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More Tales from Tolstoi but thy face I do not see, and thy name I know not.”

And the voice answered: “I am Peter the Apostle.”

And the sinner said: “Have pity upon me, Peter the Apostle, and be mindful of human weakness and the mercy of God. Wert not thou a disciple of Christ; didst thou not hear His teaching from His very lips and see the example of His life? And remember—when He was afflicted and tormented in spirit, and begged thee three times not to sleep but to pray, thou didst sleep because thine eyes were heavy, and three times He found thee sleeping. And so it hath been with me.

“And remember, too, how thou didst promise Him not to deny Him even unto death, and how thou didst thrice deny Him when they brought Him before Caiaphas. And so it hath been with me.

“And remember, too, how the cock crew, and thou didst depart and weep bitterly. So it hath been with me. Thou can'st not but let me in.”

And the voice behind the door of Paradise was silent

And after no very long delay the sinner again began to knock at the door and ask to be admitted into the Kingdom of Heaven.

And another voice was heard to speak from behind the door, and it said: “What man is this, and what manner of life did he live in the world?”

And the voice of the Accuser replied, and recounted all the evil deeds of the sinner, and named no good deeds at all.

And the voice behind the door answered: “Depart 250