here became
more distinct to her. She saw that under her feet was a greenness as of
close velvet turf, both cool and warm, cool and soft to touch, but with
no damp in it, as might have been at that early hour, and with flowers
showing here and there. She stood looking round her, not able to identify
the landscape because she was still confused a little, and then walked
softly on, all the time afraid lest she should awake and lose the
sweetness of it all, and the sense of rest and happiness. She felt so
light, so airy, as if she could skim across the field like any child. It
was bliss enough to breathe and move, with every organ so free. After
more than fifty years of hard service in the world, to feel like this,
even in a dream! She smiled to herself at her own pleasure; and then once
more, yet more potently, there came back upon her the appearance of her
room in which she had fallen asleep. How had she got from there to here?
Had she been carried away in her sleep, or was it only a dream, and would
she by and by find herself between the four dim walls again? Then this
shadow of recollection faded away once more, and she moved forward,
walking in a soft rapture over the delicious turf. Presently she came to
a little mound, upon which she paused to look about her. Every moment she
saw a little farther: blue hills far away, extending in long, sweet
distance, an indefinite landscape, but fair and vast, so that there could
be seen no end to it, not even the line of the horizon,--save at one
side, where there seemed to be a great shadowy gateway, and something dim
beyond. She turned from the brightness to look at this, and when she had
looked for some time, she saw, what pleased her still more, though she
had been so happy before, people coming in. They were too far off for her
to see clearly, but many came each apart, one figure only at a time. To
watch them amused her in the delightful leisure of her mind. Who were
they? she wondered; but no doubt soon some of them would come this way,
and she would see. Then suddenly she seemed to hear, as if in answer to
her question, some one say, "Those who are coming in are the people
who have died on earth." "Died!" she said to herself aloud, with a
wondering sense of the inappropriateness of the word which almost came
the length of laughter. In this sweet air, with such a sense of life
about, to suggest such an idea was almost ludicrous. She was so occupied
with this, that she did not