In and out, striking together in their eagerness to get nearer their desire, went the countless wings of the angel hosts.
And from the throne all the time there came forth a low singing like the humming of bees. As the little bride listened there came to her ears the voice of the Virgin praying for her before the throne of God, and in the pauses of the prayer the countless voices of the fluttering seraphim and cherubim took up the refrain, "Hear us, O Christ."
Now suddenly all sound ceased, and the fluttering wings moved aside, and from their midst strode out a mighty angel of the Lord; and when he came upon the frightened soul of the little bride he took her by the hand, and, leading her to the gates of heaven, opened them that she might go forth.
But ere she could pass out he said, with great sadness:
"Thy little hands and feet are soft with the fragrant places of heaven; much wilt thou suffer if thou goest forth."
And again he said:
"How canst thou leave the beauty and love of paradise, wherein thou mayst enter no more save thou art strong enough to conquer great dangers?"
But the little soul listened not to him, but passed through the gates in eager hurry. And as she went the angel followed her with his gaze; and so great was his pity—for he thought she might not re-enter the kingdom of heaven—that tears fell from his eyes upon her hand. Now, when the little bride went forth from the gates of heaven a chill wind blew upon her, so she wellnigh fell upon the earth in anguish; but she took the two tears that had fallen from the angel's eyes and hid them in her heart, and she became warm, and the sharp earth did not hurt her feet, nor did the wind of the cold world harm her.
Now, when the spirit of the little bride came to the gates of the castle wherein dwelt Black Roderick, she saw the great changes that had come to pass therein, for the day that had fallen to her in paradise was as seven years on earth.
With her death had come strife and disunion among the clans, and now at the walls stood the soldiers of her father, and within on his death-bed the Black Earl who was dying, a prisoner in their hands.
And as the little bride came to the gates of the garden without the courtyard, she saw before them a strange and horrible coach. And the only light that came from this dark carriage was from the red eyes of the six horses who drew it, and their trappings swept the ground, black and mouldy. Now, the body of this coach was shaped like a coffin, and at the head sat the driver.
When the little bride gazed upon him in wonder who he could be, she saw through the misty winding-sheet that enfolded him a death's head. But when she looked at him who sat at the foot of the coffin, she hid her face, for it was an evil creature who crouched here.
Now, as the little bride paused at the gate of the garden a voice came from inside, and said:
"Wherefore comest thou?"
And he who sat at the foot of the coffin answered:
"Open, for I claim the soul of Black Roderick."
And the voice that was within answered:
"Thou shalt come, for his cruelty hath driven my young daughter to her grave, wherein she lieth while the birds sing, and the flowers blossom, and the earth is glad with youth and spring."
So he dropped the bolt and the door swung open, so the coach and its six horses entered.
Now, when the driver reached the door of the court-yard, he found it closed against him, and he drew his coach up beside it and called in a hollow voice for entrance.
And one cried from inside:
"Wherefore comest thou?"
And he who was inside answered:
"I claim the soul of Black Roderick."
And the voice replied:
"Willingly do I open, for he hath slain my sweet sister with his chill heart and cruel ways, so she lieth in the dark earth who was the sunshine of our house."
Then the door swung open so the black coach and its six horses could enter.
Again the strange coach drove on, till it came to the castle door, and there the evil being who was inside cast himself upon the ground, and, going to the door, knocked thereon three times, and a woman's voice answered, saying:
"Who art thou?"
And the evil one replied:
"I am he who claims the soul of Black Roderick."
And the woman said:
"Welcome thou art, then, for he hath destroyed my heart's treasure and buried it in the ground; so I go sorrowing all my days for the suffering he caused her on earth, and for her young and unready death."
Then the bolts and the bars fell from the door with a great noise, and the evil thing entered the castle.
Now, as Black Roderick lay upon his death-bed tossing and turning in his fever, there rushed unto him one of the serving-men in a great terror and fear.
And of what they spoke together shall I sing thee, lest thou grow weary of my prose:
There is one at the door, O my master,At the door, who is bidding you come!Who is he that wakes me in the darkness,Calling when all the world's dumb?
Six horses has he to his carriage,Six horses blacker than the night;And their twelve red eyes in the shadowsTwelve lamps he carries for his light.
