On Both Sides of the Sea Author:Elizabeth Rundle Charles Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: II. llettife's £)tarn. |HE space between is the way tliither," Mr. Drayton said. It may be—it ought to be ; but is it ? That seems to me precisely th... more »e one terrible question which, when we can get cleared, all life becomes clear in the light of the answer, but which it is so exceedingly hard to have cleared. The days, as they pass, whether clothed in light and joy, as the old time at home was when I had a home, and a mother, and so many hopes ; or in darkness that may be felt, as so many of these later days have been to me,—are indeed surely leading us on to old age, to death, to the unseen world, and the judgment. But are they indeed leading us on to new youth, to changeless life, to heaven, and the King's " Well done ?" If I were as sure of the last as of the first, for me and mine, I think (at least, there are moments when I think) I would scarcely care whether the days were dark or bright. For life is to be a warfare. All kinds of Christian people agree in that. And having learned what war means, I do not expect it to be easy or pleasant. But I am not sure ; for myself or for any one. O.V BOTH SIDES OF THE SEA. 15 Roger thinks the execution of the king was a terrible duty. I think it was almost an inexpiable crime. Olive, I know, thinks I am breaking plighted faith, and betraying the most faithful affection in the world in parting from Roger. Mistress Dorothy thinks I am fulfilling a sacred duty—doing what was meant when we were commanded to pluck out the right eye. As to the pain, I am sure she is right; if I could only be as sure as to the duty ! For if it is right, it must be good, really, in the end, for him as well as for me. How, I cannot imagine. For it seems bad as well as bitter for me ; and Olive says it will be bad and embittering for hi...« less