"In our towns," continued he, "much of this blessed change is already wrought. No one in my city of Tronyem now fears the angry and cunning fire-giant Loke; but every citizen closes his eyes in peace when he hears the midnight cry of the watch, 'Except the Lord keepeth the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.'[[6]] In the wilds of the country every man's faith will hereafter be his watchman, crying out upon all that happens, 'It is the Lord's hand: let Him do what seemeth to Him good!' This might have been said, Erica, as it appears to me, at every turn of your story, where you and your friends were not in fault."
[[6]] The watchman's call in the towns of Norway.
"Oh!" exclaimed Erica, dropping her hands from before her glowing face, "if I dared but think there were no bad spirits; if I dared only hope that everything that happens is done by God's own hand, I could bear everything! I would never be afraid again!"
"It is what I believe," said the bishop. Laying his hand on her head, he continued—
"We know that the very hairs of your head are all numbered. I see that you are weary of your fears; that you have long been heavy laden with anxiety. It is you, then, that He invites to trust Him, when He says by the lips of Jesus, 'Come ye that are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest.'"
"Rest; rest is what I have wanted," said Erica, while her tears flowed gently; "but Peder and Ulla did not believe as you do, and could not explain things; and——"
"You should have asked me," said M. Kollsen; "I could have explained everything."
"Perhaps so, sir; but—but, M. Kollsen, you always seemed angry, and you said you despised us for believing anything that you did not; and it is the most difficult thing in the world to ask questions which one knows will be despised."
M. Kollsen glanced in the bishop's face, to see how he took this, and how he meant to support the pastor's authority. The bishop looked sad, and said nothing.
"And then," continued Erica, "there were others who laughed—even Rolf himself laughed; and what one fears becomes only the more terrible when it is laughed at."