Olive Part 66

"My own mother--my mother that I love, dearer now than ever in my life before--listen to me, and then judge me. Twelve or fourteen years ago, there was a son--an only son--who had a n.o.ble mother. She had sacrificed everything for him--the time came when he had to sacrifice something for her. It was a point of conscience; light, perhaps, _then_--but still it caused him a struggle. He must conquer it, and he did so. He stifled all scruples, pressed down all doubts, and became a minister of a Church in whose faith he did not quite believe."

"Go on," said Mrs. Gwynne, hurriedly. "I had a fear once--a bitter fear.

But no matter! Go on!"

"Well, he did this sin, for sin it was, though done for his mother's sake. He had better have supported her by the labour of his hands, than have darkened his soul by a lie. But he did not think of that then. All the fault was his--not his mother's; mind--I say _not his mother's._"

She looked at him, and then looked away again.

"He could blame no one but himself--he never did--though his first faint doubts grew, until they prisoned him like a black mist, through which he could see neither earth nor heaven. Men's natures are different; his was not meant for that of a quiet village priest. Circ.u.mstances, a.s.sociations, habits of mind--all were against him. And so his scepticism and his misery increased, until in despair of heaven, he plunged into the oblivion of an earthly pa.s.sion. He went mad for a woman's beauty,--for her beauty only!"

Harold pressed his hand upon his brow, as if old memories stung him still. His betrothed saw it, but she felt no pain. She knew that her own love had shone down into his heart's dark depths, removing every stain, binding up every wound. By that love's great might she had saved him, won him, and would have power to keep him evermore.

"Mother," Harold pursued, "I must pa.s.s on quickly to the end. This man's one error seemed to cause all fate to rise against him that he might become an infidel to G.o.d and to man. At last he had faith in no living soul except his mother. This alone saved him from being the vilest wretch that ever crawled, as he was already the most miserable."

A faint groan--only one--broke from the depth of the mother's heart, but she never spoke.

"There was no escape--his pride shut out that. So, year after year, he fulfilled his calling, and lived his life, honestly, morally--towards man, at least; but towards Heaven it was one long, awful lie. For he--a minister in G.o.d's temple--was in his heart an infidel."

Harold stopped. In his strong excitement he had forgotten his mother.

She, letting go his hand, glided to her knees; there she knelt for a long time, her lips moving silently. At last she rose, her grand figure lifted to its utmost height, her face very stern, her voice without one tone of tremulous age, or mother's anguish.

"And this hypocrite in man's sight--this blasphemer in the face of G.o.d--is my son Harold?"

"Was, but is not--never will be more. Oh, mother, have mercy! for Heaven has had mercy too.--I am no sceptic now. I believe, ay, fervently and humbly believe."

Mrs. Gwynne uttered a great cry, and fell on his neck. Never since the time when he was a child in her arms had he received such a pa.s.sionate clasp--an embrace mingled with weeping that shook the whole frame of the aged mother. For a moment she lifted her head, murmured a thanksgiving for the son who "was dead, and alive again--was lost and found," and then she clung to him once more.

"Olive kept aloof, until, seeing what a ghastly paleness was coming over the face of her betrothed, she came and stood beside him, saying,

"Do not talk more, you are too weak. Let me tell the rest."

"You there, Olive? Go! Leave my son to me; you have no part here."

But Harold held his betrothed fast. "Nay, mother. Take her and bless her, for it was she who saved your son."

And then, in a few broken words, he told the rest of the tale; told it so that not even his mother could be wounded by the thought of a secret known to Olive and concealed from her--of an influence that over her son was more powerful than her own. Afterwards, when Olive's arms were round her neck, and Olive's voice was heard imploring pardon for both, her whole heart melted within her. Solemnly she blessed her son's betrothed, and called her "daughter."

"Now, my Harold!" she said, when, all trace of emotion having pa.s.sed from either, she sat quietly by her son's side. "Now I understand all. Olive is right; with your love of action, and a spirit that would perhaps find a limitation in the best forms of belief, you never can be again a minister of the English Church. We must not think of it any more."

"But, mother, how shall we live? That is what tortures me! Whither shall we turn if we go from Harbury? Alone, I could bear anything, but you"----

"No matter for me! My Harold," she added, a little moved, "if you had trusted me, and told me your sufferings at any time all these years,--I would have given up everything here, and lived, as I once did, when you were a youth at college. It was not hard then, nor would it have been now. O my son, you did not half know your mother!"

