“Happen it may.  I’m not caring and Missis isn’t caring, either.  She’ll never wear these frocks again—­she might as well give them to me.”

In the meantime Jane was looking at herself in the long cheval mirror.  The rapture in her heart was still reflected on her face, and the white clothing transfigured her.  “John must see that the great miracle of life has happened to me, that I have really been born again.  Oh, how happy he will be!”

With this radiant thought she stepped lightly down to the long avenue by which John always came home.  About midway, there was a seat under a large oak-tree and she saw John sitting on it.  He was reading a letter when Jane appeared, but when he understood that it really was Jane, he was lost in amazement and the letter fell to the ground.

“John!  John!” she cried in a soft, triumphant voice.  “O John, do you know what has happened to me?”

“A miracle, my darling!  But how?” And he drew her to his side and kissed her.  “You are like yourself—­you are as lovely as you were in the hour I first saw you.”

“John, I went to the oak-wood early this morning.  I carried with me all my sins and troubles, and as I thought of them my heart was nearly broken and I wept till I could weep no longer.  Then a passionate longing to pray urged me to tell God everything, and He heard me and pitied and forgave me.  He called me by name and comforted me, and I was so happy!  I knew not whether I was in this world or in Paradise; every green thing was lovelier, every blue thing was bluer, there was a golden glory in my heart and over all the earth, and I knew not that I had walked home till I was there.  John, dear John!  You understand?”

“My darling!  You make me as happy as yourself.”

“Happy!  John, I shall always make you happy now.  I shall never grieve or sadden or disappoint you again.  Never once again!  O my love!  O my dear good husband!  Love me as only you can love me.  Forgive me, John, as God has forgiven me!  Make me happy in your love as God has made life glorious to me with His love!”

And for some moments John could not speak.  He kissed her rapturously and drew her closer and closer to his side, and he sought her eyes with that promise in his own which she knew instinctively would surround and encompass and adore her with unfailing and undying affection as long as life should last.

In a communion nigh unto heaven they spent the evening together.  John had left his letter lying on the ground where he met his white-robed wife.  He forgot it, though it was of importance, until he saw it on the ground in the morning.  He forgot everything but the miracle that had changed all his water into wine.  It seemed as if his house could not contain the joy that had come to it.  He threw off all his sadness, as he would have cast away a garment that did not fit him, by a kind of physical movement; and the years in which he had known disappointment and loss of love dropped away from him.  For Jane had buried in tenderest words and hopes all the cruel words which had so bitterly wounded and bereaved and impoverished his life.  Jane had promised and God was her surety.  He had put into her memory a wondrous secret word.  She had heard His voice, and it could never again leave her heart;