,a ,,little ,,pilgrim                   
,by ,margaret ,o4 7,wilson7 ,oliphant   
,a ,,little ,,pilgrim4          ,i4     
,,in ,,the ,,unseen4      ,she had been 
talking of dying only the evening       
before1 with a friend1 and  had         
described her own sensations after a    
long illness when she had been  at the  
point of death4 ,i suppose1 she said1   
that ,i was as nearly gone  as any one  
ever was to come back again4 ,there was 
no pain in it1 only a  sense of sinking 
down1 down--through the bed as if       
nothing could hold me  or give me       
support enough--but no pain4 ,and then  
they had spoken of  another friend in   
the same circumstances1 who also had    
come back from the  very verge1 and who 
described her sensations as those of one
 floating  upon a summer sea without    
pain or suffering1 in a lovely nook of  
the  ,mediterranean1 blue as the sky4   
,these soft and soothing images of the  
passage which all men dread had been    
talked over with low voices1 yet  with  

smiles and a grateful sense that the    
warm precincts of the cheerful  day were
 once more familiar to both4 ,and very  
cheerfully she went to  rest that night1
 talking of what was to be done on the  
morrow1 and fell  asleep sweetly in her 
little room1 with its shaded light and  
curtained  window1 and little pictures  
on the dim walls4 ,all was quiet in the 
house3  soft breathing of the sleepers1 
soft murmuring of the spring wind       
outside1 a wintry moon very clear and   
full in the skies1 a little town  all   
hushed and quiet1 everything lying      
defenceless1 unconscious1 in the  safe  
keeping of ,god4    ,how soon she woke  
no one can tell4 ,she woke and lay quite
 still1 half  roused1 half hushed1 in   
that soft languor that attends a happy  
waking4  ,she was happy always1 in the  
peace of a heart that was humble and    
faithful and pure1 but yet had been used
 to wake to a consciousness of  little  
pains and troubles1 such as even to her 
meekness were sometimes  hard to bear4  

,but on this morning there were none of 
these4 ,she lay in a  kind of hush of   
happiness and ease1 not caring to make  
any further  movement1 lingering over   
the sweet sensation of that waking4 ,she
 had no  desire to move nor to break the
 spell of the silence and peace4 ,it was
  still very early1 she supposed1 and   
probably it might be hours yet before   
any one came to call her4 ,it might even
 be that she should sleep again4  ,she  
had no wish to move1 she lay at such    
luxurious ease and calm4 ,but by  and   
by1 as she came to full possession of   
her waking senses1 it appeared  to her  
that there was some change in the       
atmosphere1 in the scene4 ,there  began 
to steal into the air about her1 the    
soft dawn as of a summer  morning1 the  
lovely blueness of the first opening of 
daylight before the  sun4 ,it could not 
be the light of the moon1 which she had 
seen before she  went to bed2 and all   
was so still1 that it could not be the  
bustling1  wintry day which comes at    

that time of the year late1 to find the 
world  awake before it4 ,this was       
different2 it was like the summer dawn1 
a soft  suffusion of light growing every
 moment4 ,and by and by it occurred to  
her that she was not in the little room 
where she had lain down4 ,there  were no
 dim walls or roof1 her little pictures 
were all gone1 the  curtains at her     
window4 ,the discovery gave her no      
uneasiness in that  delightful calm4    
,she lay still to think of it all1 to   
wonder1 yet  undisturbed4 ,it half      
amused her that these things should be  
changed1 but  did not rouse her yet with
 any shock of alteration4 ,the light    
grew fuller  and fuller round1 growing  
into day1 clearing her eyes from the    
sweet mist  of the first waking4 ,then  
she raised herself upon her arm4 ,she   
was not in  her room1 she was in no     
scene she knew4 ,indeed it was scarcely 
a scene at  all1 nothing but light1 so  
soft and lovely1 that it soothed and    
caressed  her eyes4 ,she thought all at 

once of a summer morning when she was a 
child1 when she had woke in the deep    
night which yet was day1 early1 so      
early that the birds were scarcely      
astir1 and had risen up with a          
delicious sense of daring and of being  
all alone in the mystery of the         
sunrise1 in the unawakened world which  
lay at her feet to be explored1 as  if  
she were ,eve just entering upon ,eden4 
,it was curious how all those  childish 
sensations1 long forgotten1 came back to
 her as she found  herself so           
unexpectedly out of her sleep in the    
open air and light4 ,in  the            
recollection of that lovely hour1 with a
 smile at herself1 so  different as she 
now knew herself to be1 she was moved to
 rise and look a  little more closely   
about her1 and see where she was4       
,when ,i call her a little ,pilgrim1 ,i 
do not mean that she was a child2 on    
the contrary1 she was not even young4   
,she was little by nature1 with as      
little flesh and blood as was consistent

 with mortal life2 and she was  one of  
those who are always little for love4   
,the tongue found diminutives  for her1 
the heart kept her in a perpetual youth4
 ,she was so modest and  so gentle1 that
 she always came last1 so long as there 
was any one whom  she could put before  
her4 ,but this little body1 and the soul
 which was  not little1 and the heart   
which was big and great1 had known all  
the  round of sorrows that fill a       
woman's life1 without knowing any of its
  warmer blessings4 ,she had nursed the 
sick1 she had entertained the weary1    
she had consoled the dying4 ,she had    
gone about the world1 which had no      
prize or recompense for her1 with a     
smile4 ,her little presence had been    
always bright4 ,she was not clever2 you 
might have said she had no mind at  all2
 but so wise and right and tender a     
heart1 that it was as good as  genius4  
,this is to let you know what this      
little ,pilgrim had been4    ,she rose  
up1 and it was strange how like she felt

 to the child she  remembered in that   
still summer morning so many years ago4 
,her little  body1 which had been worn  
and racked with pain1 felt as light and 
unconscious of itself as then4 ,she took
 her first step forward with the  same  
sense of pleasure1 yet of awe1          
suppressed delight and daring and  wild 
adventure1 yet perfect safety4 ,but then
 the recollection of the  little room in
 which she had fallen asleep came       
quickly1 strangely over  her1 confusing 
her mind4 ,i must be dreaming1 ,i       
suppose1 she said to  herself1          
regretfully2 for it was all so sweet    
that she wished it to be  true4 ,her    
movement called her attention to        
herself1 and she found that  she was    
dressed1 not in her night-dress1 as she 
had lain down1 but in a  dress she did  
not know4 ,she paused for a moment to   
look at it1 and  wonder4 ,she had never 
seen it before2 she did not make out how
 it was  made1 or what stuff it was1 but
 it fell so pleasantly about her1 it was

  so soft and light1 that in her        
confused state she abandoned that       
subject  with only an additional sense  
of pleasure4 ,and now the atmosphere    
became  more distinct to her4 ,she saw  
that under her feet was a greenness as  
of  close velvet turf1 both cool and    
warm1 cool and soft to touch1 but with  
no damp in it1 as might have been at    
that early hour1 and with flowers       
showing here and there4 ,she stood      
looking round her1 not able to identify 
the landscape because she was still     
confused a little1 and then walked      
softly on1 all the time afraid lest she 
should awake and lose the  sweetness of 
it all1 and the sense of rest and       
happiness4 ,she felt so  light1 so airy1
 as if she could skim across the field  
like any child4 ,it  was bliss enough to
 breathe and move1 with every organ so  
free4 ,after  more than fifty years of  
hard service in the world1 to feel like 
this1  even in a dream6 ,she smiled to  
herself at her own pleasure2 and then   

once  more1 yet more potently1 there    
came back upon her the appearance of her
  room in which she had fallen asleep4  
,how had she got from there to here8    
,had she been carried away in her sleep1
 or was it only a dream1 and would  she 
by and by find herself between the four 
dim walls again8 ,then this  shadow of  
recollection faded away once more1 and  
she moved forward1  walking in a soft   
rapture over the delicious turf4        
,presently she came to  a little mound1 
upon which she paused to look about her4
 ,every moment she  saw a little        
farther3 blue hills far away1 extending 
in long1 sweet  distance1 an indefinite 
landscape1 but fair and vast1 so that   
there could  be seen no end to it1 not  
even the line of the horizon1--save at  
one  side1 where there seemed to be a   
great shadowy gateway1 and something dim
  beyond4 ,she turned from the          
brightness to look at this1 and when she
 had  looked for some time1 she saw1    
what pleased her still more1 though she 

had been so happy before1 people coming 
in4 ,they were too far off for her  to  
see clearly1 but many came each apart1  
one figure only at a time4 ,to  watch   
them amused her in the delightful       
leisure of her mind4 ,who were  they8   
she wondered2 but no doubt soon some of 
them would come this way1  and she would
 see4 ,then suddenly she seemed to hear1
 as if in answer to  her question1 some 
one say1 ,those who are coming in are   
the people  who have died on earth4     
,died6 she said to herself aloud1 with a
  wondering sense of the                
inappropriateness of the word which     
almost came  the length of laughter4 ,in
 this sweet air1 with such a sense of   
life  about1 to suggest such an idea was
 almost ludicrous4 ,she was so occupied 
with this1 that she did not look round  
to see who the speaker might be4  ,she  
thought it over1 amused1 but with some  
new confusion of the mind4  ,then she   
said1 ,perhaps ,i have died too1 with a 
laugh to herself at the  absurdity of   

the thought4    ,yes1 said the other    
voice1 echoing that gentle laugh of     
hers1 you have  died too4    ,she turned
 round1 and saw another standing by her1
 a woman1 younger and  fairer1 and more 
stately than herself1 but of so sweet a 
countenance that  our little ,pilgrim   
felt no shyness1 but recognized a friend
 at once4 ,she  was more occupied       
looking at this new face1 and feeling   
herself at once  so much happier 7though
 she had been so happy before7 in       
finding a  companion who would tell her 
what everything was1 than in considering
  what these words might mean4 ,but just
 then once more the recollection of  the
 four walls1 with their little pictures 
hanging1 and the window with  its       
curtains drawn1 seemed to come round her
 for a moment1 so that her  whole soul  
was in a confusion4 ,and as this vision 
slowly faded away  7though she could not
 tell which was the vision1 the darkened
 room or  this lovely light71 her       
attention came back to the words at     

which she  had laughed1 and at which the
 other had laughed as she repeated them4
  ,died8--was it possible that this     
could be the meaning of it all8 ,died8  
she said1 looking with wonder in her    
companion's face1 which smiled back  to 
her4    ,but do you mean--,you cannot   
mean--,i have never been so well3 ,i am 
so  strong3 ,i have no                  
trouble--anywhere3 ,i am full of life4  
,the other nodded her beautiful head    
with a more beautiful smile1 and the    
little ,pilgrim burst out in a great cry
 of joy1 and said1--,is this all8  ,is  
it over8--,is it all over8 ,is it       
possible that this can be all8    ,were 
you afraid of it8 the other said4 ,there
 was a little agitation for  the moment 
in her heart4 ,she was so glad1 so      
relieved and thankful1 that  it took    
away her breath4 ,she could not get over
 the wonder of it4    ,to think one     
should look forward to it so long1 and  
wonder1 and be even  unhappy trying to  
divine what it will be--and this all6   

,ah1 but the angel was very gentle with 
you1 said the young woman2 you  were so 
tender and worn1 that he only smiled and
 took you sleeping4 ,there  are other   
ways4 ,but it is always wonderful to    
think it is over1 as you  say4    ,the  
little ,pilgrim could do nothing but    
talk of it1 as one does after a  very   
great event4 ,are you sure1 quite sure1 
it is so8 she said4 ,it  would be       
dreadful to find it only a dream1 to go 
to sleep again1 and wake  up--there--   
,this thought troubled her for a moment4
 ,the vision of the  bedchamber came    
back2 but this time she felt it was only
 a vision4 ,were  you afraid too8 she   
said1 in a low voice4    ,i never       
thought of it at all1 the beautiful     
stranger said2 ,i did not  think it     
would come to me4 ,but ,i was very sorry
 for the others to whom it  came1 and   
grudged that they should lose the       
beautiful earth1 and life1  and all that
 was so sweet4    ,my dear6 cried the   
,pilgrim1 as if she had never died1 oh1 

but this is  far sweeter6 ,and the heart
 is so light1 and it is1 happiness only 
to  breathe4 ,is it heaven here8 ,it    
must be heaven4    ,i do not know if it 
is heaven4 ,we have so many things to   
learn4 ,they  cannot tell you every     
thing at once1 said the beautiful lady4 
,i have  seen some of the people ,i was 
sorry for1 and when ,i told them1 we    
laughed--as you and ,i laughed just     
now--for pleasure4    ,that makes me    
think said the little ,pilgrim2 if ,i   
have died1 as you  say--which is so     
strange1 and me so living--if ,i have   
died1 they will  have found it out4 ,the
 house will be all dark1 and they will  
be breaking  their hearts4 ,oh1 how     
could ,i forget them in my selfishness1 
and be  happy6 ,i so light-hearted1     
while they--    ,she sat down hastily1  
and covered her face with her hands and 
wept4 ,the  other looked at her for a   
moment1 then kissed her for comfort1 and
 cried  too4 ,the two happy creatures   
sat there weeping together1 thinking of 

those they had left behind1 with an     
exquisite grief which was not           
unhappiness1 which was sweet with love  
and pity4 ,and oh1 said the  little     
,pilgrim1 what can we do to tell them   
not to grieve8 ,cannot  you send8 cannot
 you speak8 cannot one go to tell them8 
,the heavenly stranger shook her head4  
,it is not well1 they all say4          
,sometimes one has been permitted2 but  
they  do not know you1 she said1 with a 
pitiful look in her sweet eyes4 ,my     
mother told me that her heart was so    
sick for me1 she was allowed to go2  and
 she went and stood by me1 and spoke to 
me1 and ,i did not know her4  ,she came 
back so sad and sorry1 that they took   
her at once to our  ,father2 and there1 
you know1 she found that it was all     
well4 ,all is well  when you are there4 
,ah1 said the little ,pilgrim1 ,i have  
been thinking of other things4 ,of  how 
happy ,i was1 and of them2 but never of 
the ,father1--just as  if ,i had not    
died4    ,the other smiled upon her with

 a wonderful smile4    ,do you think he 
will be offended--our ,father--as if he 
were one of us8  she said4    ,and then 
the little ,pilgrim1 in her sudden grief
 to have forgotten him1  became         
conscious of a new rapture unexplainable
 in words4 ,she felt his  understanding 
to envelop her little spirit with a soft
 and clear  penetration1 and that       
nothing she did or said could ever be   
misconceived  more4 ,will you take me to
 him8 she said1 trembling yet glad1     
clasping  her hands4 ,and once again the
 other shook her head4    ,they will    
take us both when it is time1 she said3 
we do not go at our  own will4 ,but ,i  
have seen our ,brother--    ,oh1 take me
 to him6 the little ,pilgrim cried4 ,let
 me see his face6 ,i  have so many      
things to say to him4 ,i want to ask    
him--,oh1 take me to  where ,i can see  
his face6    ,and then once again the   
heavenly lady smiled4    ,i have seen   
him1 she said4 ,he is always about--now 
here1 now there4 ,he  will come and see 

you1 perhaps when you are not thinking4 
,but when he  pleases4 ,we do not think 
here of what we will--    ,the little   
,pilgrim sat very still1 wondering at   
all this4 ,she had thought  when a soul 
left the earth that it went at once to  
,god1 and thought of  nothing more1     
except worship and singing of praises4  
,but this was  different from her       
thoughts4 ,she sat and pondered and     
wondered4 ,she was  baffled at many     
points4 ,she was not changed1 as she    
expected1 but so much  like herself2    
still--still perplexed1 and feeling     
herself foolish2 not  understanding3    
toiling after a something which she     
could not grasp4 ,the  only difference  
was that it was no trouble to her now4  
,she smiled at  herself and at her      
dullness1 feeling sure that by and by   
she would  understand4    ,and don't you
 wonder too8 she said to her companion1 
which was a speech  such as she used to 
make upon the earth1 when people thought
 her little  remarks disjointed1 and did

 not always see the connection of them4 
,but  her friend of heaven knew what she
 meant4    ,i do nothing but wonder1 she
 said1 for it is all so natural1 not    
what  we thought4    ,is it long since  
you have been here8 the ,pilgrim said4  
,i came before you2 but how long or how 
short ,i cannot tell1 for that is  not  
how we count4 ,we count only by what    
happens to us4 ,and nothing yet  has    
happened to me1 except that ,i have seen
 our ,brother4 ,my mother sees  him     
always4 ,that means she has lived here a
 long time1 and well--    ,is it        
possible to live ill--in heaven8 ,the   
little ,pilgrim's eyes grew  large1 as  
if they were going to have tears in     
them1 and a little shadow  seemed to    
come over her4 ,but the other laughed   
softly1 and restored all  her           
confidence4    ,i have told you ,i do   
not know if it is heaven or not4 ,no one
 does ill1  but some do little1 and some
 do much1 just as it used to be4 ,do you
  remember in ,dante there was a lazy   

spirit that stayed about the gates and  
never got farther8 ,but perhaps you     
never read that4    ,i was not clever1  
said the little ,pilgrim1 wistfully2 no1
 ,i never read  it4 ,i wish ,i had known
 more4    ,upon which the beautiful lady
 kissed her again to give her courage1  
and  said1--    ,it does not matter at  
all4 ,it all comes to you1 whether you  
have known  it or not4    ,then your    
mother came here long ago8 said the     
,pilgrim4 ,ah1 then ,i  shall see my    
mother too4    ,oh1 very soon1 as soon  
as she can come2 but there are so many  
things to  do4 ,sometimes we can go and 
meet those who are coming2 but it is not
  always so4 ,i remember that she had a 
message4 ,she could not leave her       
business1 you may be sure1 or she would 
have been here4    ,then you know my    
mother8 ,oh1 and my dearest father too8 
,we all know each other1 the lady said  
with a smile4    ,and you8 did you come 
to meet me--only out of kindness1 though
 ,i do not  know you8 the little        

