perhapsquitealittleone,onethatwehaveforgotten,butwhichhasbeenrecorded-smallasapea,butthepeacansendoutabloomingshoot.thepoorbumpkinwhosatonalowstoolinthecorner,andwasjeeredatandflouted,willperhapshavehisworn-outstoolgivenhimasaprovision;andthestoolmaybecomealitterinthelandofeternity,andriseupthenasathrone,gleaminglikegoldandbloomingasanarbor.hewhoalwaysloungedabout,anddrankthespiceddraughtofpleasure,thathemightforgetthewildthingshehaddonehere,willhavehisbarrelgiventohimonthejourney,andwillhavetodrinkfromitastheygoon;andthedrinkisbrightandclear,sothatthethoughtsremainpure,andallgoodandnoblefeelingsareawakened,andheseesandfeelswhatinlifehecouldnotorwouldnotsee;andthenhehaswithinhimthepunishment,thegnawingworm,whichwillnotdiethroughtimeincalculable.ifontheglassestherestoodwritten'oblivion,'onthebarrel'remembrance'isinscribed.

"whenireadagoodbook,anhistoricalwork,ialwaysthinkatlastofthepoetryofwhatiamreading,andoftheomnibusofdeath,andwonder,whichofthehero'sdeedsdeathtookoutofthesavingsbankforhim,andwhatprovisionshegotonthejourneyintoeternity.therewasonceafrenchking-ihaveforgottenhisname,forthenamesofgoodpeoplearesometimesforgotten,evenbyme,butitwillcomebacksomeday;-therewasakingwho,duringafamine,becamethebenefactorofhispeople;andthepeopleraiseduptohismemoryamonumentofsnow,withtheinscription,'quickerthanthismeltsdidstthoubringhelp!'ifancythatdeath,lookingbackuponthemonument,gavehimasinglesnow-flakeasprovision,asnow-flakethatnevermelts,andthisflakefloatedoverhisroyalhead,likeawhitebutterfly,intothelandofeternity.thus,too,therewaslouisxi.ihaverememberedhisname,foronerememberswhatisbad-atraitofhimoftencomesintomythoughts,andiwishonecouldsaythestoryisnottrue.hehadhislordhighconstableexecuted,andhecouldexecutehim,rightorwrong;buthehadtheinnocentchildrenoftheconstable,onesevenandtheothereightyearsold,placedunderthescaffoldsothatthewarmbloodoftheirfatherspurtedoverthem,andthenhehadthemsenttothebastille,andshutupinironcages,wherenotevenacoverletwasgiventhemtoprotectthemfromthecold.andkinglouissenttheexecutionertothemeveryweek,andhadatoothpulledoutoftheheadofeach,thattheymightnotbetoocomfortable;andtheelderoftheboyssaid,'mymotherwoulddieofgriefifsheknewthatmyyoungerbrotherhadtosuffersocruelly;thereforepullouttwoofmyteeth,andsparehim.'thetearscameintothehangman'seyes,buttheking'swillwasstrongerthanthetears;andeveryweektwolittleteethwerebroughttohimonasilverplate;hehaddemandedthem,andhehadthem.ifancythatdeathtookthesetwoteethoutofthesavingsbankoflife,andgavethemtolouisxi,tocarrywithhimonthegreatjourneyintothelandofimmortality;theyflybeforehimliketwoflamesoffire;theyshineandburn,andtheybitehim,theinnocentchildren'steeth.

"yes,that'saseriousjourney,theomnibusrideonthegreatmoving-day!andwhenisittobeundertaken?that'sjusttheseriouspartofit.anyday,anyhour,anyminute,theomnibusmaydrawofourdeedswilldeathtakeoutofthesavingsbank,andgivetousasprovision?