d spirit, a spiritualized body. There is no spirit without body,
else it would be a ghost: there is no body without spirit, else it would
be a corpse. Is the flower in the field without spirit? Does it not
appear in a divine will, in a creative thought which preserves it, and
gives it life and existence? That is its soul--only it is silent in the
flower, while it manifests itself in man by words. Real life is, after
all, the bodily and spiritual life; real consciousness is, after all, the
bodily and spiritual consciousness; real being together is, after all,
bodily and spiritually being together, and the whole world of memory in
which I had lived so happily for two days, disappeared like a shadow,
like a nonentity, as I stood before her, and was really with her. I
could have laid my hands upon her brow, her eyes, and her cheeks, to
know, to unmistakably know, if it were really she--not only the image
which had hovered before my soul day and night, but a being who was not
mine, and still could and would be mine; a being in whom I could believe
as in myself; a being far from me and yet nearer to me than my own self;
a being without whom my life was no life, death was no death; without
whom my poor existence would dissolve into infinity like a sigh. I felt,
as my thoughts and glances rested upon her, that now, in this very
instant, the happiness of my existence was complete--and a shudder crept
over me as I thought of death--but it seemed no longer to have any terror
for me; for death could not destroy this love; it would only purify;
ennoble, and immortalize it.

It was so beautiful to be silent with her. The whole depth of her soul
was reflected in her countenance, and as I looked upon her I saw and
heard her every thought and emotion. "You make me sad," she seemed on
the point of saying, and yet would not, "Are we not together again at
last? Be quiet! Complain not! Ask not! Speak not! Be welcome to me!
Be not bad to me!" All this looked from her eyes, and still we did not
venture to disturb the peace of our happiness with a word.

"Have you received a letter from the Hofrath?" was the first question,
and her voice trembled with each word.

"No," I replied.

She was silent for a time, and then said:

"Perhaps it is better it has happened thus, and that I can tell you
everything myself. My friend, we see each other to-day for the last
time. Let us part in peace, without complaint and without anger. I