“Oh yes, I heard of it.”

Then Tom, who was quite full of it, told Arthur of the burial-service in the chapel, and how it had impressed him, and, he believed, all the other boys.  “And though the Doctor never said a word about it,” said he, “and it was a half-holiday and match-day, there wasn’t a game played in the close all the afternoon, and the boys all went about as if it were Sunday.”

“I’m very glad of it,” said Arthur.  “But, Tom, I’ve had such strange thoughts about death lately.  I’ve never told a soul of them, not even my mother.  Sometimes I think they’re wrong, but, do you know, I don’t think in my heart I could be sorry at the death of any of my friends.”

Tom was taken quite aback.  “What in the world is the young un after now?” thought he; “I’ve swallowed a good many of his crotchets, but this altogether beats me.  He can’t be quite right in his head.”  He didn’t want to say a word, and shifted about uneasily in the dark; however, Arthur seemed to be waiting for an answer, so at last he said, “I don’t think I quite see what you mean, Geordie.  One’s told so often to think about death that I’ve tried it on sometimes, especially this last week.  But we won’t talk of it now.  I’d better go.  You’re getting tired, and I shall do you harm.”

“No, no; indeed I ain’t, Tom.  You must stop till nine; there’s only twenty minutes.  I’ve settled you shall stop till nine.  And oh! do let me talk to you—­I must talk to you.  I see it’s just as I feared.  You think I’m half mad.  Don’t you, now?”

“Well, I did think it odd what you said, Geordie, as you ask me.”

Arthur paused a moment, and then said quickly, “I’ll tell you how it all happened.  At first, when I was sent to the sick-room, and found I had really got the fever, I was terribly frightened.  I thought I should die, and I could not face it for a moment.  I don’t think it was sheer cowardice at first, but I thought how hard it was to be taken away from my mother and sisters and you all, just as I was beginning to see my way to many things, and to feel that I might be a man and do a man’s work.  To die without having fought, and worked, and given one’s life away, was too hard to bear.  I got terribly impatient, and accused God of injustice, and strove to justify myself.  And the harder I strove the deeper I sank.  Then the image of my dear father often came across me, but I turned from it.  Whenever it came, a heavy, numbing throb seemed to take hold of my heart, and say, ‘Dead-dead-dead.’  And I cried out, ’The living, the living shall praise Thee, O God; the dead cannot praise thee.  There is no work in the grave; in the night no man can work.  But I can work.  I can do great things.  I will do great things.  Why wilt thou slay me?’ And so I struggled and plunged, deeper and deeper, and went down into a living black tomb.  I was alone there, with no power to stir or think; alone with myself; beyond the reach of all human fellowship; beyond Christ’s reach, I thought, in my nightmare.  You, who are brave and bright and strong, can have no idea of that agony.  Pray to God you never may.  Pray as for your life.”