,pilgrim said4    ,i am nothing but an  
idler1 said the beautiful lady1 making  
acquaintance4 ,i am of little use as    
yet4 ,i was very hard worked before ,i  
came here1 and they think it well that  
we should sit in the sun and take  a    
little rest1 and find things out4       
,then the little ,pilgrim sat still and 
mused1 and felt in her heart that  she  
had found many things out4 ,what she had
 heard had been wonderful1 and  it was  
more wonderful still to be sitting here 
all alone1 save for this  lady1 yet so  
happy and at ease4 ,she wanted to sing1 
she was so happy2  but remembered that  
she was old2 and had lost her voice2 and
 then  remembered again that she was no 
longer old1 and perhaps had found it    
again4 ,and then it occurred to her to  
remember how she had learned to  sing1  
and how beautiful her sister's voice    
was1 and how heavenly to  hear          
her1--which made her remember that this 
dear sister would be  weeping1 not      
singing1 down where she had come from2  

and immediately the  tears stood in her 
eyes4    ,oh1 she said1 ,i never thought
 we should cry when we came here4 ,i    
thought there were no tears in heaven4  
,did you think1 then1 that we were all  
turned into stone8 cried the  beautiful 
lady4 ,it says ,god shall wipe away all 
tears from our faces1  which is not like
 saying there are to be no tears4       
,upon which the little ,pilgrim1 glad   
that it was permitted to be sorry1      
though she was so happy1 allowed herself
 to think upon the place she had  so    
lately left4 ,and she seemed to see her 
little room again1 with all the         
pictures hanging as she had left them1  
and the house darkened1 and the  dear   
faces she knew all sad and troubled1 and
 to hear them saying over to  each other
 all the little careless words she had  
said as if they were out  of the        
,scriptures1 and crying if any one but  
mentioned her name1 and  putting on     
crape and black dresses1 and lamenting  
as if that which had  happened was      

something very terrible4 ,she cried at  
this1 and yet felt  half inclined to    
laugh1 but would not1 because it would  
be disrespectful  to those she loved4   
,one thing did not occur to her1 and    
that was1 that  they would be carrying  
her body1 which she had left behind her1
 away to  the grave4 ,she did not think 
of this1 because she was not aware of   
the  loss1 and felt far too much herself
 to think that there was another part   
of her being buried in the ground4 ,from
 this she was aroused by her  companion 
asking her a question4    ,have you left
 many there8 she said4    ,no one1 said 
the little ,pilgrim1 to whom ,i was the 
first on earth2 but  they loved me all  
the same2 and if ,i could only1 only let
 them know--    ,but ,i left one to whom
 ,i was the first on earth1 said the    
other1 with  tears in her beautiful     
eyes2 and oh1 how glad ,i should be to  
be less  happy if he might be less sad6 
,and you cannot go8 you cannot go to him
 and tell him8 ,oh1 ,i wish1 cried  the 

little ,pilgrim2 but then she paused1   
for the wish died all away in  her heart
 into a tender love for this poor1      
sorrowful man whom she did  not know4   
,this gave her the sweetest pang she had
 ever felt1 for she knew  that all was  
well1 and yet was so sorry1 and would   
have willingly given  up her happiness  
for his4 ,all this the lady read in her 
eyes or her  heart1 and loved her for   
it2 and they took hands and were silent 
together1 thinking of those they had    
left1 as we upon earth think of  those  
who have gone from us1 but only with far
 more understanding and far  greater    
love4 ,and have you never been able to  
do anything for him8 our  ,pilgrim said4
    ,then the beautiful lady's face     
flushed all over with the most heavenly 
warmth and light4 ,her smile ran over   
like the bursting out of the sun4       
,oh1 ,i will tell you1 she said4 ,there 
was a moment when he was very sad  and  
perplexed1 not knowing what to think2   
there was something he could  not       

understand4 ,nor could ,i understand1   
nor did ,i know what it was1 until  it  
was said to me1 ',you may go and tell   
him4' ,and ,i went in the early  morning
 before he was awake1 and kissed him1   
and said it in his ear4 ,he  woke up in 
a moment1 and understood1 and everything
 was clear to him4  ,afterward ,i heard 
him say1 ',it is true that the night    
brings counsel4 ,i  had been troubled   
and distressed all day long1 but in the 
morning it was  quite clear to me4' ,and
 the other answered1 ',your brain was   
refreshed1  and that made your judgment 
clear4' ,but they never knew it was ,i6 
,that  was a great delight4 ,the dear   
souls1 they are so foolish1 she cried1  
with the sweetest laughter1 that ran    
into tears4 ,one cries because one  is  
so happy2 it is just a silly old habit1 
she said4    ,and you were not          
grieved--it did not hurt you--that he   
did not know--    ,oh1 not then1 not    
then6 ,i did not go to him for that4    
,when you have been  here a little      

longer1 you will see the difference4    
,when you go for  yourself1 out of      
impatience1 because it still seems to   
you that you must  know best1 and they  
don't know you1 then it strikes to your 
heart2 but  when you go to help         
them1--ah1 she cried1 when he comes1 how
 much ,i  shall have to tell him6 ',you 
thought it was sleep1 when it was ,i2   
when  you woke so fresh and clear1 it   
was ,i that kissed you2 you thought it  
your duty to me to be sad afterward1 and
 were angry with yourself because  you  
had wronged me of the first thoughts of 
your waking--when it was all  me1 all   
through6'    ,i begin to understand1    
said the little ,pilgrim4 ,but why      
should they  not see us1 and why should 
not we tell them8 ,it would seem so     
natural4 ,if  they saw us1 it would make
 them so happy and so sure4    ,upon    
this the lady shook her head4    ,the   
worst of it is not that they are not    
sure1 it is the parting4 ,if  this makes
 us sorry here1 how can they escape the 

sorrow of it1 even if  they saw us8--for
 we must be parted4 ,we cannot go back  
to live with them1  or why should we    
have died8 ,and then we must all live   
our lives1 they in  their way1 we in    
ours4 ,we must not weigh them down1 but 
only help them  when it is seen that    
there is need for it4 ,all this we shall
 know better  by and by4    ,you make it
 so clear1 and your face is so bright1  
said our little  ,pilgrim gratefully1   
you must have known a great deal1 and   
understood  even when you were in the   
world4    ,i was as foolish as ,i could 
be1 said the other1 with her laugh that 
was  as sweet as music2 yet thought ,i  
knew1 and they thought ,i knew4 ,but all
  that does not matter now4    ,i think 
it matters1 for look how much you have  
showed me4 ,but tell me  one thing more3
 how was it said to you that you must go
 and tell him8 ,was  it some one who    
spoke8 ,was it--    ,her face grew so   
bright that all the past brightness was 
as a dull sky to  this4 ,it gave out    

such a light of happiness1 that the     
little ,pilgrim was  dazzled4    ,i was 
wandering about1 she said1 to see this  
new place4 ,my mother had  come back    
between two errands she had1 and had    
come to see me and tell me  everything2 
and ,i was straying about1 wondering    
what ,i was to do1 when  suddenly ,i saw
 some one coming along1 as it might be  
now--    ,she paused and looked up1 and 
the little ,pilgrim looked up too1 with 
her  heart beating1 but there was no    
one4 ,then she gave a little sigh1 and  
turned and listened again4    ,i had not
 been looking for him1 or thinking4 ,you
 know my mind is too  light2 ,i am      
pleased with whatever is before me4 ,and
 ,i was so curious1 for  my mother had  
told me many things2 when suddenly ,i   
caught sight of him  passing by4 ,he was
 going on1 and when ,i saw this a panic 
seized me1 lest  he should pass and say 
nothing4 ,i do not know what ,i did4 ,i 
flung myself  upon his robe1 and got    
hold of it1--or at least ,i think so4 ,i

 was in such  an agony lest he should   
pass and never notice me4 ,but that was 
my folly4  ,he pass6 ,as if that could  
be6    ,and what did he say to you8     
cried the little ,pilgrim1 her heart    
almost  aching1 it beat so high with    
sympathy and expectation4    ,the lady  
looked at her for a little without      
saying anything4    ,i cannot tell you1 
she said1 any more than ,i can tell if  
this is  heaven4 ,it is a mystery4 ,when
 you see him you will know4 ,it will be 
all  you have ever hoped for1 and more  
besides1 for he understands everything4 
,he knows what is in our hearts about   
those we have left1 and why he sent  for
 us before them4 ,there is no need to   
tell him anything1 he knows4 ,he  will  
come when it is time2 and after you have
 seen him you will know what  to do4    
,then the beautiful lady turned her eyes
 toward the gate1 and while the  little 
,pilgrim was still gazing1 disappeared  
from her1 and went to  comfort some     
other stranger4 ,they were dear friends 

always1 and met  often1 but not again in
 the same way4    ,when she was thus    
left alone again1 the little ,pilgrim   
sat still upon the  grassy mound1 quite 
tranquil and happy1 without wishing to  
move4 ,there  was such a sense of       
well-being in her1 that she liked to sit
 there and  look about her1 and breathe 
the delightful air1 like the air of a   
summer  morning1 without wishing for    
anything4    ,how idle ,i am6 she said  
to herself1 in the very words she had   
often  used before she died2 but then   
she was idle from weakness1 and now from
  happiness4 ,she wanted for nothing4   
,to be alive was so sweet4 ,there was a 
great deal to think about in what she   
had heard1 but she did not even  think  
about that1 only resigned herself to the
 delight of sitting there  in the sweet 
air and being happy4 ,many people were  
coming and going1 and  they all knew    
her1 and smiled upon her1 and those who 
were at a distance  would wave their    
hands4 ,this did not surprise her at    

all1 for though she  was a stranger1 she
 too felt that she knew them all2 but   
that they should  be so kind was a      
delight to her which words could not    
tell4 ,she sat and  mused very sweetly  
about all that had been told her1 and   
wondered whether  she too might go      
sometimes1 and with a kiss and a whisper
 clear up  something that was dark in   
the mind of some one who loved her4 ,i  
that  never was clever6 she said to     
herself1 with a smile4 ,and chiefly she 
thought of a friend whom she loved1 who 
was often in great perplexity1  and did 
not know how to guide herself amid the  
difficulties of the world4    ,the      
little ,pilgrim half laughed with       
delight1 and then half cried with       
longing to go1 as the beautiful lady had
 done1 and make something clear  that   
had been dark before1 to this friend4   
,as she was thinking what a  pleasure it
 would be1 some one came up to her1     
crossing over the flowery  greenness1   
leaving the path on purpose4 ,this was a

 being younger than the  lady who had   
spoken to her before1 with flowing hair 
all crisped with  touches of sunshine1  
and a dress all white and soft1 like the
 feathers of  a white dove4 ,there was  
something in her face different from    
that of the  other1 by which the little 
,pilgrim knew somehow1 without knowing  
how1  that she had come here as a child1
 and grown up in this celestial place4  
,she was tall and fair1 and came along  
with so musical a motion1 as if her     
foot scarcely touched the ground1 that  
she might have had wings3 and the       
little ,pilgrim indeed was not sure as  
she watched1 whether it might not       
perhaps be an angel2 for she knew that  
there were angels among the  blessed    
people who were coming and going about1 
but had not been able yet  to find one  
out4 ,she knew that this new-comer was  
coming to her1 and  turned towards her  
with a smile and a throb at her heart of
 expectation4  ,but when the heavenly   
maiden drew nearer1 her face1 though it 

was so  fair1 looked to the ,pilgrim    
like another face1 which she had known  
very  well1--indeed1 like the homely and
 troubled face of the friend of whom    
she had been thinking4 ,and so she      
smiled all the more1 and held out her   
hands and said1 ,i am sure ,i know you2 
upon which the other kissed her  and    
said1 ,we all know each other2 but ,i   
have seen you often before  you came    
here1 and knelt down by her1 among the  
flowers that were  growing1 just in     
front of some tall lilies that grew over
 her1 and made  a lovely canopy over her
 head4 ,there was something in her face 
that was  like a child3 her mouth so    
soft1 as if it had never spoken anything
 but  heavenly words1 her eyes brown and
 golden1 as if they were filled with    
light4 ,she took the little ,pilgrim's  
hands in hers1 and held them and        
smoothed them between her own4 ,these   
hands had been very thin and worn       
before1 but now1 when the ,pilgrim      
looked at them1 she saw that they       

became softer and whiter every moment   
with the touch of this immortal  youth4 
,i knew you were coming1 said the       
maiden2 when my mother has wanted me  ,i
 have seen you there4 ,and you were     
thinking of her now that was how ,i     
found you4    ,do you know1 then1 what  
one thinks8 said the little ,pilgrim1   
with  wondering eyes4    ,it is in the  
air2 and when it concerns us it comes to
 us like the  breeze4 ,but we who are   
the children here1 we feel it more      
quickly than  you4    ,are you a child8 
said the little ,pilgrim1 or are you an 
angel8  ,sometimes you are like a child2
 but then your face shines1 and you are 
like--,you must have some name for it   
here2 there is nothing among the  words 
,i know4 ,and then she paused a little1 
still looking at her1 and  cried1 ,oh1  
if she could but see you1 little        
,margaret6 ,that would do her  most good
 of all4    ,then the maiden ,margaret  
shook her lovely head4 ,what does her   
most good  is the will of the ,father1  

she said4    ,at this the little        
,pilgrim felt once more that thrill of  
expectation and  awe4 ,oh1 child1 you   
have seen him8 she cried4    ,and the   
other smiled4 ,have you forgotten who   
they are that always behold  his face8  
,we have never had any fear or          
trembling4 ,we are not angels1 and      
there is no other name2 we are the      
children4 ,there is something given to  
us beyond the others4 ,we have had no   
other home4    ,oh1 tell me1 tell me6   
the little ,pilgrim cried4    ,upon this
 ,margaret kissed her1 putting her soft 
cheek against hers1 and  said2 ,it is a 
mystery2 it cannot be put into words2 in
 your time you  will know4    ,when you 
touch me you change me1 and ,i grow like
 you1 the ,pilgrim said4  ,ah1 if she   
could see us together1 you and me6 ,and 
will you go to her  soon again8 ,and do 
you see them always1 what they are      
doing8 and take  care of them8    ,it is
 our ,father who takes cares of them1   
and our ,lord who is our  ,brother4 ,i  

do his errands when ,i am able4         
,sometimes he will let me go1  sometimes
 another1 according as it is best4 ,who 
am ,i that ,i should take  care of them8
 ,i serve them when ,i may4    ,but you 
do not forget them8 the ,pilgrim said1  
with wistful eyes4    ,we love them     
always1 said ,margaret4 ,she was more   
still than the lady  who had first      
spoken with the ,pilgrim4 ,her          
countenance was full of a  heavenly     
calm4 ,it had never known passion nor   
anguish4 ,sometimes there  was in it a  
far-seeing look of vision1 sometimes the
 simplicity of a  child4 ,but what are  
we in comparison8 ,for he loves them    
more than we do4  ,when he keeps us from
 them1 it is for love4 ,we must each    
live our own  life4    ,but it is hard  
for them sometimes1 said the little     
,pilgrim1 who could  not withdraw her   
thoughts from those she had left4       
,they are never forsaken1 said the angel
 maiden4    ,but oh6 there are worse    
things than sorrow1 the little ,pilgrim 

said2  there is wrong1 there is evil1   
,margaret4 ,will not he send you to step
 in  before them1 to save them from     
wrong8    ,it is not for us to judge1   
said the young ,margaret1 with eyes full
 of  heavenly wisdom2 our ,brother has  
it all in his hand4 ,we do not read     
their hearts1 like him4 ,sometimes you  
are permitted to see the battle--       
,the little ,pilgrim covered her eyes   
with her hands4 ,i could not--,i could  
not2 unless ,i knew they were to win the
 day6    ,they will win the day in the  
end4 ,but sometimes1 when it was being  
lost1  ,i have seen in his face a       
something--,i cannot tell--more love    
than  before4 ,something that seemed to 
say1 ',my child1 my child1 would that ,i
  could do it for thee1 my child6'      
,oh6 that is what ,i have always felt1  
cried the ,pilgrim1 clasping her  hands2
 her eyes were dim1 her heart for a     
moment almost forgot its  blessedness4  
,but he could2 oh1 little ,margaret1 he 
could6 ,you have  forgotten1 ',lord2 if 

