And we went down to him.

Alassio, Italy.



XI. THE SUNLIGHT LAY ACROSS MY BED.

In the dark one night I lay upon my bed. I heard the policeman's feet beat
on the pavement; I heard the wheels of carriages roll home from houses of
entertainment; I heard a woman's laugh below my window--and then I fell
asleep. And in the dark I dreamt a dream. I dreamt God took my soul to
Hell.

Hell was a fair place; the water of the lake was blue.

I said to God, "I like this place."

God said, "Ay, dost thou!"

Birds sang, turf came to the water-edge, and trees grew from it. Away off
among the trees I saw beautiful women walking. Their clothes were of many
delicate colours and clung to them, and they were tall and graceful and had
yellow hair. Their robes trailed over the grass. They glided in and out
among the trees, and over their heads hung yellow fruit like large pears of
melted gold.

I said, "It is very fair; I would go up and taste the--"