He looked at her, and slowly, slowly there rose in his eyes--those clear, proud, manly eyes!--two great crystal tears. He was not ashamed of them; he let them gather and fall. And Olive loved him dearer, ay, ten thousand times, even though these tears--the first and last she ever beheld him shed--were given not to her, but to his mother.

Mrs. Gwynne resumed.

"Let us think what we must do; for we have no time to lose. As soon as you are quite strong, you must give up the curacy, and we will leave Harbury."

"Leave Harbury! your dear old home, from which you have often said you could never part! Oh, mother, mother!"

"It is nothing--do not think of it, my son! Afterwards, what must you do?"

"I cannot tell. Olive, think for me!" said Harold, looking helplessly towards her.

Olive advised--timidly at first, but growing firmer as she proceeded--that he should carry out his old plan of going to America.

They talked over the project for a long time, until it grew matured.

Ere the afternoon closed, it was finally decided on--at least, so far as Harold's yet doubtful health permitted.

"But I shall grow strong now, I know. Mother--Olive! my heart is lightened of the load of years!"

And truly it seemed so. Nay, when tea-time came he even rose and walked across the room with something of his old firm step, as if the returning health were strong within him.

After tea, Harbury bells broke out in their evening chime. Mrs. Gwynne rose; Olive asked if she were thinking of going to church!

"Yes--to thank G.o.d!"

"Go with her, Olive," said Harold, as he watched his mother from the room. Olive followed, but Mrs. Gwynne said she would rather go to church alone, and Harold must not be left. Olive stayed with her a few minutes, rendering all those little services which youth can so sweetly pay to age. And sweet too was the reward when Harold's mother kissed her, and once more called her "daughter." So, full of content, she went down-stairs to her betrothed.

Harold was again sitting in his favourite arm-chair by the window. The rain had lately ceased, and just at the horizon there had come to the heavy grey sky a golden fringe--a line of watery light, so dazzling that the eye could scarcely bear it. It filled the whole room, and fell like a glory on Harold's head. Olive stood still to look at him. Coming closer, she saw that he was not asleep, though his eyes were cast down in painful thought. Something in his expression reminded her of that which he had worn on the night when he first came to Edinburgh, and she had leaned over him, longing to comfort him--as she had now a right to do. She did so! He felt the kiss on his brow, and smiled.

"Little Olive--good little Olive, she always comes when I most need her," he said, fondly.

"Little Olive is very happy in so doing. And now tell me what you were thinking of, that you pressed your lips together, and knotted your forehead--the broad beautiful forehead that I love? It was not good of you, my Harold."

"Do not jest, Olive; I cannot. If I go abroad, I must go alone. What will become of my mother and Ailie?"

"They shall stay and comfort me. Nay, you will not forbid it. How could I go on with my painting, living all alone?"

"Ay, there is another sting," he answered. "Not one word say you;--but I feel it. How many years you may have still to work on alone!"

"Do you think I fear that? Nay--I do not give my heart like some women I have known--from dread of living to be an old maid, or to gain a house, a name, and a husband;--I gave it for love, pure love! If I were to wait for years--if I were never your wife at all, but died only your betrothed, still I should die satisfied. Oh, Harold, you know not how sweet it is to love you, and be loved by you--to share all your cares, and rejoice in all your joys! Indeed--indeed I am content."

"You might, my gentle one, but not I. Little you think how strong is man's pride--how stronger still is man's love. We will not look to such a future--I could not bear it. If I go, you shall go with me, my wife!

Poor or not, what care I, so you are mine?"

He spoke hurriedly, like the proud Harold of old--ay, the pride mingled with a stronger pa.s.sion still. But Olive smiled both down.

"Harold," she said, parting his hair with her cool soft hands, "do not be angry with me! You know I love you dearly. Sometimes I think I must have loved you before you loved me, long. Yet I am not ashamed of this."

"Ah!" he muttered, "how often ignorantly I must have made you suffer, how often, blindly straggling with my own pride, have I tortured you.

But still--still I loved you. Forgive me, dear!"

"Nay, there is nothing to forgive. The joy has blotted out all the pain."

"It shall do so when you are once mine. That must be soon, Olive--soon."

She answered firmly, though a little blushing the while: "It should be to-morrow; if for your good. But it would not be. You must not be troubled with worldly cares. To see you so would break my heart. No--you must be free to work, and gain fame and success. My love shall never fetter you down to anxious poverty. I regard your glory even dearer than yourself, you see!"