’Mystoryisnearlytold，’saidPeter；’afewwordswillcompleteit。Mywifeendeavouredtoconsoleandreassureme，usingtheargumentswhichyouhavejustheardheruse，andmanyothers，butinvain。Peacenorcomfortcametomybreast。Iwasrapidlyfallingintothedepthsofdespair；whenonedayWinifredsaidtome，“Iseethouwiltbelost，ifweremainhere。Oneresourceonlyremains。Thoumustgoforth，myhusband，intothewideworld，andtocomforttheeIwillgowiththee。““AndwhatcanIdointhewideworld？“saidI，despondingly。“Much，“repliedWinifred，“ifyouwillbutexertyourself；muchgoodcanstthoudowiththeblessingofGod。“Manythingsofthesamekindshesaidtome；andatlastIarosefromtheearthtowhichGodhadsmittenme，anddisposedofmypropertyinthebestwayIcould，andwentintotheworld。Wedidallthegoodwewereable，visitingthesick，ministeringtothesick，andprayingwiththesick。AtlastI
becamecelebratedasthepossessorofagreatgiftofprayer。Andpeopleurgedmetopreach，andWinifredurgedmetoo，andatlastI
consented，andIpreached。I-I-outcastPeter，becamethepreacherPeterWilliams。I，thelostone，attemptedtoshowotherstherightroad。AndinthiswayIhavegoneonforthirteenyears，preachingandteaching，visitingthesick，andministeringtothem，withWinifredbymysidehearteningmeon。OccasionallyIamvisitedwithfitsofindescribableagony，generallyonthenightbeforetheSabbath；forIthenaskmyself，howdareI，theoutcast，attempttopreachthewordofGod？Youngman，mytaleistold；youseeminthought!’
’IamthinkingofLondonBridge，’saidI。
’OfLondonBridge!’saidPeterandhiswife。
’Yes，’saidI，’ofLondonBridge。IamindebtedformuchwisdomtoLondonBridge；itwastherethatIcompletedmystudies。Buttothepoint。IwasoncereadingonLondonBridgeabookwhichanancientgentlewoman，whokeptthebridge，wasinthehabitoflendingme；andthereIfoundwritten，“Eachonecarriesinhisbreasttherecollectionofsomesinwhichpressesheavyuponhim。
Oh，ifmencouldbutlookintoeachother’shearts，whatblacknesswouldtheyfindthere!“’
’That’strue，’saidPeter。’Whatisthenameofthebook？’
’THELIFEOFBLESSEDMARYFLANDERS。’
’Somepopishsaint，Isuppose，’saidPeter。
’Asmuchofasaint，Idaresay，’saidI，’asmostpopishones；butyouinterruptedme。OnepartofyournarrativebroughtthepassagewhichIhavequotedintomymind。Yousaidthatafteryouhadcommittedthissamesinofyoursyouwereinthehabit，atschool，oflookinguponyourschoolfellowswithakindofgloomysuperiority，consideringyourselfalonemonstrousbeingwhohadcommittedasinfarabovethedaringofanyofthem。Areyousurethatmanyothersofyourschoolfellowswerenotlookinguponyouandtheotherswithmuchthesameeyeswithwhichyouwerelookinguponthem？’
’How!’saidPeter，’dostthouthinkthattheyhaddivinedmysecret？’
’Notthey，’saidI，’theywere，Idaresay，thinkingtoomuchofthemselvesandoftheirownconcernstohavedivinedanysecretsofyours。AllImeantosayis，theyhadprobablysecretsoftheirown，andwhoknowsthatthesecretsinofmorethanoneofthemwasnottheverysinwhichcausedyousomuchmisery？’
’Dostthouthenimagine，’saidPeter，’thesinagainsttheHolyGhosttobesocommonanoccurrence？’
’Asyouhavedescribedit，’saidI，’ofverycommonoccurrence，especiallyamongstchildren，whoare，indeed，theonlybeingslikelytocommitit。’
’Truly，’saidWinifred，’theyoungmantalkswisely。’
Peterwassilentforsomemoments，andappearedtobereflecting；
atlast，suddenlyraisinghishead，helookedmefullintheface，and，graspingmyhandwithvehemence，hesaid，’Tellme，youngman，onlyonething，hastthou，too，committedthesinagainsttheHolyGhost？’
