I therefore took the box
and, with all my strength, hurled it far out into the lake, where it
sank to remain a secret for all time.
Swiftly flew those precious moments in which Fate had destined that two
hearts from separate worlds should taste of each other's love, and
then--what? Alone in our great love we drank deeply the cup of
happiness, and the hour of parting, ever drawing nearer, seemed but a
cloud on the horizon. At last, yielding to necessity, we retraced our
steps, leaving the scene of our joyous love behind, and the dread of
parting filled our hearts and stifled our words of happiness.
Strange to say, as I stood in that other world, there surged through my
alien mind some lines of Clinton Scollard's, which I had once learned,
little dreaming of their significance:
"Lo, it has come, the inevitable hour
When thou and I, beloved one, must part;
When heart be sundered from caressing heart,
And ungloomed skies be turned to dreary gray."
A silence fell upon us, both dreading to put into words the thoughts we
knew must be spoken. Then, as our hearts beat audibly in the sacred
stillness of night that had fallen about us, Zarlah murmured, clinging
to me in despair, "Oh, Harold, my love, how can we bear the agony of
being parted!"
"I would give my life to remain with you, dearest!" I answered, pressing
her passionately to me, but in a more soothing tone I added,
"We must be brave, love, it is but for a day--to-morrow I shall return,
but before my departure from Earth I will speak with Almos, and tell him
that I wish to abandon my body forever and to abide in spirit on Mars.
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