"I once heard the Spirit of All, called, 'Heart of Heaven, Heart of
Earth,' and I added 'Heart of Man.' Obey it, obey your best thoughts."
She looked at me with such a glance of sacred sympathy, that--O joy, the
first words filling life with fragrance have been spoken!

* * * * *

It was short, our sweet bridal and few days of united life, and of bliss
at the old château d'Esneval. Gravely ill,--worse,--recovering,--then
DEAD. O God, was it possible?

Yes; I saw her lying amid garlands of evergreens and white robes, in a
low-lighted chamber of the château, still and transfigured into a
changed, unearthly beauty, the alas! so thin lips lightly parted in a
smile, the abundant golden hair I used to admire brushed neatly away
from her forehead, the darkened eyelids that told of long exhaustion
peacefully closed as if on visions of heaven--as if she saw God, being
pure in heart. Supernaturally lovely as her soul had been through life
the wearied sufferer lay in death, white tuberoses pressing her poor
thin cheek--one purity affectionate to another. Ah, it was a vision. I
never saw one on whom Heaven loved so constantly to breathe sweetness.
Neither health could roughen her beauty nor sickness drive it away: for
the soul, after all, will shine through the body, will lift it up, and
if glorious will leave it worthy of itself.

* * * * *

Alas, ungovernable, passionate grief! Alas the sight of heart-broken
friends and painful rites of burial, the anguish of bereavement, the
irresistible longing to die and be with her;--and Quinet's grief also;