th, silent as the grave, save for the faint murmur
of my own breathing. Time and space seemed annihilated beyond those four
narrow walls, and I was as a coffined living centre of an else lifeless
infinity.

My reverie was rudely broken by the staggering step of a fellow-lodger,
whose devotion to Bacchus was the one symptom of reverence in his
nature. He reeled up stair after stair, and as he passed my door he
lurched against it so violently that I feared he would come through. But
he slowly recovered himself after some profane mutterings, reeled up the
next flight of stairs, and finally deposited his well-soaked clay on the
bed in his own room immediately over mine.

After this interruption my thoughts changed most fancifully. Why I
know not, but I began to brood on the strange statement of Saint Paul
concerning the man who was lifted up into the seventh heaven, and there
beheld things not lawful to reveal. While pondering this story I was
presently aware of an astonishing change. The walls of my room slowly
expanded, growing ever thinner and thinner, until they became the
filmiest transparent veil which at last dissolved utterly away. Then
(whether in the spirit or the flesh I know not) I was hurried along
through space, past galaxy after galaxy of suns and stars, separate
systems yet all mysteriously related.

Swifter than light we travelled, I and my unseen guide, through the
infinite ocean of ether, until our flight was arrested by a denser
medium, which I recognised as an atmosphere like that of our earth. I
had scarcely recovered from this new surprise when (marvel of marvels!)
I found myself before a huge gate of wondrous art and dazzling splendor.
At a word from my still unseen guide it swung open, and I was urged
within. Beneath my feet was a solid pavement of gold. Gorgeous mansions,
interspersed with palaces, rose around me, and above them all towered
the airy pinnacles of a matchless temple, whose points quivered in
the rich light like tongues of golden fire. The walls glittered with
countless rubies, diamonds, pearls, amethysts, emeralds, and other
precious stones; and lovely presences, arrayed in shining garments,
moved noiselessly from place to place. "Where am I?" I ejaculated,
half faint with wonder. And my hitherto unseen guide, who now revealed
himself, softly answered, "In Heaven."

Thereupon my whole frame was agitated with inward laughter. I in Heaven,
whose fiery doom had been prophesied so of