into the ballroom. On the way she said, "The game banished their
fears of the storm." I could make no reply. "I myself," she
continued, "was as much frightened as any of them; but by affecting
courage, to keep up the spirits of the others, I forgot my
apprehensions." We went to the window. It was still thundering
at a distance: a soft rain was pouring down over the country,
and filled the air around us with delicious odours. Charlotte
leaned forward on her arm; her eyes wandered over the scene; she
raised them to the sky, and then turned them upon me; they were
moistened with tears; she placed her hand on mine and said,
"Klopstock!" at once I remembered the magnificent ode which was
in her thoughts: I felt oppressed with the weight of my sensations,
and sank under them. It was more than I could bear. I bent over
her hand, kissed it in a stream of delicious tears, and again
looked up to her eyes. Divine Klopstock! why didst thou not see
thy apotheosis in those eyes? And thy name so often profaned,
would that I never heard it repeated!

JUNE 19.

I no longer remember where I stopped in my narrative: I only know
it was two in the morning when I went to bed; and if you had been
with me, that I might have talked instead of writing to you, I
should, in all probability, have kept you up till daylight.

I think I have not yet related what happened as we rode home from
the ball, nor have I time to tell you now. It was a most magnificent
sunrise: the whole country was refreshed, and the rain fell drop
by drop from the trees in the forest. Our companions were asleep.
Charlotte asked me if I did not wish to sleep also, and begged of