第86章

whereupon，layingherhandgentlyonhisshoulder，shesaid，inthepeculiarsoftandtendertonewhichIhadheardheruseonaformeroccasion，’Takecomfort，Peter；whathashappenednowtoafflictthee？’Peterremovedhishandfromhisface。’Theoldpain，theoldpain，’saidhe；’Iwastalkingwiththisyoungman，andhewouldfainknowwhatbroughtmehere，hewouldfainhearmytale，Winifred-mysin：OpechodYspryddGlan!OpechodYspryddGlan!’

andthepoormanfellintoamorefearfulagonythanbefore。TearstrickleddownWinifred’sface，Isawthemtricklingbythemoonlight，asshegazeduponthewrithingformofherafflictedhusband。Iarosefrommyseat。’Iamthecauseofallthis，’saidI，’bymyfollyandimprudence，anditisthusIhavereturnedyourkindnessandhospitality；Iwilldepartfromyouandwandermyway。’Iwasretiring，butPetersprangupanddetainedme。’Gonot，’saidhe，’youwerenotinfault；iftherebeanyfaultinthecaseitwasmine；ifIsuffer，Iambutpayingthepenaltyofmyowniniquity’；hethenpaused，andappearedtobeconsidering：atlengthhesaid，’Manythingswhichthouhastseenandheardconnectedwithmerequireexplanation；thouwishesttoknowmytale，Iwilltellitthee，butnotnow，notto-night；Iamtoomuchshaken。’

Twoeveningslater，whenwewereagainseatedbeneaththeoak，Petertookthehandofhiswifeinhisown，andthen，intonesbrokenandalmostinarticulate，commencedtellingmehistale-thetaleofthePechodYspryddGlan。

CHAPTERLXXV

Takingacup-Gettingtoheaven-Afterbreakfast-Woodengallery-Mechanicalhabit-Reservedandgloomy-Lastwords-A

longtime-Fromtheclouds-Rayofhope-Momentarychill-

Pleasinganticipation。

’IWASbornintheheartofNorthWales，thesonofarespectablefarmer，andamtheyoungestofsevenbrothers。

’MyfatherwasamemberoftheChurchofEngland，andwaswhatisgenerallycalledaseriousman。Hewenttochurchregularly，andreadtheBibleeverySundayevening；inhismomentsofleisurehewasfondofholdingreligiousdiscoursebothwithhisfamilyandhisneighbours。

’Oneautumnafternoon，onaweekday，myfathersatwithoneofhisneighbourstakingacupofalebytheoaktableinourstonekitchen。Isatnearthem，andlistenedtotheirdiscourse。Iwasatthattimesevenyearsofage。Theyweretalkingofreligiousmatters。“Itisahardmattertogettoheaven，“saidmyfather。

“Exceedinglyso，“saidtheother。“However，Idon’tdespond；noneneeddespairofgettingtoheaven，savethosewhohavecommittedthesinagainsttheHolyGhost。“

’“Ah!“saidmyfather，“thankGodInevercommittedthat-howawfulmustbethestateofapersonwhohascommittedthesinagainsttheHolyGhost。Icanscarcelythinkofitwithoutmyhairstandingonend“；andthenmyfatherandhisfriendbegantalkingofthenatureofthesinagainsttheHolyGhost，andIheardthemsaywhatitwas，asIsatwithgreedyearslisteningtotheirdiscourse。

’IlayawakethegreaterpartofthenightmusinguponwhatIhadheard。IkeptwonderingtomyselfwhatmustbethestateofapersonwhohadcommittedthesinagainsttheHolyGhost，andhowhemustfeel。OnceortwiceIfeltastronginclinationtocommitit，astrangekindoffear，however，preventedme；atlastIdeterminednottocommitit，and，havingsaidmyprayers，Ifellasleep。

’WhenIawokeinthemorningthefirstthingIthoughtofwasthemysterioussin，andavoicewithinmeseemedtosay，“Commitit“；

andIfeltastrongtemptationtodoso，evenstrongerthaninthenight。Iwasjustabouttoyield，whenthesamedread，ofwhichI

havealreadyspoken，cameoverme，and，springingoutofbed，I

wentdownonmyknees。Isleptinasmallroomalone，towhichI

ascendedbyawoodenstair，opentothesky。Ihaveoftenthoughtsincethatitisnotagoodthingforchildrentosleepalone。

’AfterbreakfastIwenttoschool，andendeavouredtoemploymyselfuponmytasks，butallinvain；Icouldthinkofn