thou wilt thou canst--'    ,the child of
 heaven looked at her mutely1 with      
sweet1 grave eyes1 in  which there was  
much that confused her who was a        
stranger here1 and once  more softly    
shook her head4    ,is it that he will  
not then8 said the other with a low     
voice of awe4  ,our ,lord1 who          
died--he--    ,listen6 said the other2  
,i hear his step on the way4    ,the    
little ,pilgrim rose up from the mound  
on which she was sitting4 ,her  soul was
 confused with wonder and fear4 ,she had
 thought that an angel  might step      
between a soul on earth and sin1 and    
that if one but prayed  and prayed1 the 
dear ,lord would stand between and      
deliver the tempted4  ,she had meant    
when she saw his face to ask him to     
save4 ,was not he born1  did not he live
 and die1 to save8 ,the angel maiden    
looked at her all the  while with eyes  
that understood all her perplexity and  
her doubt1 but  spoke not4 ,thus it was 
that before the ,lord came to her1 the  

sweetness of  her first blessedness was 
obscured1 and she found that here too1  
even  here1 though in a moment she      
should see him1 there was need for      
faith4  ,young ,margaret1 who had been  
kneeling by her1 rose up too and stood  
among  the lilies1 waiting1 her soft    
countenance shining1 her eyes turned    
towards him who was coming4 ,upon her   
there was no cloud nor doubt4 ,she  was 
one of the children of that land        
familiar with his presence4 ,and  in the
 air there was a sound such as those who
 hear it alone can  describe1--a sound  
as of help coming and safety1 like the  
sound of a  deliverer when one is in    
deadly danger1 like the sound of a      
conqueror1  like the step of the dearest
 beloved coming home4 ,as it came       
nearer1 the  fear melted away out of the
 beating heart of the ,pilgrim4 ,who    
could fear  so near him8 ,her breath    
went away from her1 her heart out of her
 bosom to  meet his coming4 ,oh1 never  
fear could live where he was6 ,her soul 

was all  confused1 but it was with hope 
and joy4 ,she held out her hands in that
  amaze1 and dropped upon her knees1 not
 knowing what she did4    ,he was going 
about his ,father's business1 not       
lingering1 yet neither  making haste2   
and the calm and peace which the little 
,pilgrim had seen in  the faces of the  
blessed were but reflections from the   
majestic  gentleness of the countenance 
to which1 all quivering with happiness  
and  wonder1 she lifted up her eyes4    
,many things there had been in her mind 
to  say to him4 ,she wanted to ask for  
those she loved some things which       
perhaps he had overlooked4 ,she wanted  
to say1 ,send me4 ,it seemed to her     
that here was the occasion she had      
longed for all her life4 ,oh1 how many  
times had she wished to be able to go to
 him1 to fall at his feet1 to  show him 
something which had been left undone1   
something which perhaps  for her asking 
he would remember to do4 ,but when this 
dream of her life  was fulfilled1 and   

the little ,pilgrim1 kneeling1 and all  
shaken and  trembling with devotion and 
joy1 was at his feet1 lifting her face  
to  him1 seeing him1 hearing him--then  
she said nothing to him at all4 ,she  no
 longer wanted to say anything1 or      
wanted anything except what he  chose1  
or had power to think of anything except
 that all was well1 and                 
everything--everything as it should be  
in his hand4 ,it seemed to her that  all
 that she had ever hoped for was        
fulfilled when she met the look in  his 
eyes4 ,at first it seemed too bright for
 her to meet2 but next moment  she knew 
it was all that was needed to light up  
the world1 and in it  everything was    
clear4 ,her trembling ceased1 her little
 frame grew  inspired2 though she still 
knelt1 her head rose erect1 drawn to him
 like  the flower to the sun4 ,she could
 not tell how long it was1 nor what was 
said1 nor if it was in words4 ,all that 
she knew was that she told him all  that
 ever she had thought1 or wished1 or    

intended in all her life1  although she 
said nothing at all2 and that he opened 
all things to her1  and showed her that 
everything was well1 and no one         
forgotten2 and that  the things she     
would have told him of were more near   
his heart than hers1  and those to whom 
she wanted to be sent were in his own   
hand4 ,but whether  this passed with    
words or without words1 she could not   
tell4 ,her soul  expanded under his eyes
 like a flower4 ,it opened out1 it      
comprehended and  felt and knew4 ,she   
smote her hands together in her wonder  
that she could  have missed seeing what 
was so clear1 and laughed with a sweet  
scorn at  her folly1 as two people who  
love each other laugh at the little     
misunderstanding that has parted them4  
,she was bold with him1 though she  was 
so timid by nature1 and ventured to     
laugh at herself1 not to reproach       
herself2 for his divine eyes spoke no   
blame1 but smiled upon her folly  too4  
,and then he laid a hand upon her head1 

which seemed to fill her with  currents 
of strength and joy running through all 
her veins4 ,and then she  seemed to come
 to herself1 saying loud out1 ,and that 
,i will6 and that ,i  will6 and lo1 she 
was kneeling on the warm1 soft sod      
alone1 and hearing  the sound of his    
footsteps as he went about his ,father's
 business1  filling all the air with    
echoes of blessing4 ,and all the people 
who were  coming and going smiled upon  
her1 and she knew they were all glad for
 her  that she had seen him1 and got the
 desire of her heart4 ,some of them     
waved their hands as they passed1 and   
some paused a moment and spoke to  her  
with tender congratulations4 ,they      
seemed to have the tears in their  eyes 
for joy1 remembering every one the first
 time they had themselves  seen him1 and
 the joy of it2 so that all about there 
sounded a concord of  happy thoughts all
 echoing to each other1 ,she has seen   
the ,lord6    ,why did she say1 ,and    
that ,i will6 and that ,i will6 with    

such fervor and  delight8 ,she could not
 have told1 but yet she knew4 ,the first
 thing was  that she had yet to wait and
 believe until all things should be     
accomplished1 neither doubting nor      
fearing1 but knowing that all should  be
 well2 and the second was that she must 
delay no longer1 but rise up  and serve 
the ,father according to what was given 
her as her reward4 ,when  she had       
recovered a little of her rapture1 she  
rose from her knees1 and  stood still   
for a little1 to be sure which way she  
was to go4 ,and she was  not aware what 
guided her1 but yet turned her face in  
the appointed way  without any doubt4   
,for doubt was now gone away forever1   
and that fear  that once gave her so    
much trouble lest she might not be doing
 what was  best4 ,as she moved along she
 wondered at herself more and more4 ,she
 felt  no longer1 as at first1 like the 
child she remembered to have been1      
venturing out in the awful lovely       
stillness of the morning before any one 

was awake2 but she felt that to move    
along was a delight1 and that her  foot 
scarcely touched the grass4 ,and her    
whole being was instinct with  such     
lightness of strength and life1 that it 
did not matter to her how  far she went1
 nor what she carried1 nor if the way   
was easy or hard4 ,the  way she chose   
was one of those which led to the great 
gate1 and many met  her coming from     
thence1 with looks that were somewhat   
bewildered1 as if  they did not yet know
 whither they were going or what had    
happened to  them1--upon whom she smiled
 as she passed them with soft looks of  
tenderness and sympathy1 knowing what   
they were feeling1 but did not stop  to 
explain to them1 because she had        
something else that had been given  her 
to do4 ,for this is what always follows 
in that country when you meet  the      
,lord1 that you instantly know what it  
is that he would have you do4    ,the   
little ,pilgrim thus went on and on     
toward the gate1 which she had not  seen

 when she herself came through it1      
having been lifted in his arms by  the  
great ,death ,angel1 and set down softly
 inside1 so that she did not  know it1  
or even the shadow of it4 ,as she drew  
nearer1 the light became  less bright1  
though very sweet1 like a lovely dawn1  
and she wondered to  herself to think   
that she had been here but a moment ago1
 and yet so much  had passed since then4
 ,and still she was not aware what was  
her errand1  but wondered if she was to 
go back by these same gates1 and perhaps
  return where she had been4 ,she went  
up to them very closely1 for she was    
curious to see the place through which  
she had come in her sleep1--as a        
traveller goes back to see the city     
gate1 with its bridge and portcullis1   
through which he has passed by night4   
,the gate was very great1 of a          
wonderful1 curious architecture1 having 
strange1 delicate arches and  canopies  
above4 ,some parts of them seemed cut   
very clean and clear2 but  the outlines 

were all softened with a sort of mist   
and shadow1 so that it  looked greater  
and higher than it was4 ,the lower part 
was not one great  doorway1 as the      
,pilgrim had supposed1 but had          
innumerable doors1 all  separate and    
very narrow1 so that but one could pass 
at a time1 though  the arch inclosed    
all1 and seemed filled with great       
folding gates1 in  which the smaller    
doors were set1 so that if need arose a 
vast opening  might be made for many to 
enter4 ,of the little doors many were   
shut as  the ,pilgrim approached2 but   
from moment to moment one after another 
would  be pushed softly open from       
without1 and some one would come in4    
,the  little ,pilgrim looked at it all  
with great interest1 wondering which of 
the doors she herself had come by2 but  
while she stood absorbed by this1  a    
door was suddenly pushed open close by  
her1 and some one flung forward  into   
the blessed country1 falling upon the   
ground1 and stretched out wild  arms as 

though to clutch the very soil4 ,this   
sight gave the ,pilgrim a  great        
surprise2 for it was the first time she 
had heard any sound of  pain1 or seen   
any sight of trouble1 since she entered 
here4 ,in that  moment she knew what it 
was that the dear ,lord had given her to
 do4 ,she  had no need to pause to      
think1 for her heart told her2 and she  
did not  hesitate1 as she might have    
done in the other life1 not knowing what
 to  say4 ,she went forward and gathered
 this poor creature into her arms1 as   
if it had been a child1 and drew her    
quite within the land of peace2 for  she
 had fallen across the threshold1 so as 
to hinder any one entering who  might be
 coming after her4 ,it was a woman1 and 
she had flung herself upon  her face1 so
 that it was difficult for the little   
,pilgrim to see what  manner of person  
it was2 for though she felt herself     
strong enough to  take up this new-comer
 in her arms and carry her away1 yet she
 forbore1  seeing the will of the       

stranger was not so4 ,for some time this
 woman lay  moaning1 with now and then a
 great sob shaking her as she lay4 ,the 
little  ,pilgrim had taken her by both  
her arms1 and drawn her head to rest    
upon  her own lap1 and was still holding
 the hands1 which the poor creature had 
thrown out as if to clutch the ground4  
,thus she lay for a little while1  as   
the little ,pilgrim remembered she      
herself had lain1 not wishing to  move1 
wondering what had happened to her2 then
 she clutched the hands  which grasped  
her1 and said1 muttering1--    ,you are 
some one new4 ,have you come to save me8
 ,oh1 save me6 ,oh1 save  me6 ,don't let
 me die6    ,this was very strange to   
the little ,pilgrim1 and went to her    
heart4 ,she  soothed the stranger1      
holding her hands warm and light1 and   
stooping over  her4    ,dear1 she said1 
you must try and not be afraid4    ,you 
say so1 said the woman1 because you are 
well and strong4 ,you don't  know what  
it is to be seized in the middle of your

 life1 and told  that you've got to die4
 ,oh1 ,i have been a sinful creature6 ,i
 am not fit  to die4 ,can't you give me 
something that will cure me8 ,what is   
the good  of doctors and nurses if they 
cannot save a poor soul that is not fit 
to  die8    ,at this the little ,pilgrim
 smiled upon her1 always holding her    
fast1 and  said1--    ,why are you so   
afraid to die8    ,the woman raised her 
head to see who it was who put such a   
strange  question to her4    ,you are   
some one new1 she said4 ,i have never   
seen you before4 ,is there  any one that
 is not afraid to die8 ,would you like  
to have to give  your account all in a  
moment1 without any time to prepare8    
,but you have had time to prepare1 said 
the ,pilgrim4    ,oh1 only a very1 very 
little time4 ,and ,i never thought it   
was true4 ,i am  not an old woman1 and  
,i am not fit to die2 and ,i'm poor4    
,oh1 if ,i were  rich1 ,i would bribe   
you to give me something to keep me     
alive4 ,won't you  do it for            

pity8--won't you do it for pity8 ,when  
you are as bad as ,i am1  oh1 you will  
perhaps call for some one to help you1  
and find nobody1 like  me4    ,i will   
help you for love1 said the little      
,pilgrim2 some one who loves  you has   
sent me4    ,the woman lifted herself up
 a little and shook her head4 ,there is 
nobody  that loves me4 ,then she cast   
her eyes round her and began to tremble 
again 7for the touch of the little      
,pilgrim had stilled her74 ,oh1 where   
am ,i8 she said4 ,they have taken me    
away2 they have brought me to a  strange
 place2 and you are new4 ,oh1 where have
 they taken me8--where am  ,i8--where am
 ,i8 she cried4 ,have they brought me   
here to die8    ,then the little        
,pilgrim bent over her and soothed her4 
,you must not be  so much afraid of     
dying2 that is all over4 ,you need not  
fear that any  more1 she said softly2   
for here where you now are we have all  
died4    ,the woman started up out of   
her arms1 and then she gave a great     

shriek  that made the air ring1 and     
cried out1 ,dead6 am ,i dead8 with a    
shudder  and convulsion1 throwing       
herself again wildly with outstretched  
hands  upon the ground4    ,this was a  
great and terrible work for the little  
,pilgrim--the first she  had ever had to
 do--and her heart failed her for a     
moment2 but afterward  she remembered   
our ,brother who sent her1 and knew what
 was best4 ,she drew  closer to the     
new-comer1 and took her hand again4     
,try1 she said1 in a soft voice1 and    
think a little4 ,do you feel now so  ill
 as you were8 ,do not be frightened1 but
 think a little4 ,i will hold  your     
hand4 ,and look at me2 you are not      
afraid of me8    ,the poor creature     
shuddered again1 and then she turned her
 face and  looked doubtfully1 with great
 dark eyes dilated1 and the brow and    
cheek  so curved and puckered round them
 that they seemed to glow out of deep   
caverns4 ,her face was full of anguish  
and fear4 ,but as she looked at the     

little ,pilgrim1 her troubled gaze      
softened4 ,of her own accord she clasped
  her other hand upon the one that held 
hers1 and then she said with a  gasp1-- 
,i am not afraid of you2 that was not   
true that you said6 ,you are one of  the
 sisters1 and you want to frighten me   
and make me repent6    ,you do repent1  
the ,pilgrim said4    ,oh1 cried the    
poor woman1 what has the like of you to 
do with me8 ,now  ,i look at you1 ,i    
never saw any one that was like you     
before4 ,don't you  hate me8--don't you 
loathe me8 ,i do myself4 ,it's so ugly  
to go wrong4 ,i  think now ,i would     
almost rather die and be done with it4  
,you will say  that is because ,i am    
going to get better4 ,i feel a great    
deal better now4  ,do you think ,i am   
going to get over it8 ,oh1 ,i am better6
 ,i could get up  out of bed and walk   
about4 ,yes1 but ,i am not in           
bed1--where have you  brought me8 ,never
 mind1 it is a fine air2 ,i shall soon  
get well here4    ,the ,pilgrim was     

silent for a little1 holding her hands4 
,and then she  said1--    ,tell me how  
you feel now1 in her soft voice4    ,the
 woman had sat up and was gazing round  
her4 ,it is very strange1 she  said2 it 
is all confused4 ,i think upon my mother
 and the old prayers ,i  used to say4   
,for a long1 long time ,i always said my
 prayers2 but now ,i've  got hardened1  
they say4 ,oh1 ,i was once as fresh as  
any one4 ,it all comes  over me now4 ,i 
feel as if ,i were young again--just    
come out of the  country4 ,i am sure    
that ,i could walk4    ,the little      
,pilgrim raised her up1 holding her by  
her hands2 and she stood  and gazed     
round about her1 making one or two      
doubtful steps4 ,she was very  pale1 and
 the light was dim2 her eyes peered into
 it with a scared yet  eager look4 ,she 
made another step1 then stopped again4  
,i am quite well1 she said4 ,i could    
walk a mile4 ,i could walk any          
distance4 ,what was that you said8 ,oh1 
,i tell you ,i am better6 ,i am not     

