Show f q f THE LIONS lionso o WHELP A story of cromik ell s time BY AMELIA t L BARR BARK author of the bow of orange ribbon ll 11 I 1 thou and the other one on the maid of maiden lane I 1 etc copyright wl 01 jv dodd mead caann all r abts reserved CHAPTER XIV wh abb ln acl 1 1 I haven t a doubt of it said doctor verity well robert did they have nothing to say to you youa 9 he asked turning to admiral blake they asked me to treat my met mel well and I 1 said treat them bliku myself ill give them plenty of meat and drink and plenty of fighting and prize money and so to their good will we passed all through the city and as I 1 live the pleasant est progress any mortal men could de sire then doctor verity began to talk tall of the american colonies and their wonderful growth and as cromwell listened his face grew luminous he seemed to look through his ceball ee ball rather than with them and when mil ton ceased there was silence until he spoke I 1 see he said a great people a vast empire from the loins of all na eions it shall spring and there shall be no king there but the desire of all hearts shall be toward Is and it shall be a covert for the oppressed and bread and wine and meat for those ready to perish then sig sight hg he seemed to realize the near and the present and he added but yesterday I 1 wrote to that good man the rev john cotton of boston I 1 have told to id him that I 1 am truly ready to serve him ana the rest of the breth ren and the churches with him with these words he rose from the table and mr milton the ladles mary and frances cromwell and jane ham went into the great ball hall where there was an exceedingly fine flue organ in a short time mr milton began to play and to sing but the girls walked up and down talking to jane of their admirers and their new gowns and of love letters that had been sent them in baskets of flowers when the music ceased the even ing was far spent and cromwell said as he drew frances and jane within his arms bring me the bible mary I 1 rt oliver dear oliver mr milton has been giving us eng lisa lish song now we will have the loftier music of king david and we shall get no grander music sir said doctor owen than Is to be found in the bible sublimity is hebrew by birth we must go to the idoly book for words beyond our words Is there a man living who could have written that glorious hymn lord thou hast been our dwell ing place in all generations bufore the mountains were brought forth or ever thou haast formed the earth and the world even from everlasting to everlasting thou art god 9 cromwell did not answer he was turning the leaves of the dear homely 1001 ing volume which his daughter had laid before him she hung affee tlona tiona tely over his shoulder and when he bad had found what he wanted he look ed up at her and she smiled and nod ded her approbation then he said truly I 1 think no mortal pen but st john johns s could have written these lines and I 1 give not st john the honor tor for the holy one must have put them into his heart and the hand of his angel guided his pen and he began to read and the words fell like a splendid vision and a great awe filled the room as they dropped from cromwell a lips and when he ceased there was a silence that could be felt a silence almost painful ere dr owen owens s silvery voice penetrated it with the words of the benediction then the protector and mrs cromwell kissed the girls and the clergymen blessed them and they went to their rooms as from the very presence of god but mrs cromwell lingered a long time she could not rest until she had been seen the silver and crystal and fine firle damask put away in safety and she thought it no shame to look as her lord did after the fragments of the abundant dinner I 1 will not have them wasted she said to the steward nor given to those who need them not the lady elizabeth hath a list of poor families and it is my will that they and they only are served 7 laen aen she went to her augster cla pole s apartments and talked with he hep about her children and her health N ahen they parted it was very late thi palace was dark and still and mrs crawell Cn with careful economies in hei mind and a candle in her hand wit softly along the lonely gloomy dors her little grandson had a s fedt fever she was not satisfied wat I 1 her daughters daughter s health and the cej ot of the great household she ruled WUA was a burden she never wholly laid in this vast melancholy pile t hambers she thought of her sim I 1 it is home in st ives with longing and aff ebion royal splendors had given be bei nothing she cared for and they alad taken from her the constant help and companionship that in humbler cir um uni stances her good great bus hus band had given her she paused a moment before the door of his room she wondered it he was asleep it if so she would on no account awaken him for in these days he slept far too little she opened the door softly and saw him sitting motionless ti by the fire his eyes closed his massive form forni upright and perfect ly at rest oliver she said dear oliver you ought to be in bed and asleep his great darkling soul flashed into his face a look of kenderest ten derest love elizabeth he answered I 1 wish that I 1 could sleep I 1 do indeed I 1 need it god knows I 1 need it but my heart wakes and I 1 do fear it will u ill wake this night if it so there is no sleep tor for