Page:Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales (1888).djvu/485

 known, beloved voice; and kiss followed kiss, in boundless delight. Then the child pointed to the dark curtain. “There is nothing so beautiful on earth it is there. Mother, do you not see them all? Oh, it is happiness indeed.”

But the mother saw nothing of what the child pointed out, only the dark curtain. She looked with earthly eyes, and could not see as the child saw,—he whom God had called to be with Himself. She could hear the sounds of music, but she heard not the words, the Word in which she was to trust.

“I can fly now, mother,” said the child; “I can fly with other happy children into the presence of the Almighty. I would fain fly away now; but if you weep for me as you are weeping now, you may never see me again. And yet I would go so gladly. May I not fly away? And you will come to me soon, will you not, dear mother?”

“Oh, stay, stay!” implored the mother; “only one moment more; only once more, that I may look upon thee, and kiss thee, and press thee to my heart.”

Then she kissed and fondled her child. Suddenly her name was called from above; what could it mean? her name uttered in a plaintive voice.

“Hearest thou?” said the child. “It is my father who calls thee.”

And in a few moments deep sighs were heard, as of children weeping. “They are my sisters,” said the child. ‘Mother, surely you have not forgotten them.”

And then she remembered those she had left behind, and a great terror came over her. She looked around her at the dark night. Dim forms flitted by. She seemed to recognise some of them, as they floated through the regions of death towards the dark curtain, where they vanished. Would her husband and her daughters thus flit past? No; their sighs and lamentations still sounded from above; and she had nearly forgotten them, for the sake of him who was dead.

“Mother, now the bells of heaven are ringing,” said the child; “mother, the sun is going to rise.”

An overpowering light streamed in upon her, the child had vanished, and she was being borne upwards. All around her became cold; she lifted her head, and saw that she was lying in the churchyard, on the grave of her child. The Lord, in a dream, had been a guide to her feet and a light to her spirit. She bowed her knees, and prayed for forgiveness. She had wished to keep back a soul from its immortal flight; she had forgotten her duties towards the living who were left her. And when she had offered this prayer, her heart felt lighter. The sun burst forth, over her head a little bird carolled his song, and the church-bells sounded for the early service. Everything around her seemed holy, and her heart was chastened. She acknowledged the goodness of God, she acknowledged the duties she had to perform, and eagerly she returned home. She bent over her husband, who still slept; her warm, devoted kiss awakened him, and words of heartfelt love fell from the lips of both. Now she was gentle and strong