Page:Sologub Sweet Scented Name.djvu/150

 same words, spoken by the child who had never been born into this world, rejoiced his mother's heart. Gently and timidly, as if afraid of frightening him by the sound of an earthly voice, she asked:

"And my dear one forgives me?"

And heard the answer:

"You haven't done wrong at all; yet if you want to hear me say so, 'I forgive you.

And suddenly her heart overflowed with a foretaste of an unlooked-for happiness. Hardly daring to hope, hardly knowing what to expect, she slowly and fearfully stretched out her hands—and felt her child on her knees, with his little hands on her shoulders, his lips pressed close to hers in a long, long kiss.

Her eyes were fast closed still, for she feared to look on that which it is not given to mankind to see, yet it seemed to her that the child's eyes looked into hers—and that he breathed a blessing upon her—and shone upon her like a Sun.

Then she felt the arms unclose, and on the staircase she heard the light patter of feet, and knew that the child was gone.

She got up, dried her tears, and rang the bell. When she went in to her sister she was full of calm and happiness, she had power to strengthen and console.