I heard a sudden movement outside and then stillness again. Then a maid broke out into sobbing: and I heard footsteps, and then the door of my room across the landing open and shut: and the sobbing ceased. But the old man paid no heed. Then suddenly he cried out again:
“Behold He stands at the door and knocks.”
He made an indescribable gesture with his hands. Then I was startled, for there came a loud pealing at the bell downstairs.
Parker whispered to me to send one of the servants downstairs: and I went to the door for an instant and told the boy to go: then I came back. The boy’s footsteps died away down the staircase. I knelt down again by the bed.
Then once more the old man cried out:
“He is coming, my son. He is here:” and then, “Look!”
As he said this across his face there came an extraordinary smile; for one moment, as I started up and looked, his face was that of a child, the wrinkles seemed suddenly erased, and a great rosy flush swept from forehead to mouth, and his eyes shone like stars. I noticed too, even at this moment, for I was almost facing him as I sprang up, that the focus of his eyes was contracted to a point at the foot of his bed where the screen stood.
Then he fell back; and Parker laid him gently down.
A moment after footsteps came up the stairs: and the boy whispered from the doorway that the Rector had come.
THE END