But as the thought arose, she heard, and lo! the steps of the pleaders and the sound of their entry.  They came slowly like a solemn procession, more grave and awful in their looks than any she had seen, for they were great and the greatest of all, such as come forth but rarely when the last word is to be said.  The words they said were few; but they stood round him reminding him of all that had been, and of what must be, and of many things which were known but to God and him alone, and calling upon him yet once more before time should come to an end and life be lost.  But the sound of their voices in his ear was but as some great strain of music which he had heard many times and knew and heeded not.  He turned to the goods which he had laid up for many years, and all the knowledge he had stored, and said to himself, ‘Soul, take thine ease.’  And to the heavenly advocates he smiled and replied that life was strong and wisdom the master of all.  Then there came a chill and a shiver over all, as if the earth had been stopped in her career or the sun fallen from the sky; and the little Pilgrim, looking on, could see the heavenly pleaders come forth with bowed heads and the door of hope shut to, and a whisper which crept about from sea to sea and said, ‘In vain! in vain!’ And as they went forth from the gates an icy breath swept in, and the voice of the Death-Angel saying, ’Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee!’ The sound went through her heart as if it had been pierced by a sword, and she gave a cry of anguish, for she could not bear that a brother should be lost.  But when she looked up at the face of her companion, though it was pale with the pity and the terror of that which had been thus accomplished, there was still upon it a smile; and he said, ‘Not yet; not yet.  The Father loves not less, but more than ever.’  ’O friend,’ she cried, ’will there ever come a moment when the Father will forget?  Is there any place where He cannot go?’

Then he who was wise turned towards her, and a great light came upon his face; and he said, ’We have searched the records, and heard all witnesses from the beginnings of time; but we have never found the boundary of His mercy, and there is no country known to man that is without his presence.  And never has it been known that He has shut His ear to those who called upon Him, or forgotten one who is His.  The heavenly pleaders may be silenced, but never our Lord, who pleads for all; and heaven and earth may forget, yet will He never forget who is the Father of all.  And every child of His is to Him as if there was none other in the world.’