, in unending attempts and
trials, life is spent. In the midst of this chaos, a single figure
appears. It is full, beautiful, great, sure of life and, in truth,
controls life. Irma turned back as if to say: "Alas! it is not you,
father, although you could and ought to be the one. The king alone is
the one free being on the pinnacle of life."

A smile played about her lips while she thought of him. She looked up
at the blue heavens and, forgetting whither she was going, felt as if
gentle arms were carrying her away over hill and dale.

An eagle was winging its flight far above the mountain tops. Irma's
eyes followed it for a long while. She ordered the driver to stop the
carriage, and the servant alighted in order to receive her ladyship's
order. She motioned him to mount the box again, and, though all the
comforts wealth affords were hers, stopped in the midst of wild nature
to watch the eagle hovering in the air, until it at last disappeared in
the clouds.

"If one must die, I'd like to die thus," said an inner voice, "fly into
heaven and be no more."

They drove on. For the rest of the journey, Irma did not utter a word.
It was toward evening when the lackey said: "We've reached the place."

The road descended toward the lake, by the shore of which the carriage
stopped. The convent was on an island in the center of the lake, and
the sounds of the curfew bells filled the air. The sun was still
visible over the mountain tops, its rays were almost horizontal, and
the dancing, sparkling waves looked like so many lights swimming to and
fro. The surface of the lake was rapidly assuming a golden hue.

At the sound of the evening bells, the lackey and the postilion lifted
their hats and the waiting-maid folded her hands. Irma also folded her
hands, but did not pray. She thought to herself: The sound of the bells
is pleasant enough, if one can listen to them from without, and then
return to the happy world; but to those who are within the convent, it
is a daily death-knell; for life such as theirs, is death.

Irma's mood was not in sympathy with that of her friend, and she did
her best to feel as befitted the occasion.

While they were getting the boat ready, she overheard the lackey
speaking with another servant whose face she remembered to have seen at
court.

She heard the court lackey saying:

"My master's been here for some days and has been waiting for
something; I don't know what."

Irma would have liked t