The child in the grave 墓里的孩子

THECHILDINTHEGRAVE

ITwasaverysadday,andeveryheartinthehousefeltthedeepestgrief;fortheyoungestchild,aboyoffouryearsold,thejoyandhopeofhisparents,wasdead.Twodaughters,theelderofwhomwasgoingtobeconfirmed,stillremained:theywerebothgood,charminggirls;butthelostchildalwaysseemsthedearest;andwhenitisyoungest,andason,itmakesthetrialstillmoreheavy.Thesistersmournedasyoungheartscanmourn,andwereespeciallygrievedatthesightoftheirparents’sorrow.Thefather’sheartwasboweddown,butthemothersunkcompletelyunderthedeepgrief.Dayandnightshehadattendedtothesickchild,nursingandcarryingitinherbosom,asapartofherself.Shecouldnotrealizethefactthatthechildwasdead,andmustbelaidinacoffintorestintheground.ShethoughtGodcouldnottakeherdarlinglittleonefromher;andwhenitdidhappennotwithstandingherhopesandherbelief,andtherecouldbenomoredoubtonthesubject,shesaidinherfeverishagony,"Goddoesnotknowit.Hehashard-heartedministeringspiritsonearth,whodoaccordingtotheirownwill,andheednotamother’sprayers."ThusinhergreatgriefshefellawayfromherfaithinGod,anddarkthoughtsaroseinhermindrespectingdeathandafuturestate.Shetriedtobelievethatmanwasbutdust,andthatwithhislifeallexistenceended.Butthesedoubtswerenosupporttoher,nothingonwhichshecouldrest,andshesunkintothefathomlessdepthsofdespair.Inherdarkesthourssheceasedtoweep,andthoughtnotoftheyoungdaughterswhowerestilllefttoher.Thetearsofherhusbandfellonherforehead,butshetooknonoticeofhim;herthoughtswerewithherdeadchild;herwholeexistenceseemedwrappedupintheremembrancesofthelittleoneandofeveryinnocentwordithaduttered.
Thedayofthelittlechild’sfuneralcame.Fornightspreviouslythemotherhadnotslept,butinthemorningtwilightofthisdayshesunkfromwearinessintoadeepsleep;inthemeantimethecoffinwascarriedintoadistantroom,andtherenaileddown,thatshemightnotheartheblowsofthehammer.Whensheawoke,andwantedtoseeherchild,thehusband,withtears,said,"Wehaveclosedthecoffin;itwasnecessarytodoso."
"WhenGodissohardtome,howcanIexpectmentobebetter?"shesaidwithgroansandtears.
Thecoffinwascarriedtothegrave,andthedisconsolatemothersatwithheryoungdaughters.Shelookedatthem,butshesawthemnot;forherthoughtswerefarawayfromthedomestichearth.Shegaveherselfuptohergrief,andittossedhertoandfro,astheseatossesashipwithoutcompassorrudder.Sothedayofthefuneralpassedaway,andsimilardaysfollowed,ofdark,wearisomepain.Withtearfuleyesandmournfulglances,thesorrowingdaughtersandtheafflictedhusbandlookeduponherwhowouldnotheartheirwordsofcomfort;and,indeed,whatcomfortingwordscouldtheyspeak,whentheywerethemselvessofullofgrief?Itseemedasifshewouldneveragainknowsleep,andyetitwouldhavebeenherbestfriend,onewhowouldhavestrengthenedherbodyandpouredpeaceintohersoul.Theyatlastpersuadedhertoliedown,andthenshewouldlieasstillasifsheslept.
Onenight,whenherhusbandlistened,asheoftendid,toherbreathing,hequitebelievedthatshehadatlengthfoundrestandreliefinsleep.Hefoldedhisarmsandprayed,andsoonsunkhimselfintohealthfulsleep;thereforehedidnotnoticethathiswifearose,threwonherclothes,andglidedsilentlyfromthehouse,togowhereherthoughtsconstantlylingered-tothegraveofherchild.Shepassedthroughthegarden,toapathacrossafieldthatledtothechurchyard.
Noonesawherasshewalked,nordidsheseeanyone;forhereyeswerefixedupontheoneobjectofherwanderings.ItwasalovelystarlightnightinthebeginningofSeptember,andtheairwasmildandstill.Sheenteredthechurchyard,andstoodbythelittlegrave,whichlookedlikealargenosegayoffragrantflowers.Shesatdown,andbentherheadlowoverthegrave,asifshecouldseeherchildthroughtheearththatcoveredhim-herlittleboy,whosesmilewassovividlybeforeher,andthegentleexpressionofwhoseeyes,evenonhissick-bed,shecouldnotforget.Howfullofmeaningthatglancehadbeen,assheleanedoverhim,holdinginhersthepalehandwhichhehadnolongerstrengthtoraise!Asshehadsatbyhislittlecot,sonowshesatbyhisgrave;andhereshecouldweepfreely,andhertearsfelluponit.
"Thouwouldstgladlygodownandbewiththychild,"saidavoicequiteclosetoher,-avoicethatsoundedsodeepandclear,thatitwenttoherheart.
