Said the sinner: "Have mercy upon me, Apostle Peter; remember the
weakness of man, and the mercy of God. Was it not you who was a
disciple of Christ, and was it not you who heard from his own lips
his teaching, and saw the example of his life? And now remember,
when he was weary and sad in spirit, and thrice asked thee not to
slumber, but to pray, you slept, because your eyes were heavy, and
thrice he found you sleeping. The same of me.
"And remember likewise how thou hast promised to him not to renounce
him until thy dying day, and yet thou didst renounce him thrice
when they led him away. The same of me.
"And remember likewise how crowed the cock, and thou hast gone forth
and wept bitterly. The same of me. Not for thee 'tis to refuse me
entrance."
And the voice from behind the gates of heaven was hushed.
And after standing some time, again knocked the sinner, and asked
admittance into the kingdom of heaven.
And from behind the doors there was heard another voice which spake:
"Who is this, and how has he lived on earth?"
And the voice of the accuser gave answer, and repeated all the evil
deeds of the sinner; and of the good deeds he named none.
And the voice from behind the door called: "Get thee hence. Sinners
such as thou cannot live with us in Paradise."
Said the sinner: "Lord, thy voice I hear, but thy face I see not,
and thy name I know not."
And the voice said unto him: "I am David, the king and the prophet."
But the sinner despaired not, nor went he away from the gates of
heaven, but spake as follows: "Have mercy upon me, King David, and
think of the weakness of man and the mercy of God. God loved thee
and raised thee up before men. Thine was all,--a kingdom, and
glory, and riches, and wives, and children; yet when thou didst espy
from thy roof the wife of a poor man, sin betook thee, and thou hast
taken the wife of Uriah, and himself hast thou slain by the sword of
the Ammonites. Thou, a rich man, hast taken his last lamb from the
poor man, and hast slain the owner himself. The same of me!
"And think further how thou hast repented, and said: 'I confess my
guilt, and repent of my sin.' The same of me. Not for thee 'tis to
refuse me entrance."
And the voice behind the door was hushed.
And after standing some time, again knocked the sinner, and asked
admission into the kingdom of heaven. And from behind the doors was
heard a third voice which spake: "Who is this, and how hath he lived
on earth?"
And for the third time the voice of the accuser recounted the evil
deeds of the man, but of the good he named none.
And the voice from behind the door gave in answer: "Get thee hence!
The kingdom of heaven not by a sinner can be entered."
And replied the sinner: "Thy voice I hear, but thy face I see not,
and thy name I know not."