Part 57 (1/2)

There came over her face an expression which I never saw before; one of peace ineffable--the peace that passeth understanding Ah me! I seemed to draw her to reat calm came over my own soul My Cremona spoke of peace--soft, sweet, and deep; the profound peace that dwelleth in the soul which has its hope in fruition The tone widened into sweet modulation--sweet beyond all expression

She was so close that she almost touched me Her eyes were still fixed on mine Tears were there, but not tears of sorrow Her face was so close to th left me My arms dropped doard The music was over

[Illustration: ”I DID NOT MAKE ANY REPLY, BUT TOOK MY CREMONA, AND SOUGHT TO LIFT UP ALL MY SOUL TO A LEVEL WITH HERS”]

She held out her hand to ht it in both of mine, and wet it with my tears

”Paolo,” said she, in a voice of musical tone; ”Paolo, you are already one of us You speak our language

”You have taughtwhich flows froether; and they who live on high will learn even in their radiant home to envy us poorher hand still, I looked up at her in grateful adoration

November 28--For the last three ed Music has reconciled her to exile She has found one who speaks, though weakly, the language of that hoh this divine medium a lofty spirited intercourse I learn from her of that starry world in which for a brief tihts have become communicated to me I have her altitude

So I have at last received that revelation for which I longed, and the divine thoughts hich she has inspired me I will make known to the world How? Description is inadequate, but it is enough to say that I have decided upon an Opera as the bestknown these ideas

I have reported to one of those classical theh as old as civilization, are yet ever new, because they are truth

My Opera is on the theme of Prometheus It refers to Prometheus Delivered My idea is derived from her Prometheus represents Divine Love--since he is the God who suffers unendurable agonies through his love for man Zeus represents the old austere God of the sects and creeds--the glooeance--the stern--the inexorable--the cruel

Love endures through the ages, but at last triuent in his triumph is Athene She represents Wisdom, which, by its life and increase, at last dethrones the God of Vengeance and enthrones the God of Love

For so the world goes on; and thus it shall be that Hu, which I have personified under Athene, will at last exalt Divine Love over all, and cast aside its olden adoration of Divine Vengeance

I aive to my Opera the severe simplicity of the classical form, yet at the same time to pervade it all with the warm atmosphere of love in its widest sense It opens with a chorus of seraphim Prometheus laments; but the chief part is that of Athene On that I have exhausted et a voice that can adequately render hts? Where is Bice? She alone has this voice; she alone has the power of catching and absorbing into her own mind the ideas which I form; and with it all, she alone could express them

I would wander over the earth to find her But perhaps she is in a luxurious home, where her associates would not listen to such a proposal

Patience! perhaps Biceher marvelous voice to rown more exalted She breathes upon me the atmosphere of that radiant world, and fills my soul with rapture I live in a sublime enthusiasher plane than that of common men She has raised hts

Now I begin to understand so of the radiant world to which she was once for a brief tis In me, as in her, there is a deep, unquenchable thirst after those glories that are present there All here seems poor and mean No material pleasure can for a moment allure

I live in a frenzy My soul is on fire Music is ht and utterance Colonel Despard thinks that I am mad My friends here pity iven by them to me Kindly souls! could they but have one faint idea of the unspeakable joys to which I have attained!

My Cres for ht! el, my Inspirer!

had ever before two mortals while on earth a lot like ours? Who else besides us in this life ever learned the joys of pure spiritual coether Our souls are borne up in company

When we hold commune we cease to be mortals

My Opera is finished The radiancy of that Divine Love which has inundated all the being of Edith has been imparted to me in some measure sufficient to enable ht froiven ible to men