And his coach is a coffin black and mouldy,A huge oak coffin open wide;He asks for your soul, God have mercy!Who is calling at the door outside.
Who let him through the gates of my garden,Where stronger bolts have never been?'Twas the father of the fair little ladyYou drove to her grave so green.
And who let him pass through the court-yard,By loosening the bar and chain?Oh, who but the brother of your mistressWho lies in the cold and the rain!
Then who drew the bolts at the portalAnd into my house bade him go?She, the mother of the poor little colleenWho lies in her youth so low.
Who stands that he dare not enterThe door of my chamber between?Oh, the ghost of the fair little ladyWho lies in the church-yard green.
Now, when the evil one saw the spirit of the young bride at the door, her arms spread out in the form of a cross, he did not know what to do. And had not Black Roderick, in his joy and desire, sprung from his bed on hearing the voice of his mistress bidding him fear not, all perchance had gone well.
But Roderick, sick and eager for the sight of his bride, flung open the door, and was seized by the evil one and carried away. Now, the spirit of the little bride followed the horrible coach that contained her love, even to the flaming gates of hell, and there the evil one stopped and looked upon her with desire.
"Better," quoth he, "a thousand times to let go this wretched fellow, who will surely return to me later, if I can gain this soul who hath come even out of the kingdom of heaven."
And, turning to the poor little bride, he said: "Give thou thyself to me, and I will let this love of thine return to the world to work out his redemption."
But the little soul, weeping, saith:
"Nay, my soul belongeth to Christ in heaven, and I must not give it to thee; but for seven years shall I be thy slave if thou givest this dear one to me at the end."
So the evil one thought to himself: "Would I could steal this white soul from heaven to be the greatest gem in my crown of triumph, and to serve me seven years. At the end of that time her heart will incline to evil, and she will become mine."
And again she spoke to him, and of what she said I shall sing thee, lest thou grow weary of my prose:
If you will let his young soul go free,I will serve you true and well,For seven long years to be your slaveIn the bitterest place of hell.
"Seven long years if you be my slaveI will let his soul go free."The stranger drew her then by the hand,And into the night went he.
Seven long years did she serve him trueBy the blazing gates of hell,And on every soul that entered inThe tears of her sorrow fell.
Seven long years did she keep the placeTo open the doors accurst,And every soul that her tear-drops knew,It would neither burn nor thirst.
And once she let in her father dear,And once her brother through.Once came a friend she had loved full well:Oh, bitter it was to do!
Now, no toil in the great halls of the evil one could have been more bitter to endure than to unbar the door for the lost souls; for her sweet tenderness was tortured most of all by the despairing ghosts that passed to their eternal perdition, and her hands felt guilty at letting them go through.
But of all the sorrows none was so great as for her eyes to see the tortures of Black Roderick, who stood beside her in his anguish, for the tears that fell upon him from her eyes gave him no relief, since he had injured her on earth. She held her hands to hold the fiery waters that fell upon him, and her tender body strove to stand between him and his tortures in vain. Seeing her so endeavoring, the evil one spoke, saying:
"What hast thou about thee, little soul, that thou art free from my fire and torments?"
Then the little bride remembered the tears she had hidden in her heart, that had fallen upon her in heaven from the angel's eyes, and she drew them forth.
And the tears spoke to her, saying:
"Put us not away, lest the torments overpower thee, so thou mayst never come to the kingdom of heaven."
But the little bride lifted them upon the heart and mouth of Black Roderick, so he suffered no more the cruel tortures of the lost. Now, when the evil one saw this, he smiled to himself, "For," quoth he, "now will she know temptations, since she hath put away the angel's tears, and hath no protection save her own strength."
And so bitter were her sufferings that the little bride cried out it was more than she could bear.
And the evil one, hearing her, said:
"Give thyself to me, and thou shalt suffer no more."
But she turned her face away, and made him no answer.
Then Black Roderick, looking upon her, saw her anguish, and to his soul came such bitter repentance that great tears fell from his eyes upon her, and every tear was as balm upon her sad and suffering flesh. So that when the seven years were over she stood whole and without pain.
