andtherewasatwitteringandaflutteringofallthelittlebirds,asifthedaywereagreatfestival;andsoitwas,foritwassunday.allthebellswereringing,andallthepeoplewenttochurch,lookingcheerful,anddressedintheirbestclothes.therewasalookofcheerfulnessoneverything.thedaywassowarmandbeautifulthatonemightwellhavesaid:"god'skindnesstousmenisbeyondalllimits."butinsidethechurchthepastorstoodinthepulpit,andspokeveryloudlyandangrily.hesaidthatallmenwerewicked,andgodwouldpunishthemfortheirsins,andthatthewicked,whentheydied,wouldbecastintohell,toburnforeverandever.hespokeveryexcitedly,sayingthattheirevilpropensitieswouldnotbedestroyed,norwouldthefirebeextinguished,andtheyshouldneverfindwasterribletohear,andhesaiditinsuchatoneofconviction;hedescribedhelltothemasamiserableholewherealltherefuseoftheworldgathers.therewasnoairbesidethehotburningsulphurflame,andtherewasnogroundundertheirfeet;they,thewickedones,sankdeeperanddeeper,whileeternalsilencesurroundedthem!itwasdreadfultohearallthat,forthepreacherspokefromhisheart,andallthepeopleinthechurchwere,thebirdssangmerrilyoutside,andthesunwasshiningsobeautifullywarm,itseemedasthougheverylittleflowersaid:"god,thykindnesstowardsusalliswithoutlimits."indeed,outsideitwasnotatalllikethepastor'ssermon.

thesameevening,upongoingtobed,thepastornoticedhiswifesittingtherequietandpensive.

"whatisthematterwithyou?"heaskedher.

"well,thematterwithmeis,"shesaid,"thaticannotcollectmythoughts,andamunabletograspthemeaningofwhatyousaidto-dayinchurch-thattherearesomanywickedpeople,andthattheyshouldburneternally.alas!eternally-howlong!iamonlyawomanandasinnerbeforegod,butishouldnothavethehearttoleteventheworstsinnerburnforever,andhowcouldourlordtodoso,whoissoinfinitelygood,andwhoknowshowthewickednesscomesfromwithoutandwithin?no,iamunabletoimaginethat,althoughyousayso."

itwasautumn;thetreesdroppedtheirleaves,theearnestandseverepastorsatatthebedsideofadyingperson.apious,faithfulsoulclosedhereyesforever;shewasthepastor'swife.

..."ifanyoneshallfindrestinthegraveandmercybeforeourlordyoushallcertainlydoso,"saidthepastor.hefoldedherhandsandreadapsalmoverthedeadwoman.

shewasburied;twolargetearsrolledoverthecheeksoftheearnestman,andintheparsonageitwasemptyandstill,foritssunhadsetforever.shehadgonehome.

itwasnight.acoldwindsweptoverthepastor'shead;heopenedhiseyes,anditseemedtohimasifthemoonwasshiningintohisroom.itwasnotso,however;therewasabeingstandingbeforehisbed,andlookingliketheghostofhisdeceasedwife.shefixedhereyesuponhimwithsuchakindandsadexpression,justasifshewishedtosaysomethingtohim.thepastorraisedhimselfinbedandstretchedhisarmstowardsher,saying,"notevenyoucanfindeternalrest!yousuffer,youbestandmostpiouswoman?"

thedeadwomannoddedherheadasiftosay"yes,"andputherhandonherbreast.

"andcaninotobtainrestinthegraveforyou?"

"yes,"wastheanswer.

"andhow?"

"givemeonehair-onlyonesinglehair-fromtheheadofthesinnerforwhomthefireshallneverbeextinguished,ofthesinnerwhomgodwillcondemntoeternalpunishmentinhell."

"yes,oneoughttobeabletoredeemyousoeasily,youpure,piouswoman,"hesaid.

"followme,"saidthedeadwoman."itisthusgrantedtous.bymysideyouwillbeabletoflywhereveryourthoughtswishtovisibletomen,weshallpenetrateintotheirmostsecretchambers;butwithsurehandyoumustfindouthimwhoisdestinedtoeternaltorture,andbeforethecockcrowshemustbefound!"