SCENE III.

A narrow defile or pass between high mountains. The light is dim. The pass winds irregularly, and is often rough, but is always upwards. The scenery is unearthly. No sign of life is to be seen. A distant storm can be heard.

_Enter_ DR. THORNE (_slowly, holding a staff; he is robed in purple, a flowing garment, not unlike a talith or a toga. His face, still pale, is heavily lined; but more with anxiety than with resentment; its expression is somewhat softer. He speaks_).

DR. THORNE. I wonder what is to be done with me next? I see no particular reason for climbing these mountains. There seems to be nothing for a dead man to do but to obey orders. Well (_candidly_), I’ve given my share of them in my time. I suppose it’s fair enough to turn about and take a few--now. (_He smiles. After a pause, climbing slowly._) I must say I can’t call this an attractive country--so far. Its main features are not genial.

(_The storm increases; there is thunder and cloud._)

DR. THORNE (_looking about_). It seems to be in the cyclonic belt. There’s a storm of some sort,--I should say two of them fighting up in these hills. Hear them close and clinch! Like a man’s two natures; civil war all the time. And no truce! (_Muses._) It’s not a social region, certainly. I don’t know that I recall, really, ever being in a place that was so desolate. There isn’t so much as a wild animal, nor a bird flying over. It reminds me of--what was it? I can’t recall the words. It seems to me my mother taught them to me when I was a little lad. But they have quite gone. Beautiful literature in that old Book! It’s a good while since I’ve dipped into it. I’ve had too much to do. What was it?

“Though I walk--When I walk”--

(_He breaks off; climbs stoutly. The storm darkens down. For the first time_ DR. THORNE’S _face expresses something like alarm. He looks about like a man who would call for help, but is too proud to do so. He speaks._)

This is really growing serious. I wish I could remember those words. Now I think of it, we were on our knees. A most unnatural posture! My mother was a sweet saint,--rest her pure spirit! (_It lightens as he says this._)

VOICES FROM BEYOND (_softly chanting_).

“And when I’m lost in deep despair Be thou with me.... Until life’s daylight ended be, Be thou with me, with me.”

DR. THORNE (_lifts his head to listen_). There’s a good musical taste in this country, at all events. That’s something. What were those words? Ah, I have it.

“Though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow Thou shalt be with me.”

It went in some such way. (_Repeats perplexedly._)

“_Thou_ shalt be with me?”

(_Sadly._) A beautiful superstition.

(_The storm comes on heavily, with darkness and lightning. Through the gloom his solitary form can be seen manfully climbing. He exhibits no panic, but his evident bewilderment grows upon him. He mutters._)

The desolation of desolations! I shall be glad when I get out of it. What solitude! Of all the people I have known--dead or living--there is not one to stay by me.

VOICES FROM BEYOND.

“Be Thou near him!”

_Enter, on the pass above him, a young girl repeating prayers on a rosary. She is a plain, unattractive girl, folded in a dull gray gown that wraps her loosely. Her face is earnest and devout._

DR. THORNE. Why, Norah!

NORAH (_looking back_). Oh, it is the Doctor.

DR. THORNE. I can’t overtake you, Norah.

NORAH. And I’ve only died the day.

DR. THORNE. But you’ve got the start of me, Norah. You are higher up. I am glad to see you, Norah (_eagerly_). But I can’t reach you.

NORAH (_holds down her hand_). Come up, Doctor! Come up! I’ll help you, Doctor.

DR. THORNE (_gratefully_). Thank you, Norah.

NORAH. It’s to Purrgatory I’d be goin’. But you’re the herretic, Doctor. Which way do you be goin’?

DR. THORNE (_shakes his head_). I don’t know, Norah. You are wiser than I am--in this foreign place.

NORAH (_holds down her hand_). The dear Doctor! Ye were that kind to me, Doctor,--at the hospital, and forninst the house where I was worrkin’. It’s niver a cint I had to pay yez for yer thruble. If I’d been a pretty lady with a purrse of gold, ye never could have put yerself about more than ye did for the likes of me. It’s not meself that would have died the day if _you’d_ been there. Doctor? Would yez mind, if I should--bless you, Doctor? There’s kindness onto kindness, and mercy goin’ after mercy that ye did me, all hidin’ in a poor girrl’s heart to rise and meet you here. I was sick an’ ye did visit me.

DR. THORNE (_melting_). When did I ever show you all that kindness, Norah? I don’t remember--

NORAH. And I don’t forget. Take my hand, now, Doctor, do. It must be lonesome down below there by yersel’. (_Touches her rosary. Her lips move in prayer._)

DR. THORNE (_climbing on, grasps_ NORAH’S _hand_). Thank you, Norah (_gently_).

