So she wove her fancies as she walked, until for very weariness she was
fain to remember that it was a long way--a long way. Siegmund's arm was
about her to support her; she rested herself upon it. They crossed a
stile and recognized, on the right of the path, the graveyard of the
Catholic chapel. The moon, which the days were paring smaller with
envious keen knife, shone upon the white stones in the burial-ground.
The carved Christ upon His cross hung against a silver-grey sky. Helena
looked up wearily, bowing to the tragedy. Siegmund also looked, and
bowed his head.
'Thirty years of earnest love; three years' life like a passionate
ecstasy-and it was finished. He was very great and very wonderful. I am
very insignificant, and shall go out ignobly. But we are the same; love,
the brief ecstasy, and the end. But mine is one rose, and His all the
white beauty in the world.' Siegmund felt his heart very heavy, sad, and at fault, in presence of
the Christ. Yet he derived comfort from the knowledge that life was
treating him in the same manner as it had treated the Master, though his
compared small and despicable with the Christ-tragedy. Siegmund stepped
softly into the shadow of the pine copse.
'Let me get under cover,' he thought. 'Let me hide in it; it is good,
the sudden intense darkness. I am small and futile: my small,
futile tragedy!' Helena shrank in the darkness. It was almost terrible to her, and the
silence was like a deep pit. She shrank to Siegmund. He drew her closer,
leaning over her as they walked, trying to assure her. His heart was
heavy, and heavy with a tenderness approaching grief, for his small,
brave Helena.
'Are you sure this is the right way?' he whispered to her.
'Quite, quite sure,' she whispered confidently in reply. And presently
they came out into the hazy moonlight, and began stumbling down the
steep hill. They were both very tired, both found it difficult to go
with ease or surety this sudden way down. Soon they were creeping
cautiously across the pasture and the poultry farm. Helena's heart was
beating, as she imagined what a merry noise there would be should they
wake all the fowls. She dreaded any commotion, any questioning, this
night, so she stole carefully along till they issued on the high-road
not far from home.