able to occupy a more important station
in the world. In order to complete my reformation, the knowledge of
love was only wanting to my deeply affected mind. Euphemie and I drew
near to each other, we became as quickly familiarised as if our being
had for many years been only waiting for this acquaintance. We were as
brother and sister, before we had yet been able to wonder at the
rapidity of this mutual confidence. We soon felt that we could not do
without each other, she could tell me all her thoughts and feelings
more easily and confidingly than she could impart them to her parents,
even more than she ventured to do to her female friends. My heart
floated in the sweetest repose; at the sound of her voice, at the
glance of her mild eye, when I heard her footstep, when she walked in
the garden, nay even when I only thought of her, my mind was as if
plunged in bliss. Even thus the spirits of the pure soar glorified
towards their sacred destiny, estranged from all passion and
inquietude, from all violent incitements. And yet I knew not that I
loved: I had never permitted this word to enter into my mind.

"We conversed on her future cloistered life, on the saints and their
miracles, and Euphemie had in me the most believing pupil. She lent an
equally attentive ear to my enthusiasm and days and weeks passed away
in a pleasing dream. That Italy, whither indeed I was journeying, was
in the world, I had totally forgotten.

"Beauvais took possession of a country house, that lay in the most
beautiful part of the country. I followed the family and my adored
Euphemie also accompanied her friends, for the mother, as well as the
son's future bride respected the wonderful girl. What singular
conversations and outpourings of the heart! the earth and all that
surrounded us, to which we must indeed have applied names, vanished
from us, and our spirits as if in the innocence of Paradise lulled
themselves, void of every want, but penetrated with the most innate,
the most holy love. We understood each other without words, and as all
that was earthly had fled, no feelings of jealousy, suspicion, or
distrust arose in our souls.

"The legends, many of which express a heavenly spirit of resignation to
the mysterious will of the Most High, a renunciation, nay almost an
annihilation of self in fervent love of Christ, a profound mortal
compassion in the endearing adoration, our inebriated enthusiasm was
awakened and nourished especially by t