y were merged in ear. It was not until the tones had been for
some time silent that tears, coming to my eyes, broke the spell, and
restored me to myself. I suppose that sleep then came upon me, for when
I was roused by the shrill notes of a posthorn, the bright morning sun
was shining into my room, and I found that it had been only in my
dreams that I had been enjoying a bliss more deep, a happiness more
ineffable, than the world could otherwise have afforded me. For a
beautiful lady came to me--it was the lady who had sung the song--and
said to me, very fondly and tenderly--

"'"'Then you _did_ recognize me, my own dear Ferdinand! I knew that I
had only to sing, and I should live again in you wholly, for every note
was sleeping in your heart.'

"'"Then I recognized, with rapture unspeakable, that she was the
beloved of my soul, whose image had been enshrined in my heart since
childhood. Though an adverse fate had torn her from me for a time, I
had found her again now; but my deep and fervent love for her melted
into that wonderful melody of sorrow, and our words and our looks grew
into exquisite swelling tones of music, flowing together into a river
of fire. Now, however, that I had awakened from this beautiful dream, I
was obliged to confess to myself that I could trace no association of
former days connected with it. I never had seen the beautiful lady
before.

"'"I heard some one talking loudly and angrily in front of the house, and
rising mechanically, I went to the window. An elderly gentleman, well
dressed, was rating the postilion, who had damaged something about an
elegant travelling carriage; at last this was put to rights, and the
gentleman called upstairs to some one, 'We're all ready now; come
along, it's time to be off.' I found that there had been a young lady
looking out of the window next to mine; but as she drew quickly back,
and had on a broad travelling hat, I did not see her face; when she
went out, she turned round and looked up at me. Heavens! she was the
singer! she was the lady of my dream! For a moment her beautiful eyes
rested upon me, and the beam of a crystal tone seemed to pierce my
heart like the point of a burning dagger, so that I felt an actual
physical smart: all my members trembled, and I was transfixed with an
indescribable bliss. She got quickly into the carriage, the postilion
blew a cheerful tune as if in jubilant defiance, and in a moment they
had disappeared round the corner