. I always
look straight ahead, I pierce with my eyes ever more deeply, I am as
though petrified. Look into my eyes. It is as though I am petrified, as
though everything I look upon is petrified. Look into my eyes.

I love you. Do not laugh at my frank story, or I shall be angry. Every
hour I open my sensitive heart, for all my efforts are in vain--I am
alone. My one and last kiss is full of ringing sorrow--and the one I
love is not here, and I seek love again, and I tell my tale in vain--my
heart cannot bare itself, and the poison torments me and my head grows
heavier. Am I not beautiful in my despair? Come closer to me.

I love you.

Once I was bathing in a stagnant swamp in the forest--I love to be
clean--it is a sign of noble birth, and I bathe frequently. While
bathing, dancing in the water, I saw my reflection, and as always, fell
in love with myself. I am so fond of the beautiful and the wise! And
suddenly I saw--on my forehead, among my other inborn adornments, a new,
strange sign--Was it not this sign that has brought the heaviness, the
petrified look, and the sweet taste in my mouth? Here a cross is darkly
outlined on my forehead--right here--look. Come closer to me. Is this
not strange? But I did not understand it at that time, and I liked
it. Let there be no more adornment. And on the same day, on that same
terrible day, when the cross appeared, my first kiss became also my
last--my kiss became fatal. One in many! One in many!

Oh!

You love precious stones, but think, my beloved, how far more precious
is a little drop of my poison. It is such a little drop.--Have you ever
seen it? Never, never. But you shall find it out. Consider, my beloved,
how much suffering, painful humiliation, powerless rage devoured me:
I had to experience in order to bring forth this little drop. I am a
queen! I am a queen! In one drop, brought forth by myself, I carry
death unto the living, and my kingdom is limitless, even as grief
is limitless, even as death is limitless. I am queen! My look is
inexorable. My dance is terrible! I am beautiful! One in many! One in
many!

Oh!

Do not fall. My story is not yet ended. Come closer to me.

And then I crawled into the stupid forest, into my green dominion.

Now it is a new way, a terrible way! I was kind like a queen; and like
a queen I bowed graciously to the right and to the left. And they--they
ran away! Like a queen I bowed benevolently to the right and to the
left--and