going to die4    ,you will never1 never 
die1 said the little ,pilgrim2 are you  
not glad  it is all over8 ,oh1 ,i was so
 glad6 ,and all the more you should be  
glad if  you were so much afraid4       
,but this woman was not glad4 ,she      
shrank away from her companion1 then    
came close to her again1 and gripped her
 with her hands4    ,it is your--fun1   
she said1 or just to frighten me4       
,perhaps you think  it will do me no    
harm as ,i am getting so well2 you want 
to frighten me to  make me good4 ,but ,i
 mean to be good without that--,i       
do6--,i do6 ,when one  is so near dying 
as ,i have been and yet gets            
better1--for ,i am going to  get better6
 ,yes6 you know it as well as ,i4       
,the little ,pilgrim made no reply1 but 
stood by1 looking at her charge1  not   
feeling that anything was given her to  
say1--and she was so new to  this work1 
that there was a little trembling in    
her1 lest she should not  do everything 
as she ought4 ,and the woman looked     

round with those anxious  eyes gazing   
all about4 ,the light did not brighten  
as it had done when the  ,pilgrim       
herself first came to this place4 ,for  
one thing1 they had  remained quite     
close to the gate1 which no doubt threw 
a shadow4 ,the  woman looked at that1   
and then turned and looked into the dim 
morning1  and did not know where she    
was1 and her heart was confused and     
troubled4    ,where are we8 she said4 ,i
 do not know where it is2 they must have
  brought me here in my sleep1--where   
are we8 ,how strange to bring a sick    
woman away out of her room in her sleep6
 ,i suppose it was the new  doctor1 she 
went on1 looking very closely in the    
little ,pilgrim's face2  then paused1   
and drawing a long breath1 said softly1 
,it has done me  good4 ,it is better    
air--it is--a new kind of cure6    ,but 
though she spoke like this1 she did not 
convince herself2 her eyes  were wild   
with wondering and fear4 ,she gripped   
the ,pilgrim's arm more and  more       

closely1 and trembled1 leaning upon her4
    ,why don't you speak to me8 she     
said2 why don't you tell me8 ,oh1 ,i    
don't know how to live in this place6   
,what do you do8--how do you speak8  ,i 
am not fit for it4 ,and what are you8 ,i
 never saw you before1 nor any  one like
 you4 ,what do you want with me8 ,why   
are you so kind to me8  ,why--why--     
,and here she went off into a murmur of 
questions4 ,why8 why8 always  holding   
fast by the little ,pilgrim1 always     
gazing round her1 groping as  it were in
 the dimness with her great eyes4    ,i 
have come because our dear ,lord who is 
our ,brother sent me to meet  you1 and  
because ,i love you1 the little ,pilgrim
 said4    ,love me6 the woman cried1    
throwing up her hands4 ,but no one loves
 me2  ,i have not deserved it4 ,here she
 grasped her close again with a sudden  
clutch1 and cried out1 ,if this is what 
you say1 where is ,god8    ,are you     
afraid of him8 the little ,pilgrim said4
 ,upon which the woman  trembled so1    

that the ,pilgrim trembled too with the 
quivering of her  frame2 then loosed her
 hold1 and fell upon her face1 and      
cried1--    ,hide me6 hide me6 ,i have  
been a great sinner4 ,hide me1 that he  
may not  see me2 and with one hand she  
tried to draw the ,pilgrim's dress as a 
veil between her and something she      
feared4    ,how should ,i hide you from 
him who is everywhere8 and why should ,i
 hide  you from your ,father8 the little
 ,pilgrim said4 ,this she said almost   
with  indignation1 wondering that any   
one could put more trust in her1 who was
  no better than a child1 than in the   
,father of all4 ,but then she said1     
,look into your heart1 and you will see 
you are not so much afraid as you       
think4 ,this is how you have been       
accustomed to frighten yourself4 ,but   
now  look into your heart4 ,you thought 
you were very ill at first1 but not now 
and you think you are afraid2 but look  
into your heart--    ,there was a       
silence2 and then the woman raised her  

head with a wonderful  look1 in which   
there was amazement and doubt1 as if she
 had heard some  joyful thing1 but dared
 not yet believe that it was true4 ,once
 more she  hid her face in her hands1   
and once more raised it again4 ,her eyes
  softened2 a long sigh or gasp1 like   
one taking breath after drowning1  shook
 her breast4 ,then she said1 ,i         
think--that is true4 ,but if ,i am not  
afraid1 it is because ,i am--bad4 ,it is
 because ,i am hardened4 ,oh1 should    
not ,i fear him who can send me away    
into--the lake that burns--into the     
pit-- ,and here she gave a great cry1   
but held the little ,pilgrim all the    
while with her eyes1 which seemed to    
plead and ask for better news4    ,then 
there came into the ,pilgrim's heart    
what to say1 and she took the  woman's  
hand again and held it between her own4 
,that is the change1 she  said1 that    
comes when we come here4 ,we are not    
afraid any more of our  ,father4 ,we are
 not all happy4 ,perhaps you will not be

 happy at first4 ,but  if he says to    
you1 ',go6'--even to that place you     
speak of--you will know  that it is     
well1 and you will not be afraid4 ,you  
are not afraid now1--oh1  ,i can see it 
in your eyes4 ,you are not happy1 but   
you are not afraid4 ,you  know it is the
 ,father4 ,do not say ,god1--that is far
 off1--,father6 said  the little        
,pilgrim1 holding up the woman's hand   
clasped in her own4 ,and  there came    
into her soul an ecstasy1 and tears that
 were tears of  blessedness fell from   
her eyes1 and all about her there seemed
 to shine a  light4 ,when she came to   
herself1 the woman who was her charge   
had come  quite close to her1 and had   
added her other hand to that the        
,pilgrim  held1 and was weeping and     
saying1 ,i am not afraid1 with now and  
then a  gasp and sob1 like a child who  
after a passion of tears has been       
consoled1 yet goes on sobbing and cannot
 quite forget1 and is afraid to  own    
that all is well again4 ,then the       

,pilgrim kissed her1 and bade her  rest 
a little2 for even she herself felt     
shaken1 and longed for a little  quiet1 
and to feel the true sense of the peace 
that was in her heart4 ,she  sat down   
beside her upon the ground1 and made her
 lean her head against  her shoulder1   
and thus they remained very still for a 
little time1 saying  no more4 ,it seemed
 to the little ,pilgrim that her        
companion had fallen  asleep1 and       
perhaps it was so1 after so much        
agitation4 ,all this time  there had    
been people passing1 entering by the    
many doors4 ,and most of  them paused a 
little to see where they were1 and      
looked round them1 then  went on2 and it
 seemed to the little ,pilgrim that     
according to the doors  by which they   
entered each took a different way4      
,while she watched1  another came in by 
the same door as that at which the woman
 who was her  charge had come in4 ,and  
he too stumbled and looked about him    
with an air  of great wonder and doubt4 

,when he saw her seated on the ground1  
he came  up to her hesitating1 as one in
 a strange place who does not want to   
betray that he is bewildered and has    
lost his way4 ,he came with a little    
pretence of smiling1 though his         
countenance was pale and scared1 and    
said1 drawing his breath quick1 ,i ought
 to know where ,i am1 but ,i have  lost 
my head1 ,i think4 ,will you tell me    
which is--the way8    ,what way8 cried  
the little ,pilgrim2 for her strength   
was gone from her1  and she had no word 
to say to him4 ,he looked at her with   
that  bewilderment on his face1 and     
said1 ,i find myself strange1 strange4  
,i  ought to know where ,i am2 but it is
 scarcely daylight yet4 ,it is perhaps  
foolish to come out so early in the     
morning4 ,this he said in his           
confusion1 not knowing where he was1 nor
 what he said4    ,i think all the ways 
lead to our ,father1 said the little    
,pilgrim  7though she had not known this
 till now74 ,and the dear ,lord walks   

about  them all4 ,here you never go     
astray4    ,upon this the stranger      
looked at her1 and asked in a faltering 
voice1  ,are you an angel8 still not    
knowing what he said4    ,oh1 no1 no2 ,i
 am only a ,pilgrim1 she replied4       
,may ,i sit by you a little8 said the   
man4 ,he sat down1 drawing long         
breaths1 as though he had gone through  
great fatigue2 and looked about  with   
wondering eyes4 ,you will wonder1 but ,i
 do not know where ,i am1 he  said4 ,i  
feel as if ,i must he dreaming4 ,this is
 not where ,i expected to  come4 ,i     
looked for something very different2 do 
you think there can have  been          
any--mistake8    ,oh1 never that1 she   
said2 there are no mistakes here4       
,then he looked at her again1 and       
said1--    ,i perceive that you belong  
to this country1 though you say you are 
a  pilgrim4 ,i should be grateful if you
 would tell me4 ,does one live--here8   
,and is this all8 ,is there no--no--but 
,i don't know what word to use4 ,all  is

 so strange1 different from what ,i     
expected4    ,do you know that you have 
died8    ,yes--yes1 ,i am quite         
acquainted with that1 he said1          
hurriedly2 as if it  had been an idea he
 disliked to dwell upon4 ,but then ,i   
expected--,is  there no one to tell you 
where to go1 or what you are to be8 or  
to take  any notice of you8    ,the     
little ,pilgrim was startled by this    
tone4 ,she did not understand its       
meaning1 and she had not any word to say
 to him4 ,she looked at him with  as    
much bewilderment as he had shown when  
he approached her1 and replied1         
faltering1--    ,there are a great many 
people here2 but ,i have never heard if 
there is  any one to tell you--    ,what
 does it matter how many people there   
are if you know none of them8  he said4 
,we all know each other1 she answered   
him but then paused and hesitated  a    
little1 because this was what had been  
said to her1 and of herself she  was not
 assured of it1 neither did she know at 

all how to deal with this  stranger1 to 
whom she had not any commission4 ,it    
seemed that he had no  one to care for  
him1 and the little ,pilgrim had a sense
 of compassion1  yet of trouble in her  
heart2 for what could she say8 ,and it  
was very  strange to her to see one who 
was not content here4    ,ah1 but there 
should be some one to point out the way1
 and tell us which  is our circle1 and  
where we ought to go1 he said4 ,and then
 he too was  silent for a while1 looking
 about him as all were fain to do on    
their  first arrival1 finding everything
 so strange4 ,there were people coming  
in  at every moment1 and some were met  
at the very threshold1 and some went    
away alone with peaceful faces1 and     
there were many groups about talking    
together in soft voices2 but no one     
interrupted the other1 and though so    
many were there1 each voice was as clear
 as if it had spoken alone1 and  there  
was no tumult of sound as when many     
people assemble together in the  lower  

world4    ,the little ,pilgrim wondered 
to find herself with the woman resting  
upon  her on one side1 and the man      
seated silent on the other1 neither     
having1  it appeared1 any guide but only
 herself1 who knew so little4 ,how was  
she  to lead them in the paths which she
 did not know8--and she was exhausted   
by the agitation of her struggle with   
the woman whom she felt to be her       
charge4 ,but in this moment of silence  
she had time to remember the face  of   
the ,lord1 when he gave her this        
commission1 and her heart was           
strengthened4 ,the man all this time sat
 and watched1 looking eagerly all  about
 him1 examining the faces of those who  
went and came3 and sometimes  he made a 
little start as if to go and speak to   
some one he knew2 but  always drew back 
again and looked at the little ,pilgrim1
 as if he had  said1 ,this is the one   
who will serve me best4 ,he spoke to her
 again  after a while and said1 ,i      
suppose you are one of the guides that  

show  the way4    ,no1 said the little  
,pilgrim1 anxiously4 ,i know so little6 
,it is not  long since ,i came here4 ,i 
came in the early morning--    ,why1 it 
is morning now4 ,you could not come     
earlier than it is now4 ,you  mean      
yesterday4    ,i think1 said the        
,pilgrim1 that yesterday is the other   
side2 there is  no yesterday here4      
,he looked at her with the keen look he 
had1 to understand her the better2  and 
then he said1--    ,no division of time6
 ,i think that must be monotonous4 ,it  
will be strange  to have no night2 but  
,i suppose one gets used to everything4 
,i hope  though there is something to   
do4 ,i have always lived a very busy    
life4  ,perhaps this is just a little   
pause before we go--to be--to have--to  
get our--appointed place4    ,he had an 
uneasy look as he said this1 and looked 
at her with an anxious  curiosity1 which
 the little ,pilgrim did not understand4
    ,i do not know1 she said softly1    
shaking her head4 ,i have so little     

experience4 ,i have not been told of an 
appointed place4    ,the man looked at  
her very strangely4    ,i did not think1
 he said1 that ,i should have found such
 ignorance  here4 ,is it not well known 
that we must all appear before the      
judgment-seat of ,god8    ,there words  
seemed to cause a trembling on the still
 air1 and the woman  on the other side  
raised herself suddenly up1 clasping her
 hands and some  of those who had just  
entered heard the words1 and came and   
crowded about  the little ,pilgrim1 some
 standing1 some falling down upon their 
knee1 all  with their faces turned      
towards her4 ,she who had always been so
 simple  and small1 so little used to   
teach2 she was frightened with the sight
 of  all these strangers crowding1      
hanging upon her lips1 looking to her   
for  knowledge4 ,she knew not what to do
 or what to say4 ,the tears came into   
her eyes4    ,oh1 she said1 ,i do not   
know anything about a judgment-seat4 ,i 
know  that our ,father is here1 and that

 when we are in trouble we are taken to 
him to be comforted1 and that our dear  
,lord our ,brother is among us every    
day1 and every one may see him4 ,listen1
 she said1 standing up suddenly  among  
them1 feeling strong as an angel4 ,i    
have seen him6 though ,i am  nothing1 so
 little as you see1 and often silly1    
never clever as some of  you are1 ,i    
have seen him6 and so will all of you4  
,there is no more that ,i  know of1 she 
said softly1 clasping her hands4 ,when  
you see him it comes  into your heart   
what you must do4    ,and then there was
 a murmur of voices about her1 some     
saying that was  best1 and some         
wondering if that were all1 and some    
crying if he would  but come now--while 
the little ,pilgrim stood among them    
with her face  shining1 and they all    
looked at her1 asking her to tell them  
more1 to  show them how to find him4    
,but this was far above what she could  
do1 for  she too was not much more than 
a stranger1 and had little strength4    

,she  would not go back a step1 nor     
desert those who were so anxious to     
know1  though her heart fluttered almost
 as it had used to do before she died1  
what with her longing to tell them1 and 
knowing that she had no more to  say4   
,but in that land it is never permitted 
that one who stands bravely and  fails  
not shall be left without succor2 for it
 is no longer needful there  to stand   
even to death1 since all dying is over1 
and all souls are  tested4 ,when it was 
seen that the little ,pilgrim was thus  
surrounded by  so many that questioned  
her1 there suddenly came about her many 
others  from the brightness out of which
 she had come1 who1 one going to one    
hand1 and one to another1 safely led    
them into the ways in which their       
course lay3 so that the ,pilgrim was    
free to lead forth the woman who had    
been given her in charge1 and whose path
 lay in a dim1 but pleasant  country1   
outside of that light and gladness in   
which the ,pilgrim's home  was4    ,but1

 she said1 you are not to fear or be    
cast down1 because he goes  likewise by 
these ways1 and there is not a corner in
 all this land but he  is to be seen    
passing by2 and he will come and speak  
to you1 and lay his  hand upon you2 and 
afterwards everything will be clear1 and
 you will know  what you are to do4     
,stay with me till he comes1--oh1 stay  
with me1 the woman cried1  clinging to  
her arm4    ,unless another is sent1 the
 little ,pilgrim said4 ,and it was      
nothing to  her that the air was less   
bright there1 for her mind was full of  
light1  so that1 though her heart still 
fluttered a little with all that had    
passed1 she had no longing to return1   
nor to shorten the way1 but went by  the
 lower road sweetly1 with the stranger  
hanging upon her1 who was  stronger and 
taller than she4 ,thus they went on1 and
 the ,pilgrim told her  all she knew1   
and everything that came into her heart4
 ,and so full was  she of the great     
things she had to say1 that it was a    

surprise to her1  and left her          
trembling1 when suddenly the woman took 
away her clinging  hand1 and flew       
forward with arms out-spread and a cry  
of joy4 ,the little  ,pilgrim stood     
still to see1 and on the path before    
them was a child1  coming towards them  
singing1 with a look such as is never   
seen but upon  the faces of children who
 have come here early1 and who behold   
the face  of the ,father1 and have never
 known fear nor sorrow4 ,the woman flew 
and  fell at the child's feet1 and he   
put his hand upon her1 and raised her   
up1 and called her mother4 ,then he     
smiled upon the little ,pilgrim1 and    
led her away4    ,now she needs me no   
longer1 said the ,pilgrim2 and it was a 
surprise to  her1 and for a moment she  
wondered in herself if it was known that
 this  child should come so suddenly and
 her work be over2 and also how she was 
to return again to the sweet place among
 the flowers from which she had  come4  
,but when she turned to look if there   

