ourage, and made a great effort, and stood
upon his feet, and pressed on beside Gehulfe.

Then I saw that the road changed again, and became smoother than they had
ever known it. Gottlieb's staff, too, was now smooth and easy in his
hand, as it had been at first. Soon also a pleasant air sprung up, and
blew softly and yet cool upon their foreheads. And now they heard the
song of birds, as if the sunshine was very near them, though they saw it
not yet. There were, too, every now and then, sounds sweeter than the
songs of birds, as if blessed angels were near them, and they were let to
hear their heavenly voices. A little further, and the day began to dawn
upon them--bright light shone out some way before them, and its glad
reflection was already cast upon their path. But still there was one
more trial before them; for when they had enjoyed this light for a
season, and I thought they must be close upon the sunshine, I saw that
they had got into greater darkness than ever. Here, also, they lost
sight of one another; for it was a part of the King's appointment, that
each one must pass that dark part alone--it was called "the shadow of
death." Gehulfe, I saw, walked through it easily; his feet were nimble
and active, his lamp was bright, his golden vial ever in his hand, his
staff firm to lean upon, and the book of light close before his eyes: he
was still reading it aloud, and I heard him speak of his King as giving
"songs in the night,"--and so, with a glad heart, he passed through the
darkness. The brightest sunshine lay close upon the other side of it;
and there he was waited for by messengers in robes of light, and they
clad him in the same, and carried him with songs and music into the
presence of the King.

But Gottlieb did not pass through so easily. It seemed as if that
darkness had power to bring out any weakness with which past accidents
had at the time affected the pilgrim: for so it was, that when Gottlieb
was in it, he felt all the stunning of his fall come back again upon him,
and, for a moment, he seemed well-nigh lost. But his heart was sound,
and there was One who was faithful holding him up: so he grasped his good
staff tighter than ever, though its roughness had come out again and
sorely pricked his hand; but this seemed only to quicken his steps; and
when he had gone on a little while thus firmly, as he looked into his
book he saw written on its open page, "I will make darkness light before
t