The minister had just finished his great sermon. The air still quivered
with his burning words, and the people sat erect, disturbed,
embarrassed; yet still he lingered a moment in his place.
"Is there," he asked, "one here in whose breast these words strike like
a barbed arrow, for the truth that is in them?" and he sat down.
"That was hard on John," said old James; "but he deserves it, every
word."
"A blow from the shoulder for James!" said old John; "time he got one
too, if it is not too late."
"I wonder if either of those two old sinners will take his medicine and
be helped by it," said old William.
But the little saint, the little saint, hurried home, and knelt by her
little bed, and cried aloud in her anguish: "My God, my God, have mercy
on me, and give me for this stone a heart of flesh!"