’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：-