CHAPTER XXXII

Therewasagravebeauty,anausterityalmost,aboutthisbetrothalintheprison.Herewasnoroomforthearchnessesandcoynessesofordinarylovemaking.Allthatwasnotsimpletruthfellawayfromthembothliketawdryornaments,forwhichtherewasnouseinthatsadplace.Soultosoul,unseparatedbyeventheflimsiestveilofconventionality,ofcustomsoultosoul,clear-visioned,steadfast,asthosemaybewhoarequietlywatchingtheapproachofdeath,theylookedintoeachother'seyesandknewthattheywerealone,heandshe,againsttheworld.Tocleavetooneanother,tostandtogether,heandshe,againstthewholeworld,—thatwaswhattheirbetrothalmeant.Axel,cutoffforeverfromhiskindifheshouldnotbeabletoclearhimself,Anna,cuttingherselfoffforevertofollowhim.Herfeethadfoundtherightpathatlast.Hereyeswereopen.Astwofriendsontheeveofabattleinwhichbothmustfightandwhoseendmaybedeath,orastwofriendsstartingonalongjourney,whoseendtoo,aftertortuouswaysofsuffering,maywellbedeath,theyquietlymadetheirplans,talkedoverwhatwasbesttobedone,gravelyencouragingeachother,alwayswiththelightofperfecttrustfulnessintheireyes.Howstrongtheyfelttogether!Howabletogofearlesslytowardsthefuturetomeetanypain,anysorrow,together!Thewarderstandingby,themiserablelittleroom,thewretcheddetailsofthesituation,nolongerexistedforeitherofthem.Nothingcouldharmthem,nothingcouldhurtthemanymore,ifonlytheymightbetogether.Theyweresafewithinacircledrawnroundthembylove—safe,andwarm,andblest.Solongashehadherandshehim,thoughtheysawhowgreattheirmiserywouldbeiftheycametobelessbrave,theycouldnotbutbelieveinthebenevolenceofthefuture,theycouldnotbuthavehope.Ifheweresentenced,shesaid,what,attheworst,woulditmean?Twoyears',threeyears',waiting,andthentogetherfortherestoftheirlife.Wasnotthatworthlookingforwardto?Wouldnotthattakeawayeverysting?sheasked,herhandsonhisshoulders,herfacebeautifulwithconfidenceandcourage.Whenhetoldherthatsheoughtnotnowtocastinherlotwithhis,sheonlysmiled,andlaidherche