Chapter 24

2 min

“Freder...?” said the soft Madonna-voice.

“Freder...?” said the soft, Madonna-like voice.

“Yes, you beloved! Speak to me! Speak to me!”

“Yes, my love! Talk to me! Talk to me!”

“Where are we?”

“In the cathedral.”

“Is it day or night?”

“It is day.”

“Wasn’t your father here, with us, just now?”

“Wasn’t your father just here with us?”

“Yes, you beloved.”

“Yes, my love.”

“His hand was on my hair?”

“You felt it?”

“Oh Freder, while your father was standing here it seemed to me as though I heard a spring rushing within a rock. A spring, weighted with salt, and red with blood. But I knew too: when the spring is strong enough to break out through the rock, then it will be sweeter than the dew and whiter than the light.”

“Oh Freder, while your father was standing here, I felt as if I could hear a spring rushing inside a rock. The spring was heavy with salt and red with blood. But I also knew that when the spring is strong enough to break through the rock, it will be sweeter than dew and whiter than light.”

“Bless you for your belief, Maria....”

“Bless you for your faith, Maria....”

She smiled. She fell silent.

“Why don’t you open your eyes, you beloved?” asked Freder’s longing mouth.

“Why don’t you open your eyes, my beloved?” Freder asked, his voice full of longing.

“I see,” she answered. “I see, Freder.... I see a city, standing in the light....”

“I see,” she answered. “I see, Freder.... I see a city standing in the light....”

“Shall I build it?”

“Should I build it?”

“No, Freder. Not you. Your father.”

“My father?”

“Yes....”

“Maria when you spoke of my father, before, this tone of love was not in your voice....”

“Maria, when you spoke about my father before, there was no love in your voice....”

“Since then much has taken place, Freder. Since then, within a rock, a spring has come to life, heavy with salt and red with blood. Since then Joh Fredersen’s hair has turned snow-white with deadly fear for his son. Since then have those whom I called my brothers sinned from excessive suffering. Since then has Joh Fredersen suffered from excessive sin. Will you not allow them both, Freder—your father as well as my brothers—to pay for their sin, to atone, to become reconciled?”

“Much has happened since then, Freder. A spring has come to life inside a rock, heavy with salt and red with blood. Joh Fredersen’s hair has turned snow-white from deadly fear for his son. Those I called my brothers have sinned because they suffered too much. Joh Fredersen has suffered because he sinned too much. Will you not let them both pay for their sin, Freder? Your father and my brothers alike? Will you not let them make amends and be reconciled?”

“Yes, Maria.”

“Will you help them, you mediator?”

“Will you help them, mediator?”

“Yes, Maria.”

She opened her eyes and turned the gentle wonder of their blue towards him. Bending low above her, he saw, in pious astonishment, how the gay-coloured heavenly kingdom of saintly legends, which looked down upon her from out the lofty, narrow church-windows, was reflected in her Madonna-eyes.

She opened her eyes and turned their gentle blue wonder toward him. Bending low over her, he gazed in reverent amazement. The brightly colored heavenly kingdom of saintly legends looked down at her from the tall, narrow church windows. He saw it reflected in her Madonna eyes.

Involuntarily he raised his eyes to become aware, for the first time, of whither he had borne the girl whom he loved.

Without thinking, he looked up and realized for the first time where he had carried the girl he loved.

“God is looking at us!” he whispered, gathering her up to his heart, with longing arms. “God is smiling to us, Maria.”

“God is looking at us!” he whispered, pulling her close to his heart with longing arms. “God is smiling at us, Maria.”

“Amen,” said the girl at his heart.

“Amen,” said the girl close to his heart.