"Well, when things go quite still, they've gone back to God. They can't feel thirsty then, or tired or unhappy. They haven't got any bodies to feel tired or thirsty with."
"But what does God do with all the dead things and people?"
Mary clasped her courage and went on.
"He just lets them rest," she said, "rest till they're ready to bear being thirsty and tired again."
"Were the moles so thirsty or so tired that they couldn't bear it any more?"
"They may have been. You can never know when God chooses to take you back again. Life, the thing that makes you move about and laugh and run, the thing that makes you able to bear being thirsty, you can give that back to God just when you feel strongest."
"What would you give it back for?"
"Something that was worth while. Suppose you and I were out for a walk together and I fell in the river and I couldn't swim and I was nearly going to be drowned and be quite still, because when you're under the water you can't breathe and that's another thing that makes you go quite still, what would you do?"
"I'd jump in and I'd swim and I'd take you in my arms and I'd swim with my legs and I'd get to the bank and then I'd pull you out and I'd call to Mr. Peverell."
He felt the tightening of her arm about him.