common brains can not grasp and analyze? Do you not think that
silent, yet persistent, monitor which lies concealed somewhere
within our being is excited to action from some source other than
our outward selves, and that longing to go out must be accounted for
by a something without that calls and attracts us to it? May this
not be the stars that we see twinkling and motioning to us as we
gaze into the midnight heavens?"
He stopped, wondering what the effect of his words would be, when,
to his amazement, there appeared a more vivid consciousness in her
eyes and features than he had ever seen since her return to physical
health and, taking new hope from this manifestation, he continued,
"Do you love the social world longer? Is there not that longing,
too, within your bosom for something more real, more ennobling than
the pastimes of worldly pleasures?"
At the mention of the worldly things, the light from her eyes died
out and was gone. Rathunor said no more but silently thanked God
that he had for those few moments assisted the soul of Nu-nah to
vibrate, too; and had set in motion the vitalizing currents to the
spiritual portion of the brain and earnestly prayed that this might
be the beginning of many opportunities that were to follow.
Realizing that only he could arouse the dormant organs of her
spiritual brain, he became more anxious than ever to have her
constantly in his company. He again pressed his suit and the day for
the wedding-nuptials was to be at once submitted to the Astrologer.
Rathunor again sought the Astrologer Priest for advice. He wished to
know when the stars would point most favorably toward such a
momentous event. This, the Astrologer was not long in finding out
and soon conveyed the news to Rathunor that at an early date such
might be consummated. As the Prince arose to go the Priest took his
hand and said, "My child, in taking the Princess Nu-nah as your
wife, you obey the holy intuitions of the soul and not only will you
be united in soul but in body and mind. I wish you the eternal
bliss that attends all who are truly mated. Farewell, my child; my
blessings go with you."
Rathunor was too much absorbed in other things to understand the
mysterious words of the Priest, but notwithstanding this the seed
had been again sown that would sometime spring up unannounced and
unexpected.
The announcement of the wedding was soon made and invitations sent
out, far and near. Congratulations poured in from every source,
although some would have refused, had they been true to their own
sentiments, for the remarkable and unaccountable change which had
taken place during her terrible malady was too evident to be
altogether right and should be righted before the Prince should make
the Princess his wife.
Rathunor was satisfied, never forgetting the Hierophant's sacred
words, and none other need be consulted. In their silent hearts they
wished the wedding might be private and the holy ceremony of the
Temple be performed by the High Priest. This, of course, could not
be owing to the station and position they occupied in life, for the
lives of a Princess and Prince are not wholly their own, so to the
public they must bow and pay obeisance.
Preparations for the wedding commenced at once, for it was to be a
grand affair. Nothing was to be spared that would add beauty and
grandeur to the occasion. Extravagant expenditures were indulged in,
until money seemed at a loss to supply more. The trousseau was
exquisitely magnificent and, on the wedding night, the beaming
radiance of the countenance of the Princess was neither dimmed by
the rich silks, nor the rare, priceless laces and lovely jewels that
glittered and sparkled with the living spark of life within them,
that adorned her form.
Never a bride so fair; never a couple so happy. It was that quiet,
subtle happiness, which permeates the very atmosphere about them and
leaves its traces in every susceptible heart that breathes it.