"Oh, howyouspeak! Whatboldandloftywords!" criedthelady."—happiness, happiness—whereisit? Whocansayofhimselfthatheishappy? Oh, sinceyouhavebeensogoodastoletusseeyouoncemoreto-day, letmetellyouwhatIcouldnotutterlasttime, whatIdarednotsay, allIamsufferingandhavebeenforsolong! Iamsuffering! Forgiveme! Iamsuffering!"
Andinarushofferventfeelingsheclaspedherhandsbeforehim.
"Fromwhatspecially?"
"Isuffer...fromlackoffaith."
"LackoffaithinGod?"
"Oh, no, no! —itissuchanenigma! Andnoone, ! Youareahealer, youaredeeplyversedinthehumansoul, andofcourseIdarenotexpectyoutobelievemeentirely, , 'tknowtowhomtoappeal, , God! Whatwillyouthinkofmenow?"
Sheclaspedherhands.
"Don'tdistressyourselfaboutmyopinionofyou," saidtheelder."Iquitebelieveinthesincerityofyoursuffering."
"Oh, howthankfulIamtoyou! Yousee, Ishutmyeyesandaskmyselfifeveryonehasfaith, wherediditcomefrom? Andthentheydosaythatitallcomesfromterroratthemenacingphenomenaofnature, andthatnoneofit', 'WhatifI'vebeenbelievingallmylife, andwhenIcometodiethere'snothingbuttheburdocksgrowingonmygrave?' 'sawful! How—howcanIgetbackmyfaith? ButIonlybelievedwhenIwasalittlechild, mechanically, , howisonetoproveit? , ? HowcanIconvincemyself? Oh, howunhappyIam! Istandandlookaboutmeandseethatscarcelyanyoneelsecares; noonetroubleshisheadaboutit, andI'mtheonlyonewhocan''sdeadly—deadly!"
"'snoprovingit, thoughyoucanbeconvincedofit."
"How?"
"-forgetfulnessintheloveofyourneighbor, thenyouwillbelievewithoutdoubt, ."
