'allthehearersexclaimed.fiveminutesmore,andthestagewasempty,thecompanyhadvanished,andnotasoundmorewasheard-allweregone.buttheruinsstoodunchanged,astheywillstandwhencenturiesshallhavegoneby,andwhennoneshallknowofthemomentaryapplauseandofthetriumphofthefairsongstress;whenallwillbeforgottenandgone,andevenformethishourwillbebutadreamofthepast."

twelfthevening

"ilookedthroughthewindowsofaneditor'shouse,"saidthemoon."itwassomewhereingermany.isawhandsomefurniture,manybooks,andachaosofnewspapers.severalyoungmenwerepresent:theeditorhimselfstoodathisdesk,andtwolittlebooks,bothbyyoungauthors,weretobenoticed.'thisonehasbeensenttome,'saidhe.'ihavenotreadityet;whatthinkyouofthecontents?''oh,'saidthepersonaddressed-hewasapoethimself-'itisgoodenough;alittlebroad,certainly;but,yousee,theauthorisstillyoung.theversesmightbebetter,tobesure;thethoughtsaresound,thoughthereiscertainlyagooddealofcommon-placeamongthem.butwhatwillyouhave?youcan'tbealwaysgettingsomethinghe'llturnoutanythinggreatidon'tbelieve,butyoumaysafelypraisehim.heiswellread,aremarkableorientalscholar,andhasagoodjudgment.itwashewhowrotethatnicereviewofmy'reflectionsondomesticlife.'wemustbelenienttowardstheyoungman."

"'butheisacompletehack!'objectedanotherofthegentlemen.'nothingworseinpoetrythanmediocrity,andhecertainlydoesnotgobeyondthis.'

"'poorfellow,'observedathird,'andhisauntissohappyabouthim.itwasshe,mr.editor,whogottogethersomanysubscribersforyourlasttranslation.'

"'ah,thegoodwoman!well,ihavenoticedthebookbriefly.undoubtedtalent-awelcomeoffering-aflowerinthegardenofpoetry-prettilybroughtout-andsoon.butthisotherbook-isupposetheauthorexpectsmetopurchaseit?ihearitispraised.hehasgenius,certainly:don'tyouthinkso?'

"'yes,alltheworlddeclaresasmuch,'repliedthepoet,'butithasturnedoutratherwildly.thepunctuationofthebook,inparticular,isveryeccentric.'

"'itwillbegoodforhimifwepullhimtopieces,andangerhimalittle,otherwisehewillgettoogoodanopinionofhimself.'

"'butthatwouldbeunfair,'objectedthefourth.'letusnotcarpatlittlefaults,butrejoiceovertherealandabundantgoodthatwefindhere:hesurpassesalltherest.'

"'notso.ifheisatruegenius,hecanbearthesharpvoiceofcensure.therearepeopleenoughtopraisehim.don'tletusquiteturnhishead.'

"'decidedtalent,'wrotetheeditor,'withtheusualhecanwriteincorrectversesmaybeseeninpage25,wheretherearetwofalsequantities.werecommendhimtostudytheancients,etc.'

"iwentaway,"continuedthemoon,"andlookedthroughthewindowsintheaunt'shouse.theresatthebe-praisedpoet,thetameone;alltheguestspaidhomagetohim,andhewashappy.

"isoughttheotherpoetout,thewildone;himalsoifoundinagreatassemblyathispatron's,wherethetamepoet'sbookwasbeingdiscussed.

"'ishallreadyoursalso,'saidmaecenas;'buttospeakhonestly-youknowineverhidemyopinionfromyou-idon'texpectmuchfromit,foryouaremuchtoowild,toofantastic.butitmustbeallowedthat,asaman,youarehighlyrespectable.'

"ayounggirlsatinacorner;andshereadinabookthesewords:

"'inthedustliesgeniusandglory,

butev'ry-daytalentwillpay.

it'sonlytheold,oldstory,

butthepieceisrepeatedeachday.'"

thirteenthevening

themoonsaid,"besidethewoodlandpaththerearetwosmallfarm-houses.thedoorsarelow,andsomeofthewindowsareplacedquitehigh,andothersclosetotheground;andwhitethornandbarberrybushesgrowaroundthem.theroofofeachhouseisovergrownwithmossandwithyellowflowersandhouseleek.cabbageandpotatoesaretheonlyplantscultivatedinthegardens,butoutofthehedgetheregrowsawillowtree,andunderthiswillowtreesatalittlegirl,andshesatwithhereyesfixedupontheoldoaktreebetweenthetwohuts.

"itwasanoldwitheredstem.ithadbeensawnoffatthetop,andastorkhadbuilthisnestuponit;andhestoodinthisnestclappingwithhisbeak.alittleboycameandstoodbythegirl'sside:theywerebrotherandsister.

"'whatareyoulookingat?