They drudged on in silence until they came to the black wood. The worm had drawn in its ringed head, and backed out of sight. The earwig dropped the light and turned away. "They cannot get in--the wood is too new," said he, retreating. "I shall!" said Pluizer, and with his crooked fingers he tore long white cracking splinters out of the wood. A fearful pressure lay on poor Johannes. Yet he had to do it--he could not resist. At last, the dark space was open. Pluizer snatched the light and scrambled inside. "Here, here!" he called, and ran toward the other end. But when Johannes had come as far as the hands, that lay folded upon the breast, he was forced to stop. He stared at the thin, white fingers, dimly lighted on the upper side. He recognized them at once. He knew the form of the fingers and the creases in them, as well as the shape of the long nails now dark and discolored. He recognized a brown spot on the forefinger. They were his own hands. "Here, here!" called Pluizer from the head. "Look! do you know him?" Poor Johannes tried to stand up, and go to the light that beckoned him, but his strength gave way. The little light died into utter darkness, and he fell senseless. XII He had sunk into a deep sleep--to depths where no dreams come. In slowly rising from those shades to the cool grey morning light, he passed through dreams, varied and gentle, of former times. He awoke, and they glided from his spirit like dew-drops from a flower. The expression of his eyes was calm and mild while they still rested upon the throngs of lovely images. Yet, as if shunning the glare of day, he closed his eyes to the light. He saw again what he had seen the morning before. It seemed to him far away, and long ago; yet hour by hour there came back the remembrance of everything--from the dreary dawn to the awful night. He could not believe that all those horrible things had occurred in a single day; the beginning of his misery seemed so remote--lost in grey mists. The sweet dreams faded away, leaving no trace behind. Pluizer shook him, and the gloomy day began--dull and colorless--the forerunner of many, many others. Yet what he had seen the night before on that fearful journey stayed in his mind. Had it been only a frightful vision? When he asked Pluizer about it, shyly, the latter looked at him queerly and scoffingly. "What do you mean?" he asked. Johannes did not see the leer in his eye, and asked if it had really happened--he still saw it all so sharp and clear. "How silly you are, Johannes! Indeed, such things as that can never happen." Johannes did not know what to think. "We will soon put you to work; and then you will ask no more such foolish questions." So they went to Doctor Cijfer, who was to help Johannes find what he was seeking. While in the crowded street, Pluizer suddenly stood still, and pointed out to Johannes a man in the throng.