St Johns College - Yearbook (Annapolis, MD)

Page 134 text:

iident that ere the four years of trial had elapsed he would have grown to love her, and she answered yes. It is well, Christine. Though I will treat you most kindly, affection I can never promise you. Some day I may, though 3 who can say? It is not my will that we shall be wedded amid the pomp and ceremony of the world, but rather would I wish to be united in simplicity, with- out grandeur and empty form. I have no religion but the religion of universal brotherhood, but I fear the con- summation and perfection of this religion is impossible g it has been so with me. And yet it seems the most plausible of all beliefs, and if I question that, what am I to believe? I' O Rudolph, talk not so 3 everything in nature is religion-your experience must have taught you that. Her words brought back to him the memory of the walk he took on the bright spring day afew months previous-the day he faltered-wavered, between belief and infidelity. A groan escaped his lips and he said, H Christine, my experience has shown me nothing. It is balanced, and its results incline in favor of neither Heaven nor the devil. I know nothing-fear nothing' But, Rudolph, surely you will get over this morbid, miserable indifference. I know you will-you mustf For a few moments neither spoke, then Rudolph said, 'K Christine, I sincerely wish I were not constituted thus. The cravings of my mind must be satisfied, and I am de- voting my life to their satisfaction. You say you are willing to teach me love. If you can, I shall be glad. 3 D What say you to repairing to the cloister of the good Abbot Paul? It is close to midnight, and the sooner we are united in wedlock, the betterf, O Rudolph, we can well postpone it until some more opportune time. But still the unsatisfied craving in Rudolph Barton's mind tormented him+-he fancied that his marriage was but one step nearer the goal he would reach, and the sooner over, the better. No, Christine, we must be united as soon as possible. Your love-writers would tell me that love is an impatient thing, yet you do not seem impatient. Come with me as you are. We will no doubt interrupt the good Abbott in his midnight mass, but it must be sof' Hegtook her hand-they walked on through the deserted streets of the slumbering city, to the cathedral which reared its monster form silhouette- like against the moonlit sky. A single light gleamed from one of the long, narrow windows. They entered. X Pls PK :li Elf ill The sweet chant of the Abbott, as he intoned the Words, Whoflz God hazfh j0z'7zca', fm' 110 mam pu! czsmzdc1', 3' rang in the ears of Rudolph Barton, and the memory im- pressed itself upon him. The married life of Rudolph and Christine was not extraordinary 5 it pursued its usual peaceful, methodical course almost through the allotted period of four years, and yet Rudolph had not made his decision. Christine always insisted and endeavored to prove to him that her