Fearful that he had disturbed the old man in his morning devotions,
Flemming did not remain long, but took his leave with regret. There was
something impressive in the scene he had witnessed;--this beautiful old
age of the artist; sitting by the open window, in the bright summer
morning,--the labor of life accomplished, the horizon reached, where
heaven and earth meet,--thinking it was angel's music, when he heard
the church-bells ring; himself too old to go. As he walked back to his
chamber, he thought within himself, whether he likewise might not
accomplish something, which should live after him;--might not bring
something permanent out of this fast-fleeting life of man, and then sit
down, like the artist, in serene old age, and fold his hands in
silence. He wondered how a man felt when he grew so old, that he could
no longer go to church, but must sit at home and read the bible in
large print. His heart was full of indefinite longings, mingled with
regrets; longings to accomplish something worthy of life; regret, that
as yet he had accomplished nothing, but had felt and dreamed only. Thus
the warm days in spring bring forth passion-flowers and forget-menots.
It is only after mid-summer, when the days grow shorter and hotter,
that fruit begins to appear. Then, the heat of the day brings forward
the harvest, and after the harvest, the leaves fall, and there is a
gray frost. Much meditating upon these things, Paul Flemming reached
his hotel. At that moment a person clad in green came down the
church-steps, and crossed the street. It was the German student, of
Interlachen. Flemming started as if a green snake had suddenly crossed
his path. He took refuge in his chamber.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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