the room of silence had become to david eden a chamber of horror. the four chairs around him, which had hitherto seemed filled with the ghosts of the four first masters of the garden, were now empty to his imagination. in this place where he had so often found unfailing consolation, unfailing counsel, he was now burdened by the squat, heavy walls, and the low ceiling. it was like a prison to him.
for all his certainty was gone. "you've made yourself your god," the gambler had said. "fear made the garden of eden, fear keeps the men in it. do you think the others stay for love of you?"
benjamin had proved a sinner, no doubt, but there had been a ring of conviction in his words that remained in the mind of david. how could he tell that the man was not right? certainly, now that he had once doubted the wisdom of that silent voice, the mystery was gone. the room was empty; the holiness had departed from the garden of eden with the departing of ruth.
he found himself avoiding the thought of her, for whenever her image rose before him it was torture.
he dared not even inquire into the depression which weighed down his spirits, for he knew that the loss of the girl was the secret of it all.
one thing at least was certain: the strong, calming voice which he had so often heard in the room of silence, no longer dwelt there, and with that in mind he rose and went into the patio.
in a corner, screened by a climbing vine, hung a large bell which had only been rung four times in the history of the garden of eden, and each time it was for the death of the master. david tore the green away and struck the bell. the brazen voice crowded the patio and pealed far away, and presently the men came. they came in wild-eyed haste, and when they saw david alive before them they stared at him as if at a ghost.
"as it was in the beginning," said david when the circle had been formed and hushed, "death follows sin. sin has come into the garden of eden and the voice of god has died out of it. therefore the thing for which you have lived here so long is gone. if for love of david, you wish to stay, remain; but if your hearts go back to your old homes, return to them. the wagons and the oxen are yours. all the furnishing of the houses are yours. there is also a large store of money in my chest which elijah shall divide justly among you. and on your journey elijah shall lead you, if you go forth, for he is a just man and fit to lead others. do not answer now, but return to your house and speak to one another. afterward, send one man. if you stay in the garden he shall tell me. if you depart i shall bid you farewell through him. begone!"
they went out soft-footed, as though the master of the garden had turned into an animal liable to spring on them from behind.
he began to pace up and down the patio, after a time, rather impatiently. no doubt the foolish old men were holding forth at great length. they were appointing the spokesman, and they were framing the speech which he would make to david telling of their devotion to him, whether the spirit was gone or remained. they would remain; and benjamin's prophecy had been that of a spiteful fool. yet even if they stayed, how empty the valley would be—how hollow of all pleasure!
it was at this point in his thoughts that he heard a sound of singing down the hillside from the house of the servants—first a single, thin, trembling voice to which others were added until the song was heartened and grew full and strong. it was a song which david had never heard before. it rang and swung with a peculiarly happy rhythm, growing shriller as the old men seemed to gather their enthusiasm. the words, sung in a thick dialect, were stranger to david than the tune, but as nearly as he could make out the song ran as follows:
"oh, jo, come back from the cold and the stars
for the cows they has come to the pasture bars,
and the little game chicken's beginning to crow:
come back to us, jo; come back to us, jo!
"he was walkin' in the gyarden in the cool o' the day
when he seen my baby jo in the clover blossoms play.
"he was walkin' in the gyarden an' the dew was on his feet
when he seen my baby jo so little an' sweet.
"they was flowers in the gyarden, roses, an' such,
but the roses an' the pansies, they didn't count for much.
"an' he left the clover blossoms fo' the bees the next day an'
the roses an' the pansies, but he took jo away.
