Page:Marie Corelli - the writer and the woman (IA mariecorelliwrit00coat).pdf/259

 In his letter to the Cardinal, the Abbé Vergniaud mentions that Manuel has given him a rose, and the mention of this to the child-Christ gives us a charming fancy as to the floral beauties of Heaven.

"Flowers," said the Cardinal, commenting on the gift, "are like visible messages from God. Messages written in all the brightest and loveliest colors! I never gather one without finding out that it has something to say to me."

"There is a legend," said Manuel, "that tells how a poor girl who has lost every human creature she loved on earth, had a rose-tree she was fond of, and every day she found upon it just one bloom. And though she longed to gather the flower for herself she would not do so, but always placed it before the picture of the Christ. And God saw her do this, as He sees everything. At last, quite suddenly, she died, and when she found herself in heaven, there were such crowds and crowds of angels about her that she was bewildered, and could not find her way. All at once she saw a pathway edged with roses before her, and one of the angels said, 'there are all the roses you gave to our Lord on earth, and He has made them into a pathway for you which will lead you straight to those you love!' And so with great joy she followed the windings of the path, seeing her roses blossoming all the way, and she found all those whom she had loved and lost on earth waiting to welcome her at the end!"

Here is another sweet thought which Marie Corelli gives us in the words of Manuel:

"You know now," he tells Angela Sovrani, "be