Yet, in a jest, we called her the Queen of
Sheba; and I make a venture that she looked exceeding fair in the eyes
of our little Mistress Merciless: for the eyes of children look not
upon the faces but into the hearts and souls of others. Whilst these
two walked in the full fair garden at that time they came presently
unto an arbor wherein there was a rustic seat, which was called the
Siege of Restfulness; and hereupon sate a little sick boy that, from
his birth, had been lame, so that he could not play and make merry
with other children, but was wont to come every day into this full
fair garden and content himself with the companionship of the flowers.
And, though he was a little lame boy, he never trod upon those
flowers; and even had he done so, methinks the pressure of those
crippled feet had been a caress, for the little lame boy was filled
with the spirit of love and tenderness. As the tiniest, whitest,
shrinking flower exhaleth the most precious perfume, so in and from
this little lame boy's life there came a grace that was hallowing in
its beauty.
Since they never before had seen him, they asked him his name; and he
answered them that of those at home he was called Master Sweetheart, a
name he could not understand: for surely, being a cripple, he must be
a very sorry sweetheart; yet, that he was a sweetheart unto his mother
at least he had no doubt, for she did love to hold him in her lap and
call him by that name; and many times when she did so he saw that
tears were in her eyes,--a proof, she told him when he asked, that
Master Sweetheart was her sweetheart before all others upon earth.
Pages:
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62