was any way1 she found one  standing by 
such as she had not yet seen4 ,this was 
a youth1 with a face  just touched with 
manhood1 as at the moment when the boy  
ends1 when all  is still fresh and pure 
in the heart2 but he was taller and     
greater than  a man4    ,i am sent1 he  
said1 little sister1 to take you to the 
,father2 because  you have been very    
faithful1 and gone beyond your strength4
    ,and he took the little ,pilgrim by 
the hand1 and she knew he was an angel2 
and immediately the sweet air melted    
about them into light1 and a hush  came 
upon her of all thought and all sense1  
attending till she should  receive the  
blessing1 and her new name1 and see what
 is beyond telling1  and hear and       
understand4          ,,ii4    ,,the     
,,little ,,pilgrim ,,goes ,,up ,,higher4
      ,when the little ,pilgrim came out
 of the presence of the ,father1 she    
found  herself in the street of a great 
city4 ,but what she saw and heard when  
she was with ,him it is not given to the

 tongue of mortal to say1 for it  is    
beyond words1 and beyond even thought4  
,as the mystery of love is not  to be   
spoken but to be felt1 even in the lower
 earth1 so1 but much less1  is that     
great mystery of the love of the ,father
 to be expressed in sound4  ,the little 
,pilgrim was very happy when she went   
into that sacred place1  but there was a
 great awe upon her1 and it might even  
be said that she  was afraid2 but when  
she came out again she feared nothing1  
but looked  with clear eyes upon all she
 saw1 loving them1 but no more overawed 
by  them1 having seen that which is     
above all4 ,when she came forth again to
  her common life--for it is not        
permitted save for those who have       
attained  the greatest heights to dwell 
there--she had no longer need of any    
guide1  but came alone1 knowing where to
 go1 and walking where it pleased her1  
with reverence and a great delight in   
seeing and knowing all that was  around1
 but no fear4 ,it was a great city1 but 

it was not like the great  cities which 
she had seen4 ,she understood as she    
passed along how it was  that those who 
had been dazzled but by a passing glance
 had described the  walls and the       
pavement as gold4 ,they were like what  
gold is1 beautiful  and clear1 of a     
lovely color1 but softer in tone than   
metal ever was1 and  as cool and fresh  
to walk upon and to touch as if they had
 been velvet  grass4 ,the buildings were
 all beautiful1 of every style and form 
that it  is possible to think of1 yet in
 great harmony1 as if every man had     
followed his own taste1 yet all had been
 so combined and grouped by the  master 
architect that each individual feature  
enhanced the effect of the  rest4 ,some 
of the houses were greater and some     
smaller1 but all of them  were rich in  
carvings and pictures and lovely        
decorations1 and the effect  was as if  
the richest materials had been employed1
 marbles and beautiful  sculptured      
stone1 and wood of beautiful tints1     

though the little ,pilgrim  knew that   
these were not like the marble and stone
 she had once known1  but heavenly      
representatives of them1 far better than
 they4 ,there were  people at work upon 
them1 building new houses and making    
additions1 and a  great many painters   
painting upon them the history of the   
people who  lived there1 or of others   
who were worthy that commemoration4 ,and
 the  streets were full of pleasant     
sound1 and of crowds going and coming1  
and  the commotion of much business1 and
 many things to do4 ,and this movement1 
and the brightness of the air1 and the  
wonderful things that were to be  seen  
on every side1 made the ,pilgrim gay1 so
 that she could have sung  with pleasure
 as she went along4 ,and all who met her
 smiled1 and every  group exchanged     
greetings as they passed along1 all     
knowing each other4  ,many of them1 as  
might be seen1 had come there1 as she   
did1 to see the  wonders of the         
beautiful city2 and all who lived there 

were ready to tell  them whatever they  
desired to know1 and show them the      
finest houses and  the greatest         
pictures4 ,and this gave a feeling of   
holiday and pleasure  which was         
delightful beyond description1 for all  
the busy people about  were full of     
sympathy with the strangers1 bidding    
them welcome1 inviting  them into their 
houses1 making the warmest fellowship4  
,and friends were  meeting continually  
on every side2 but the ,pilgrim had no  
sense that she  was forlorn in being    
alone1 for all were friends2 and it     
pleased her to  watch the others1 and   
see how one turned this way and one     
another1 every  one finding something   
that delighted him above all other      
things4 ,she  herself took a great      
pleasure in watching a painter1 who was 
standing  upon a balcony a little way   
above her1 painting upon a great fresco3
 and  when he saw this he asked her to  
come up beside him and see his work4    
,she  asked him a great many questions  

about it1 and why it was that he was    
working only at the draperies of the    
figures1 and did not touch their  faces1
 some of which were already finished and
 seemed to be looking at  her1 as living
 as she was1 out of the wall1 while some
 were merely  outlined as yet4 ,he told 
her that he was not a great painter to  
do this1  or to design the great work1  
but that the master would come          
presently1  who had the chief           
responsibility4 ,for we have not all the
 same genius1  he said1 and if ,i were  
to paint this head it would not have the
 gift of  life as that one has2 but to  
stand by and see him put it in1 you     
cannot  think what a happiness that is2 
for one knows every touch1 and just what
  effect it will have1 though one could 
not do it one's self2 and it is a       
wonder and a delight perpetual that it  
should be done4    ,the little ,pilgrim 
looked up at him and said1 ,that is very
 beautiful to  say4 ,and do you never   
wish to be like him--to make the lovely1

 living  faces as well as the other     
parts8    ,is not this lovely too8 he   
said2 and showed her how he had just put
 in  a billowy robe1 buoyed out with the
 wind1 and sweeping down from the       
shoulders of a stately figure in such   
free and graceful folds that she  would 
have liked to take it in her hand and   
feel the silken texture2 and  then he   
told her how absorbing it was to study  
the mysteries of color and  the         
differences of light4 ,there is enough  
in that to make one happy1  he said4 ,it
 is thought by some that we will all    
come to the higher point  with work and 
thought3 but that is not my feeling2 and
 whether it is so  or not what does it  
matter1 for our ,father makes no        
difference3 and all  of us are necessary
 to everything that is done3 and it is  
almost more  delight to see the master  
do it than to do it with one's own hand4
 ,for  one thing1 your own work may     
rejoice you in your heart1 but always   
with a little trembling because it is   

never so perfect as you would have      
it--whereas in your master's work you   
have full content1 because his idea     
goes beyond yours1 and as he makes every
 touch you can feel ',that is           
right--that is complete--that is just as
 it ought to be4' ,do you  understand   
what ,i mean8 he said1 turning to her   
with a smile4    ,i understand it       
perfectly1 she cried1 clasping her hands
 together with  the delight of accord4  
,don't you think that is one of the     
things that  are so happy here8 you     
understand at half a word4    ,not      
everybody1 he said1 and smiled upon her 
like a brother2 for we are  not all     
alike even here4    ,were you a painter8
 she said1 in--in the other--    ,in the
 old times4 ,i was one of those that    
strove for the mastery1 and  sometimes  
grudged--,we remember these things at   
times1 he said gravely1  to make us more
 aware of the blessedness of being      
content4    ,it is long since then8 she 
said with some wistfulness2 upon which  

he  smiled again4    ,so long1 he said1 
that we have worn out most of our links 
to the world  below4 ,we have all come  
away1 and those who were after us for   
generations4 ,but you are a new-comer4  
,and are they all with you8 are you     
all--together8 do you live--as in the   
old time8    ,upon this the painter     
smiled1 but not so brightly as before4  
,not as in the old time1 he said1 nor   
are they all here4 ,some are still  upon
 the way1 and of some we have no        
certainty1 only news from time to  time4
 ,the angels are very good to us4 ,they 
never miss an occasion to  bring us     
news2 for they go everywhere1 you know4 
,yes1 said the little ,pilgrim1 though  
indeed she had not known it till  now2  
but it seemed to her as if it had come  
to her mind by nature and she  had never
 needed to be told4    ,they are so     
tender-hearted1 the painter said2 and   
more than that1 they  are very curious  
about men and women4 ,they have known it
 all from the  beginning1 and it is a   

wonder to them4 ,there is a friend of   
mine1 an  angel1 who is more wise in    
men's hearts than any one ,i know2 and  
yet he  will say to me sometimes1 ',i do
 not understand you1--you are           
wonderful4'  ,they like to find out all 
we are thinking4 ,it is an endless      
pleasure to  them1 just as it is to some
 of us to watch the people in the other 
worlds4    ,do you mean--where we have  
come from8 said the little ,pilgrim4    
,not always there4 ,we in this city have
 been long separated from that  country1
 for all that we love are out of it4    
,but not here8 the little ,pilgrim cried
 again1 with a little sorrow--a  pang   
that she knew was going to be put       
away--in her heart4    ,but coming6     
coming6 said the painter1 cheerfully2   
and some were here  before us1 and some 
have arrived since4 ,they are           
everywhere4    ,but some in             
trouble--some in trouble6 she cried1    
with the tears in her  eyes4    ,we     
suppose so1 he said1 gravely2 for some  

are in that place which once  was called
 among us the place of despair4    ,you 
mean-- and though the little ,pilgrim   
had been made free of fear1 at  that    
word which she would not speak1 she     
trembled1 and the light grew dim  in her
 eyes4    ,well6 said her new friend1   
and what then8 ,the ,father sees through
 and  through it as he does here2 they  
cannot escape him3 so that there is     
,love  near them always4 ,i have a son1 
he said1 then sighed a little1 but      
smiled again1 who is there4    ,the     
little ,pilgrim at this clasped her     
hands with a piteous cry4    ,nay1 nay1 
he said1 little sister2 my friend ,i was
 telling you of1 the  angel1 brought me 
news of him just now4 ,indeed there was 
news of him  through all the city4 ,did 
you not hear all the bells ringing8 ,but
 perhaps  that was before you came4 ,the
 angels who know me best came one  after
 another to tell me1 and our ,lord      
himself came to wish me joy4 ,my  son   
had found the way4    ,the little       

,pilgrim did not understand this1 and   
almost thought that the  painter must be
 mistaken or dreaming4 ,she looked at   
him very anxiously  and said1--    ,i   
thought that those unhappy--never came  
out any more4    ,the painter smiled at 
her in return1 and said1--    ,had you  
children in the old time8    ,she paused
 a little before she replied4    ,i had 
children in love1 she said1 but none    
that were born mine4    ,it is the same1
 he said1 it is the same2 and if one of 
them had sinned  against you1 injured   
you1 done wrong in any way1 would you   
have cast him  off1 or what would you   
have done8    ,oh6 said the little      
,pilgrim again1 with a vivid light of   
memory coming  into her face1 which     
showed she had no need to think of this 
as a thing  that might have happened1   
but knew4 ,i brought him home4 ,i nursed
 him  well again4 ,i prayed for him     
night and day4 ,did you say cast him    
off8  when he had most need of me8 then 
,i never could have loved him1 she      

cried4    ,the painter nodded his head1 
and his hand with the pencil in it1 for 
he  had turned from his picture to look 
at her4    ,then you think you love     
better than our ,father8 he said2 and   
turned to  his work1 and painted a new  
fold in the robe1 which looked as if a  
soft  air had suddenly blown into it1   
and not the touch of a skilful hand4    
,this made the ,pilgrim tremble1 as     
though in her ignorance she had done    
something wrong4 ,after that there came 
a great joy into her heart4 ,oh1  how   
happy you have made me6 she cried4 ,i am
 glad with all my heart for  you and    
your son-- ,then she paused a little and
 added1 ,but you said he  was still     
there4    ,it is true2 for the land of  
darkness is very confusing1 they tell   
me1  for want of the true light1 and our
 dear friends the angels are not        
permitted to help3 but if one follows   
them1 that shows the way4 ,you may  be  
in that land yet on your way hither4 ,it
 was very hard to understand at  first1 

said the painter2 there are some        
sketches ,i could show you4 ,no  one has
 ever made a picture of it1 though many 
have tried2 but ,i could  show you some 
sketches--if you wish to see4    ,to    
this the little ,pilgrim's look was so  
plain an answer that the painter  laid  
down his pallet and his brush1 and left 
his work1 to show them to  her as he had
 promised4 ,they went down from the     
balcony and along the  street until they
 came to one of the great palaces1 where
 many were  coming and going4 ,here they
 walked through some vast halls1 where  
students were working at easels1 doing  
every kind of beautiful work3 some      
painting pictures1 some preparing       
drawings1 planning houses and palaces4  
,the ,pilgrim would have liked to pause 
at every moment to see one lovely  thing
 or another2 but the painter walked on  
steadily till he came to a  room which  
was full of sketches1 some of them like 
pictures in little1  with many          
figures1--some of them only a           

representation of a flower1 or  the wing
 of a bird4 ,these are all the master's1
 he said2 sometimes the  sight of them  
will be enough to put something great   
into the mind of  another4 ,in this     
corner are the sketches ,i told you of4 
,there were two  of them hanging        
together upon the wall1 and at first it 
seemed to the  little ,pilgrim as if    
they represented the flames and fire of 
which she  had read1 and this made her  
shudder for the moment4 ,but then she   
saw that  it was a red light like a     
stormy sunset1 with masses of clouds in 
the  sky1 and a low sun very fiery and  
dazzling1 which no doubt to a hasty     
glance must have looked1 with its dark  
shadows and high lurid lights1  like the
 fires of the bottomless pit4 ,but when 
you looked down you saw  the reality    
what it was4 ,the country that lay      
beneath was full of  tropical foliage1  
but with many stretches of sand and dry 
plains1 and in  the foreground was a    
town1 that looked very prosperous and   

crowded1  though the figures were very  
minute1 the subject being so great2 but 
no  one to see it would have taken it   
for anything but a busy and wealthy     
place1 in a thunderous atmosphere1 with 
a storm coming on4 ,in the next  there  
was a section of a street with a great  
banqueting hall open to the  view1 and  
many people sitting about the table4    
,you could see that there  was a great  
deal of laughter and conversation going 
on1 some very noisy  groups1 but others 
that sat more quietly in corners and    
conversed1 and  some who sang1 and every
 kind of entertainment4 ,the little     
,pilgrim was  very much astonished to   
see this1 and turned to the painter1 who
 answered  her directly1 though she had 
not spoken4 ,we used to think           
differently  once4 ,there are some who  
are there and do not know it4 ,they     
think only it  is the old life over     
again1 but always worse1 and they are   
led on in the  ways of evil2 but they do
 not feel the punishment until they     

begin to  find out where they are and to
 struggle1 and wish for other things4   
,the little ,pilgrim felt her heart beat
 very wildly while she looked at  this1 
and she thought upon the rich man in the
 parable1 who1 though he  was himself in
 torment1 prayed that his brother might 
be saved1 and she  said to herself1 ,our
 dear ,lord would never leave him there 
who could  think of his brother when he 
was himself in such a strait4 ,and when 
she  looked at the painter he smiled    
upon her1 and nodded his head4 ,then he 
led her to the other corner of the room 
where there were other pictures4  ,one  
of them was of a party seated round a   
table and an angel looking  on4 ,the    
angel had the aspect of a traveller1 as 
if he were passing  quickly by and had  
but paused a moment to look1 and one of 
the men  glancing up suddenly saw him4  
,the picture was dim1 but the startled  
look  upon this man's face1 and the     
sorrow on the angel's1 appeared out of  
the  misty background with such truth   

that the tears came into the little     
,pilgrim's eyes1 and she said in her    
heart1 ,oh that ,i could go to him and  
help him6 ,the other sketches were      
dimmer and dimmer4 ,you seemed to see   
out of the darkness1 gleaming lights1   
and companies of revellers1 out of      
which here and there was one trying to  
escape4 ,and then the wide plains  in   
the night1 and the white vision of the  
angel in the distance1 and here  and    
there by different paths a fugitive     
striving to follow4 ,oh1 sir1  said the 
little ,pilgrim1 how did you learn to do
 it8 ,you have never been  there4    ,it
 was the master1 not ,i2 and ,i cannot  
tell you if he has ever been  there4    
,when the ,father has given you that    
gift1 you can go to many  places1       
without leaving the one where you are4  
,and then he has heard what  the angels 
say4    ,and will they all get safe at  
the last8 and even that great spirit1 he
  that fell from heaven--    ,the       
painter shook his head and said1 ,it is 

not permitted to you and me  to know    
such great things4 ,perhaps the wise    
will tell you if you ask  them3 but for 
me ,i ask the ,father in my heart and   
listen to what he  says4    ,that is    
best6 the little ,pilgrim said2 and she 
asked the ,father in her  heart3 and    
there came all over her such a glow of  
warmth and happiness  that her soul was 
satisfied4 ,she looked in the painter's 
face and laughed  for joy4 ,and he put  
out his hands as if welcoming some one1 
and his  countenance shone2 and he      
said1--    ,my son had a great gift4 ,he
 was a master born1 though it was not   
given  to me4 ,he shall paint it all for
 us so that the heart shall rejoice2 and
  you will come again and see4    ,after
 that it happened to the little ,pilgrim
 to enter into another great  palace    
where there were many people reading1   
and some sitting at their  desks and    
writing1 and some consulting together1  
with many great volumes  stretched out  
open upon the tables4 ,one of these who 

