ne joy seemed occasionally to play over it. I suspect, indeed, that
some of those who stood by thought that the friar had brought her an
offer of freedom, but it was not so; the only freedom she desired was to
be liberated from this state of care and pain, and to mount upwards to
be with her risen Lord. Onward marched the sad procession; but of all
those I saw, none appeared to tremble or to desire to escape the
dreadful fate awaiting them.

A'Dale, taking me by the arm, endeavoured to drag me into the front
rank. "I want to judge how these people behave themselves at the
stake," he said. "You and I perhaps, Ernst, may one day have to go
through the same, and it may be well to take a lesson, so as to know how
to comport ourselves."

I did not like his tone; it appeared more mocking than serious. It was
not so, however. His heart was really as grieved as mine, but more
indignant: such was his temper. Yet he really wished to see the
burning.

"No, no," I answered. "Spare me, A'Dale, I cannot. I would be ready,
if called on, to burn, myself, but to see others suffer, willingly I
cannot. That poor lady, too, with a young child and a husband loving
her, thus to be separated from them. How glorious and firm must be her
faith to support her under such a trial; or rather, I should say, how
gracious is the Holy Spirit who gives her strength for her need! It is
that which supports her."

Still A'Dale would have me accompany him; and, though I was unwilling,
he dragged me forward. I felt faint and sick and confused. The
recollections of the past crowded on me with such force that they almost
shut out, as it were, the scene before my eyes. I remember being in the
midst of a vast crowd, and seeing on a high platform the sheriffs and a
number of great officers in rich dresses, and below huge posts with
chains secured to them, and a number of guards and priests below the
platform, while other persons with their hands bound were in their
midst, and rude rough men carrying faggots to and fro and piling them up
near the posts; and then other persons were brought forward and secured
to the posts, and more words were spoken, and priests seemed to be
exhorting their prisoners, but none were released. And then the faggots
were thrown round them, and the flames ascended, but no exclamation of
fear burst from their breasts. I could gaze no more. Sick unto death,
I uttered a cry and fled from the spot, scarcely knowing whe