I see that Al Faizi wuz a-lookin’ at me with that same calm, sweet smile, and I’ll be hanged if it seemed as if I could go on a-drivin’ them metafors right in front of it. It made me feel curous as a dog, and curouser to think on’t.
There it wuz, he a-settin’ right by me, and I couldn’t git a full, clear view of what wuz a-goin’ on in his mind, his idees and emotions, no more’n I can see the high trees in our orchard in a heavey snow-storm.
I spoze I showed my deep chagrin in my face, for he hastened to add:
“Everywhere I see strivings after the Good—the Perfect Life. The nations are feeling after God. But I see His truth covered up by a network of man-made lies; and shadows of darkness, cast from human comprehension, veil and shadow the sweet, just face of the Good. But evermore my heart burns within me, and I long for the perfect way.”
Right here my Josiah spoke up in this unappropos moment, and sez:
“I hate to say good-bye, Fazer, but if you ever come up our way from Hindoostan, or Egypt, or Africa, or wherever you are a-stayin’, you must be sure to stop and stay overnight with us.”
Adrian come in at that minute, and when I told him that Al Faizi was a-biddin’ us good-bye, and wuz a-goin’ away, he put both arms around his neck and nestled his head aginst him. Al Faizi pressed him clost to his heart and bent his head low over him, and when he let him go, sunthin’ bright shone amongst the curls and waves of Adrian’s gold-brown locks, that Alice loved so well.
Custom and pride makes folks reticent and keep their griefs to themselves, but as long as human hearts are made as they be now, they will ache. Love’s arrers are sharp winged; when they fly they don’t take any note of where they are a-goin’, and the pain is keen and sharp when they hit—bittersweet at any time, and sometimes bitter without the sweet. The good Lord go with Al Faizi and comfort him, so I sez to myself.
He took both of my hands in his little brown ones, and it seemed as if he would never let ’em go.
“I will never forget you!” he cried; “you have had for me the kind heart and kind deeds of a mother.”