Library of Information on Women's Issues
A Dry Nights Sleep
presents
Dreams by Olive Schreiner
47 of 48
To him is clear the shining in the garden, he sees the flower break forth
and the streams sparkle; no shout is raised upon the mountain-side but his
ear may hear it. He sees the crown grow and the light shoot from it. All
Hell is open to him. He sees the paths mount upwards. To him, Hell is the
seed ground from which Heaven springs. He sees the sap ascending."
And I saw the figure bend over its work, and the light from its face fell
upon it.
And I said to God, "What is it making?"
And God said, "Music!"
And he touched my ears, and I heard it.
And after a long while I whispered to God, "This is Heaven."
And God asked me why I was crying. But I could not answer for joy.
And the face turned from its work, and the light fell upon me. Then it
grew so bright I could not see things separately; and which were God, or
the man, or I, I could not tell; we were all blended. I cried to God,
"Where are you?" but there was no answer, only music and light.
Afterwards, when it had grown so dark again that I could see things
separately, I found that I was standing there wrapped tight in my little
old, brown, earthly cloak, and God and the man were separated from each
other, and from me.
I did not dare say I would go and make music beside the man. I knew I
could not reach even to his knee, nor move the instrument he played. But I
thought I would stand there on my little peak and sing an accompaniment to
that great music. And I tried; but my voice failed. It piped and
quavered. I could not sing that tune. I was silent.
Then God pointed to me, that I should go out of Heaven.
And I cried to God, "Oh, let me stay here! If indeed it be, as I know it
is, that I am not great enough to sing upon the mountain, nor strong enough
to labour on its side, nor bright enough to shine and love within the
garden, at least let me go down to the great gateway; humbly I will kneel
there sweeping; and, as the saved pass in, I will see the light upon their
faces. I shall hear the singing in the garden, and the shout upon the
hillside--"
God said, "It may not be;" he pointed.
And
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