"Though as by fire!"
Then she was alone, and she felt strangely desolate and afraid.
For though one come from the dead, the soul self-centred and confident in its own wisdom will not believe. Then it can only learn its life's lesson by those cruel experiences from which its good angel would so gladly have saved it.
"Though as by fire! Though as by fire!" Often she had thought of that prophecy since her marriage, when she had been forced day after day to say with David:
"They have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
"They compassed me about with words of hatred, and fought against me without cause.
"For my love they are my adversaries, and they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love."
She was sitting alone one afternoon, and very weary and disconsolate after a morning of petty slights, and unkind words, when Robert entered. He was earlier than usual and more responsive to her smile of welcome.
"I am so glad to see you, Robert, so glad! I did not expect you for an hour."
"The minister called on me this afternoon, and I returned to the city with him. He wants you to sing, Dora, at the New Year's service. He is going to preach from the first verse of the fourteenth of Job: 'Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.' He says the sermon will necessarily be solemn and warning, so he wishes you to sing something that lifts up the heart and looks hopefully forward."