HILARY'S WIFE: My husband's happiness in life now hangs On the successful issue of these aims. I saw the transformation of his soul As soon as, like a lightning flash, the thought Illumined him. He had found hitherto Nothing in life but sad soul-loneliness, A feeling which he was at pains to hide E'en from the circle of his closest friends But which consumed him inwardly the more. Till then he deemed himself of no account Because thoughts would not spring up in his soul Which seemed to him to be of use in life. But when this plan of mystic enterprise Then stood before his soul, he grew quite young, He was another man, a happy man; This aim first gave to him a worth in life. That thou couldst ere oppose him in this work Was inconceivable till it occurred. He felt the blow more keenly than aught else That in his life hath yet befallen him. Couldst thou but know the pain that thou hast caused, Thou wouldst not surely be so harsh with him. MANAGER: I feel as if my manhood would be lost If I should set myself to go against Mine own convictions.--I shall find it hard To do my work with Strader at my side. Yet I decided I would bear this load To help Romanus, whom I understand Since he concerning Strader spake with me. What he explained became the starting-point For me of mine own spirit-pupilship. There was a power that flamed forth from his words And entered actively within my soul; I never yet had felt it so before. His counsel is most precious, though as yet I cannot understand and follow it; Romanus only cares for Strader now; He thinks the other mystics by their share Not only are a hindrance to the work But also are a danger to themselves. For his opinion I have such regard That I must now believe the following: If Strader cannot find a way to work Without his friends, 'twill be a sign of fate. A sign that with these friends he must abide, And only later fashion faculties, Through mystic striving for some outward work. The fact that recently he hath become More closely knit to them than formerly, Despite a slight estrangement for a while, Makes me believe that he will find his way, Lies in this state of things, though it involves A failure, for the present, of his aims. HILARY'S WIFE: