15. XV.
And the aged man, the grandsire of Ipsistos,
died that night by reason of his exceeding grief;
and the house of the brethren was the house of
mourning. But Damaina, the young sister of Ipsistos,
she stayed not to join with them in the song
of lamentation. Her heart was with Ipsistos, by
the lonely altar, among the pale groves of the
forest. And though it was a fear of the wrath of
the multitude that kept the brethren away from
seeking his mangled remains to give them burial,
yet no such fear stayed the footsteps of Damaina.
And she went forth from the dwelling when no
one beheld her, and with a sorrow that was beyond
any dread of what the vengeance of man could do,
and she sought out the place of worship in the
forest, even among the dusky shadows of the night.
And lo! when she came to the spot, a bright halo
was shining above the altar. And wherever a
limb of Ipsistos had fallen, there also hung a silver
light; and by this token the maiden well knew that
the lovely goddess smiled upon the purpose which
was in her heart. And the maiden gathered up
the scattered remains, and she looked about for a
place to lay them; and even while she looked, the
earth opened before her at the foot of the altar,
and a flame, like a flame from heaven, came down
and hung above the place. Then did Damaina
see the meaning of the goddess whom her brother
had loved, and she laid his bleeding limbs therein.
And the earth closed over them when she had
done, and she prayed with a fond heart above the
grave. And her prayer was accepted, and she
saw the bright face looking down upon her, even
as it had looked down upon Ipsistos; and by this
sign did the maiden know that the blessing of truth
was growing perfected in her heart. And while
she kneeled before the altar she heard the footsteps
of one approaching, and she would have risen in
fear, and fled from the place, because of the night.
But the voice of the goddess commanded her to
stay and fear nothing.
“He who cometh,” said the voice, “is a worshipper
like thyself. He will do thee no manner
of harm.”
And it was Brassid that came; he who led the
multitude against Ipsistos; and the maiden trembled
when she beheld him in spite of the promise
of the goddess. But Brassid approached the altar
with a trembling greater than her own. And
the strong man humbled himself with his face in
the dust ere he drew nigh unto the altar. He
had no strength in his limbs because of the guilt
in his heart, and he prayed like one who repenteth
and is full of sorrow for his misdeeds. Then Damaina,
the maiden, had pity of his sufferings, even
though he smote her brother, and she prayed to
the goddess in his behalf. And he cried, —
“Who art thou that pleadest for a wretch like
me. Know'st thou not that blood is on my hands,
— even the blood of the good and the innocent?”
Then the maiden answered him, saying, —
“I am the maiden Damaina, even she, the best
beloved sister of Ipsistos, whom thy hand hath
slain; but if thou weepest for that deed, shall I
not forgive thee, with a heart as tender of mercy
as thine own? Bear witness, oh, beautiful goddess
whom my brother loved, bear witness that I forgive
this unhappy man, — even from my inmost
heart do I forgive him.”
While thus she prayed before the altar, the pale
groves were lighted up with a sudden glory; and
the two beheld the bright face, and the lovely features
of the goddess, and her words came to them
in authority. And she bade the man, even Brassid
who slew Ipsistos, draw nigh to the altar, and
when he came as he was commanded, and bowed
by the side of Damaina, lo! it was the form of
Ipsistos that stood between them, — and the image
of the youth smiled sweetly upon him, even upon
Brassid his murderer, and his words were these in
his ears:
“Thou hast driven me from the work which
was assigned me, — it is commanded that thou
labor to the fulfilment thereof. Go, therefore, and
the smile of the goddess be with thee; — in my
blood shalt thou find a cement which shall build a
stronger and a higher temple than the white temple
upon the hill.”
And Ipsistos spake nothing to Damaina, but
he looked upon her with a smile of blessing and
love, and so passed from her sight.
