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Atma - A Romance

Page 22

"Give also light," he said, "that I may see beyond the portal!"

But the sound of his own voice was strange in the land of dreams, and

with that he awoke. It was evening, and he arose and looked at the

silent and frowning cliff, and even passed his hand over its face to

convince himself that he was still awake. A significance attached itself

to his dream, and he pondered it long and wisely. The teachings of the

founder of his Faith came into his mind, and the lesson of his vision

seemed plain. He resolved to trust the conduct of his steps to an unseen

Guidance, and reverently owned that a Benign Presence had watched his

slumbers. As he reflected, a belief grew that this massive rock marked

not only a halting place in his journey, but a chief interval in his

life.

"The way," he said, "is very long. Of what use but to mislead in that

course is my bodily sight, which bids me doubt the reality of all the

higher truths which my inner consciousness affirms?"

The stars were coming out, and looking upward he remembered his

childhood's hope that beyond their radiant ranks was the Home of

Spirits, and thus he prayed: "Father of Lights, these lesser beacons hide,

My way is long, this desert plain is wide,

Darken mine eyes so I behold my guide.

The way is long, it leads among the stars.

How should I roam that shimmering vault of night?

How halt where yon bright orb his lamp uprears

In glistering chains of light,

To list 'mid ringing spheres for that strange psalm?

The sum of agony were surely this--

To hear the Blessed Wind 'mid waving palm;

The pearly gates to miss

Whose glorious light is not of moon nor sun;

To list the river's flow, and stand undone.

Light of the Realms of bliss, be Thou mine eye;

So shall my homeless soul, when death is nigh,

With joy a mansion in the heavens descry."

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