2856. as when I would be walking on the street, suddenly the noisy crowds are not heard- which is a sign that then the world of inward spirits is being closed. This I called sudden silence.
Then they were toward the front far off from me, and spoke with me, and I was told and it was inferred to me by others also, that these were the kind who plan subtle deceptions and mislead under the guise of friendship. 1They were also permitted to see in me things that were foul, what I had thought that was dirty, and the like. These they collected and looked at quite intensively, but not anything of good, which they reject and do not understand except for the sake of deceiving under a friendly expression.
Footnotes:
1. In the original there follows, deleted, "thinking of nothing but the neighbor's destruction." This was inserted by J. F. I. Tafel in the first Latin edition.
2856. So that while I was walking the street, the noisy crowds [uproar] suddenly were [was] not heard, which is a proof that thus the world of interior spirits is closed. This is called a sudden silence. (Then they were far from me towards the anterior [regions], and spoke with me; and I was told, by others, and it was insinuated that such were those who, with premeditation, contrive subtle deceits, and so deceive under a friendly countenance, thinking of nothing but the ruin of the neighbor.) It was also permitted them to see such things in me as were base [tetra], whatever I have thought that was impure and the like - which they collected and saw with considerable acuteness, [but] not anything that was good, inasmuch as they reject such, and do not receive it unless for the sake of deceiving under a friendly countenance.
2856. [vide 2855]