thusspakethemoon,andacloudcamebetweenus.maynocloudseparatethepoetfromtherose!

seventhevening

"alongthemarginoftheshorestretchesaforestoffirsandbeeches,andfreshandfragrantisthiswood;hundredsofnightingalesvisititeveryspring.closebesideitisthesea,theever-changingsea,andbetweenthetwoisplacedthebroadhigh-road.onecarriageafteranotherrollsoverit;butididnotfollowthem,formyeyelovesbesttorestupononepoint.ahun'sgraveliesthere,andthesloeandblackthorngrowluxuriantlyamongthestones.hereistruepoetryinnature.

"andhowdoyouthinkmenappreciatethispoetry?iwilltellyouwhatiheardtherelasteveningandduringthenight.

"first,tworichlandedproprietorscamedrivingby.'thoseareglorioustrees!'saidthefirst.'certainly;therearetenloadsoffirewoodineach,'observedtheother:'itwillbeahardwinter,andlastyearwegotfourteendollarsaload'-andtheyweregone.'theroadhereiswretched,'observedanothermanwhodrovepast.'that'sthefaultofthosehorribletrees,'repliedhisneighbour;'thereisnofreecurrentofair;thewindcanonlycomefromthesea'-andtheyweregone.thestagecoachwentrattlingpast.allthepassengerswereasleepatthisbeautifulspot.thepostillionblewhishorn,butheonlythought,'icanplaycapitally.itsoundswellhere.iwonderifthoseintherelikeit?'-andthestagecoachvanished.thentwoyoungfellowscamegalloppinguponre'syouthandspiritinthebloodhere!thoughti;and,indeed,theylookedwithasmileatthemoss-grownhillandthickforest.'ishouldnotdislikeawalkherewiththemiller'schristine,'saidone-andtheyflewpast.

"theflowersscentedtheair;everybreathofairwashushed;itseemedasiftheseawereapartoftheskythatstretchedabovethedeepvalley.acarriagerolledby.sixpeopleweresittinginit.fourofthemwereasleep;thefifthwasthinkingofhisnewsummercoat,whichwouldsuithimadmirably;thesixthturnedtothecoachmanandaskedhimiftherewereanythingremarkableconnectedwithyonderheapofstones.'no,'repliedthecoachman,'it'sonlyaheapofstones;butthetreesareremarkable.''howso?''whyi'lltellyouhowtheyareveryremarkable.yousee,inwinter,whenthesnowliesverydeep,andhashiddenthewholeroadsothatnothingistobeseen,thosetreesservemeforalandmark.isteerbythem,soasnottodriveintothesea;andyouseethatiswhythetreesareremarkable.'

"nowcameapainter.hespokenotaword,buthiseyesbegantowhistle.atthisthenightingalessanglouderthanever.'holdyourtongues!'hecriedtestily;andhemadeaccuratenotesofallthecoloursandtransitions-blue,andlilac,anddarkbrown.'thatwillmakeabeautifulpicture,'hesaid.hetookitinjustasamirrortakesinaview;andasheworkedhewhistledamarchofrossini.andlastofallcameapoorgirl.shelaidasidetheburdenshecarried,andsatdowntorestuponthehun'sgrave.herpalehandsomefacewasbentinalisteningattitudetowardstheforest.hereyesbrightened,shegazedearnestlyattheseaandthesky,herhandswerefolded,andithinksheprayed,'ourfather.'sheherselfcouldnotunderstandthefeelingthatsweptthroughher,butiknowthatthisminute,andthebeautifulnaturalscene,willlivewithinhermemoryforyears,farmorevividlyandmoretrulythanthepaintercouldportrayitwithhiscoloursonpaper.myraysfollowedhertillthemorningdawnkissedherbrow."

eighthevening

heavycloudsobscuredthesky,andthemoondidnotmakehisappearanceatall.istoodinmylittleroom,morelonelythanever,andlookedupattheskywhereheoughttohaveshownhimself.mythoughtsflewfaraway,uptomygreatfriend,whoeveryeveningtoldmesuchprettytales,andshowedmepictures.yes,hehashadanexperienceindeed.heglidedoverthewatersofthedeluge,andsmiledonnoah'sarkjustashelatelyglanceddownuponme,andbroughtcomfortandpromiseofanewworldthatwastospringforthfromtheold.whenthechildrenofisraelsatweepingbythewatersofbabylon,heglancedmournfullyuponthewillowswherehungthesilentharps.whenromeoclimbedthebalcony,andthepromiseoftrueloveflutteredlikeacherubtowardheaven,theroundmoonhung,halfhiddenamongthedarkcypresses,inthelucidair.hesawthecaptivegiantatst.helena,lookingfromthelonelyrockacrossthewideocean,whilegreatthoughtssweptthroughhissoul.ah!