Johannes, the companion of thy soul May once again be present at thy side, And follow thee to earth's primeval depths, Where souls can win perception e'en as gods, By conquest that destroyeth, yet acquires By bold persistence life from seeming death. E'en in the ever empty fields of ice She may go with her friend, where he will be Encircled with the light which spirits form When darkness wounds and maims the powers of life. My friend, thou standest at that threshold now, Where man must lose what once he hath attained. Full many a glance thou hast toward spirit-realms Directed, and from them hast gained the power That made thee capable of thy great work. It seems to thee, that now that work is lost; Desire not then that it were otherwise, For such desire must rob thee of all power Of further progress into spirit-realms. Whether thou walk'st in error or in truth, Thou canst keep ever clear the view ahead, Which lets thy soul press further on its path If thou dost bravely bear necessities Imposed upon thee by the spirit-realm. This is the law of spirit-pupilship. So long as thou still harbourest the wish That what hath happened might be otherwise Thou wilt forego the power which must be thine, If thou dost wish to stay in spirit-land. That thou hast lost what thou erewhile hadst won Is surest sign to thee that thou may'st walk In safety further on the spirit-path. Henceforward thou must not rely upon, If thou in truth regardest it as lost, That understanding which thou hast till now Well-used as the criterion of thy work. Therefore thy being must become quite still And wait in silence for the spirit's gifts; Then only wilt thou commune with thyself When thou once more hast won thyself anew. Oft hast thou met the solemn Guardian Who on the Threshold keeps so strict a watch When spirit-life must part from world of sense; But past that presence hast thou never been. At sight of him aye didst thou turn away And all thy view was pictured from without.... Ne'er in that inner world which widens out Beyond thee as the spirit-verity, Have thy steps trod: so must thou now await That which shall be revealed, when at my side Thou shalt not only to such world draw nigh, But shalt pass o'er the Threshold's boundary. Curtain SCENE 3