Page:The Story and Song of Black Roderick.djvu/71

Rh ‘For,’ quoth she, ‘she, too, had but one love, and, being woman, will understand.’

So she knelt at the feet of Mary, and cried to her: ‘Pray for me, Mother of Christ.’ And the Virgin turned to her in wonder at her tears.

‘Art thou not happy,’ said she, ‘in heaven?’

And the spirit of the little bride said: ‘Nay, for the cries of my beloved come upward from the earth and call to me in his anguish, so I fear he is in danger of death.’

‘And why doth thou fear death for him,’ said the Virgin Mary, ‘since it may bring to him the happiness of heaven?’

‘Alas!’ said the little bride, ‘were it thus, his cries would not hurt my heart so that I cannot hear the song of the angels. I fear he is lost forever.’

‘And what canst thou do, little soul,’ said the Blessed Mary, ‘to save him if he cannot save himself?’

‘I can be with him in his destruction.’