“No,” he continued, “there’s no pardon for me.  I have known that for fourteen years.”  I inwardly resolved to get this dreadful secret from him, which was driving him to such evident desperation.  A few days afterwards an opportunity occurred, and I pressed upon him for his own sake to tell me, or some one else, what had happened fourteen years ago; and what special communication he had had with another world.

“Oh,” he said, “I never told anybody; but I would as soon tell you as any one else.  I had a dream once—–­do you ever have dreams?  I have many things told me in dreams.”  Then he was silent; but I was more curious than ever now, and begged him to tell me what had happened.  At last he began, “I dreamt that I was walking along a broad smooth road, where everything was most lovely; the weather was fine, and the scenery grand; there were beautiful gardens, churches, chapels, theatres, houses, and indeed everything you could think of.  The people all seemed to be delighting in it, and as though they were out for a holiday.  Some were walking, some singing, some dancing, and in one way or the other they all appeared to be enjoying themselves beyond bounds.  Seeing a workman in a field close by, I called to him, and asked ’Where does this road lead to?’ He answered, ‘To hell, straight on; you cannot miss!’ ‘Hell!’ I was surprised; ‘Hell,’ I said to myself, ’this is very different to what I thought.  Is the way to hell as pleasant as this? and are people so unconcerned about it?’ I was amazed; but though the man told me this pleasant road led to hell, I did not stop; I went on and on, seemingly as pleased as others were.  However, it did not continue like this long, for soon I came to a rough part, all up and down, where the atmosphere was thick and sulphury, and it was almost dark.  I did not like it, and wished very much to get out of the place, but I could not.

“Seeing some people in the distance, I went near to ask them the way out.  They were busy with long rakes raking cinders about on the dry ground, and would not answer my urgent inquiries.  As I approached them I saw that they did not look like ‘humans,’ and that every now and then fire appeared from under ground, over which they raked cinders to keep it out of sight.  They were so absorbed in their work that they did not heed my question, though I pleaded more and more earnestly.  At last, I observed that one of them ceased from his strange work, and looked at me; whereupon I addressed myself to him, begging him to show me the way out of the place.”  John added, “If I ever prayed in my life I prayed then; but he shook his head as if he pitied me, and said mournfully, ‘The way you came in,’ I replied, ‘I cannot find it’; then again he shook his head as if to say, ‘You never will.’  I was obliged to rise from my knees, for the ground was so hot, and in my despair I ran I know not whither.  As I passed along in haste, I came to cracks in the ground full of fire; I stepped over them one after another, and ran on till I came to such a large chasm, that I could not jump over it.  I turned and went in another direction, leaping and running, in a state of terror, till at last I came upon a sheet of glowing fire, into which I fell.  Then I awoke.  For fourteen years this has followed me; there is no hope for me!”