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thou canst find no spring of waters； no umbrageous shade。 If on the
Falberg thou couldst not gaze into the abyss and live； keep all thy
strength for him who will love thee。 Go； poor girl； thou knowest； I am
betrothed。〃
Minna rose and followed Seraphita to the window where Wilfrid stood。
All three listened to the Sieg bounding out the rush of the upper
waters； which brought down trees uprooted by the ice； the fiord had
regained its voice； all illusions were dispelled！ They rejoiced in
Nature as she burst her bonds and seemed to answer with sublime accord
to the Spirit whose breath had wakened her。
When the three guests of this mysterious being left the house； they
were filled with the vague sensation which is neither sleep； nor
torpor； nor astonishment； but partakes of the nature of each；a state
that is neither dusk nor dawn； but which creates a thirst for light。
All three were thinking。
〃I begin to believe that she is indeed a Spirit hidden in human form；〃
said Monsieur Becker。
Wilfrid； re…entering his own apartments； calm and convinced； was
unable to struggle against that influence so divinely majestic。
Minna said in her heart； 〃Why will he not let me love him！〃
CHAPTER V
FAREWELL
There is in man an almost hopeless phenomenon for thoughtful minds who
seek a meaning in the march of civilization； and who endeavor to give
laws of progression to the movement of intelligence。 However
portentous a fact may be； or even supernatural；if such facts exist；
however solemnly a miracle may be done in sight of all； the
lightning of that fact； the thunderbolt of that miracle is quickly
swallowed up in the ocean of life； whose surface； scarcely stirred by
the brief convulsion； returns to the level of its habitual flow。
A Voice is heard from the jaws of an Animal； a Hand writes on the wall
before a feasting Court； an Eye gleams in the slumber of a king； and a
Prophet explains the dream； Death； evoked； rises on the confines of
the luminous sphere were faculties revive； Spirit annihilates Matter
at the foot of that mystic ladder of the Seven Spiritual Worlds； one
resting upon another in space and revealing themselves in shining
waves that break in light upon the steps of the celestial Tabernacle。
But however solemn the inward Revelation； however clear the visible
outward Sign； be sure that on the morrow Balaam doubts both himself
and his ass； Belshazzar and Pharoah call Moses and Daniel to qualify
the Word。 The Spirit； descending； bears man above this earth； opens
the seas and lets him see their depths； shows him lost species； wakens
dry bones whose dust is the soil of valleys； the Apostle writes the
Apocalypse； and twenty centuries later human science ratifies his
words and turns his visions into maxims。 And what comes of it all？ Why
this；that the peoples live as they have ever lived； as they lived in
the first Olympiad； as they lived on the morrow of Creation； and on
the eve of the great cataclysm。 The waves of Doubt have covered all
things。 The same floods surge with the same measured motion on the
human granite which serves as a boundary to the ocean of intelligence。
When man has inquired of himself whether he has seen that which he has
seen； whether he has heard the words that entered his ears； whether
the facts were facts and the idea is indeed an idea； then he resumes
his wonted bearing； thinks of his worldly interests； obeys some envoy
of death and of oblivion whose dusky mantle covers like a pall an
ancient Humanity of which the moderns retain no memory。 Man never
pauses； he goes his round； he vegetates until the appointed day when
his Axe falls。 If this wave force； this pressure of bitter waters
prevents all progress； no doubt it also warns of death。 Spirits
prepared by faith among the higher souls of earth can alone perceive
the mystic ladder of Jacob。
After listening to Seraphita's answer in which （being earnestly
questioned） she unrolled before their eyes a Divine Perspective；as
an organ fills a church with sonorous sound and reveals a musical
universe； its solemn tones rising to the loftiest arches and playing；
like light； upon their foliated capitals；Wilfrid returned to his own
room； awed by the sight of a world in ruins； and on those ruins the
brilliance of mysterious lights poured forth in torrents by the hand
of a young girl。 On the morrow he still thought of these things； but