me you see dearest how god mingles our cup when I 1 was mr cromwell I 1 could sleep from night till morning when I 1 was gen cromwell my labors gave me rest now that I 1 am lord protector of three kingdoms sleep alas is gone tar far from me in my mind I 1 run to and fro through all the land I 1 have a thousand plans and anxieties elizabeth my dearest great place is not worth looking after it is not what troubles you in particular oliver one of the things that troubled my great master when he wept and pray ed and tainted fainted in gethsemane he knew that those whom he loved and who ought to strengthen and comfort him would soon forsake and flee from him I 1 think of the men who have trusted me to lead them in every bat tie tle who never found me wanting the men with whom I 1 have taken cou counsel neI with whom I 1 have prayed the iren who were to me as jonathan to david and when I 1 think of them my heart is like to burst in twain they are be ginning to forsake me and their cold looks and formal words hurt me like a sword thrust they do elizabeth they do indeed if sou had made yourself king as you might have done as you ought to have done you would have had less opposition john verity said so to me he said englishmen were used to a king but they did not rot know what to make of a protector king king I 1 am king in very truth call me what they like and tor for that matter why should I 1 not be king doctor owen tells me the word king comes from konig and means the man that can I 1 am that man everything in europe comes from some battlefield that was their first title to kingship how many battles have I 1 fought and won wona I 1 never lost a single field how could I 1 the lord of hosts being with me As a hero of battle there is no man to stand be fore me why should I 1 not be king over the three countries I 1 have con john verity is right eng lishman think a protector is a ruler tor for emor emergency gency they feel temporary and uncertain with a protector A kingship is a settled office take the crown oliver why not nota I 1 have no orders to take it my angel told me when I 1 a m as a boy that I 1 should become the greatest man in england but he said not that I 1 should be king and I 1 know also from one who never lied to me that this nation will yearn after its old monarchy I 1 am here to do a work to sow seeds that will take generations to ripen but out in reign is only an interregnum I 1 shall found no basty T then h e n tal tat ng ins his wife s band hand tender ly b between e tw een his own he said with in tense fervor there Is not a man iv ly ing can say I 1 sought this place cot not a man or woman living on english ground I 1 can say in the presence of god I 1 would have hav e been glad to have lived with thee under my woodside all the days of my life and to have kept my sheep and plowed my land rather la u r than bear the burden of this government do you think the puritan govern ment will die with you oliver I 1 duink it will but the puritan principles will never die the kings of the earth banded together cannot destroy them they will spring up and flourish like the grass that tar rieth not tor for man spring where none has sowed or planted them spring in the wilderness and in the city until they possess the whole earth thia this I 1 know and am sure of after all ellia eliza beth there Is nothing got by this worlds love and nothing lost by its hate this is the root of the matter my position as protector Is either of god or of man it I 1 did not firmly believe it was of god I 1 would have run away from it many years ago if it be of god he will bear me up while I 1 am in it it if it be of man it will shake and tumble what are ars all our histories but god manifesting that he has shaken and trampled upon everything he has not planted my dearest you are now in a good mind lie down and sleep in his care for he does care for you and he be put her arms around his neck and kissed him and he answered thou art my comfort and I 1 thank think god for thee when he laid out my life s work he thought of thee to sweeten it she left him then hoping that he would shelter his weariness in dark ness and in sleep but he be did not the words he bad had spoken though so ad full of hope and courage wanted that au an from beyond without which they were as tinkling brass to oliver he locked his chamber door retired his soul from all and stood solemnly before god waiting to hear what he would sa to him and in a moment all the trouble of outward things grew at peace with that within for he stood motionless on that daz aling line where mortal and immortal verge that line where all is lost in love for god and the beggar self tor for gets to ask for anything the austere sweetness ot of sacrifice filled his soul sou toe divine hymn ot of renunciation was on his lips do as thou wilt will with me he cried but oh that I 1 knew where to find thee oh that I 1 might come into thy presence then there was suddenly F granted to his longing that open vision open only to the spirit that wondrous evi dence that very near about us lies the realm of spiritual masteries and the strong man bowed and wept great tears ot of joy and sorrow and after that peace peace unspeakable and full of gladness and he slept like a sinless child while his angel came in a dream and comforted him for so god to his beloved while they sleep to be continued |