was seated alone  looked up as she      
paused wondering at him1 and smiled as  
every one did1  and greeted her with    
such a friendly tone that the ,pilgrim1 
who always  had a great desire to know1 
came nearer to him and looked at the    
book1  then begged his pardon1 and said 
she did not know that books were needed 
here4 ,and then he told her that he was 
one of the historians of the city  where
 all the records of the world were kept1
 and that it was his  business to work  
upon the great history1 and to show what
 was the meaning  of the ,father in     
everything that had happened1 and how   
each event came in  its right place4    
,and do you get it out of books8 she    
asked2 for she was not learned1 nor     
wise1 and knew but little1 though she   
always loved to know4    ,the books are 
the records1 he said2 and there are many
 here that were  never known to us in   
the old days2 for the angels love to    
look into  these things1 and they can   
tell us much1 for they saw it2 and in   

the  great books they have kept there is
 much put down that was never in the    
books we wrote1 for then we did not     
know4 ,we found out about the kings  and
 the state1 and tried to understand what
 great purposes they were  serving2 but 
even these we did not know1 for those   
purposes were too  great for us1 not    
knowing the end from the beginning1 and 
the hearts of  men were too great for   
us4 ,we comprehended the evil sometimes1
 but never  fathomed the good4 ,and how 
could we know the lesser things which   
were  working out ,god's way8 for some  
of these even the angels did not know2  
and it has happened to me that our ,lord
 himself has come in sometimes to  tell 
me of one that none of us had           
discovered4    ,oh1 said the little     
,pilgrim1 with tears in her eyes1 ,i    
should like to  have been that          
one6--that was not known even to the    
angels1 but only  to ,himself6    ,the  
historian smiled4 ,it was my brother1 he
 said4    ,the ,pilgrim looked at him   

with great wonder4 ,your brother1 and   
you did  not know him6    ,and then he  
turned over the pages and showed her    
where the story was4    ,you know1 he   
said1 that we who live here are not of  
your time1 but  have lived and lived    
here till the old life is far away and  
like a dream4  ,there were great tumults
 and fightings in our time1 and it was  
settled by  the prince of the place that
 our town was to be abandoned1 and all  
the  people left to the mercy of an     
enemy who had no mercy4 ,but every day  
as  he rode out he saw at one door a    
child1 a little fair boy1 who sat on the
  steps1 and sang his little song like a
 bird4 ,this child was never afraid  of 
anything1--when the horses pranced past 
him1 and the troopers pushed  him aside1
 he looked up into their faces and      
smiled4 ,and when he had  anything1 a   
piece of bread1 or an apple1 or a       
plaything1 he shared it  with his       
playmates2 and his little face1 and his 
pretty voice1 and all  his pleasant     

ways1 made that corner bright4 ,he was  
like a flower growing  there2 everybody 
smiled that saw him4    ,i have seen    
such a child1 the little ,pilgrim said4 
,but we made no account of him1 said the
 historian4 ,the ,lord of the  place    
came past him every day1 and always saw 
him singing in the sun by  his father's 
door4 ,and it was a wonder then1 and it 
has been a wonder  ever since1 why1     
having resolved upon it1 that prince did
 not abandon the  town1 which would have
 changed all his fortune after4 ,much   
had been made  clear to me since ,i     
began to study1 but not this3 till the  
,lord himself  came to me and told me4  
,the prince looked at the child till he 
loved him1  and he reflected how many   
children there were like this that would
 be  murdered1 or starved to death1 and 
he could not give up the little  singing
 boy to the sword4 ,so he remained2 and 
the town was saved1 and he  became a    
great king4 ,it was so secret that even 
the angels did not know  it4 ,but       

without that child the history would not
 have been complete4    ,and is he here8
 the little ,pilgrim said4    ,ah1 said 
the historian1 that is more strange     
still2 for that which  saved him was    
also to his harm4 ,he is not here4 ,he  
is ,elsewhere4    ,the little ,pilgrim's
 face grew sad2 but then she remembered 
what she had  been told4    ,but you    
know1 she said1 that he is coming8    ,i
 know that our ,father will never       
forsake him1 and that everything that   
is being accomplished in him is well4   
,is it well to suffer8 ,is it well to   
live in that dark stormy country8  ,oh1 
that they were all here1 and happy like 
you6    ,he shook his head a little and 
said1--    ,it was a long time before ,i
 got here2 and as for suffering that    
matters  little4 ,you get experience by 
it4 ,you are more accomplished and fit  
for  greater work in the end4 ,it is not
 for nothing that we are permitted to   
wander2 and sometimes one goes to the   
edge of despair--    ,she looked at him 

with such wondering eyes that he        
answered her without a  word4    ,yes1  
he said1 ,i have been there4    ,and    
then it seemed to her that there was    
something in his eyes which she  had not
 remarked before4 ,not only the great   
content that was everywhere1  but a     
deeper light1 and the air of a judge who
 knew both good and evil1  and could see
 both sides1 and understood all1 both to
 love and to hate4    ,little sister1 he
 said1 you have never wandered far2 it  
is not needful  for such as you4 ,love  
teaches you1 and you need no more2 but  
when we have  to be trained for an      
office like this1 to make the way of the
 ,lord clear  through all the           
generations1 reason is that we should   
see everything1 and  learn all that man 
is and can be4 ,these things are too    
deep for us2 we  stumble on1 and know   
not till after4 ,but now to me it is all
 clear4    ,she looked at him again and 
again while he spoke1 and it seemed to  
her  that she saw in him such great     

knowledge and tenderness as made her    
glad2  and how he could understand the  
follies that men had done1 and fathom   
what real meaning was in them1 and      
disentangle all the threads4 ,he smiled 
as she gazed at him1 and answered as if 
she had spoken4    ,what was evil       
perishes1 and what was good remains2    
almost everywhere  there is a little    
good4 ,we could not understand all if we
 had not seen  all and shared all4      
,and the punishment too1 she said1      
wondering more and more4    ,he smiled  
so joyfully that it was like laughter4  
,pain is a great angel1 he said4 ,the   
reason we hated him in the old  days was
 because he tended to death and decay2  
but when it is towards  life he leads1  
we fear him no more4 ,the welcome thing 
of all in the land  of darkness is when 
you see him first and know who he is2   
for by this you  are aware that you have
 found the way4    ,the little ,pilgrim 
did nothing but question with her       
anxious eyes1 for  this was such a      

wonder to her1 and she could not        
understand4 ,but he only  sat musing    
with a smile over the things he         
remembered4 ,and at last he  said1--    
,if this is so interesting to you1 you  
shall read it all in another  place1 in 
the room where we have laid up our own  
experiences1 in order to  serve for the 
history afterwards4 ,but we are still   
busy upon the work of  the earth4 ,there
 is always something new to be          
discovered4 ,and it is  essential for   
the whole world that the chronicle      
should be full4 ,i am in  great joy     
because it was but just now that our    
,lord told me about that  child4        
,everything was imperfect without him1  
but now it is clear4    ,you mean your  
brother8 ,and you are happy though you  
are not sure if he  is happy8 the little
 ,pilgrim said4    ,it is not to be     
happy that we live1 said he2 and then1  
,we are all  happy so soon as we have   
found the way4    ,she would have asked 
him more1 but that he was called to a   

consultation  with some others of his   
kind1 and had to leave her1 waving his  
hand to  her with a tender kindness     
which went to her heart4 ,she looked    
after him  with great respect1 scarcely 
knowing why2 but it seemed to her that a
 man  who had been in the land of       
darkness1 and made his way out of it1   
must be  more wonderful than any other4 
,she looked round for a little upon the 
great library1 full of all the books    
that had ever been written1 and  where  
people were doing their work1 examining 
and reading and making  extracts1 every 
one with looks of so much interest1 that
 she almost  envied them1--though it was
 a generous delight in seeing people so 
happy in their occupation1 and a desire 
to associate herself somehow in  it1    
rather than any grudging of their       
satisfaction1 that was in her  mind4    
,she went about all the courts of this  
palace alone1 and everywhere  saw the   
same work going on1 and everywhere met  
the same kind looks4 ,even  when the    

greatest of all looked up from his work 
and saw her1 he would  give her a       
friendly greeting and a smile2 and      
nobody was too wise to lend  an ear to  
the little visitor1 or to answer her    
questions4 ,and this was  how it was    
that she began to talk to another1 who  
was seated at a great  table with many  
more1 and who drew her to him by        
something that was in  his looks1 though
 she could not have told what it was4   
,it was not that he  was kinder than the
 rest1 for they were all kind4 ,she     
stood by him a  little1 and saw how he  
worked and would take something from one
 book and  something from another1      
putting them ready for use4 ,and it did 
not seem  any trouble to do this work1  
but only pleasure1 and the very pen in  
his  hand was like a winged thing1 as if
 it loved to write4 ,when he saw her    
watching him1 he looked up and showed   
her the beautiful book out of which  he 
was copying1 which was all illuminated  
with lovely pictures4    ,this is one of

 the volumes of the great history1 he   
said4 ,there are  some things in it     
which are needed for another1 and it is 
a pleasure to  work at it4 ,if you will 
come here you will be able to see the   
page while  ,i write4    ,then the      
little ,pilgrim asked him some questions
 about the pictures1 and  he answered   
her1 describing and explaining them2 for
 they were in the  middle of the        
history1 and she did not understand what
 it was4 ,when she  said1 ,i ought not  
to trouble you1 for you are busy1 he    
laughed so  kindly that she laughed too 
for pleasure4 ,and he said1--    ,there 
is no trouble here4 ,when we are not    
allowed to work1 as sometimes  happens1 
that makes us not quite so happy1 but it
 is very seldom that it  happens so4    
,is it for punishment8 she said4    ,and
 then he laughed out with a sound which 
made all the others look up  smiling2   
and if they had not all looked so       
tenderly at her1 as at a child  who has 
made such a mistake as it is pretty for 

the child to make1 she  would have      
feared she had said something wrong2 but
 she only laughed at  herself too1 and  
blushed a little1 knowing that she was  
not wise3 and to  put her at her ease   
again1 he turned the leaf and showed her
 other  pictures1 and the story which   
went with them1 from which he was       
copying  something4 ,and he said1--     
,this is for another book1 to show how  
the grace of the ,father was  beautiful 
in some homes and families4 ,it is not  
the great history1 but  connected with  
it2 and there are many who love that    
better than the story  which is more    
great4    ,then the ,pilgrim looked in  
his face and said1--    ,what ,i want   
most is1 to know about your homes here4 
,it is all home here1 he said1 and      
smiled2 and then1 as he met her  wistful
 looks1 he went on to tell her that he  
and his brothers were not  always there4
 ,we have all our occupations1 he said1 
and sometimes ,i am  sent to inquire    
into facts that have happened1 of which 

the record is not  clear2 for we must   
omit nothing2 and sometimes we are told 
to rest and  take in new strength2 and  
sometimes--    ,but oh1 forgive me1     
cried the little ,pilgrim1 you had some 
who were  more dear to you than all the 
world in the old time8    ,and the      
others all looked up again at the       
question1 and looked at her  with tender
 eyes1 and said to the man whom she     
questioned1--,speak6    ,he made a      
little pause before he spoke1 and he    
looked at one here and  there1 and      
called to them1--    ,patience1 brother1
 and ,courage1 brother4 ,and then he    
said1 ,those  whom we loved best are    
nearly all with us2 but some have not   
yet come4    ,oh1 said the little       
,pilgrim1 but how then do you bear it1  
to be parted  so long--so long8    ,then
 one of those to whom the first speaker 
had called out ,patience  rose1 and came
 to her smiling2 and he said1--    ,i   
think every hour that perhaps she will  
come1 and the joy will be so  great1    

that thinking of that makes the waiting 
short3 and nothing here is  long1 for it
 never ends2 and it will be so wonderful
 to hear her tell how  the ,father has  
guided her1 that it will be a delight to
 us all2 and she  will be able to       
explain many things1 not only for us1   
but for all2 and we  love each other so 
that this separation is as nothing in   
comparison with  what is to come4    ,it
 was beautiful to hear this1 but it was 
not what the little ,pilgrim  expected1 
for she thought they would have told her
 of the homes to which  they all        
returned when their work was over1 and a
 life which was like the  life of the   
old time2 but of this they said nothing1
 only looking at her  with smiling eyes1
 as at the curious questions of a child4
 ,and there were  many other things she 
would have asked1 but refrained when she
 looked at  them1 feeling as if she did 
not yet understand2 when one of them    
broke  forth suddenly in a louder voice1
 and said1--    ,the little sister knows

 only the little language and the       
beginning of  days4 ,she has not learned
 the mysteries1 and what ,love is1 and  
what life  is4    ,and another cried1   
,it is sweet to hear it again2 and they 
all gathered  round her with tender     
looks1 and began to talk to each other1 
and tell  her1 as men will tell of the  
games of their childhood1 of things that
  happened1 which were half-forgotten1  
in the old time4    ,after this the     
little ,pilgrim went out again into the 
beautiful city1  feeling in her heart   
that everything was a mystery1 and that 
the days  would never be long enough to 
learn all that had yet to be learned1   
but  knowing now that this too was the  
little language1 and pleased with the   
sweet thought of so much that was to    
come4 ,for one had whispered to her  as 
she went out that the new tongue1 and   
every explanation1 as she was  ready for
 it1 would come to her through one of   
those whom she loved best1  which is the
 usage of that country4 ,and when the   

stranger has no one  there that is very 
dear1 then it is an angel who teaches   
the greater  language1 and that is what 
happens often to the children who are   
brought up in that heavenly place4 ,when
 she reached the street again1 she  was 
so pleased with this thought that it    
went out of her mind to ask her  way to 
the great library1 where she was to read
 the story of the  historian's journey  
through the land of darkness2 indeed she
 forgot that  land altogether1 and      
thought only of what was around her in  
the great  city1 which is beyond        
everything that eye has seen1 or that   
ear has  heard1 or that it has entered  
into the imagination to conceive4 ,and  
now  it seemed to her that she was much 
more familiar with the looks of the     
people1 and could distinguish between   
those who belonged to the city and      
those who were visitors like herself2   
and also could tell which they were  who
 had entered into the mysteries of the  
kingdom1 and which were1 like  herself1 

only acquainted with the beginning of   
days4 ,and it came to her  mind1 she    
could not tell how1 that it was best not
 to ask questions1 but  to wait until   
the beloved one should come1 who would  
teach her the first  words4 ,for in the 
mean time she did not feel at all       
impatient or  disturbed by her want of  
knowledge1 but laughed a little at      
herself to  suppose that she could find 
out everything1 and went on looking     
round  her1 and saying a word to every  
one she met1 and enjoying the holiday   
looks of all the strangers1 and the     
sense she had in her heart of holiday   
too4 ,she was walking on in this        
pleasant way1 when she heard a sound    
that  was like silver trumpets1 and saw 
the crowd turn towards an open space in 
which all the beautiful buildings were  
shaded with fine trees1 and  flowers    
were springing at the very edge of the  
pavements4 ,the strangers  all hastened 
along to hear what it was1 and she with 
them1 and some also  of the people of   

the place4 ,and as the little ,pilgrim  
found herself  walking by a woman who   
was of these last1 she asked her what it
 was4    ,and the woman told her it was 
a poet who had come to say to them what 
had  been revealed to him1 and that the 
two with the silver trumpets were       
angels of the musicians' order1 whose   
office it was to proclaim  everything   
that was new1 that the people should    
know4 ,and many of those  who were at   
work in the palaces came out and joined 
the crowd1 and the  painter who had     
showed the little ,pilgrim his picture1 
and many whose  faces she began to be   
acquainted with4 ,the poet stood up upon
 a beautiful  pedestal all sculptured in
 stone1 and with wreaths of living      
flowers hung  upon it--and when the     
crowd had gathered in front of him1 he  
began his  poem4 ,he told them that it  
was not about this land1 or anything    
that  happened in it1 which they knew as
 he did1 but that it was a story of the 
old time1 when men were walking in      

darkness1 and when no one knew the  true
 meaning even of what he himself did1   
but had to go on as if blindly1         
stumbling and groping with their hands4 
,and ,oh1 brethren1 he said1  though all
 is more beautiful and joyful here where
 we know1 yet to  remember the days when
 we knew not1 and the ways when all was 
uncertain1  and the end could not be    
distinguished from the beginning1 is    
sweet and  dear2 and that which was done
 in the dim twilight should be          
celebrated in  the day2 and our ,father 
himself loves to hear of those who1     
having not  seen1 loved1 and who learned
 without any teacher1 and followed the  
light1  though they did not understand4 
,and then he told them the story of one 
who had lived in the old time2 and  in  
that air1 which seemed to be made of    
sunshine1 and amid all those  stately   
palaces1 he described to them the little
 earth which they had  left behind--the 
skies that were covered with clouds1 and
 the ways that  were so rough and stony1

