Once more I stood at the gate of Heaven, I and another. We held fast by
one another; we were very tired. We looked up at the great gates; the
angels opened them, and we went in. The mud was on our garments. We
walked across the marble floor, and up to the great throne. Then the
angels divided us. Her, they set upon the top step, but me, upon the
bottom; for, they said, “Last time this woman came here she left red
foot-marks on the floor; we had to wash them out with our tears. Let her
not go up.”
Then she, with whom I came, looked back, and stretched out her hand to
me; and I went and stood beside her. And the angels, they, the shining
ones who never sinned and never suffered, walked by us to and fro and
up and down; I think we should have felt a little lonely there if it had
not been for one another, the angels were so bright.
God asked me what I had come for; and I drew my sister forward a little
that he might see her.
God said, “How is it you are here together today?”
I said, “She was upon the ground in the street, and they passed over
her; I lay down by her, and she put her arms around my neck, and so I
lifted her, and we two rose together.”
God said, “Whom are you now come to accuse before me?”