harp,
stern, and reproachful frown. His own voice, which had been heretofore
almost like one singing, grew sad and angry. The very figure of his
guide seemed vanishing from his eyes; the light which floated round her
grew wilder and more uncertain, and his own lamp was almost out. He felt
puzzled and bewildered, and hardly knew which way to go: he had got into
a broad beaten path, and he found that many besides himself were going
here and there along it. Sometimes they sang; and, in very bitterness of
heart, he tried to sing too, that he might not think: but every now and
then, when a flashing light came, and he saw the look of the travellers
amongst whom he was, it made his very heart shiver--they looked so sad
and so wretched. Now, none went straight on: some turned into this path,
some into that; and then he soon lost sight of them altogether. Sometimes
he heard fearful cries, as if wild beasts had seized them; sometimes a
dreadful burst of flame from the horrid pits which I had seen, made him
fear that they had fallen over into them: for poor Irrgeist had got now
into the midst of the deep pits and the ravenous beasts. And soon he
found how terrible was his danger. He had been following one who had
made him believe that he had light to guide his steps; he had gone with
him out of the beaten path; and they were pressing on together, when
Irrgeist suddenly lost sight of him in the darkness; and whether it was
that he had fallen into a pit, or become the prey of some evil beast,
Irrgeist knew not; only, he found that he was more alone than ever, and
near to some great peril. Poor Irrgeist sprang aside with all his force,
thinking only of the danger which he feared; but, feeling his feet
slipping under him, he turned, and saw that he had got upon the
treacherous brink of a fearful pit; down which, at the very moment,
another pilgrim fell. The fierce red flames rose out of it with a roar
like thunder, and a blaze like the mouth of a furnace; and the wind blew
the flames into the face of Irrgeist, so that he was singed and almost
blinded. Then the poor boy called in the bitterness of his heart upon
Pleasure, who had led him out of the way, and now had forsaken him; but
she came no more--only terrible thoughts troubled him; and he heard the
hissing of serpents as they slid along in the bushes near him, and all
evil noises sounded in his ears, till he scarcely knew where he was
standing. Then he thought of his sta