k was rolling it over the sidewalk into the shop,
the stream of passers was stopped. That woman there--I remember her
well--stood still in front of me. I offered her one of my sheep, and
looked at her through my tears. She seemed so hard and stern, that I
thought: 'She won't give me anything.' But she did. It seemed suddenly as
if her face grew softer, and her eyes kinder. She glanced at me, and
before I knew it, she had put her hand in the bag which she carried on
her arm, and thrown the nuts into my lap. The cask had been rolled into
the shop by this time, and the throng of people carried her along. She
tried to stop. It was not easy, and she only did it to toss me a second,
third, and fourth handful of the most beautiful walnuts. I can still see
it all, as if it were to-day! Then she felt in her pocket, probably to
get some money for me, but the press of people was too strong for her to
stand against it longer. I doubt if she heard that I thanked her.'

"Here the angel broke off, and threw a kiss to the condemned woman, and
St. Peter asked her how it happened that she, who had been so deaf to all
appeals from the poor, had been so sweetly generous to the child.

"The tormented woman answered amid her loud sobs: 'The tearful eyes of
the little one reminded me of my small sister, who died a painful death
before I had grown to be hard and wicked, and a strange sensation--I know
not how it happened myself--overpowered me. It seemed as if my heart
warmed within me, and something seemed to say to me that I would never
forgive myself as long as I lived, and would be even unhappier than I
was, if I did not give the child something to rejoice over at Christmas
time. I longed to draw her towards me and kiss her. After I had tossed
her half of the nuts, which I had just bought, I felt happier than I had
for many a day, and I would certainly have given her some money, though
only a little . . . .'

"But Peter interrupted her. He had heard enough, and as he knew that it
was impossible for any one in Heaven or Hell to tell an untruth, he
nodded to her, saying: 'That was, beyond dispute, a good deed, but it is
too small to counterbalance the great weight of your bad deeds. Perhaps
it may lighten your punishment. Still great riches were meted out to you
on earth, and what were a few nuts to you! The motive that urged you to
bestow them is pleasing in the sight of the Lord, I acknowledge; but as I
said before, your charity was too p