onius with all his soul, remained
the latter's only companion, as he was the only person with whom he
could hold intimate intercourse without being untrue to his own
nature.

For several days after the storm Apollonius had to lie in bed. A
burning fever had taken hold of him. At first the physician pronounced
his illness a very serious one, but in reality it was only the body
fighting triumphant battle against the general suffering which had
found mental absolution in the resolve of that night. The sympathy of
the town manifested itself in various touching ways. The old
councilman and Valentine were his nurses. The one whom nature through
love and gratitude had determined upon as the best nurse for the sick
man, Apollonius did not call to his bed, and she dared not go
uncalled. Throughout his illness, however, she took up her abode in
the little trellised arbor and remained there so as to be as near to
him as possible. When he slept the old councilman beckoned to her to
enter. Then she stood with folded hands behind the screen at the foot
of his bed and accompanied his every breath with anxiety and hope.
Unconsciously her gentle breathing regulated itself by his. For hours
she stood looking through a crack in the screen at the sick man. He
knew nothing of her presence, and yet the inspector could see how his
sleep became easier, his face more smiling. There was no bottle from
which he took his medicine which, without his knowing it, he did not
receive from her hand, no plaster, no application which she had not
prepared; no cloth, no cover touched him which she had not warmed on
her breast, kissed with her loving lips. When he talked with the
councilman about her, she saw that he was more anxious concerning her
than himself; when he sent friendly, comforting messages to her she
trembled behind the screen with joy. She rested but little; and when
the cold night wind blew flakes of snow through the loose blinds onto
her warm face, when her own breath, frozen on the pillow, touched
icily throat, chin and bosom, she was happy in the thought that she
was allowed to suffer something for him who had suffered all for her.
In those nights sacred love conquered earthly love in her; out of the
pain of sweet, disappointed desire which yearned to possess, arose his
image surrounded once more by that halo of unattainable glory in which
she had known him of yore.

Apollonius recovered quickly. And now began the joint life of these
t