heart failed within me for very fear.

"'And the voice cried aloud again saying: Hide thee from the
perils of the past and the perils of the future, for a great and
terrible thing is come upon thee, against which thy strength is as
a reed in the wind and thy thoughts as flying sand ...

"' [Footnote: See 2 Esdras x. 30-32.] And, lo, I lay as one that
had been dead and mine understanding was taken from me. And he
(the Angel) took me by the right hand and comforted me and set me
upon my feet and said unto me:

"'What aileth thee? and why art thou so disquieted? and why is
thine understanding troubled and the thoughts of thine heart?

"'And I said, Because thou hast forsaken me and yet I did
according to thy words, and I went into the field and lo! I have
seen and yet see that I am not able to express.'"

Here Heliobas paused, having read the last sentence with
peculiarly impressive emphasis.

"That is all"--he said--"I see no more allusions to the name of
Ardath. The last three verses are the same as those in the
accepted Apocrypha."




CHAPTER VII.