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MARRIAGE OF CHRISTIAN ROSENCREUTZ. 103
any after-speculation. Thus sticking between hope and
fear, examining myself again and again, and finding only
my own frailty and impotency, and exceedingly amazed at
the fore-mentioned threatening, at length I betook myself
to my usual course. After I had finished my most fervent
prayer, I laid me down in my bed, that so perchance my
good angel by the Divine permission might appear, and (as
it had formerly happened) instruct me in this affair, which,
to the praise of God, did now likewise fall out. For I was
yet scarce asleep when me-thought I, together
berless multitude of men, lay fettered with great
with a num-
chains in S(
a dark dungeon, wherein we swarmed like bees one over Turris
another, and thus rendered each other's affliction more
grievous. But although neither I, nor any of the rest,
could see one jot, yet I continually heard one heaving him-
self above the other, when his chains or fetters were become
ever so little lighter. Now as I with the rest had con-
tinued a good while in this affliction, and each was still
reproaching the other with his blindness and captivity, at
length we heard many trumpets sounding together, and
kettle-drums beating so artificially thereto, that it rejoyced
us even in our calamity.
During this noise the cover of the dungeon was lifted up,
and a little light let down unto us. Then first might truly niustratio.
have been discerned the bustle we kept, for all went peslemesle,
and he who perchance had too much heaved up him-
self was forced down again under the others' feet. In
brief, each one strove to be uppermost, neither did I linger,
but, with my weighty fetters, slipt from under the rest, and
then heaved myself upon a Stone ; howbeit, I was several
times caught at by others, from whom, as well as I might,
I guarded myself with hands and feet. We imagined that