as her limbs were part of her
body. Nature was no longer strange to her. She felt herself a part of
it. She had reached that state of calm content in which life seems a
pure chain of natural consequences, in which daily doubts and
questionings have ceased. The sun rises and sets, the grass grows, the
cows graze, and the law of life bids man work and reflect. The world
around thee is subject to law and so is thine own life. To man alone is
vouchsafed the knowledge of his duty, so that he may learn freely to
obey the dictates of his own nature.

This thought illumined her soul with a light as clear as the blue sky
above her. It caused her to forget that she had ever lived another
life, or had ever erred.

On the fourth Sunday, Irma started out at an early hour and walked as
far as the boundary-stone, where she waited for Walpurga and Hansei.
Now that they had sent word that they would surely come, Irma longed to
see Walpurga, the only being who knew her past and could confirm to her
who she was.

She was sitting on the boundary-stone. She had taken off her hat and
her brow was bare. She sat there with her head resting on her hand, and
wondering why, deep within the soul, there dwells a feeling that
resents the surrender of our personality and the desire to know who and
whence we are. To others, the galley-slave is only known by the number
he bears, but, as to himself, he knows who he is and can never forget
it. Why can we not freely lose ourselves in nature?

Her head drooped still lower. Presently, she heard voices and hurriedly
arose.

"Isn't that our Irmgard?" asked Hansei.

"Yes, it is!"

Walpurga hurried up to her and held out her hand; but Hansei stood as
if petrified. He had never before seen such a being. It always seemed
to him as if there were something superhuman about her. Her whole face
was radiant, her eyes larger, and the pure, noble forehead was as white
and smooth as marble. Walpurga, who had known Irma when at the height
of her beauty, now looked at her with a different feeling, for she was
suffering for her sake, in a way that Irma could little dream of.
Involuntarily, she pressed her hand against her trembling heart.

"Why don't you shake hands with me, Hansei?" asked Irma.

"I--I--I never saw you look this way before."

A slight blush overspread her forehead. She passed her hand over it.
Then she offered her hand to Hansei, who, in his excitement, pressed it
so violently that he hurt her