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ploughshare； or the Sword of victory！ Grant me a glorious martyrdom in
which to proclaim thy Word！ Rejected； I will bless thy justice。 But if
excess of love may win in a moment that which hard and patient labor
cannot attain； then bear me upward in thy chariot of fire！ Grant me
triumph； or further trial； still will I bless thee！ To suffer for
thee； is not that to triumph？ Take me； seize me； bear me away！ nay； if
thou wilt； reject me！ Thou art He who can do no evil。 Ah！〃 he cried；
after a pause； 〃the bonds are breaking。
〃Spirits of the pure； ye sacred flock； come forth from the hidden
places； come on the surface of the luminous waves！ The hour now is；
come； assemble！ Let us sing at the gates of the Sanctuary； our songs
shall drive away the final clouds。 With one accord let us hail the
Dawn of the Eternal Day。 Behold the rising of the one True Light！ Ah；
why may I not take with me these my friends！ Farewell； poor earth；
Farewell！〃
CHAPTER VII
THE ASSUMPTION
The last psalm was uttered neither by word； look； nor gesture； nor by
any of those signs which men employ to communicate their thoughts； but
as the soul speaks to itself； for at the moment when Seraphita
revealed herself in her true nature； her thoughts were no longer
enslaved by human words。 The violence of that last prayer had burst
her bonds。 Her soul； like a white dove； remained for an instant poised
above the body whose exhausted substances were about to be
annihilated。
The aspiration of the Soul toward heaven was so contagious that
Wilfrid and Minna； beholding those radiant scintillations of Life；
perceived not Death。
They had fallen on their knees when HE had turned toward his Orient；
and they shared his ecstasy。
The fear of the Lord； which creates man a second time； purging away
his dross； mastered their hearts。
Their eyes； veiled to the things of Earth； were opened to the
Brightness of Heaven。
Though； like the Seers of old called Prophets by men； they were filled
with the terror of the Most High； yet like them they continued firm
when they found themselves within the radiance where the Glory of the
SPIRIT shone。
The veil of flesh； which； until now； had hidden that glory from their
eyes； dissolved imperceptibly away； and left them free to behold the
Divine substance。
They stood in the twilight of the Coming Dawn； whose feeble rays
prepared them to look upon the True Light； to hear the Living Word；
and yet not die。
In this state they began to perceive the immeasurable differences
which separate the things of earth from the things of Heaven。
LIFE； on the borders of which they stood； leaning upon each other；
trembling and illuminated； like two children standing under shelter in
presence of a conflagration； That Life offered no lodgment to the
senses。
The ideas they used to interpret their vision to themselves were to
the things seen what the visible senses of a man are to his soul； the
material covering of a divine essence。
The departing SPIRIT was above them； shedding incense without odor；
melody without sound。 About them； where they stood； were neither
surfaces； nor angles； nor atmosphere。
They dared neither question him nor contemplate him； they stood in the
shadow of that Presence as beneath the burning rays of a tropical sun；
fearing to raise their eyes lest the light should blast them。
They knew they were beside him； without being able to perceive how it
was that they stood； as in a dream； on the confines of the Visible and
the Invisible； nor how they had lost sight of the Visible and how they
beheld the Invisible。
To each other they said： 〃If he touches us； we can die！〃 But the
SPIRIT was now within the Infinite； and they knew not that neither
time； nor space； nor death； existed there； and that a great gulf lay
between them； although they thought themselves beside him。
Their souls were not prepared to receive in its fulness a knowledge of
the faculties of that Life； they could have only faint and confused
perceptions of it； suited to their weakness。
Were it not so； the thunder of the LIVING WORD； whose far…off tones
now reached their ears； and whose meaning entered their souls as life
unites with body；one echo of that Word would have consumed their
being as a whirlwind of fire laps up a fragile straw。
Therefore they saw only that which their nature； sustained by the
strength of the SPIRIT； permitted them to see； they heard that only
which they were able to hear。
And yet； though thus protected； they shuddered when the Voice of the
anguished soul broke forth above themthe prayer of the SPIRIT
awaiting Life and imploring it with a cry。
That cry froze them to the very marrow of their bones。
The SPIRIT knocked at the SACRED PORTAL。 〃What wilt thou？〃 answered a
CHOIR； whose question echoed among the worlds。 〃To go to God。〃 〃Hast
thou conquered？〃 〃I have conquered the flesh through abstinence； I
have conquered false knowledge by humility； I have conquered pride by
charity； I have conquered the earth by love； I have paid my dues by
suffering； I am purified in the fires of faith； I have longed for Life
by prayer： I wait in adoration； and I am resigned。〃
No answer came。
〃God's will be done！〃 answered the SPIRIT； believing that he was about
to be rejected。
His tears flowed and fell like dew upon the heads of the two kneeling
witnesses； who trembled before the justice of God。
Suddenly the trumpets sounded；the last trumpets of Victory won by
the ANGEL in this last trial。 The reverberation passed through space
as sound through its echo； filling it； and shaking the universe which
Wilfrid and Minna felt like an atom beneath their feet。 They trembled
under an anguish caused by the dread of the mystery about to be
accomplished。
A great movement took place； as though the Eternal Legions； putting
themselves in motion； were passing upward in spiral columns。 The
worlds revolved like clouds driven by a furious wind。 It was all
rapid。
Suddenly the veils were rent away。 They saw on high as it were a star；
incomparably more lustrous than the most luminous of material stars；
which detached itself； and fell like a thunderbolt； dazzling as
lightning。 Its passage paled the faces of the pair； who thought it to
be THE LIGHT Itself。
It was the Messenger of good tidings； the plume of whose helmet was a
flame of Life。
Behind him lay the swath of his way gleaming with a flood of the
lights through which he passed。
He bore a palm and a sword。 He touched the SPIRIT with the palm； and
the SPIRIT was transfigured。 Its white wings noiselessly unfolded。
This communication of THE LIGHT； changing the SPIRIT into a SERAPH and
clothing it with a glorious form； a celestial armor； poured down such
effulgent rays that the two Seers were paralyzed。
Like the three apostles to whom Jesus showed himself； they felt the
dead we