Part 2 (1/2)
And even when they all knelt, grandpa beside the big Morris chair and grandma beside the little willow rocker and Missy beside the ”patent rocker” with the prettiest crocheted tidy--her thoughts were still in a divine channel exclusively her own.
But now, at last, came the time for that channel to be widened; she closed her eyes tighter, clasped her hands together, and began:
”The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want, He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters...”
How beautiful it was! Unconsciously her voice lifted--quavered--lowered--lifted again, with ”expression.” And she had the oddest complex sensation; she could, through her tightly closed eyes, vision herself kneeling there; while, at the same time, she could feel her spirit floating away, mingling with the air, melting into the night, fusing with all the divine mystery of heaven and earth. And her soul yearned for more mystery, for more divinity, with an inexpressible yearning.
Yet all the time she was conscious of the dramatic figure she made, and of how pleased and impressed her audience must be; in fact, as her voice ”tremuloed” on that last sublime ”Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever,” she unclosed one eye to note the effect.
Both the grey heads remained prayerfully bent; but at her ”Amen” both of them lifted. And oh! what a reward was the expression in those two pairs of eyes!
Grandma came swiftly to her and kissed her, and exclaimed:
”Why, however did you learn all that long Psalm, dear? And you recited it so beautifully, too!--Not a single mistake! I never was prouder in my life!”
Grandpa didn't kiss her, but he kept saying over and over:
”Just think of that baby!--the dear little baby.”
And Missy, despite her spiritual exaltation, couldn't help feeling tremendously pleased.
”It was a surprise--I thought you'd be surprised,” she remarked with satisfaction.
Grandma excitedly began to ask all kinds of questions as to how Missy came to pick out that particular Psalm, and what difficulties she experienced in learning it all; but it was grandpa who, characteristically, enquired:
”And what does it mean to you, Missy?”
”Mean--?” she repeated.
”Yes. For instance, what does that last verse mean?”
”'Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life--?'
That--?”
”Yes, baby.”
”Why, I think I see myself walking through some big, thick woods. It's springtime, and the trees are all green, and the gra.s.s slick and soft.
And birds are singing, and the wind's singing in the leaves, too. And the sun's s.h.i.+ning, and all the clouds have silver edges.”
She paused.
”Yes, dear,” said grandpa.
”That's the house of the Lord,” she explained.
”Yes, dear,” said grandpa again. ”What else?”
”Well, I'm skipping and jumping along, for I'm happy to be in the house of the Lord. And there are three little fairies, all dressed in silver and gold, and with paper-flowers in their hair, and long diamond bangles hanging like fringe on their skirts. They're following me, and they're skipping and jumping, too. They're the three fairies in the verse.”
”The three fairies?” Grandpa seemed puzzled.