_Ber._ Sweet, the moon Makes thee so fair.

_Ard._ [_Smiling_] Was I not always fair?

_Ber._ [_Embracing her_] My living love! Sit here,--and now thy story.

_Ard._ I'll shorten it to get to thine.

_Ber._ You had The dagger that I sent you? [_She shows it to him_] My sole gift To love.

_Ard._ O, it was dear as death then seemed To me!

_Ber._ Cast it away.

_Ard._ No, for love's sake I'll keep it, and it shall do no work save G.o.d's.

Listen ... it prophesies.... I'll need it yet.

_Ber._ O, I was mad to send it! Would you wreck This tent set fair upon the soul's long road, By pain-craft wrought of every whiter dream, Where G.o.d may sit with us and map the winds That forward blow and back, the paths laid free To His far end, and those where blind walls rise Breast-piled with thwarted dust? Dear soul of me, Would we know Heaven we must listen here, And one word lost may mean a path all dark When we fare outward. This is not for you, This fear-born blade. Away with it!

[_She clasps it closer_]

Is not Your danger past?

_Ard._ Not while Avesta loves.

_Ber._ O G.o.d! But tell me now the full, foul story,-- Yet not all foul, since you are here alive.

_Ard._ Your father----

_Ber._ I've no father!

_Ard._ --sent me forth With my two servants. When we reached Avesta, The prince met us with welcome, much too warm Methought, so in the night we stole away And reached the pa.s.s--all with some wit and care, As you shall know hereafter. Now your word.

_Ber._ I was imprisoned.

_Ard._ Yes, I know.

_Ber._ A guard Gave me his sword. I fought the others.

_Ard._ Fought?

_Ber._ And killed. Look on this blade. A brother's blood.

_Ard._ My love!

_Ber._ At last I am Earl Oswald's son!

_Ard._ My Bertrand! [_Drawing aside his cloak_]

You are wounded! Vairdelan!

_Ber._ That name is no more mine.

_Ard._ How did you pa.s.s Avesta?

_Ber._ The guards were friends of Vairdelan.

I used the stainless name that I had lost.

O, I have lied to keep my word, and slew That I might die!

_Ard._ Might die? You mean ... my brothers.

They must be merciful.

_Ber._ With Charilus slain?

_Ard._ O, me! I too shall die. And that is best, If anything we do be worst or best.

I've read within my father's secret script That earth shall lose its heart of fire, and lie Dead-cold and dark with no green thing upon it.

Then this black crust shall bear no form of man, Nor trace of him. Why then such ceaseless pain To look a little longer on the sun, When he who seals his eyes this day with dust But leagues with time to reach the journey's end Without the journey's ache?

_Ber._ Hast lost thy faith?

My heart, say earth must be its own still grave, Our destiny lies farther. But were life A march to naught, I'd choose it for the sake Of one bright wonder by the way--your love, My Ardia.

_Ard._ You love me, yet would die. Thou'rt mine!

And I will hold thee, yea, on this warm earth, Not in some strange and tearless world!

[_While they speak Barca moves up the pa.s.s and listens_]

_Barca._ My lord?

_Ber._ Ay, Barca?

_Barca._ Men are on the pa.s.s.

_Ard._ Above?

My brothers! Oh!

_Ber._ I go to meet them.

_Ard._ Stay!

_Ber._ They shall not come to me. I go to them.

My honor, love, my honor!

_Ard._ O, men, men!

You build a shrine to love and ask us fling Our lives, our souls into it. Once within, The door forever shut, there sits a G.o.d, A monster-G.o.d, your honor, and we must sue For barest room to stand or crouch or kneel Where by your oaths we should be sovereign.

_Ber._ The shrine itself is honor, dear, my heart.

That gone, we have indeed no holy place To shelter love. Was 't not yourself who said That man to man must keep his pledge?

_Ard._ Ah me, That shining night! That night of golden wings!

And now comes this. Can such two nights be born In the same world, and but one sun between?

[_Bertrand staggers_]

You're bleeding still!