Some dim spirit appeared, or rather, some dim thing, because it was coming from that region such as the filthy city of Jerusalem, near Gehenna, spoken of earlier [745-54, 843-55]. A sort of gate was opened, and he approached in the light of a starry night, and as he entered by the opened gate, there were wandering stars there, rather dim ones, flying around him, especially on his left. As he came towards me, I did not take him to be a spirit, but a dark cloud. He approached ever closer and came right up to my left ear, from above, which he touched with his mouth, to speak with me. He did not speak out loud, but as if within himself. Still, I heard him quite clearly.