Page:The Best continental short stories of and the yearbook of the continental short story 1924-25.pdf/74

 words he utters, half smothered by the wheat grains. For he has found the gentlest voice on earth for telling of old mysteries. That voice no woman must ever hear. In that voice murmur the distant ages, in a majestic chant. Severus listens, and, listening, he feels his heart beat at the memory of Edith, his well-beloved, faithful wife.

“Haach! Dierra, Agada, Ganna, Silla! Haach! Fassa!”

What delight! The Ram and the Ox are living. The old races live again. In their legends appears the primitive imagination which lived in western Europe in prehistoric time. The formidable vision of the grandiose, immense prospects of the days of earth’s formative epochs began to revolve, unveiled. Severus had reached his ambition’s end. As he wondered at the revelation, he beheld among his fantasies the figure of his adored Edith. He saw her dear eyes and calm smile, he heard her deep, low voice. The whiteness of her skin dazzled him, the sound of her loved step rang out within his soul.

Brilliant is the sun of Africa, sweet are the eyes of the Kabyle women, graceful are the forms of the antelopes, shining are the thresholds of the land of Ophir, land of gold! What a miracle to see the glowing land of the antique fables, the lost continent of Atlantis! Severus is having his deep desire gratified. The somber land will tell him all it knows. And yet his heart demands Edith. He must have the love that Edith bears him. As Fame and Triumph now call, beckoning, how glad and free his soul! Yet he longs for Edith. He wonders if she is tranquil, if she is well, if some dread thing has not befallen her, if death could have come upon her! He fears for that calm, familiar smile, for that dear voice, and he trembles with his love, but also shivers with anguish for his loved one’s life.

“Haach! Dierra, Agada, Ganna, Silla! Haach! Fassa!”

Severus is coming home. Behind him lies the land of mystery. The country of his destiny has spoken. It has given into his keeping its secret of secrets. Severus now knows all against which he has bruised his baffled spirit time and time again. He knows all that he ever desired to know. But one thing he does not know, and his heart tremulously