by H G Wells

I

Bru-a-a-a

I listened, not understanding

Wa-ra-ra-ra

"Good Lord ! " said I, still only half awake "What an infernal shindy ! "

Ra-ra-ra-ra-ra-ra-ra-ra-ra Ta-ra-rra-ra

"It's enough," said I, "to wake----" and stopped short Where was I ?

Ta-rra-rara--louder and louder

"It's either some new invention----"

Toora-toora-toora ! Deafening !

"No," said I, speaking loud to hear myself "That's the Last Trump "

Tooo-rraa !

II

The last note jerked me out grave like hooked minnow

my monument (rather mean little affair, and I wished who'd done it), old elm tree sea view vanished like puff of steam, and then all about me--a multitude no man could number, nations, tongues, kingdoms, peoples--children of all the ages, in an amphitheatral space as vast sky And over against us, seated on throne of dazzling white cloud, the Lord God and all the host angels I recognised Azrael by his darkness and Michael by his sword, great angel who had blown the trumpet stood trumpet still half raised

III

"Prompt," said the little man beside me "Very prompt Do the angel book ? "

ducking and craning his head about over and under and souls that crowded round us "Everybody's here," "Everybody And now know--

"There's Darwin," , going off at tangent "_He'll catch it ! And there-- ? --that tall, important-looking man trying to catch the eye Lord God, that's the Duke But there's lot of people one doesn't know

"Oh ! there's Priggles, the publisher always wondered about printers' overs Priggles was clever man . But know now--even about him

" hear all that get most fun before . My_ letter's S "

He drew the air in between his teeth

"Historical characters, too See ? That's Henry the Eighth There'll be good bit of evidence Oh, damn ! He's Tudor "

He lowered his voice "Notice this chap, just in front of us, all covered with hair Paleolithic, And there again--"

But heed him, because looking Lord God

IV

" all ? " asked the Lord God

The angel book-- one of countless volumes, like the British Museum Reading-room Catalogue, glanced at us and seemed to count us instant

"That's all," , and added: " , O God, very little planet "

The eyes of God surveyed us

" begin," said the Lord God

V

The angel opened the book and read name name full of A's, echoes of it came back uttermost parts of space catch it clearly, because the little man beside me said, in sharp jerk, "_What's that ? " It sounded like "Ahab" ; but it the Ahab of Scripture

Instantly small black figure was lifted puffy cloud very feet of God stiff little figure, dressed in rich outlandish robes and crowned, and it folded its arms and scowled

"Well ? " said God, looking down at him

We were privileged to hear the reply, and indeed the acoustic properties place were marvellous

"I plead guilty," said the little figure

"Tell them what you ," said the Lord God

" king," said the little figure, "a great king, and lustful and proud and cruel wars, I devastated countries, I built palaces, mortar blood of men Hear, O God, the witnesses against me, calling for vengeance Hundreds and thousands of witnesses " He waved his hands towards us "And worse ! prophet--one of your prophets----"

"One prophets," said the Lord God

"And because bow , I tortured him for four days and nights, and end he died more, O God, I blasphemed I robbed you of your honours----"

"Robbed me honours," said the Lord God

"I caused myself worshipped in your stead No evil was there but I practised it; no cruelty wherewith stain my soul And at last you smote me, O God ! "

God raised his eyebrows slightly

"And slain in battle And so I stand , meet for your nethermost Hell ! Out of your greatness daring no lies, daring no pleas, but telling the truth iniquities before all mankind "

He ceased His face distinctly, and it seemed white and terrible and proud and strangely noble of Milton's Satan

"Most of Obelisk," said the Recording Angel, finger on page

" ," said the Tyrannous Man, with faint touch of surprise

Then suddenly God bent forward and took this man hand, and held him up palm him better just little dark stroke middle of God's palm

"_Did he do all this ? " said the Lord God

The Recording Angel flattened his book hand

"In way," said the Recording Angel, carelessly Now when I looked again little man his face had changed in very curious manner looking Recording Angel with strange apprehension eyes, and one hand fluttered mouth Just the movement of muscle or so, and all that dignity of defiance was gone

"Read," said the Lord God

angel read, explaining very carefully and fully all the wickedness Wicked Man quite an intellectual treat --A little "daring" in places, , but Heaven has its privileges .

VI

Everybody was laughing Even the prophet Lord whom the Wicked Man had tortured had smile face The Wicked Man was really such preposterous little fellow

"And then," read the Recording Angel, with smile that set us all agog, "one day, when little irascible from over-eating, he--"

"Oh, not that_," cried the Wicked Man, "nobody knew

"It didn't happen," screamed the Wicked Man " bad-- really bad Frequently bad, but nothing so silly--so absolutely silly--"

The angel went on reading

"O God ! " cried the Wicked Man "Don't let them know that ! I'll repent ! I'll apologise . "

The Wicked Man on God's hand began to dance and weep Suddenly shame overcame him wild rush to jump off the ball of God's little finger, but God stopped him by dexterous turn wrist Then rush gap between hand and thumb, but the thumb closed And all the while the angel went on reading--reading The Wicked Man rushed to and fro across God's palm, and then suddenly turned about and fled up the sleeve of God

I expected God would turn him out, but the mercy of God is infinite

The Recording Angel paused

"Eh ? " said the Recording Angel

"Next," said God, and Recording Angel could call the name hairy creature in filthy rags stood upon God's palm

VII

"Has God got Hell up his sleeve then ? " said the little man beside me

"_Is there Hell ? " I asked

" notice," --he peered feet great angels-- "there's no particular indication of Celestial City "

"'Ssh ! " said little woman near us, scowling "Hear this blessed Saint ! "

VIII

" Lord Earth, but I prophet God of Heaven," cried the Saint, "and all the people marvelled sign For I, O God, knew glories of thy Paradise No pain, no hardship, gashing with knives, splinters thrust under my nails, strips of flesh flayed off, all glory and honour of God "

God smiled

"And at last I went, I in my rags and sores, smelling holy discomforts----"

Gabriel laughed abruptly

"And lay outside his gates, as sign, as wonder----"

"As perfect nuisance," said the Recording Angel, and began to read, heedless fact saint was still speaking gloriously unpleasant things he had done that Paradise his

And behold, book the record Saint also was revelation, marvel

It seemed not ten seconds Saint also was rushing to and fro over the great palm of God Not ten seconds ! And at last he also shrieked beneath that pitiless and cynical exposition, and fled also, even Wicked Man had fled, shadow sleeve And permitted us shadow sleeve two sat side by side, stark of all delusions, shadow robe of God's charity, like brothers

And thither also I fled in my turn

IX

"And now," said God, as he shook us out sleeve planet he had given us to live upon, the planet that whirled about green Sirius for sun, "now that you understand me and little better, . try again "

Then he great angels turned themselves about and suddenly had vanished .

The Throne had vanished

All about me was beautiful land, more beautiful than any I had ever seen before--waste, austere, and wonderful; and all about me were the enlightened souls of men in new clean bodies .