’IamneitherPapistnorMethodist，’saidI，’butoftheChurch，and，beingso，confessmyselftonoone，butkeepmyowncounsel；I
willtellthee，however，hadIcommitted，atthesameage，twentysuchsinsasthatwhichyoucommitted，Ishouldfeelnouneasinessattheseyears-butIamsleepy，andmustgotorest。’
’Godblessthee，youngman，’saidWinifred。
CHAPTERLXXVIII
Lowandcalm-Muchbetter-Blessedeffect-Noanswer-Suchasermon。
BEFOREIsanktorestIheardWinifredandherhusbandconversingintheplacewhereIhadleftthem；boththeirvoiceswerelowandcalm。Isoonfellasleep，andslumberedforsometime。OnmyawakeningIagainheardthemconversing，buttheywerenowintheircart；stillthevoicesofbothwerecalm。Iheardnopassionateburstsofwilddespaironthepartoftheman。MethoughtI
occasionallyheardthewordPechodproceedingfromthelipsofeach，butwithnoparticularemphasis。Isupposedtheyweretalkingoftheinnatesinofboththeirhearts。
’Iwishthatmanwerehappy，’saidItomyself，’wereitonlyforhiswife’ssake，andyethedeservestobehappyforhisown。’
ThenextdayPeterwasverycheerful，morecheerfulthanIhadeverseenhim。Atbreakfasthisconversationwasanimated，andhesmiledrepeatedly。Ilookedathimwiththegreatestinterest，andtheeyesofhiswifewerealmostconstantlyfixeduponhim。A
shadeofgloomwouldoccasionallycomeoverhiscountenance，butitalmostinstantlydisappeared；perhapsitproceededmorefromhabitthananythingelse。AfterbreakfasthetookhisWelshBibleandsatdownbeneathatree。Hiseyesweresoonfixedintentlyonthevolume；nowandthenhewouldcallhiswife，showhersomepassage，andappearedtoconsultwithher。Thedaypassedquicklyandcomfortably。
’Yourhusbandseemsmuchbetter，’saidI，ateveningfall，toWinifred，aswechancedtobealone。
’Hedoes，’saidWinifred；’andthatonthedayoftheweekwhenhewaswonttoappearmostmelancholy，fortomorrowistheSabbath。
HenownolongerlooksforwardtotheSabbathwithdread，butappearstoreckononit。Whatahappychange!andtothinkthatthischangeshouldhavebeenproducedbyafewwords，seeminglycarelessones，proceedingfromthemouthofonewhoisalmostastrangertohim。Truly，itiswonderful。’
’Towhomdoyouallude，’saidI；’andtowhatwords？’
’Toyourself，andtothewordswhichcamefromyourlipslastnight，afteryouhadheardmypoorhusband’shistory。Thosestrangewords，drawnoutwithsomuchseemingindifference，haveproducedinmyhusbandtheblessedeffectwhichyouhaveobserved。
Theyhavealteredthecurrentofhisideas。Henolongerthinkshimselftheonlybeingintheworlddoomedtodestruction，-theonlybeingcapableofcommittingthenever-to-be-forgivensin。
Yoursuppositionthatthatwhichharrowedhissoulisoffrequentoccurrenceamongstchildrenhastranquillisedhim；themistwhichhungoverhismindhasclearedaway，andhebeginstoseethegroundlessnessofhisapprehensions。TheLordhaspermittedhimtobechastenedforaseason，buthislampwillonlyburnthebrighterforwhathehasundergone。’
Sundaycame，fineandgloriousasthelast。Againmyfriendsandmyselfbreakfastedtogether-againthegoodfamilyofthehouseonthehillabove，headedbytherespectablemaster，descendedtothemeadow。Peterandhiswifewerereadytoreceivethem。AgainPeterplacedhimselfatthesideofthehonestfarmer，andWinifredbythesideofherfriend。’Wiltthounotcome？’saidPeter，lookingtowardsmewithafaceinwhichtherewasmuchemotion。
’Wiltthounotcome？’saidWinifred，withafacebeamingwithkindness。ButImadenoanswer，andpresentlythepartymovedaway，inthesamemannerinwhichithadmovedontheprecedingSabbath，andIwasagainleftalone。