Now, when the seven long years were at an end, she found the naming doors opened of themselves for her and Black Roderick to go forth. But when she took her love by the hand, a great cry rose from the lost souls she had let into the burning place during her seven years of trial. And in her heart was such grief she could not go. She heard her father's voice call to her, and the voice of her brother. Therefore went she to the throne of the evil one, and begged him to grant her a boon.
"For I have worked long for thee and well," quoth she, "and I beg of thee to let me carry forth as much treasure as my strength can bear."
"That," saith he, "thou shalt have; all thou canst carry thou mayst take forth, if thou wilt give me for payment seven more years of service."
Now, when the little bride heard this she bowed her head and wept.
"Seven long years," saith she, "shall I serve thee more." She took Black Roderick by the hand, and stood by him at the open doors. "Go thou upward," saith she, "and await me in heaven."
Then she closed the flaming gates, and took her place behind them. But the soul of Black Roderick crouched outside, as a dog lieth on the threshold of his master. For seven long years he let no one approach the naming gates, so that not once were they opened during the last seven years of her trial. And when the day came for her to go forth, the little bride flung the gates apart with a loud cry of joy. She knew the evil one could but grant the promise she had extorted, for she had served him well.
And of the further trials and temptations that came to her shall I sing thee, lest thou grow weary of my prose:
Seven long years did she serve him wellUntil the last day was done;And all the souls she had let in.They clung to her one by one.
And all the souls she had let through,They clung to her dress and hair,Until the burden that she brought forthWas heavy as she could bear.
The first who stopped upon her wayWas a Saint all fair to see,And "Sister, your load is great," she said,"So give it, I pray, to me."
"Brigit I am; God sent me forthThat you to your love might go"—The woman she drew the fair robe aside,And a cloven hoof did show.
"And I will not give it to you," she said,Quick grasping her burden tight;And all the souls that surrounded herClung closer in dire affright.
The next who stopped her upon her wayWas an angel with sword aflame;"The Lord has sent for your load," he said:"St. Michael it is my name."
The woman drew back his gown of white,And the cloven hoof did see."Oh, God be with me this day," she said,"For bitter my sorrows be."
"And I will not give it to you," she said,And wept full many a tear.And all the souls that her burden madeCried out in desperate fear.
Now, the spirit of the poor little bride stopped upon her way, and feared to go farther, for she knew not what to do nor where to go, and it seemed as though there were none to trust. And as she stood, with the trembling souls clinging to her, from the far-off earth came the sweet singing of a robin; and as the bird sang he came nearer and nearer, till the little bride could see his red throat pulsing with his song. And the song he bore upon his beak was her mother's prayer.
Now, when the soul of the little bride heard this sweet singing, she became strong, and followed the bird even to the gates of heaven; and there she paused, trembling, afraid to knock, for she had gone forth of her own free will, and she had returned with a burden that she had no leave to bring.
"And without these dear ones how could I enter?" saith she; and the souls trembled with her in her fear.
But the robin tapped upon the golden gates three times with his beak, and flung his song into the shining blue of the skies.
Then a voice came forth, saying:
"By what right comest thou, of all birds, to disturb the peace of paradise with thy singing?"
And the robin answered:
"Because I alone, of all birds, strove to draw forth the cruel nails inCalvary; so my breast is ever red with the sacred blood."
"And what song bearest thou upon thy bill," saith the voice, "that would be welcome here?"
"The prayer of a mother for the soul of her little child," quoth the robin.
When he saith this the doors of paradise were opened, and upon the threshold stood one of the archangels of the Lord, and his face was glad and glorious as the sun. And when he saw the little bride, with her burden of trembling souls clinging to her dress and hair, he bade her enter.
"Thou hast done well," saith he, "and there is joy in heaven over thy return."
And as he led her by the hand the souls dropped from her and flew through the golden gates with loud cries of joy.
So brought she to heaven the soul of Black Roderick, that had been lost but for her great and suffering love. And from the closed gates none came forth save the little robin.
Now must I end my tale, lest thou grow weary of the telling.
And if more thou requirest, listen thou to the robin, who alone of all birds hath seen the glories of paradise, and who telleth to all men, if they would but hear, his pride and his joy. Even in winter, when snow and hunger chill him almost to death, when all other birds are silent with discontent, he sitteth upon a low bough and telleth the story of Black Roderick and his little bride, and of many things good to the heart of man. Listen thou and hearken.