接01:
In the evening towards bedtime， the clergyman saw his wife sitting silent and thoughtful．
“What ails yon？”he said to her．
“What ails me？”said she，“I cannot collect my thoughts properly， I cannot get clearly into my head what you said， that there were somany ungodly， and that they should burn for ever； for ever， O， how long！I am only a sinful woman，but I could not bear to let even the worst sinner burn for ever；how then should our Lord be able to do it who is so infinitely good，and who knows how the evil comes both from without and from within？ No， I cannot think it， even although you say it．”
It was autumn， the leaves fell from the trees；the severe， earnest priest sat by the death bed of his wife．
“If any one should get peace in the grave and mercy from God， it is you！” said the priest， and he folded her hands and read a psalm over her body．
And she was carried to her grave；two heavy tears rolled down over the cheeks of the earnest priest； and in his house it was quiet and lonely， the sunshine was extinguished； she had gone away．
It was night；a cold wind blew over the head of the priest，he opened his eyes，and it seemed as if the moon shone into his room， but themoon was not shining； it was a figure which stood before his bed； he saw the ghost of his dead wife；she looked at him sorrowfully， it seemed as if she wanted to say something．
在晚上要睡觉的时候，牧师看见他的太太坐着一声不响，好像有什么心事似的。
“你在想什么呢？”他问她。
“我在想什么？”她说。“我觉得我想不通，我不能同意你所讲的话。你把不敬上帝的人说得那么多，你说他们要永远受火烧的刑罚。永远，唉，永远到什么时候呢？连像我这样一个有罪的女人都不忍让最坏的恶人永远受着火刑，我们的上帝怎么能呢？他是那么仁慈，他知道罪过的形成有内在的原因，也有外在的原因。不，虽然你说得千真万确，我却没有办法相信。”
这时正是秋天，叶子从树上落下来。这位严峻和认真的牧师坐在一个死人的旁边；死者怀着虔诚的信心把眼睛合上了。这就是牧师的妻子。
“如果说世上有一个人应该得到上帝的慈悲和墓中的安息的话，这个人就是你！”牧师说。他把他的双手合起来，对死者的尸体念了一首圣诗。
她被抬到墓地里去，这位一本正经的牧师的脸上滚下了两滴眼泪。他家里现在是静寂无声，太阳光消逝了，因为没有了她。
这正是黑夜，一阵冷风吹到牧师的头上来，他把眼睛睁开；这好像月亮已经照进他的房间里来了，但是并没有月亮在照着。在他的床面前站着一个人形。这就是他的死去了的妻子的幽灵。她用一种非常悲哀的眼光望着他，好像她有一件什么事情要说似的。
（To be continued）
