Seite:Marsh Hallig 1856.djvu/286

286THE HALLIG.

rocks itself in the blue sea of heaven on a summer day,
then floating nearer to the earth, his form appeared as
might that of the pious soul to the heavenly hosts, when
hastening home to its Father in its transfigured body
invisible to mortal eyes. But mine eyes were to be
opened to behold the angel even in this form, for a fiery
coal had been prepared for me in the counsels of the
Father, because my weakness had despaired before the
cares of this life. And the angel touched the earth,
beckoned to me, and moved lightly toward me, light
as gossamer floats on the breeze. We wandered over
mountain, valley, and sea, through the still winter night,
and my foot slipped not on the smooth surface of the
ice, became not weary in the damp snows, as if its sole
touched not the earth beneath it. We met also several
night pilgrims, but they did not see us ; to the eye of
man my form was invisible. It seemed to me as if I had
left the dark heavy shadow of clay behind in its place
of slumber, and as if my soul were traveling, clad in
the drapery of her future home. At last we came to a
great city whose gates opened and shut in silence, as the
cloud-walls divide, to permit a sunbeam to pass, that
with a sudden flash upon the meadows it may wake
some sleeping bud. All was still and desolate in the
streets, and we passed through the long lines of houses
like persons, who, having prolonged their pleasures till
too late an hour, find the door of their own dwellings
shut, and are forced to seek hospitality with some dis-
tant friend. So the angel of God walked with me
through the wide city, and those who slept in lofty pal-
aces dreamed of the riches, the honors, and the pleasures
of the world as before, and they who slept in the huts