Page:TheYoungMansGuide.djvu/137

 Now, what  is  so  terrible  about  death  if not  its  certainty,  but  that  which  is  uncertain in connection  with  it. For as  it  is  sure  and certain that  we  must  die,  so  it  is  doubtful  and uncertain when,  where,  and  how  we  shall  die.

3. When  shall  you  die? In regard  to  this you can  never  be  secure,  even  for  a  single moment. To-day you  are  alive,  but  it  is absolutely  uncertain  whether  you  will  be still  alive  to-morrow,  the  day  after,  in  a  week, a month,  or  a  year. While you  are  reading this you  are  full  of  the  joy  and  love  of  life,  but who can  give  surety  that  this  very  evening,  or to-night,  or  even  the  next  minute,  you  may not drop  down  dead? I repeat  my  question : who can  give  surety  that  it  will  not  so  happen?

Some years  ago,  in  a  little  village  in  Bavaria, a few  peasants  were  sitting  together  in  a  tavern. Over a  glass  of  beer  they  discussed one thing  and  another,  until  at  length  the conversation turned  upon  the  uncertainty  of the  time  of  death. "Certainly," said  a  stalwart peasant  in  the  prime  of  life,  "certainly no  one  can  know  beforehand  the  precise moment,  but  of  this  I  am  assured:  to-day,  at least,  I  shall  not  die."

After a  time  he  got  up,  and  prepared  to go  home;  he  wished  every  one  good  night, and a  pleasant  meeting  on  the  morrow. Then he left  the  room,  and  a  few  minutes  later  his companions lifted  him  up  —  a  corpse! In the dark  he  had  fallen  down  the  steep  steps before the  door,  and  broken  his  neck.