The Rainbow

The colour came streaming from the painted window above her.

It lit on the dark wood of the pew, on the stone, worn aisle, on

the pillar behind her cousin, and on her cousin's hands, as they

lay on his knees. She sat amid illumination, illumination and

luminous shadow all around her, her soul very bright. She sat,

without knowing it, conscious of the hands and motionless knees

of her cousin. Something strange had entered into her world,

something entirely strange and unlike what she knew.

She was curiously elated. She sat in a glowing world of

unreality, very delightful. A brooding light, like laughter, was

in her eyes. She was aware of a strange influence entering in to

her, which she enjoyed. It was a dark enrichening influence she

had not known before. She did not think of her cousin. But she

was startled when his hands moved.

She wished he would not say the responses so plainly. It

diverted her from her vague enjoyment. Why would he obtrude, and

draw notice to himself? It was bad taste. But she went on all

right till the hymn came. He stood up beside her to sing, and

that pleased her. Then suddenly, at the very first word, his

voice came strong and over-riding, filling the church. He was

singing the tenor. Her soul opened in amazement. His voice

filled the church! It rang out like a trumpet, and rang out

again. She started to giggle over her hymn-book. But he went on,

perfectly steady. Up and down rang his voice, going its own way.

She was helplessly shocked into laughter. Between moments of

dead silence in herself she shook with laughter. On came the

laughter, seized her and shook her till the tears were in her

eyes. She was amazed, and rather enjoyed it. And still the hymn

rolled on, and still she laughed. She bent over her hymn-book

crimson with confusion, but still her sides shook with laughter.

She pretended to cough, she pretended to have a crumb in her

throat. Fred was gazing up at her with clear blue eyes. She was

recovering herself. And then a slur in the strong, blind voice

at her side brought it all on again, in a gust of mad

laughter.

She bent down to prayer in cold reproof of herself. And yet,

as she knelt, little eddies of giggling went over her. The very

sight of his knees on the praying cushion sent the little shock

of laughter over her.

She gathered herself together and sat with prim, pure face,

white and pink and cold as a Christmas rose, her hands in her

silk gloves folded on her lap, her dark eyes all vague,

abstracted in a sort of dream, oblivious of everything.

The sermon rolled on vaguely, in a tide of pregnant

peace.