Mr. World and Miss Church-Member Part 9

Satan, unseen, hovered around them during their conversation which was well pleasing to him. At length, in partial disguise, he made himself visible, much to the terror of Miss Church-Member.

"Fear not; no harm will befall you," said Mr. World re-a.s.suringly as he laid his hand upon her shoulder.

Satan smiled complaisantly, and spoke in soft tones: "Tremble not at my presence. I have come only to render you such a.s.sistance as may be especially helpful to you in your journey, and to disabuse your mind of such false impressions as you have evidently entertained concerning my character."

So affable was his manner and so pleasing his address that, to her mind, he soon lost that shocking hideousness which characterized his first appearance, and evoked from Miss Church-Member this apology born of her guilty conscience: "You would not have seen me now on this path had Mr. World adhered strictly to his promises."

"Indeed, Miss Church-Member," replied Satan, "you need have no regret for being here. You are to be congratulated upon the good judgment which led you into fellows.h.i.+p with Mr. World. It is your happy fortune that he has succeeded in preventing you from leaving him. You are an exception to a host of cranks, who, without investigation, are prejudiced by what they hear. You are broad-minded, independent, and will be found wiser and happier than the army of fools you have left."

These words brought a mixture of pride and shame to her heart, and threw her mind into a state of great confusion.

But by this time they had come to a long and steep hill called Remorse up which all pilgrims walked. Mr. World a.s.sisted his companion in alighting, and promised to give her all possible help in her efforts to climb the hill.

Satan remained with them, and Miss Church-Member, under deepening remorse of conscience, loitered a few steps in the rear. Her bowed head indicated the warring of her thoughts. Then I saw that she cast a longing glance over the rough hills toward the King's Highway, and looked for some path by which she might go thither.

Her two wily companions endeavored to allay her fears by offering all manner of cajolements, none of which either diverted or quieted her mind.

"O ye friends of mine!" cried Miss Church-Member, "I can find rest only on yonder King's Highway. Can you show me the shortest path leading thereto? I cannot go to the summit of this hill."

[Ill.u.s.tration: On the Hill of Remorse. Miss Church-Member cast a longing glance toward the King's Highway, and looked for some way by which she might go thither.]

"It so happens," pleasantly replied the Devil, "that there is no way of reaching the so-called King's Highway from this part of our route, but, if you will have patience, we will conduct you safely to a point a little farther on where you can conveniently leave this way with all honor to yourself. In the meantime we will give you all the a.s.sistance that you may need, and every convenience that science can afford."

Miss Church-Member wept tears of grat.i.tude at this proffered kindness, and began to feel that this dark intruder was a friend with a rough exterior but a warm and congenial heart.

"It is quite evident that you have been grossly misrepresented to me,"

she faltered as her voice trembled with emotion. "I was told that you are the embodiment of envy, malice, and hatred, and vigorously opposed to everything religious."

Satan looked at her in well-counterfeited amazement. "How wrongly I am judged by my enemies! How can I be opposed to all religion when I attend church and prayer-meeting regularly, and sedulously listen to the sermons and prayers while many sleep who claim to be better than I? You will pardon me, Miss Church-Member," he continued, "but allow me to bear the light burden you are carrying under your arm, and let us hasten from this sickly atmosphere to the refres.h.i.+ng air beyond the summit of the hill."

"You are very kind, indeed," she said. "Please carry these books carefully, as I prize them very highly."

As they pushed their way up the hill, I looked at Blackana who, with his eyes fixed upon me, sat as cold and motionless as a statue.

"Tell me," I asked, "why Satan has falsified so greatly to Miss Church-Member."

Blackana, with a show of uneasiness, answered interrogatively: "Wherein has he falsified?"

"Did he not just inform Miss Church-Member that there is no way of reaching the King's Highway from the place where she had been standing?

He well knew that there is a way opened by the Prince of the House of David. Why did he not tell her?"