his awe was gone； he felt he was neither destroyed nor changed； his
passions； his ideas awoke in full force； fresh and vigorous。 He went
to breakfast with Monsieur Becker and found the old man absorbed in
the 〃Treatise on Incantations；〃 which he had searched since early
morning to convince his guest that there was nothing unprecedented in
all that they had seen and heard at the Swedish castle。 With the
childlike trustfulness of a true scholar he had folded down the pages
in which Jean Wier related authentic facts which proved the
possibility of the events that had happened the night before；for to
learned men an idea is a event； just as the greatest events often
present no idea at all to them。 By the time they had swallowed their
fifth cup of tea； these philosophers had come to think the mysterious
scene of the preceding evening wholly natural。 The celestial truths to
which they had listened were arguments susceptible of examination；
Seraphita was a girl； more or less eloquent； allowance must be made
for the charms of her voice； her seductive beauty； her fascinating
motions； in short； for all those oratorical arts by which an actor
puts a world of sentiment and thought into phrases which are often
commonplace。
〃Bah！〃 said the worthy pastor； making a philosophical grimace as he
spread a layer of salt butter on his slice of bread； 〃the final word
of all these fine enigmas is six feet under ground。〃
〃But；〃 said Wilfrid； sugaring his tea； 〃I cannot image how a young
girl of seventeen can know so much； what she said was certainly a
compact argument。〃
〃Read the account of that Italian woman；〃 said Monsieur Becker； 〃who
at the age of twelve spoke forty…two languages； ancient and modern；
also the history of that monk who could guess thought by smell。 I can
give you a thousand such cases from Jean Wier and other writers。〃
〃I admit all that； dear pastor； but to my thinking； Seraphita would
make a perfect wife。〃
〃She is all mind；〃 said Monsieur Becker； dubiously。
Several days went by； during which the snow in the valleys melted
gradually away； the green of the forests and of the grass began to
show； Norwegian Nature made ready her wedding garments for her brief
bridal of a day。 During this period； when the softened air invited
every one to leave the house； Seraphita remained at home in solitude。
When at last she admitted Minna the latter saw at once the ravages of
inward fever； Seraphita's voice was hollow； her skin pallid； hitherto
a poet might have compared her lustre to that of diamonds；now it was
that of a topaz。
〃Have you seen her？〃 asked Wilfrid； who had wandered around the
Swedish dwelling waiting for Minna's return。
〃Yes；〃 answered the young girl； weeping； 〃We must lose him！〃
〃Mademoiselle；〃 cried Wilfrid； endeavoring to repress the loud tones
of his angry voice； 〃do not jest with me。 You can love Seraphita only
as one young girl can love another； and not with the love which she
inspires in me。 You do not know your danger if my jealousy were really
aroused。 Why can I not go to her？ Is it you who stand in my way？〃
〃I do not know by what right you probe my heart；〃 said Minna； calm in
appearance； but inwardly terrified。 〃Yes； I love him；〃 she said；
recovering the courage of her convictions； that she might； for once；
confess the religion of her heart。 〃But my jealousy； natural as it is
in love； fears no one here below。 Alas！ I am jealous of a secret
feeling that absorbs him。 Between him and me there is a great gulf
fixed which I cannot cross。 Would that I knew who loves him best； the
stars or I！ which of us would sacrifice our being most eagerly for his
happiness！ Why should I not be free to avow my love？ In the presence
of death we may declare our feelings；and Seraphitus is about to
die。〃
〃Minna； you are mistaken； the siren I so love and long for； she； whom
I have seen； feeble and languid； on her couch of furs； is not a young
man。〃
〃Monsieur；〃 answered Minna； distressfully； 〃the being whose powerful
hand guided me on the Falberg； who led me to the saeter sheltered
beneath the Ice…Cap； there〃 she said； pointing to the peak； 〃is not
a feeble girl。 Ah； had you but heard him prophesying！ His poem was the
music of thought。 A young girl never uttered those solemn tones of a
voice which stirred my soul。〃
〃What certainty have you？〃 said Wilfrid。
〃None but that of the heart；〃 answered Minna。
〃And I；〃 cried Wilfrid； casting on his companion the terrible glance
of