 and the cruelty of the oppressor1 and  
the cries  of those that were oppressed4
 ,and he showed the sickness and the    
troubles1 and the sorrow and danger2 and
 how ,death stalked about1 and  tore    
heart from heart2 and how sometimes the 
strongest would fail1 and  the truest   
fall under the power of a lie1 and the  
tenderest forget to be  kind2 and how   
evil things lurked in every corner to   
beguile the dwellers  there2 and how the
 days were short and the nights dark1   
and life so  little that by the time a  
man had learned something it was his    
hour to  die4 ,what can a soul do that  
is born there8 he cried2 for war is     
there  and fighting1 and perplexity and 
darkness2 and no man knows if that      
which he does will be for good or evil1 
or can tell which is the best  way1 or  
know the end from the beginning2 and    
those he loves the most are  a mystery  
to him1 and their thoughts beyond his   
reach4 ,and clouds are  between him and 
the ,father1 and he is deceived with    

false gods and false  teachers1 who make
 him to love a lie4 ,the people who were
 listening held  their breath1 and a    
shadow like a cloud fell on them1 and   
they remembered  and knew that it was   
true4 ,but the next moment their hearts 
rebelled1 and  one and another would    
have spoken1 and the little ,pilgrim    
herself had  almost cried out and made  
her plea for the dear earth which she   
loved2  when he suddenly threw forth his
 voice again like a great song4 ,oh1    
dear  mother earth1 he cried2 oh1 little
 world and great1 forgive thy son6  for 
lovely thou art and dear1 and the sun of
 ,god shines upon thee1 and  the sweet  
dews fall2 and there were we born1 and  
loved and died1 and are  come hence to  
bless the ,father and the ,son4 ,for in 
no other world1 though  they are so     
vast1 is it given to any to know the    
,lord in the darkness1  and follow him  
groping1 and make way through sin and   
death1 and overcome  the evil1 and      
conquer in his name4 ,at which there was

 a great sound of  weeping and of       
triumph1 and the little ,pilgrim could  
not contain herself1  but cried out too 
in joy as if for a deliverance4 ,and    
then the poet told  his tale4 ,and as he
 told them of the man who was poor and  
sorrowful and  alone1 and how he loved  
and was not loved again1 and trusted and
 was  betrayed1 and was tempted and     
drawn into the darkness1 so that it     
seemed  as if he must perish2 but when  
hope was almost gone1 turned again from 
the edge of despair1 and confronted all 
his enemies1 and fought and             
conquered--the people followed every    
word with great outcries of love and    
pity and wonder4 ,for each one as he    
listened remembered his own career  and 
that of his brethren in the old life1   
and admired to think that all  the evil 
was past1 and wondered that out of such 
tribulation and through  so many dangers
 all were safe and blessed here4 ,and   
there were others  that were not of     
them1 who listened1 some seated at the  

windows of the  palaces and some        
standing in the great square1--people   
who were not like  the others1 whose    
bearing was more majestic1 and who      
looked upon the  crowd all smiling and  
weeping1 with wonder and interest1 but  
had no  knowledge of the cause1 and     
listened as it were to a tale that is   
told4  ,the poet and his audience were  
as one1 and at every period of the story
  there was a deep breathing and pause1 
and every one looked at his  neighbor1  
and some grasped each other's hands as  
they remembered all that  was in the    
past2 but the strangers listened and    
gazed and observed all1  as those who   
listen and are instructed in something  
beyond their  knowledge4 ,the little    
,pilgrim stood all this time not knowing
 where she  was1 so intent was she upon 
the tale2 and as she listened it seemed 
to  her that all her own life was       
rolling out before her1 and she         
remembered  the things that had been1   
and perceived how all had been shaped   

and  guided1 and trembled a little for  
the brother who was in danger1 yet knew 
that all would be well4    ,the woman   
who had been at her side listened too   
with all her heart1  saying to herself1 
as she stood in the crowd1 ,he has left 
nothing out6  ,the little days they were
 so short1 and the skies would change   
all in a  moment and one's heart with   
them4 ,how he brings it all back6 ,and  
she put  up her hand to dry away a tear 
from her eyes1 though her face all the  
time was shining with the recollection4 
,the little ,pilgrim was glad to be  by 
the side of a woman after talking with  
so many men1 and she put out  her hand  
and touched the cloak that this lady    
wore1 and which was white  and of the   
most beautiful texture1 with gold       
threads woven in it1 or  something that 
looked like gold4    ,do you like1 she  
said1 to think of the old time8    ,the 
woman turned and looked down upon her1  
for she was tall and stately1  and      
immediately took the hand of the little 

,pilgrim into hers1 and held  it without
 answering1 till the poet had ended and 
come down from the  place where he had  
been standing4 ,he came straight through
 the crowd to  where this lady stood1   
and said something to her4 ,you did well
 to tell  me1 looking at her with love  
in his eyes1--not the tender sweetness  
of all those kind looks around1 but the 
love that is for one4 ,the little       
,pilgrim looked at them with her heart  
beating1 and was very glad for  them1   
and happy in herself2 for she had not   
seen this love before since  she came   
into the city1 and it had troubled her  
to think that perhaps it  did not exist 
any more4 ,i am glad1 the lady said1 and
 gave him her  other hand2 but here is a
 little sister who asks me something1   
and ,i  must answer her4 ,i think she   
has but newly come4    ,she has a face  
full of the morning1 the poet said4 ,it 
did the little  ,pilgrim good to feel   
the touch of the warm1 soft hand2 and   
she was not  afraid1 but lifted her eyes

 and spoke to the lady and to the poet4 
,it is  beautiful what you said to us4  
,sometimes in the old time we used to   
look  up to the beautiful skies and     
wonder what there was above the clouds2 
but  we never thought that up here in   
this great city you would be thinking of
  what we were doing1 and making        
beautiful poems all about us4 ,we       
thought  that you would sing wonderful  
psalms1 and talk of things high1 high   
above  us4    ,the little sister does   
not know what the meaning of the earth  
is1 the  poet said4 ,it is but a little 
speck1 but it is the centre of all4 ,let
  her walk with us1 and we will go home1
 and you will tell her1 ,ama1 for ,i    
love to hear you talk4    ,will you come
 with us8 the lady said4    ,and the    
little ,pilgrim's heart leaped up in    
her1 to think she was now  going to see 
a home in this wonderful city2 and they 
went along1 hand in  hand1 and though   
they were three together1 and many were 
coming and  going1 there was no         

difficulty1 for every one made way for  
them4 ,and  there was a little murmur of
 pleasure as the poet passed1 and those 
who  had heard his poem made obeisance  
to him1 and thanked him1 and thanked    
the ,father for him that he was able to 
show them so many beautiful  things4    
,and they walked along the street which 
was shining with color1  and saw as they
 passed how the master painter had come 
to his work1 and  was standing upon the 
balcony where the little ,pilgrim had   
been1 and  bringing out of the wall1    
under his hand1 faces which were full of
 life1  and which seemed to spring forth
 as if they had been hidden there4 ,let 
us wait a little and see him working1   
the poet said2 and all round about  the 
people stopped on their way1 and there  
was a soft cry of pleasure and  praise  
all through the beautiful street4 ,and  
the painter with whom the  little       
,pilgrim had talked before came1 and    
stood behind her as if he had  been an  
old friend1 and called out to her at    

every new touch to mark how  this and   
that was done4 ,she did not understand  
as he did1 but she saw how  beautiful it
 was1 and she was glad to have seen the 
great painter1 as she  had been glad to 
hear the great poet4 ,it seemed to the  
little ,pilgrim as  if everything       
happened well for her1 and that no one  
had ever been so  blessed before4 ,and  
to make it all more sweet1 this new     
friend1 this  great and sweet lady1     
always held her hand1 and pressed it    
softly when  something more lovely      
appeared2 and even the pictured faces on
 the wall  seemed to beam upon her1 as  
they came out one by one like the stars 
in  the sky4 ,then the three went on    
again1 and passed by many more beautiful
  palaces1 and great streets leading    
away into the light1 till you could  see
 no further2 and they met with bands of 
singers who sang so sweetly  that the   
heart seemed to leap out of the         
,pilgrim's breast to meet with  them1   
for above all things this was what she  

had loved most4 ,and out of  one of the 
palaces there came such glorious music  
that everything she had  seen and heard 
before seemed as nothing in comparison4 
,and amid all these  delights they went 
on and on1 but without wearying1 till   
they came out of  the streets into      
lovely walks and alleys1 and made their 
way to the banks  of a great river1     
which seemed to sing1 too1 a soft melody
 of its own4    ,and here there were    
some fair houses surrounded by gardens  
and flowers  that grew everywhere1 and  
the doors were all open1 and within     
everything  was lovely and still1 and   
ready for rest if you were weary4 ,the  
little  ,pilgrim was not weary2 but the 
lady placed her upon a couch in the     
porch1  where the pillars and the roof  
were all formed of interlacing plants   
and  flowers2 and there they sat with   
her1 and talked1 and explained to her   
many things4 ,they told her that the    
earth though so small was the place  in 
all the world to which the thoughts of  

those above were turned4 ,and  not only 
of us who have lived there1 but of all  
our brothers in the other  worlds2 for  
we are the race which the ,father has   
chosen to be the  example4 ,in every age
 there is one that is the scene of the  
struggle and  the victory1 and it is for
 this reason that the chronicles are    
made1 and  that we are all placed here  
to gather the meaning of what has been  
done  among men4 ,and ,i am one of      
those1 the lady said1 that go back to   
the  dear earth and gather up the tale  
of what our little brethren are doing4  
,i have not to succor like some others1 
but only to see and bring the  news2 and
 he makes them into great poems1 as you 
have heard2 and  sometimes the master   
painter will take one and make of it a  
picture2 and  there is nothing that is  
so delightful to us as when we can bring
 back  the histories of beautiful       
things4    ,but1 oh1 said the little    
,pilgrim1 what can there be on earth so 
beautiful as the meanest thing that is  

here8    ,then they both smiled upon her
 and said1 ,it is more beautiful than   
the  most beautiful thing here to see   
how1 under the low skies and in the     
short days1 a soul will turn to our     
,father4 ,and sometimes1 said ,ama1     
when ,i am watching1 one will wander and
 stray1 and be led into the  dark till  
my heart is sick2 then come back and    
make me glad4 ,sometimes ,i  cry out    
within myself to the ,father1 and say1  
',o my ,father1 it is  enough6' and it  
will seem to me that it is not possible 
to stand by and  see his destruction4   
,and then while you are gazing1 while   
you are  crying1 he will recover and    
return1 and go on again4 ,and to the    
angels it  is more wonderful than to us1
 for they have never lived there4 ,and  
all  the other worlds are eager to hear 
what we can tell them4 ,for no one      
knows except the ,father how the battle 
will turn1 or when it will all be       
accomplished2 and there are some who    
tremble for our little brethren4 ,for   

to look down and see how little light   
there is1 and how no one knows what  may
 happen to him next1 makes them afraid  
who never were there4    ,the little    
,pilgrim listened with an intent face1  
clasping her hands1 and  said1--    ,but
 it never could be that our ,father     
should be overcome by evil4 ,is not     
that known in all the worlds8    ,then  
the lady turned and kissed her2 and the 
poet broke forth in singing1  and said1 
,faith is more heavenly than heaven2 it 
is more beautiful than  the angels4 ,it 
is the only voice that can answer to our
 ,father4 ,we praise  him1 we glorify   
him1 we love his name2 but there is but 
one response to  him through all the    
worlds1 and that is the cry of the      
little brothers1  who see nothing and   
know nothing1 but believe that he will  
never fail4    ,at this the little      
,pilgrim wept1 for her heart was        
touched2 but she  said1--    ,we are not
 so ignorant2 for we have our ,lord who 
is our ,brother1 and he  teaches us all 

that we require to know4    ,upon this  
the poet rose and lifted up his hands   
and sang again a great  song2 it was in 
the other language which the little     
,pilgrim still did not  understand1 but 
she could make out that it sounded like 
a great  proclamation that ,he was wise 
as he was good1 and called upon all to  
see  that the ,lord had chosen the only 
way3 and the sound of the poet's voice  
was like a great trumpet sounding bold  
and sweet1 as if to tell this to  those 
who were far away4    ,for you must     
know1 said the ,lady ,ama1 who all the  
time held the  ,pilgrim's hand1 that it 
is permitted to all to judge according  
to the  wisdom that has been given them4
 ,and there are some who think that our 
dear ,lord might have found another way1
 and that wait1 sometimes with          
trembling1 lest he should fail2 but not 
among us who have lived on earth1  for  
we know4 ,and it is our work to show to 
all the worlds that his way  never      
fails1 and how wonderful it is1 and     

beautiful above all that heart  has     
conceived4 ,and thus we justify the ways
 of ,god1 who is our ,father4  ,but in  
the other worlds there are many who will
 continue to fear until  the history of 
the earth is all ended and the          
chronicles are made  complete4    ,and  
will that be long8 the little ,pilgrim  
cried1 feeling in her heart  that she   
would like to go to all the worlds and  
tell them of our ,lord1  and of his     
love1 and how the thought of him makes  
you strong2 and it  troubled her a      
little to hear her friends speak of the 
low skies1 and the  short days1 and the 
dimness of that dear country which she  
had left  behind1 in which there were so
 many still whom she loved4    ,upon    
this ,ama shook her head1 and said that 
of that day no one knew1 not  even our  
,lord1 but only the ,father2 and then   
she smiled and answered the  little     
,pilgrim's thought4 ,when we go back1   
she said1 it is not as when  we lived   
there2 for now we see all the dangers of

 it and the mysteries  which we did not 
see before4 ,it was by the ,father's    
dear love that we did  not see what was 
around us and about us while we lived   
there1 for then  our hearts would have  
fainted2 and that makes us wonder now   
that any one  endures to the end4       
,you are a great deal wiser than ,i am1 
said the little ,pilgrim2 but1  though  
our hearts had fainted1 how could we    
have been overcome8 ,for ,he  was on our
 side4    ,at this neither of them made 
any reply at first1 but looked at her2  
and  at length the poet said that she   
had brought many thoughts back to his   
mind1 and how he had himself been almost
 worsted when one like her came  to him 
and gave strength to his soul4 ,for that
 ,he was on our side was  the only thing
 she knew1 he said1 and all that could  
be learned or  discovered was not worthy
 of naming beside it4 ,and this ,i must 
tell when  next ,i speak to the people1 
and how our little sister brought it to 
my  mind4    ,and then they paused from 

this discourse1 and the little ,pilgrim 
looked  round upon the beautiful houses 
and the fair gardens1 and she said1--   
,you live here8 and do you come home at 
night8--but ,i do not mean at  night1 ,i
 mean when your work is done4 ,and are  
they poets like you that  dwell all     
about in these pleasant places1 and     
the--    ,she would have said the       
children1 but stopped1 not knowing if   
perhaps it  might be unkind to speak of 
the children when she saw none there4   
,upon this the lady smiled once more1   
and said1--    ,the door stands open    
always1 so that no one is shut out1 and 
the  children come and go when they     
will4 ,they are children no longer1 and 
they have their appointed work like him 
and me4    ,and you are always among    
those you love8 the ,pilgrim said2 upon 
which  they smiled again and said1 ,we  
all love each other2 and the lady held  
her hand in both of hers1 and caressed  
it1 and softly laughed and said1  ,you  
know only the little language4 ,when you

 have been taught the other  you will   
learn many beautiful things4    ,she    
rested for some time after this1 and    
talked much with her new  friends2 and  
then there came into the heart of the   
little ,pilgrim a  longing to go to the 
place which was appointed for her1 and  
which was her  home1 and to do the work 
which had been given her to do4 ,and    
when the  lady saw this she rose and    
said that she would accompany her a     
little  upon her way4 ,but the poet bid 
her farewell and remained under the     
porch1  with the green branches shading 
him1 and the flowers twining round the  
pillars1 and the open door of this      
beautiful house behind him4 ,when  she  
looked back upon him he waved his hand  
to her as if bidding her  ,god-speed1   
and the lady by her side looked back too
 and waved her hand1  and the little    
,pilgrim felt tears of happiness come to
 her eyes2 for she  had been wondering  
with a little disappointment to see that
 the people in  the city1 except those  

who were strangers1 were chiefly alone1 
and not  like those in the old world    
where the husband and wife go together4 
,it  consoled her to see again two who  
were one4 ,the lady pressed her hand in 
answer to her thought1 and bade her     
pause a moment and look back into the   
city as they passed the end of the great
 street out of which they came4  ,and   
then the ,pilgrim was more and more     
consoled1 for she saw many who  had     
before been alone now walking together  
hand in hand4    ,it is not as it was1  
,ama said4 ,for all of us have work to  
do which is  needed for the worlds1 and 
it is no longer needful that one should 
sit at  home while the other goes forth2
 for our work is not for our life as of 
old1 or for ourselves1 but for the      
,father who has given us so great a     
trust4 ,and1 little sister1 you must    
know that though we are not so great  as
 the angels1 nor as many that come to   
visit us from the other worlds1  yet we 
are nearer to him4 ,for we are in his   

