aven!

I hastened to meet him.

"I beg your pardon, sir, for my rudeness last night," I said. "Will you
take me with you now? I heartily confess I do not deserve it."

"Ah!" he returned, and looked up. Then, after a brief pause, "My wife
does not expect you to-night," he said. "She regrets that we at all
encouraged your staying last week."

"Take me to her that I may tell her how sorry I am," I begged humbly.

"It is of no use," he answered. "Your night was not come then, or you
would not have left us. It is not come now, and I cannot show you the
way. The dead were rejoicing under their daisies--they all lie among the
roots of the flowers of heaven--at the thought of your delight when the
winter should be past, and the morning with its birds come: ere you
left them, they shivered in their beds. When the spring of the universe
arrives,--but that cannot be for ages yet! how many, I do not know--and
do not care to know."

"Tell me one thing, I beg of you, Mr. Raven: is my father with you? Have
you seen him since he left the world?"

"Yes; he is with us, fast asleep. That was he you saw with his arm on
the coverlet, his hand half closed."

"Why did you not tell me? That I should have been so near him, and not
know!"

"And turn your back on him!" corrected the raven.

"I would have lain down at once had I known!"

"I doubt it. Had you been ready to lie down, you would have known
him!--Old Sir Up'ard," he went on, "and your twice great-grandfather,
both are up and away long ago. Your great-grandfather has been with us
for many a year; I think he will soon begin to stir. You saw him last
night, though of course you did not know him."

"Why OF COURSE?"

"Because he is so much nearer waking than you. No one who will not sleep
can ever wake."

"I do not at all understand you!"

"You turned away, and would not understand!" I held my peace.--But if I
did not say something, he would go!

"And my grandfather--is he also with you?" I asked.

"No; he is still in the Evil Wood, fighting the dead."

"Where is the Evil Wood, that I may find him?"

"You will not find him; but you will hardly miss the wood. It is the
place where those who will not sleep, wake up at night, to kill their
dead and bury them."

"I cannot understand you!"

"Naturally not. Neither do I understand you; I can read neither your
heart nor your face. When my wife and I do not understand our children,
it is because there is not enough of th