"oh, jo, come back from the cold and the stars
for the cows they has come to the pasture bars,
and the little game chicken has started to crow:
come back to us, jo; come back to us jo!"
he knew their voices and he knew their songs, but never had david heard his servants sing as they sang this song. their hymns were strong and pleasant to the ear, but in this old tune there was a melody and a lilt that brought a lump in his throat. and there was a heart to their singing, so that he almost saw them swaying their shoulders to the melody.
it was the writing on the wall for david.
out of that song he built a picture of their old lives, the hot sunshine, the dust, and all the things which matthew had told him of the slaves and their ways before the time of the making of the garden.
he waited, then, either for their messenger or for another song; but he neither saw the one nor heard the other for a considerable time. an angry pride sustained him in the meantime, in the face of a life alone in the garden. far off, he heard the neigh of the grays in the meadow near the gate, and then the clarion clear answer of glani near the house. he was grateful for that sound. all men, it seemed, were traitors to him. let them go. he would remain contented with the eden grays. they would come and go with him like human companions. better the noble head of glani near him than the treacherous cunning of benjamin! he accepted his fate, then, not with calm resignation, but with fierce anger against connor, who had brought this ruin on him, and against the men who were preparing to desert him.
he could hear plainly the creaking of the great wains as the oxen were yoked to them and they were dragged into position to receive the burdens of the property they were to take with them into the outer world. and, in the meantime, he paced through the patio in one of those silent passions which eat at the heart of a man.
he was not aware of the entrance of elijah. when he saw him, elijah had fallen on his knees near the entrance to the patio, and every line of his time-dried body expressed the terror of the bearer of bad tidings. david looked at him for a moment in silent rage.
"do you think, elijah," he said at last, "that i shall be so grieved to know that you and the others will leave me and the garden of eden? no, no! for i shall be happier alone. therefore, speak and be done!"
"timeh—" began the old man faintly.
"you have done that last duty, then, elijah? timeh is no longer alive?"
"the day is still new, david. twice i went to timeh, but each time when i was about to lead her away, the neighing of juri troubled me and my heart failed."
"but the third time you remembered my order?"
"but the third time—there was no third time. when the bell sounded we gathered. even the watchers by the the gates—jacob and isaac—came and the gate was left unguarded—timeh was in the pasture near the gate with juri—and—"
"they are gone! they have passed through the gate! call zacharias and joseph. let them mount and follow and bring juri back with the foal!"
"oh, david, my master—"
"what is it now, elijah, old stammerer? of all my servants none has cost me so much pain; to none shall i say farewell with so little regret. what is it now? why do you not rise and call them as i bid you? do you think you are free before you pass the gates?"
"david, there are no horses to follow juri!"
"what!"
"the god of john and paul give me strength to tell and give you strength to hear me in patience! when you had spoken, and the servants went back to speak of the strange things you had said, some of them spoke of the old days before they heard the call and followed to the garden, and then a song was raised beginning with zacharias—"
"zacharias!" echoed david, softly and fiercely. "him whom i have favored above the others!"
"but while the others sang, i heard a neighing near the gate and i remembered your order and your judgment of timeh, and i went sorrowfully to fulfill your will. but near the gate i saw the meadow empty of the horses, and while i stood wondering, i heard a chorus of neighing beyond the gate. there was a great answer just behind me, and i turned and saw glani racing at full speed. i called to him, but he did not hear and went on, straight through the pillars of the gate, and disappeared in the ravine beyond. then i ran to the gate and looked out, but the horses were gone from sight—they have left the garden—they are free—"
"and happy!" said david in a terrible voice. "they, too, have only been held by fear and never by love. let them go. let all go which is kept here by fear. why should i care? i am enough by myself. when all is gone and i am alone the voice shall return and be my companion. it is well. let every living thing depart. david is enough unto himself. go, elijah! and yet pause before you go!"
he went into his room and came out bearing the heavy chest of money, which he carried to the gate.
"go to your brothers and bid them come for the money. it will make them rich enough in the world beyond the mountains, but to me there is need of no money. silence and peace is my wish. go, and let me hear their voices no more, let me not see one face. ingrates, fools, and traitors! let them find their old places; i have no regret. begone!"
and elijah, as one under the shadow of a raised whip, skulked from the patio and was gone.