secret1 and it is ours to  make it      
clear4    ,the little ,pilgrim's heart  
was very full to hear this2 but she     
said1--    ,i was never clever1 nor knew
 much4 ,it is better for me to go away  
to my  little border-land1 and help the 
strangers who do not know the way4      
,whatever is your work is the best1 the 
lady said2 but though you are  so little
 you are in the ,father's secret too1   
for it is nature to you to  know what   
the others cannot be sure of1 that we   
must have the victory at  the last3 so  
that we have this between us1 the       
,father and we4 ,and though  all are his
 children1 we are of the kindred of     
,god1 because of our ,lord  who is our  
,brother4 ,and then the ,lady ,ama      
kissed her1 and bade her when  she      
returned to the great city1 either for  
rest or for love1 or because  the       
,father sent for her1 that she should   
come to the house by the river4  ,for we
 are friends for ever1 she said1 and so 
threw her white veil over  her head1 and

 was gone upon her mission1 whither the 
little ,pilgrim did  not know4    ,and  
now she found herself at a distance from
 the great city1 which shone  in the    
light with its beautiful towers1 and    
roofs1 and all its monuments1  softly   
fringed with trees1 and set in a        
heavenly firmament4 ,and the  ,pilgrim  
thought of those words that described   
this lovely place as a  bride adorned   
for her husband1 and did not wonder at  
him who had said  that her streets were 
of gold and her gates of pearl1 because 
gold and  pearls and precious jewels    
were as nothing to the glory and the    
beauty of  her4 ,the little ,pilgrim was
 glad to have seen these wonderful      
things1 and  her mind was like a cup    
running over with almost more than it   
could  contain4 ,it seemed to her that  
there never could be a time when she    
should want for wonder and interest and 
delight1 so long as she had this  to    
think of4 ,yet she was not sorry to turn
 her back upon the beautiful  city1 but 

went on her way singing in unutterable  
content1 and thinking  over what the    
lady had said1 that we were in ,god's   
secret1 more than all  the great worlds 
above and even the angels1 because of   
knowing how it is  that in darkness and 
doubt1 and without any open vision1 a   
man may still  keep the right way4 ,the 
path lay along the bank of the river    
which flowed  beside her and made the   
air full of music1 and a soft air blew  
across the  running stream and breathed 
in her face and refreshed her1 and the  
birds  sang in all the trees4 ,and as   
she passed through the villages the     
people  came out to meet her1 and asked 
of her if she had come from the city1   
and  what she had seen there4 ,and      
everywhere she found friends1 and kind  
voices that gave her greeting4 ,but some
 would ask her why she still spoke  the 
little language1 though it was sweet to 
their ears2 and others when  they heard 
it hastened to call from the houses and 
the fields some among  them who knew the

 other tongue but a little1 and who came
 and crowded  round the little ,pilgrim1
 and asked her many questions both about
 the  things she had been seeing and    
about the old time4 ,and she perceived  
that  the village folk were a simple    
folk1 not learned and wise like those   
she  had left2 and that though they     
lived within sight of the great city1   
and  showed every stranger the beautiful
 view of it1 and the glory of its       
towers1 yet few among them had travelled
 there2 for they were so content  with  
their fields1 and their river1 and the  
shade of their trees1 and the  birds    
singing1 and their simple life1 that    
they wanted no change2 though  it       
pleased them to receive the little      
,pilgrim1 and they brought her into     
their villages rejoicing1 and called    
every one to see her4 ,and they told    
her that they had all been poor and     
labored hard in the old time1 and had   
never rested2 so that now it was the    
,father's good pleasure that they       

should enjoy great peace and consolation
 among the fresh-breathing fields  and  
on the riverside1 so that there were    
many who even now had little  occupation
 except to think of the ,father's       
goodness1 and to rest4 ,and  they told  
her how the ,lord himself would come    
among them1 and sit down  under a tree1 
and tell them one of his parables1 and  
make them all more  happy than words    
could say2 and how sometimes he would   
send one out of  the beautiful city1    
with a poem or tale to say to them1 and 
bands of  lovely music1 more lovely than
 anything beside1 except the sound of   
the  ,lord's own voice4 ,and what is    
more wonderful1 the angels themselves   
come  often and listen to us1 they said1
 when we begin to talk and remind  each 
other of the old time1 and how we       
suffered heat and cold1 and were  bowed 
down with labor1 and bending over the   
soil1 and how sometimes the  harvest    
would fail us1 and sometimes we had not 
bread1 and sometimes  would hush the    

children to sleep because there was     
nothing to give them2  and how we grew  
old and weary1 and still worked on and  
on4 ,we are  those who were old1 a      
number of them called out to her1 with a
 murmuring  sound of laughter1 one      
looking over another's shoulder4 ,and   
one woman  said1 ,the angels say to us1 
',did you never think the ,father had   
forsaken  you and the ,lord forgotten   
you8' ,and all the rest answered as in a
  chorus1 ,there were moments that we   
thought this2 but all the time we  knew 
that it could not be4 ,and the angels   
wonder at us1 said another4  ,all this  
they said1 crowding one before another1 
every one anxious to say  something1 and
 sometimes speaking together1 but always
 in accord4 ,and  then there was a sound
 of laughter and pleasure1 both at the  
strange  thought that the ,lord could   
have forgotten them1 and at the wonder  
of the  angels over their simple tales4 
,and immediately they began to remind   
each  other1 and say1 ,do you remember8 

and they told the little ,pilgrim a     
hundred tales of the hardships and      
troubles they had known1 all smiling    
and radiant with pleasure2 and at every 
new account the others would  applaud   
and rejoice1 feeling the happiness all  
the more for the evils  that were past4 
,and some of them led her into their    
gardens to show her  their flowers1 and 
to tell her how they had begun to study 
and learn  how colors were changed and  
form perfected1 and the secrets of the  
growth  and of the germ1 of which they  
had been ignorant4 ,and others arranged 
themselves in choirs1 and sang to her   
delightful songs of the fields1 and     
accompanied her out upon her way1       
singing and answering to each other4    
,the difference between the simple folk 
and the greatness of the others  made   
the little ,pilgrim wonder and admire2  
and she loved them in her  simplicity1  
and turned back many a time to wave her 
hand to them1 and to  listen to the     
lovely simple singing as it went further

 and further away4  ,it had an evening  
tone of rest and quietness1 and of      
protection and  peace4 ,he leadeth me by
 the green pastures and beside the quiet
 waters1  she said to herself2 and her  
heart swelled with pleasure to think    
that it  was those who had been so old1 
and so weary and poor1 who had this rest
  to console them for all their sorrows4
    ,and as she went along1 not only did
 she pass through many other villages1  
but met many on the way who were        
travelling towards the great city1 and  
would greet her sweetly as they passed1 
and sometimes stop to say a  pleasant   
word1 so that the little ,pilgrim was   
never lonely wherever she  went4 ,but   
most of them began to speak to her in   
the other language1 which  was as       
beautiful and sweet as music1 but which 
she could not understand2  and they were
 surprised to find her ignorant of it1  
not knowing that she  was but a         
new-comer into these lands4 ,and there  
were many things that  could not be told

 but in that language1 for the earthly  
tongue had no  words to express them4   
,the little ,pilgrim was a little sad   
not to  understand what was said to her1
 but cheered herself with the thought   
that it should be taught to her by one  
whom she loved best4 ,the way by  the   
riverside was very cheerful and bright1 
with many people coming and  going1 and 
many villages1 some of them with a      
bridge across the stream1  some         
withdrawn among the fields1 but all of  
them bright and full of life1  and with 
sounds of music1 and voices1 and        
footsteps3 and the little  ,pilgrim felt
 no weariness1 and moved along as       
lightly as a child1 taking  great       
pleasure in everything she saw1 and     
answering all the friendly  greetings   
with all her heart1 yet glad to think   
that she was approaching  ever nearer to
 the country where it was ordained that 
she should dwell  for a time and succor 
the strangers1 and receive those who    
were newly  arrived4 ,and she consoled  

herself with the thought that there was 
no need  of any language but that which 
she knew4 ,as this went through her     
mind1  making her glad1 she suddenly    
became aware of one who was walking by  
her  side1 a lady who was covered with a
 veil white and shining like that  which
 ,ama had worn in the beautiful city4   
,it hung about this stranger's  head so 
that it was not easy to see her face1   
but the sound of her voice  was very    
sweet in the pilgrim's ear1 yet startled
 her like the sound of  something which 
she knew well1 but could not remember4  
,and as there  were few who were going  
that way1 she was glad and said1 ,let us
 walk  together1 if that pleases you4   
,and the stranger said1 ,it is for that 
,i  have come1 which was a reply which  
made the little ,pilgrim wonder more    
and more1 though she was very glad and  
joyful to have this companion upon  her 
way4 ,and then the lady began to ask her
 many questions1 not about the  city1 or
 the great things she had seen1 but     

about herself1 and what the  dear ,lord 
had given her to do4    ,i am little and
 weak1 and ,i cannot do much1 the little
 ,pilgrim said4  ,it is nothing but     
pleasure4 ,it is to welcome those that  
are coming1 and  tell them4 ,sometimes  
they are astonished and do not know4 ,i 
was so  myself4 ,i came in my sleep1 and
 understood nothing4 ,but now that ,i   
know1  it is sweet to tell them that    
they need not fear4    ,i was glad1 the 
lady said1 that you came in your sleep2 
for sometimes  the way is dark and hard1
 and you are little and tender4 ,when   
your  brother comes you will be the     
first to see him1 and show him the way4 
,my brother6 is he coming8 the little   
,pilgrim cried4 ,and then she said  with
 a wistful look1 ,but we are all        
brethren1 and you mean only one of      
those who are the children of our       
,father4 ,you must forgive me that ,i do
  not know the higher speech1 but only  
what is natural1 for ,i have not yet    
been long here4    ,he whom ,i mean is  

called-- and here the lady said a name  
which was the  true name of a brother   
born whom the ,pilgrim loved above all  
others4 ,she  gave a cry1 and then she  
said1 trembling1 ,i know your voice1 but
 ,i  cannot see your face4 ,and what you
 say makes me think of many things4 ,no 
one else has covered her face when she  
has spoken to me4 ,i know you1 and  yet 
,i cannot tell who you are4    ,the     
woman stood for a little without saying 
a word1 and then very softly1  in a     
voice which only the heart heard1 she   
called the little ,pilgrim by  her name4
    ,,mother1 cried the ,pilgrim1 with  
such a cry of joy that it echoed all    
about in the sweet air1 and flung       
herself upon the veiled lady1 and drew  
the veil from her face1 and saw that it 
was she4 ,and with this sight  there    
came a revelation which flooded her soul
 with happiness4 ,for the  face which   
had been old and feeble was old no      
longer1 but fair in the  maturity of    
day2 and the figure that had been bent  

and weary was full of  a tender majesty1
 and the arms that clasped her about    
were warm and soft  with love and life4 
,and all that had changed their         
relations in the other  days and made   
the mother in her weakness seem as a    
child1 and transferred  all protection  
and strength to the daughter1 was gone  
for ever and the  little ,pilgrim beheld
 in a rapture one who was her sister and
 equal1 yet  ever above her1--more near 
to her than any1 though all were so     
near1--one  of whom she herself was a   
part1 yet another1 and who knew all her 
thoughts and the way of them before they
 arose in her4 ,and to see her  face as 
in the days of her prime1 and her eyes  
so clear and wise1 and to  feel once    
more that which is different from the   
love of all1 that which  is still most  
sweet where all is sweet1 the love of   
one1 was like a crown  to her in her    
happiness4 ,the little ,pilgrim could   
not think for joy1 nor  say a word1 but 
held this dear mother's hands and looked

 in her face1 and  her heart soared away
 to the ,father in thanks and joy4 ,they
 sat down by  the roadside under the    
shade of the trees1--while the river ran
 softly  by1 and everything was hushed  
out of sympathy and kindness1--and      
questioned each other of all that had   
been and was to be4 ,and the little     
,pilgrim told all the little news of    
home1 and of the brothers and sisters   
and the children that had been born1 and
 of those whose faces were turned       
towards this better country2 and the    
mother smiled and listened and would    
have heard all over and over1 although  
many things she already knew4 ,but  why 
should ,i tell you1 for did not you     
watch over us and see all we did1  and  
were not you near us always8 the little 
,pilgrim said4    ,how could that be8   
said the mother2 for we are not like our
 ,lord1 to  be everywhere4 ,we come and 
go where we are sent4 ,but sometimes we 
knew1  and sometimes saw1 and always    
loved4 ,and whenever our hearts were    

sick  for news it was but to go to him1 
and he told us everything4 ,and now1 my 
little one1 you are as we are1 and have 
seen the ,lord4 ,and this has been      
given us1 to teach our child once more1 
and show you the heavenly  language1    
that you may understand all1 both the   
little and the great4    ,then the      
,pilgrim lifted her head from her       
mother's bosom1 and looked in  her face 
with eyes full of longing4 ,you said    
'we1' she said4    ,the mother did      
nothing but smile2 then lifted her eyes 
and looked along  the beautiful path of 
the river to where some one was coming  
to join  them4 ,and the little ,pilgrim 
cried out again1 in wonder and joy2 and 
presently found herself seated between  
them1 her father and her mother1  the   
two who had loved her most in the other 
days4 ,they looked more  beautiful than 
the angels and all the great persons    
whom she had seen2  for still they were 
hers and she was theirs more than all   
the angels and  all the blessed could   

be4 ,and thus she learned that though   
the new may  take the place of the old1 
and many things may blossom out of it   
like  flowers1 yet that the old is never
 done away4 ,and then they sat together1
  telling of everything that had        
befallen1 and all the little tender     
things  that were of no import1 and all 
the great changes and noble ways1 and   
the  wonders of heaven above--and the   
earth beneath1 for all1 were open to    
them1 both great and small2 and when    
they had satisfied their souls with     
these1 her father and mother began to   
teach her the other language1  smiling  
often at her faltering tongue1 and      
telling her the same thing  over and    
over till she learnt it2 and her father 
called her his little  foolish one1 as  
he had done in the old days2 and at     
last1 when they had  kissed her and     
blessed her1 and told her how to come   
home to them when  she was weary1 they  
gave her1 as the ,father had permitted  
them1 with joy  and blessing1 her new   

name4    ,the little ,pilgrim was tired 
with happiness and all the wonder and   
pleasure2 and as she sat there in the   
silence2 leaning upon those who  were so
 dear to her1 the soft air grew sweeter 
and sweeter about her1 and  the light   
faded softly into a dimness of tender   
indulgence and privilege  for her1      
because she was still little and weak4  
,and whether that heavenly  suspense of 
all her faculties was sleep or not she  
knew not1 but it was  such as in all her
 life she had never known4 ,when she    
came back to  herself1 it was by the    
sound of many voices calling her1 and   
many people  hastening past and         
beckoning to her to join them4    ,come1
 come1 they said1 little sister3 there  
has been great trouble in  the other    
life1 and many have arrived suddenly and
 are afraid4 ,come1  come1 and help     
them1--come and help them6    ,and she  
sprang up from her soft seat1 and found 
that she was no longer by  the          
riverside1 or within sight of the great 

city1 or in the arms of those  she      
loved1 but stood on one of the flowery  
paths of her own border-land1  and saw  
her fellows hastening towards the gates 
where there seemed a  great crowd4 ,and 
she was no longer weary1 but full of    
life and strength2  and it seemed to her
 that she could take them up in her     
arms1 those  trembling strangers1 and   
carry them straight to the ,father1 so  
strong was  she1 and light1 and full of 
force4 ,and above all the gladness she  
had  felt1 and all her pleasure in what 
she had seen1 and more happy even than  
the meeting with those she loved most1  
was her happiness how1 as she went      
along as light as the breeze to receive 
the strangers4 ,she was so eager  that  
she began to sing a song of welcome as  
she hastened on4 ,oh1  welcome1 welcome6
 she cried2 and as she sang she knew it 
was one of the  heavenly melodies which 
she had heard in the great city2 and she
 hastened  on1 her feet flying over the 
flowery ways1 thinking how the great    

worlds  were all watching1 and the      
angels looking on1 and the whole        
universe  waiting till it should be     
proved to them that the dear ,lord1 the 
,brother  of us all1 had chosen the     
perfect way1 and that over all evil and 
the  sorrow he was the ,conqueror alone4
    ,and the little ,pilgrim's voice1   
though it was so small1 echoed away     
through the great firmament to where the
 other worlds were watching to  see what
 should come1 and cheered the anxious   
faces of some great lords  and princes  
far more great than she1 who were of a  
nobler race than man2  for it was said  
among the stars that when such a little 
sound could reach  so far1 it was a     
token that the ,lord had chosen aright1 
and that his  method must be the best4  
,and it breathed over the earth like    
some one  saying ,courage6 to those     
whose hearts were failing2 and it       
dropped down1  down1 into the great     
confusions and traffic of the ,land of  
,darkness1 and  startled many1 like the 

cry of a child calling and calling1 and 
never  ceasing1 ,come6 and come6 and    
come6