Shelookedup,andbyhersidestoodamanwrappedinablackcloak,withahoodcloselydrawnoverhisface;butherkeenglancecoulddistinguishthefaceunderthehood.Itwasstern,yetawakenedconfidence,andtheeyesbeamedwithyouthfulradiance.
"Downtomychild,"sherepeated;andtonesofdespairandentreatysoundedinthewords.
"Darestthoutofollowme?"askedtheform."IamDeath."Shebowedherheadintokenofassent.Thensuddenlyitappearedasifallthestarswereshiningwiththeradianceofthefullmoononthemany-coloredflowersthatdeckedthegrave.Theearththatcovereditwasdrawnbacklikeafloatingdrapery.Shesunkdown,andthespectrecoveredherwithablackcloak;nightclosedaroundher,thenightofdeath.Shesankdeeperthanthespadeofthesextoncouldpenetrate,tillthechurchyardbecamearoofaboveher.Thenthecloakwasremoved,andshefoundherselfinalargehall,ofwide-spreadingdimensions,inwhichtherewasasubduedlight,liketwilight,reigning,andinamomentherchildappearedbeforeher,smiling,andmorebeautifulthanever;withasilentcryshepressedhimtoherheart.Agloriousstrainofmusicsounded-nowdistant,nownear.Neverhadshelistenedtosuchtonesasthese;theycamefrombeyondalargedarkcurtainwhichseparatedtheregionsofdeathfromthelandofeternity.
"Mysweet,darlingmother,"sheheardthechildsay.Itwasthewell-known,belovedvoice;andkissfollowedkiss,inboundlessdelight.Thenthechildpointedtothedarkcurtain."Thereisnothingsobeautifulonearthasitishere.Mother,doyounotseethemall?Oh,itishappinessindeed."Butthemothersawnothingofwhatthechildpointedout,onlythedarkcurtain.Shelookedwithearthlyeyes,andcouldnotseeasthechildsaw,-hewhomGodhascalledtobewithHimself.Shecouldhearthesoundsofmusic,butsheheardnotthewords,theWordinwhichshewastotrust."Icanflynow,mother,"saidthechild;"IcanflywithotherhappychildrenintothepresenceoftheAlmighty.Iwouldfainflyawaynow;butifyouweepformeasyouareweepingnow,youmayneverseemeagain.AndyetIwouldgosogladly.MayInotflyaway?Andyouwillcometomesoon,willyounot,dearmother?"
"Oh,stay,stay!"imploredthemother;"onlyonemomentmore;onlyoncemore,thatImaylookuponthee,andkissthee,andpresstheetomyheart."
Thenshekissedandfondledherchild.Suddenlyhernamewascalledfromabove;whatcoulditmean?hernameutteredinaplaintivevoice.
"Hearestthou?"saidthechild."Itismyfatherwhocallsthee."Andinafewmomentsdeepsighswereheard,asofchildrenweeping."Theyaremysisters,"saidthechild.
"Mother,surelyyouhavenotforgottenthem."Andthensherememberedthosesheleftbehind,andagreatterrorcameoverher.Shelookedaroundheratthedarknight.Dimformsflittedby.Sheseemedtorecognizesomeofthem,astheyfloatedthroughtheregionsofdeathtowardsthedarkcurtain,wheretheyvanished.Wouldherhusbandandherdaughtersflitpast?No;theirsighsandlamentationsstillsoundedfromabove;andshehadnearlyforgottenthem,forthesakeofhimwhowasdead.
"Mother,nowthebellsofheavenareringing,"saidthechild;"mother,thesunisgoingtorise."
Anoverpoweringlightstreamedinuponher,thechildhadvanished,andshewasbeingborneupwards.Allaroundherbecamecold;sheliftedherhead,andsawthatshewaslyinginthechurchyard,onthegraveofherchild.TheLord,inadream,hadbeenaguidetoherfeetandalighttoherspirit.
Shebowedherknees,andprayedforforgiveness.Shehadwishedtokeepbackasoulfromitsimmortalflight;shehadforgottenherdutiestowardsthelivingwhowerelefther.Andwhenshehadofferedthisprayer,herheartfeltlighter.Thesunburstforth,overherheadalittlebirdcarolledhissong,andthechurch-bellssoundedfortheearlyservice.
Everythingaroundherseemedholy,andherheartwaschastened.SheacknowledgedthegoodnessofGod,sheacknowledgedthedutiesshehadtoperform,andeagerlyshereturnedhome.Shebentoverherhusband,whostillslept;herwarm,devotedkissawakenedhim,andwordsofheartfeltlovefellfromthelipsofboth.Nowshewasgentleandstrongasawifecanbe;andfromherlipscamethewordsoffaith:
"WhateverHedoethisrightandbest."Thenherhusbandasked,"Fromwhencehastthouallatoncederivedsuchstrengthandcomfortingfaith?"Andasshekissedhimandherchildren,shesaid,"ItcamefromGod,throughmychildinthegrave."

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