hriek of a parrot and the hissing of the
fountain through the ardent air.

I waited immovably.

Suddenly, whether because a breath stirred the air or because weary
ripeness released them, suddenly a shower of blossoms descended from
the branches, and erythrina flowers rained down upon my head, neck,
shoulders, and arms, into my lap, upon the grass at my feet, like heavy
drops of fire from burning torches. I surveyed their resting places
round about; the space at my right had remained empty; not a single
blossom had lighted upon the bench on this side of me, while to my left
a handful lay scattered. I turned again toward the right: before and
behind the bench the blossoms gleamed from the grass; unless some one
were sitting there, the place could not but have been covered with
blossoms! I drew a deep breath of excitement--bliss--sweet awe. The
weary blossoms continued to fall; and now I was aware how, above the
place at my right, they scattered in the air in every direction, how
they were pressed to the right and left, front and back, and how some
trickled down slowly and hesitatingly, as though impeded by garments.--

I forcibly released myself from the strange spell, stood up, took a
step forward, and turned round. Where I had just been sitting, four or
five blossoms were already gleaming from the gray wood--next to that
place the bench was still uncovered.

In wonderment I stood there and gazed. And now I felt, I saw, how,
gradually, as from a delicate haze, outlines and shadowy forms emerged
and rounded out. With my bodily eyes I saw, like a colorless picture
mirrored in running water, the forms of a head and oval face, fine,
gently sloping shoulders, arms symmetrically bent, with clasped hands;
and, as though through a gray veil, I saw crystal clear eyes beam upon
me.

My heart was almost broken with happiness and intolerably growing
desire; lifting my hands, I sank down before her and kissed the place
where the shadow of her feet fell upon the grass. Then I looked upon
the crystal orbs of her eyes, lifted my hands high in supplication, and
stammered, "Dearest, help me! Appear to me! Come forth to me! Let me
hear the sound of your voice! Let me know your heart and learn what is
your will!"

She did not stir; the cold gleam of her eyes did not turn away from me;
methought two sharp rays of icy air pierced me; I froze, I froze, and
in torture I cried, "What is your wish? What shall I do?"--

My cry sounded to