The same visage , he now thought , had looked forth upon him from the Pyramid of Cheops ; the same form had beckoned to him among the colonnades of the Alhambra ; the same figure had mistily revealed itself through the ascending steam of the Great Geyser . At every effort of his memory he recognized some trait of the dreamy messenger of destiny in this pompous , bustling , self-important , little-great man of the village . Amid such musings Ralph Cranfield sat all day in the cottage , scarcely hearing and vaguely answering his mother 's thousand questions about his travels and adventures . At sunset he roused himself to take a stroll , and , passing the aged elm tree , his eye was again caught by the semblance of a hand pointing downward at the half-obliterated inscription . As Cranfield walked down the street of the village the level sunbeams threw his shadow far before him , and he fancied that , as his shadow walked among distant objects , so had there been a presentiment stalking in advance of him throughout his life . And when he drew near each object over which his tall shadow had preceded him , still it proved to be one of the familiar recollections of his infancy and youth . Every crook in the pathway was remembered . Even the more transitory characteristics of the scene were the same as in by-gone days . A company of cows were grazing on the grassy roadside , and refreshed him with their fragrant breath . `` It is sweeter , '' thought he , `` than the perfume which was wafted to our ship from the Spice Islands . '' The round little figure of a child rolled from a doorway and lay laughing almost beneath Cranfield 's feet . The dark and stately man stooped down , and , lifting the infant , restored him to his mother 's arms . `` The children , '' said he to himself , and sighed and smiled -- `` the children are to be my charge . '' And while a flow of natural feeling gushed like a well-spring in his heart he came to a dwelling which he could nowise forbear to enter . A sweet voice which seemed to come from a deep and tender soul was warbling a plaintive little air within . He bent his head and passed through the lowly door . As his foot sounded upon the threshold a young woman advanced from the dusky interior of the house , at first hastily , and then with a more uncertain step , till they met face to face . There was a singular contrast in their two figures -- he dark and picturesque , one who had battled with the world , whom all suns had shone upon and whom all winds had blown on a varied course ; she neat , comely and quiet -- quiet even in her agitation -- as if all her emotions had been subdued to the peaceful tenor of her life . Yet their faces , all unlike as they were , had an expression that seemed not so alien -- a glow of kindred feeling flashing upward anew from half-extinguished embers . `` You are welcome home , '' said Faith Egerton .
But XXXXX did not immediately answer , for his eye had , been caught by an ornament in the shape of a heart which Faith wore as a brooch upon her bosom .
Alhambra Cranfield Egerton Geyser colonnades days first pathway presentiment sunbeams