As Nature’s Comforter, restful slumber, closed her eyelids in blessed peace, she seemed to behold herself in the act of giving this lily to Paul. Miss Winchester heard the whispering as she dozed off:
“Take it, Paul; it is a priceless treasure. This bud in blooming will sweeten all your life. Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”
Certainly an unexpected conclusion to be reached by the worldly-minded Mrs. Cultus; but practical, as truth itself is both mystical and practical. How different the hallucinations during illness and bodily weakness, from the spiritual experience, the visions of truth which really conquer physical weakness and rise into the Realm of Perpetual Youth!
“Verily, a double blessing she gave them,” said Miss Winchester—“youth here, youth perpetual.”
XXXI
OFF TO THE HIMALAYAS
DURING the convalescence of Mrs. Cultus the physicians recommended that she be taken to a more salubrious climate, a higher altitude; and suggested Darjeeling in North Bengal near the borders of Sikhim as an admirable sanitarium. Adele was delegated to suggest it to her mother. She entered the sick-room in great glee, drawing Paul in with her.
“Little Mother, we’ve all been ordered off; Paul and I have already thought of flying upwards to the Himalayas, and now we all must go.”
“What’s that you say about flying away? Who’s ordered it? I didn’t.”
“The physicians,” said Paul much amused. “We need to take the usual Oriental prescription for foreigners—Vamoose the ranchibus; get out!”
“Do Hindoos prescribe in Latin? What does it mean?”