the shrill tinkle of a million crystal bells. He and Jean de Visgnes
carried Louis de St. Pol out into the street, but the boy died before
they reached his father's house, and De Visgnes had a dangerous relapse.
It was on this night that the Cure made up his mind to volunteer, and
soon he was at the Front. Nearly three years passed before he and De
Visgnes met again, both _en permission_, travelling back to Rheims to
pass their "perm." Jean was now engaged to Liane de St. Pol who, with
her parents, had remained in the bombarded town, refusing to desert
their poor protegees. The two planned to marry, after the war; but Liane
had been struck by a flying fragment of shell, and wounded in the head.
De Visgnes could bear the separation no longer. He made the girl promise
to marry him at once--in the chapel of the old house, as she was still
suffering, and forbidden to go out. His leave had been granted for the
wedding, and the moment Liane was strong enough she and the old people
would leave Rheims. Jean was to take them himself to his own home in
Provence. The Cure was to marry his cousin to the man whose life he had
saved.

Many children of the poor whom Liane had helped decorated the chapel
with flowers, and though the wedding-day was one of fierce bombardment,
no one dreamed of putting off the ceremony. No fine shops for women's
dress were open in Rheims, but the bride wore her mother's wedding-gown
and veil of old lace. None save the family were asked to the marriage,
because it was dangerous to go from house to house; yet all Rheims loved
Liane, and meant to wish happiness for bride and bridegroom as the
chapel-bells chimed for their union. But the bells began and never
finished. At the instant when Liane de St. Pol and Jean de Visgnes
became man and wife a bomb fell on the chapel roof. The tiles collapsed
like cards, and all the bridal party was killed as by a lightning
stroke. Only the soldier-priest was spared. Strangely, he was not even
touched. But horror had driven him mad. Since then he spoke only to rave
of Liane and Jean; how beautiful they had looked, lying dead before the
wrecked altar.

"The doctors say it is like a case of shell-shock," the Captain
finished. "They think he'll recover. But at present, as I said--it is a
sad affair. Sad for _him_--not for those who died together, suffering no
pain. One of the Cure's favourite sayings used to be, they tell me,
'Death is not an end, but a beginning.'"

"Yo