Blackana again grinned horribly while my indignation waxed stronger.

Then came his pertinent reply: "My master is about his own business; that is why he is so successful in his work. It is not his business to point people away from his kingdom; his delight is rather in leading them upon his own Highway."

"Oh! for the voice of a thousand trumpets, that I might reach the ear of Miss Church-Member, and break unto her the words of truth and life.

See how she walks on between those two fiends, ever nearing an awful destruction, yet vainly imagining, through the deceitfulness of her advisers, that she is nearing the place where she can, with greater ease, leave her present course and join her comrades on the s.h.i.+ning Path. Oh, that I could send a messenger, good and swift, in her pursuit!"

"Rest in ease, anxious mortal; she will get all necessary advice from her two friends," replied Blackana with a sardonic grin.

I could no longer look into his face, for I was filled with contempt.

I turned my eyes to see poor Miss Church-Member still struggling up the Hill of Remorse.

When the top was finally reached I heard Mr. World congratulating her: "Well done, n.o.ble woman! You have fought Remorse until you have mastered it. The pains and pangs incident to this climbing are over, and if you should come to another hill you will ascend it with more ease. Look about you at these cool mountain resorts called Apathy, and join me in a needed recreation as we mingle with the merry mult.i.tudes amongst these shady bowers."

She needed no second invitation, being glad to seek relief in forgetfulness of her guilt.

As they went to their pleasures, Satan vanished to give attention to others who were ascending the same Hill of Remorse, some in a sullen mood and some with wails of anguish on their lips.

The delightful resorts of Apathy were now quieting the mind of Miss Church-Member, for the attractions on the mountain top were so numerous and so ingeniously arranged that, as she gave full attention to them, she no longer suffered any pangs of remorse.

On this plateau, so full of charms for every sense, I saw bands of music; gardens of shady retreat where one might while away the weary hours in gentle dalliance; and cooling fountains throwing forth their busy sprays.

Artists were painting the scenes of worldly ease, and poets were writing sweet verses for the singers of the place.

Miss Church-Member, who was a lover of the fine arts, asked Mr. World to tarry in one of the gardens of the poets where they might hear the songs of the season just from the pens of their authors.

This was a novel privilege; so he readily consented and accompanied her into a garden near by. They were greeted by sounds of instrumental music and charming voices raised in song.

After these harmonies died away a soloist sang a hymn that had been composed that same day. Her voice rendered each word distinctly:

Remorse is but the foe of all, The rich and poor, the slave and free Unfriendly comes its bitter call-- Perchance it comes this day to thee.

Then come, thou troubled seeking peace From this unkind, intruding foe; Let anxious cares no more increase; Go bury all thy pangs of woe.

Forget the things that wake thy mind To fleeting sorrows of the day; Oh! come and be forever blind To all except this Broader Way.

Then followed a fiendish woman, in guise of a light-crowned angel, who delivered an address ent.i.tled "The True Peace of the World." While the applause which followed her remarks was dying away, an authoritative old gentleman arose. After standing a moment in dignified silence, he continued to carry out the program of the Devil by speaking on "False Lights from the so-called 'King's Highway.'"

Next a quartette beautifully rendered a love song of the world; this also had been quite recently composed.

Sweet world, so bright and fair, We would thy pleasures share While days pa.s.s on.

Thou art our truest friend, On thee our souls depend Till life is gone.

In life's perplexing days, Thou wilt, in every phase, Be ever near.

While thy sweet, placid charms Dispel our dread alarms In times of fear.

Who else can give relief, When bowed in heavy grief?

No one like thee.

Thou sendest rays of light, Into our darkest night Till shadows flee.

The melody of this song and the sentiment of its words had a very decisive effect on Miss Church-Member. She looked into the eyes of Mr.

World with more than poetry in her glance, for her heart was now thrilled with the first touches of true love for him.

CHAPTER VIII.