ThehoursoftheSabbathpassedslowlyaway。Isatgazingatthesky，thetrees，andthewater。AtlastIstrolleduptothehouseandsatdownintheporch。Itwasempty；therewasnomodestmaidenthere，asontheprecedingSabbath。Thedamselofthebookhadaccompaniedtherest。Ihadseenherintheprocession，andthehouseappearedquitedeserted。Theownershadprobablyleftittomycustody，soIsatdownintheporch，quitealone。ThehoursoftheSabbathpassedheavilyaway。
Atlasteveningcame，andwithitthepartyofthemorning。Iwasnowatmyplacebeneaththeoak。Iwentforwardtomeetthem。
Peterandhiswifereceivedmewithacalmandquietgreeting，andpassedforward。Therestofthepartyhadbrokenintogroups。
Therewasakindofexcitementamongstthem，andmucheagerwhispering。Iwenttooneofthegroups；theyounggirlofwhomI
havespokenmorethanoncewasspeaking：’Suchasermon，’saidshe，’ithasneverbeenourlottohear；Peterneverbeforespokeashehasdonethisday-hewasalwaysapowerfulpreacher，butoh，theunctionofthediscourseofthismorning，andyetmoreofthatoftheafternoon，whichwasthecontinuationofit!’’Whatwasthesubject？’saidI，interruptingher。’Ah!youshouldhavebeenthere，youngman，tohaveheardit；itwouldhavemadealastingimpressionuponyou。Iwasbathedintearsallthetime；
thosewhohearditwillneverforgetthepreachingofthegoodPeterWilliamsonthePower，Providence，andGoodnessofGod。’
CHAPTERLXXIX
Deepinterest-Goodlycountry-Twomansions-Welshman’sCandle-
Beautifuluniverse-Godlydiscourse-Finechurch-Pointsofdoctrine-Strangeadventures-Paltrycause-Romanpontiff-Evilspirit。
ONthemorrowIsaidtomyfriends，’Iamabouttodepart；
farewell!’’Depart!’saidPeterandhiswife，simultaneously；
’whitherwouldstthougo？’’Ican’tstayhereallmydays，’I
replied。’Ofcoursenot，’saidPeter；’butwehadnoideaoflosingtheesosoon：wehadalmosthopedthatthouwouldstjoinus，becomeoneofus。Weareunderinfiniteobligationstothee。’
’YoumeanIamunderinfiniteobligationstoyou，’saidI。’Didyounotsavemylife？’’Perhapsso，underGod，’saidPeter；’andwhathastthounotdoneforme？Artthouawarethat，underGod，thouhastpreservedmysoulfromdespair？But，independentofthat，welikethycompany，andfeeladeepinterestinthee，andwouldfainteachtheethewaythatisright。Hearken，to-morrowwegointoWales；gowithus。’’IhavenowishtogointoWales，’
saidI。’Whynot？’saidPeter，withanimation。’Walesisagoodlycountry；astheScripturesays-alandofbrooksofwater，offountainsanddepths，thatspringoutofvalleysandhills，alandwhosestonesareiron，andoutofwhosehillsthoumayestdiglead。’
’Idaresayitisaveryfinecountry，’saidI，’butIhavenowishtogotherejustnow；mydestinyseemstopointinanotherdirection，tosaynothingofmytrade。’’Thoudostrighttosaynothingofthytrade，’saidPeter，smiling，’forthouseemesttocarenothingaboutit；whichhasledWinifredandmyselftosuspectthatthouartnotaltogetherwhatthouseemest；but，settingthataside，weshouldbemosthappyifthouwouldstgowithusintoWales。’’IcannotpromisetogowithyouintoWales，’saidI；
’but，asyoudepartto-morrow，Iwillstaywithyouthroughtheday，andonthemorrowaccompanyyoupartoftheway。’’Do，’saidPeter：’Ihavemanypeopletoseeto-day，andsohasWinifred；butwewillbothendeavourtohavesomeseriousdiscoursewiththee，which，perhaps，willturntothyprofitintheend。’
InthecourseofthedaythegoodPetercametome，asIwasseatedbeneaththeoak，and，placinghimselfbyme，commencedaddressingmeinthefollowingmanner：-