r lids
a little downward upon her eyes, and to be quietly happy. And, truly,
how I mind it all so plain.

And afterward, I did plague her very gentle that she to be all a-lack,
if that she did try to use her hands to aught, because that they did be
so small. And she in a moment to have her two arms very dear about my
neck, and did kiss me with an utter love and tenderness upon the mouth,
and afterward went from me, lest that she have me to overset myself.

And I did then to make her to sit by me, and I did tell her a tale how
that a young man did once live in the olden days, and did meet with the
One Maid Upon All The Earth. And how that they loved and did be married,
and she to die, and of the utter and desperate madness of grief that
nigh destroyed the man; and how that he sudden to wake into the future
of the world, in a New Time, and did come to learn that His Own did also
to live in that Time. And he then to make that he find her; and did
truly come unto her. And how she did be different in her beauty; but yet
to be utter lovely. And the man did hold an utter reverence to the Maid,
that had been his wife in the olden dream-days, so that his reverence of
love did live in him like a constant pain and anguish of sweetness and
trouble, and of holy thoughts that did be bred of her lovely
companionship, and of his memories.... But, in truth, I gat not further
in the tale than this; for Mine Own did have come sudden into weeping,
and had gotten to her knees, and did hold my hand against her breast,
and did put her hand gentle upon my lips. And, in a moment, she to
whisper somewhat through her tears; and there to be dear Motherhood
within her face; and a sudden shining of Memory in her eyes, that had
been near dreadful, only that it did seem to be to her as that she were
part dreaming. And the strange and solemn pain did come also unto me
through the part-open gateways of my Memory. And I to remember very
clear and with an anguish in that moment. And I told Mine Own how that
the babe had gone onward, after that the Beloved had died. And there did
be then an utter quiet upon us.

And lo! sudden the Maid did bend unto me, and I to take her into mine
arms, out of the vague dreamings of her Memory-dreams. But, ere she did
be come outward entire from the haze of the Past, she to try to set
somewhat into words concerning this memory-vision of the babe; but
someways to be strangely dumb. And I did be silent likewise, because of