s fear of death was dulled by their
intoxicating perfume, which, like a cloud, filled the entire hall, nay,
the entire universe.

Here he awoke. His first drowsy glance fell upon the flickering light
of the lantern, the second upon a huge pear, which, yellow as a rising
moon, lay at his bedside. In dazed, joyous astonishment he grasped it,
but on raising it to his lips noticed that it was stained with blood.
He was startled, thought he was still dreaming. Beyond the windows the
gray light of dawn was already spreading. Now he caught sight of the
other fruit, gorgeous and abundant, as if paradise had been pillaged.
But all was stained with blood ... A little rivulet of blood, divided
into two streams, trickled over from the corner of the wall.

And Bastide saw ...

He tried to rise, but his unfinished sleep still paralyzed his body.

Bitter and wild grief wrung his breast. He longed no more for the day
which awoke so drearily outside; weary of his own heart-beats and
perfectly sure of what had happened and must happen, he yearned for the
final end. He desired no special knowledge of the consummated fate of
the being on the other side of the cell, who, dominated by mysterious
spirits, had trust herself into his path--no knowledge of men and what
they built or destroyed. Man was an abomination to him.

And yet when his glance fell upon the splendid fruit once more, he felt
the woe of all creation; he wished at least to close the eyes of the
giver. But just then the keeper, grown suspicious, turned the key in
the lock.

BERNHARD KELLERMANN

* * * * * *

GOD'S BELOVED (1911)
TRANSLATED BY KATHARINE ROYCE

Before dawn the lawyer rose from his bed, and at that very moment a
thousand little birds, who lived in his room, began to twitter and
trill. "Awake so early, little ones!" whispered the lawyer. He never
spoke aloud.

"Well, good morning! Hush! Hush!"

And the thousand little birds chirped in answer and then obediently
stopped singing.

The lawyer wrapped a thick woolen shawl around his shoulders, for he
was always very cold, slipped his feet into his wadded boots, drew on
his gloves, put his fur cap on his bald head and went out of the house.

It was still night and everything looked unreal and magical. Now and
then the grass would bow down with a sudden jerk, as people do in their
sleep, if they dream that they are falling, and then for a moment the
lawyer would feel a warm breath, which vanish