The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-03-13
IN THE darkness
OF THE NIGHT

lect my thoughts Only very slowly
consciousness came back. l tried TO
find out where / was, but my eyes
did not distinguish anything in the
darkness. A rumbling noise and a
trembling movement of my heart, for
4 was sitting, told me that / was ON
board train.
How | had come there and where
Z was going, why l had started on
this trip, where | had been before
and how ] had spent my past life
were all mysteries to me. l must
have slept long and deeply Why
was it so dark around me? They
had forgotten to turn on the light
In the compartment, and | was about
to get up when | was held back by
something like a rock. | was terri
fed to find out that it was my great
trunk which was tied around my
neck with a heavy chain.
| drew deep sigh and was about
to make another attempt, when
heard a noise next to me. | put out
my hand and touched another hand,
a sDf. human hand which took hold
of mine Something seemed to draw
me from far away, but | could not
make out what it was. 1t seemed to
be something that happened long,
long ago in connection with hand,
and a handshake, but that was all
that I could make out.
/ was thoroughly aroused now,
and | heard a deep breathing and
snoring in other parts of the COM
partment We were not alone, 9TH
-er people were travelling with us. |
wanted to speak but found it impos-
sible to say a single word. Nobody
spoke, nobody moved. A common
feeling of terror seemed to have pet
rffied us all, the hand that | was
still holding in mine trembled, and
In the soft pressure, there was a
story of fear and a silent cry for
assistance.
Where had l ever experienced
anything similar to this, and when
did it happen The hand was soft
and hot and the signing which
seemed to come from a woman quite
chose to me, reminded me of a tune
L once heard and could not find
again.
A groan escaped me and | felt
terribly unhappy not to be able to
give the least little comfort to the
being at my side, who was evidently
suffering as | did. And all the
breathing seemed to come from peO-
pie who we're in the same trouble as
I.
How long we rode in this manner
I do not know. 1t seemed to me an
eternity. Suddenly the train stop
ped and a faint ray Of light fell
+ through the window, too faint, how
ever, to distinguish anything, a
voice which appeared to me cruel
and hard, sang out in the darkness:
Passengers out; all baggage must
be examined"
We then went from the train to
a large, poorly Illuminated hall 1t
was light enough for me to see that
. all of my travelling companions car
ried their baggage in chains around
their neck like l did myself.
Invisible hands opened my trunk,
invisible eyes looked into it. l knew
1t, and | was seized with feeling
cof terror l felt that l had terrible
things in the trunk, things that l
ought not to have carried along with
me, and which l had concealed from
everybody until now. Things which
were now to be laid open and bare
to everyone.
was ashamed of myself and
felt hot tears running down my
cheek when a voice close to me said:
"You carry too much forbidden
goods, you cannot enter. The en-
trance is too narrow and even If you
were to get through the door, who
would help you carry your burdens!
lin this place everyone has enough
II Poi
Full of despair I collapsed on the
ground and suddenly l understood
where | was going, and that l had
long been dead.
Then l heard next to me soft
whisper: "Half of it is mine, yes
more than half of it. l will help you
TO carry it.
Two hot burning tears fell on my
hand, and a ray of light illuminat
ed for a moment the pale face of the
woman at my side.
Recognizing her, I cried out in ha
tired, in pain, in fury, and | tore m!
hand loose from hers and tried tt
break the chain which bound us to
gether. Rather carry everythin.
alone. rather go to damnation alon
than be together with her in para
disc, For | had loved this womal
more than any other, and had learn
cd to despise her enough not to wisl
to see her in time or eternity. Blu
could not break the chain whicl
tied me to her, and | saw there wa
NO escape from damnatiOn.
And now | sat once more next t
her in the train, and we went tu1
ther on into eternity, We two peOpl
who have not wanted to have any
thing in common and | shuddered q
her continuous signing. Incessantl
hOt tears fell on my hands and th
burden on my breast seemed to gro
heavier and heavier. All the pain
and sorrows and bitter enemies seen
ed to grow alive and tortured m
HntiI | groaned as she, and sufere
the same torture. Fool that wa
TO have believed that | should ge
rid Of her when l told her to leaY
me forever How much easier | ha
felt when she left me never to II