The Broad Highway

With the word, she turned, and truly, I thought the face peeping

out from its clustered curls even more lovely and bewitching than

before.

"I very much doubt if any man could," said I.

As we approached the house, I saw that the smooth gravel was much

cut up as though by the coming and going of many wheels and

horses, and also that one of the windows still shone with a

bright light, and it was towards this window that my companion

led me. In a while, having climbed the terrace steps, I noticed

that this was one of those French windows opening to the ground.

Now, looking through into the room beyond, I beheld an old man

who sat bowed down at a table, with his white head pillowed upon

his arms, sitting so very still that he might have been asleep

but for the fierce grip of his twitching hands. Now, upon the

table, at no great distance from him, between the guttering

candles, lay a hat--a very ill-used, battered-looking object

--which I thought I recognized; wherefore, looking about, I

presently espied its owner leaning against the mantel. He was

powdered with dust from head to foot, and his worn garments

looked more ragged than ever; and, as he stood there, in the

droop of his head and the listless set of his shoulders, there

was an air of the most utter dejection and hopelessness, while

upon his thin cheek I saw the glisten of a great, solitary tear.

But, as I looked, the window was burst suddenly open: "Perry!"

Love, surprise, joy, pity--all were summed up in that one short

word--yet deeper than all was love. And, at that cry, the white

head was raised, raised in time to see a vision of loveliness

caught up in two ragged arms.

"Father!"

And now the three heads--the white, the golden, and the black

--were drawn down together, drawn, and held close in an embrace

that was indeed reunion.

Then, seeing my presence was become wholly unnecessary, I turned

away, and was soon once more deep among the trees. Yet, as I

went, I suddenly heard voices that called upon my name, but I

kept on, and, in due season, came out upon the broad highway.

And, in a little, as I went, very full of thought, the sun rose

up. So I walked along through a world all glorious with morning.