And she lifted him up, and drew his head to her breast, saying the while little words of love and comforting. Whereafter, he stood straight before her, and they looked each into the other's eyes as they had been spirits out of the flesh.
And there came a shining round about them, that was brighter than the noonday sun, for that Senta, the Radiant One, was come and stood near them. And Flame saw that in the face of his love was somewhat that Somewhat of New Beautyhad not been there before, for the beauty whereof his soul sang. As one in a dream he stooped him to the earth once more to take of the clay thereof and fashion her his Mother of Men.
But ere he might do the thing he would, Senta the Radiant One drew near, and spake unto them, and her voice was as the music of a mighty pine-wood raising to heaven a paean of triumph in a great wind of spring, with the voices of children therethrough, like little singing streams. And the words of Senta were these: "Joy to you that ye have learned somewhat whereof life and love The Meaning of Loveare made! Roseheart, beloved of Flame, son of Lokus, now art thou become in very truth a Mother of Men in thy woman's soul, for that thou hast learned the meaning of love, which is to minister, to suffer, to understand, and to forgive. And thou too, Flame, hast learned of it, insomuch that love constrained thee in the pride of thy manhood to become as a little child that thou mightest be forgiven. But stay thy hand, even yet, until thou hast taken the maid to wife, and made her in good sooth a mother of men according to the flesh. Then only shalt thou be given fullness of vision, and shalt fashion her in pure marble to be as a dream forever in the hearts of men."
The Sign and SymbolWith the passing of Senta, the Radiant One, was full evening come. And Flame, Fashioner and Giver of Dreams, led the Princess Roseheart, his love and troth-plight maiden, to the brink of the Pool, in wonder beyond speech, and a silence as of music. For the Pool held deep within deep; and far beyond their two faces of love, they beheld as in the night blue of heaven, the stars that the Lord God had set therein to be a sign and symbol unto men of the things beyond the flesh.
Transcriber's Note:
Title page spelling of "auther" was corrected to "author."
Page 16 "s e -surge" was corrected to "sea-surge."