'Don't laugh! Don't any of you laugh; for as sure as I live it was
an angel stood in the room and spoke to me. There was a light such
as none of you ever saw, and the angel stood in the midst of it. And
he said to me: "Listen, whilst I reveal to you the truth, that you
may know where you arc and what you are; and this is done for a
great purpose." And I fell down on my knees; but never a word could
I have spoken. Then the angel said: "You are passing through a state
of punishment. You, and all the poor among whom you live; all those
who are in suffering of body and darkness of mind, were once rich
people, with every blessing the world can bestow, with every
opportunity of happiness in yourselves and of making others happy.
Because you made an ill use of your wealth, because you were selfish
and hard-hearted and oppressive and sinful in every kind of
indulgence--therefore after death you received the reward of
wickedness. This life you are now leading is that of the damned;
this place to which you are confined is Hell! There is no escape for
you. From poor you shall become poorer; the older you grow the lower
shall you sink in want and misery; at the end there is waiting for
you, one and all, a death in abandonment and despair.
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