The minister asked if there were anything special?
"Yes, there was."
The others left the room. Then Andersen said that once, when he was young, he had given a boy a rupture with the same foot that now was injured. It was surely not on that account that he was now punished?
"No."
"No, but for all that he had been thinking so much about it, and had a longing to take the sacrament."
There was nothing else the matter?
"No."
The minister begged him to collect his thoughts, now they would pray together. Andersen was silent while this went on. After the prayer the minister gave him absolution from sins, and said that now he would give him the bread and wine.
"Oh, wait a little! Now I have received absolution from my sins, now there is a clean page. Let us write down the leg on that, that it may be read in heaven. I feel so happy, yes, I am so truly happy!"
"The whole body is included in the covenant, dear Andersen."