The Pagan's Cup

"It is gone, gone!" cried Pearl, rising with a wild look. "The Master has withdrawn His presence. I would that I could take it out where His sun would ever shine. Did you see the angels, Miss Sybil?"

"What angels, Pearl?"

"In the beam of the Master's glory. They ascended and descended like the angels of Jacob's dream. From the holy cup a shining pathway went up to heaven, and now it is gone."

"The shining pathway will be there again at this same hour to-morrow," said Sybil, comforting the girl.

"But it endures only for a little while," sighed Pearl. "Oh, why doesn't the Master take His cup into the bright sunshine where it could grow warm and rejoice in the glory of day? And the sun would make it glitter like a thousand fires, nor would the moon withhold her light."

"It is better here in this sacred place, Pearl."

"The roof shuts out the light, Miss Sybil." And the girl looked at the great cup, now dull and colourless like a dead thing. "Only in the sunshines does the Master put out His hand to grasp His cup."

"It is not the real cup, Pearl," said Sybil, incautiously.

"How dare you say so?" shrieked the girl, tearing herself away from Sybil's grasp. "The vicar said it was the cup of the Master. I doubt you are one of the evil things its presence makes to fear," and with an indignant look Pearl moved swiftly down the aisle, murmuring as she went. At the door she broke into a jubilant chant, and Sybil gathered that she was recalling some lines of Tennyson which the vicar had repeated in his lecture: —

"Oh, yet methought I saw the Holy Grail,
All palled in crimson samite, and around
Great angels, awful shapes, and wings and eyes."

Half singing, half reciting, she passed out of the door and brushed by Leo, who entered at the moment. Like a shadow she faded out of the church, and left him staring after her. But high and sweet in the distance rose her voice, singing like a lark.

"What's the matter with her now?" asked Leo as Sybil met him.

"Nothing much. She has a belief that yonder cup is the veritable Holy Grail, and when I suggested that it was not she grew angry. But what a memory she has!" added Sybil, linking her arm within that of Leo. "Did you hear her recite Tennyson's lines? Well, she only heard them once before."

"I daresay. But she cannot read, and those who can't read have always a marvelous memory. But the wonder to me is that her poor, cracked brain can hold anything. I know she's mad about the Grail, as she called that cup. Mrs Jeal told me that Pearl expects the cup will some day be snatched up to heaven to be used there. Poor soul!"

"It is a sweet belief, though," murmured Sybil; then, after a pause, she drew Leo into the side chapel where the crusaders were set stiffly on their tombs. "We are safe here, Leo. No one will come. Sit down beside this pillar and let us talk. We have much to say to one another."

"And nothing very pleasant," sighed Leo, as he sat down, and slipped his arm round the girl's waist. "Oh, Sybil, how foolish I have been getting into debt and quarrelling with Mrs Gabriel! It will end with my going away to the war. Indeed, I intended to have gone this week, only I could not leave you, and besides – " Here Leo hesitated.

"What is it?" she asked, noticing that he looked nervous.

"There is a chance of my debts being paid."

"Mrs Gabriel?"

"No, indeed. At first she said she would pay. Now she has changed her mind. But Hale has offered to lend me the money."

Sybil looked anxious. "I don't like that," she said decidedly. "It is not like him to be so generous."

"My dear," said Leo, taking her hand, "you are too hard upon poor Frank. I have known him now for many years, and it is reasonable enough that he should be willing to help an old playfellow."

"It is not like him," insisted Miss Tempest. "I hope he is not laying a trap for you, Leo. He is spiteful enough to do that."

"And when he has caught me in his trap, Sybil?"

She shook her head. "It is easy laughing, but I don't like your accepting a favour from that cross-grained little man."

"You are uncharitable, my dear."

"I don't want to be. I am sure I am sorry poor Sir Frank is so afflicted, but I really wish he had a sweeter nature. Besides," her eyes fell and she began to play with a button on Leo's coat, "he is – I think – too fond of me."

"Can anyone be too fond of you?" asked Haverleigh, not taking in the real significance of this remark.

"You do not understand, Leo. I mean that I think he intends to ask me to be his wife. Now don't be angry, for I am not sure if he will. It is only a kind of instinct I have that such is his intention."

Haverleigh, confident in his good looks and virile strength, laughed good-humouredly. "I am not angry, my dear. The idea of that wretched little creature thinking of marriage!"

"Who is uncharitable now, Mr Haverleigh?"

The young man laughed. "Fairly hit," he said; "but really, Sybil, I don't think you need trouble about Hale. No man of his build and weakness would insult a woman by asking her hand in marriage. He is a queer little creature, but for all his cross-grained temper his heart is in the right place. I am sorry for him, and I feel his kindness in offering to help me. To be sure he is well off, but the kindness is all the same."

"And what about his sister? She is in love with you."

"So Mrs Gabriel says," responded Leo, coolly. "But that is all nonsense – much the same as your suspicions of Hale. Why, the girl never opens her mouth to me; she only looks and looks."

"With her soul in her eyes!"

"It must be a dull soul then, for I see no gleam in those eyes of hers."

"You are most unsuspicious, Leo," said Sybil at length. "I have a kind of feeling that we are on the eve of some trouble. Have you noticed that until we found out this quiet spot Mrs Gabriel or Sir Frank and his sister always joined us?"

"I noticed that, but it meant nothing." Leo paused and then continued, "I know that my mother wants me to marry Edith, but I told her plainly that I would not, and she has agreed to let me have my own way."

"That is not like her," said Sybil, after a pause. "She always wants to have her own way."

"I think she is beginning to find me one too many for her, my love. It is this way, Sybil. I told her that if she went on treating me so badly I would enlist. That frightened her, and she has been kinder since."

"I don't trust her, no more than I do Sir Frank. Are you going to take this money?"

"As a loan I am, but I hope to pay it back."

"How are you going to manage?"

"Oh, Pratt has promised to make it right with my mother. He has a wonderful influence with her. You know he has been her friend for years, and she has great reliance on his judgment. I told him all my trouble, and he has promised to help me. It is not the first time he has done so, Sybil. Several times last year he lent me money."

"I know he is a kind man," said Sybil; "but, Leo, I do wish you – "

He stopped her mouth with a kiss. "I know what you are going to say," was his half-laughing, half-serious remark, "and, indeed, my love, I am not worthy of you. But now I am a man, and I intend to put away all childish things – by which I mean the follies of youth. I have done nothing very wrong, Sybil. Indeed, my wickedness has been of the mildest description. I understood Mrs Gabriel to say that I was her heir, and so I thought I had a right to spend money. I overstepped the mark, and I own my fault. I should have been more sensible, but, indeed, Sybil, it is difficult for a man brought up in luxury to know when to stop. If my home had only been made more attractive to me, I should never have behaved so foolishly. But that page of my life is turned down now. It will close with the payment of this three hundred pounds, and henceforth I shall try and deserve your love."

"That is right, darling. But don't you think it would be better to get Mr Pratt to see your mother and induce her to give you the money than take it from Sir Frank?"

"No, my dear," said Leo, decidedly; "if my mother thinks that I am able to pay the money myself, she will be afraid lest she will lose me altogether and be more amenable to reason. I have arranged it all with Pratt. Hale is to lend me the money next week. I pay my debts. Then I shall get him to speak to Mrs Gabriel."

"Does Mr Pratt know that Sir Frank proposes to lend you the money?"