I dislike an eye that twinkles like a star. Those only are beautiful
which, like the planets, have a steady, lambent light;--are luminous,
but not sparkling. Such eyes the Greek poets give to the Immortals. But
I forget myself.
The lady's figure was striking. Every step, every attitude was
graceful, and yet lofty, as if inspired by the soul within. Angels in
the old poetic philosophy have such forms; it was the soul itself
imprinted on the air. And what a soul was hers! A temple dedicated to
Heaven, and, like the Pantheon at Rome, lighted only from above. And
earthly passions in the form of gods were no longer there, but the
sweet and thoughtful faces of Christ, and the Virgin Mary, and the
Saints. Thus there was not one discordant thing in her; but a perfect
harmony of figure, and face, and soul, in a word of the whole being.
And he who had a soul to comprehend hers, must of necessity love her,
and, having once loved her, could love no other woman forevermore.
No wonder, then, that Flemming felt his heartdrawn towards her, as, in
her morning walk, she passed him, sitting alone under the great walnut
trees near the cloister, and thinking of Heaven, but not of her. She,
too, was alone. Her cheek was no longer pale; but glowing and bright,
with the inspiration of the summer air. Flemming gazed after her till
she disappeared, even as a vision of his dreams, he knew not whither.
He was not yet in love, but very near it; for he thanked God, that he
had made such beautiful beings to walk the earth.
Last night he had heard a voice to which his soul responded; and he
might have gone on his way, and taken no farther heed. But he would
have heard that voice afterwards, whenever at evening he thought of
this evening at Interlachen. To-day he had seen more clearly the
vision, and his restless soul calm. The place seemed pleasant to him;
and he could not go. He did not ask himself whence came this calm. He
felt it; and was happy in the feeling; and blessed thelandscape and the
summer morning, as if they possessed the wonder-working power.
"A pleasant morning dream to you;" said a friendly voice; and at the
same moment some one laid his hand upon Flemming's shoulder. It was
Berkley. He had approached unseen and unheard.
"I see by the smile on your countenance," he continued, "that it is no
day-incubus."
"You are right," replied Flemming. "It was a pleasant dream, which you
have put to flight."
"And I am glad to see, that you have also put to flight the gloomy
thoughts which used to haunt you. I like to see people cheerful and
happy. What is the use of giving way to sadness in this beautiful
world?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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