(_There is a lull in the storm. It grows lighter._)

(DR. THORNE _and the Irish girl climb on together silently_.)

(_It brightens at the brow of the mountain. Dim outlines of figures are faintly seen at the summit. They waver, and melt away._)

DR. THORNE (_gradually loosening his hold of_ NORAH’S _hand, speaks, but not to_ NORAH, _bitterly_). Now stop a moment. Where will all this end? Rebelling, I obey; and obeying, I rebel. I am become what we used to call a spirit. And this is what it means! Better might one become a molecule, for those at least express the Laws of the Universe, and do not suffer. I don’t incline to go any higher. (_Drops back._) Every step is taking me further away from my wife.

NORAH (_anxiously_). Doctor? Doctor! (_She climbs on, but looks back, beckoning._)

DR. THORNE (_pays no attention to_ NORAH. _Retraces his steps down the narrow path_). Come what may, I _will_ not go any further from Helen. I’ll perish first, in this unearthly place. (_He continues to descend; stands lost in thought. The storm darkens round him, but lightens beyond him. At the summit dim outlines can be seen again. These brighten faintly._)

(NORAH _reaches her arms towards them; climbs on_.)

DR. THORNE. It was something to be in the same world with Helen. (_Muses._) Oh, hot in my anger I went from her. And cold, indeed, did I return. (_Still descending._) I will go back. I will get as near the old system of things as I can. I will not put another span of space between myself and Helen. Poor, poor girl!

(DR. THORNE, _doggedly descending, does not look up_.)

(_White-robed forms at the summit brighten. Arms are stretched downwards through a mist. Hands beckon. One of them reaches down and clasps_ NORAH’S _hand; draws her up_.)

NORAH (_looking back_). Doctor!

(NORAH _vanishes_.)

(_The pass grows dark. Figures at the summit dim._)

(_Enter, from a darkness in the mountains, the_ Woman _in flame-color. Her ashen mantle is now thrown back, but still clings to her. She stands mournfully regarding_ DR. THORNE. _She does not address him, but slowly extends her arms._)

(DR. THORNE _does not observe the_ Woman. _She does not obtrude herself upon his attention._)

[_Exit the_ Woman _into the darkness whence she came_.

DR. THORNE (_with frowning face descends; he murmurs_). And a few days ago I was troubled because I had lost a few thousand _dollars_ in Santa Ma.... I saved up _money_! (_Scornfully._) I would accumulate a _fortune_. Oh, the whole of it, ten hundred thousand-fold the whole of it, for one hour in a dead man’s desolated home! (_Pushes downwards, suddenly and silently._)

_Enter_ AZRAEL, ANGEL OF DEATH. (_The pass blackens. The mountain summit is wrapped in darkness._)

(AZRAEL _stands tall and resplendent. He is a white-robed figure, winged and powerful. The light falls only upon_ AZRAEL _and upon the man. It can be seen that this gleam comes from a sword held in the hand of the Angel. Without a word he lifts the flaming sword, and with it bars the narrow pass from side to side._)

DR. THORNE (_in a ringing voice_). Azrael!

(AZRAEL _does not reply_.)

DR. THORNE (_under his breath_). Azrael, Angel of Death! (_Falls back._)

(_The two figures confront each other in silence._ DR. THORNE _desperately flings himself towards the Angel. Without a touch he is beaten back._ AZRAEL _stands immovable. His face grows solemn with pity._ DR. THORNE _retreats; advances again; raises his staff, and strikes it upon the Angel’s sword. The staff flames up, burns, and drops to ashes on the ground._)

(DR. THORNE _recedes a few steps; shades his eyes with his hands; regards the Angel blindly; wavers, turns. Slowly, with bent figure, he weakly reascends the mountain; stumbles and falls; regains his footing; climbs on alone, and now without his staff; does not look back._)

(AZRAEL _stands immovable, with drawn sword_.)

VOICES FROM BEYOND (_sing so softly that they seem rather to be breathing than singing_):--

“The night is dark, and I am far from home, Lead Thou me on ... O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent, till The night is gone, And with the morn those angel faces smile, Which I have loved long since, and lost a while.”

(_As they sing the summit mellows slowly. No figures appear. At the brow of the mountain a single gleam of light pierces the gloom. It brightens rather than broadens. It has the color of dawn._)

(AZRAEL _fades away, the sword vanishing last_.)

(DR. THORNE _climbs up, with eyes lifted towards the light on the summit, which strikes his face and figure_.)

AS THE VOICES SING:--

“And with the morn those angel faces smile, Which I have loved long since, and lost a while.”

END OF ACT II.