CHAPTER XVIII

Thephilosophertellsusthat,afterthehealingintervalofsleep,wearepreparedtomeeteachothereverymorningasgodsandgoddessessofresh,sostrong,solusty,soserene,didheconsiderthenewly-risenandthesome-timeseparatedmustofnecessitybe.ItisapleasingbeliefandExperience,thathopelesslyprosaicgovernesswhonevergivesusanyholidays,veryquicklydisposesofit.Forwhatistobecomeofthegod-likemoodifonlyoneinacompanypossessit?Themiddle-agedandold,whoaboundinallcompanies,areseldomgod-like,andareneversoatbreakfast. ThemorningafterthearrivaloftheChosen,AnnawokeupinthetrueOlympiantemper.ShehadbeenbroughtbacktothehappyworldofrealitiesfromthehappyworldofdreamsbythesunofanunusuallylovelyAprilshiningonherface.Shehadonlytoopenherwindowtobeconvincedthatallwhichshebeheldwasfullofblessings.Justbeneathherwindowonthegrasswasadoublecherrytreeinflower,anexquisitethingtolookdownonwiththesunshineandthebeesbusyamongitsblossoms.Theunreasoningjoyfulnessthatinvariablytookpossessionofherheartwhenevertheweatherwasfine,filleditnowwitharaptureofhopeandconfidence.Thisworld,thiswonderfulmorningworldthatshesawandsmeltfromherwindow,wasmanifestlyaplaceinwhichtobehappy.Everythingshesawwasverygood.EventheremembranceofDellwigwastransfiguredinthatclearlight.Andwhileshedressedshetookherselfseriouslytotaskforthedepressionofthenightbefore.Depressedshehadcertainlybeenandwhy?Simplybecauseshewasover-excitedandover-tired,andherspiritwasstillsomortifyinglyunabletorisesuperiortotheweaknessofhertiresomeflesh.AndtoletherselfbemadewretchedbyDellwig,merelybecausehetalkedloudandhadconvictionswhichshedidnotshare!Thegod-likemorningmoodwasstronguponher,andshecontemplatedherlistlessselfofthepreviousevening,theselfthathadsatsolongdespondentlythinkinginsteadofgoingtobed,withcontempt.TheseeveninginterviewswithDellwig,shereflected,wereamistake.Hecameathourswhenshewasleastabletobearhiswordinessandshouting,anditwastheknowledgeofhisimpendingvisitthatmadeherirritablebeforehandandruffledtheabsoluteserenitythatshefeltwasaloneappropriateinahousededicatedtolove.ButitwasnotonlyDellwigandthebrick-kilnthathaddepressedhershehadactuallyhaddoubtsaboutherthreenewfriends,doubtsastothereceptivityoftheirsouls,astothecapacityoftheirsoulsforreturninglove.Atoneawfulmomentshehadevendoubtedwhethertheyhadsoulsatall,buthadhastilyblownoutthecandleatthispoint,extinguishingthedoubtatthesametime,smotheringitbeneaththebedclothes,andfallingasleepatonce,afterthefashionofhealthyyoungpeople. Now,atthebeginningofthenewday,withallhermisgivingshealedbysleep,shethoughtcalmlyovertheinterviewshehadhadwithFrauvonTreumannbeforesupperforitwasthatinterviewthathadbeenthechiefcauseofherdejection.FrauvonTreumannhadtoldheranuntruth,aquiteobviousandabsurduntruthinthefaceofthecorrespondence,astothereasonofhercomingtoKleinwalde.Shehadsaidshehadonlycomeattheinstigationofherson,wholookeduponAnnaasadeservingobjectofhelp.AndAnnahadbeenhurt,hadbeenmademiserable,bythepaltrinessofthisfib.Hergreatdesirewastoreachherfriends'soulsquickly,toattainthebeautifulintimacyinwhichthesmallestfictionisunnecessaryandsolittledidFrauvonTreumannunderstandher,thatshehadbegunafriendshipthatwast