This is
the last sacrifice of love, to give up love itself; and this I do very
willingly for the sake of Him that loves us: and here," I said, "is a
strange thing, that at the very crown and summit of life, for I am sure
that this is so, we should be three hearts, so full of love, and yet so
sorrowing and suffering as we are. Is pain indeed the end of all?"
"No," said Cynthia, "it is not the end, and yet only by it can we
measure the depth and height of love. If we look into our hearts, we
know that in spite of all we are more than rewarded, and more than
conquerors."
Then I took Cynthia's hand and laid it in the hand of Lucius; and I left
them there upon the peak, and turned no more. And no more woeful spirit
was in the land of heaven that day than mine as I stumbled wearily down
the slope, and found the valley. And then, for I did not know the way to
descend, I commended myself to God; and He took me.
XXXVI
I saw that I was standing in a narrow muddy road, with deep ruts, which
led up from the bank of a wide river--a tidal river, as I could see,
from the great mudflats fringed with seaweed.
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