Pagina 68 van 83

When the creation was new and all the stars shone in their first

splendour, the gods held their assembly in the sky and sang "Oh,

the picture of perfection! the joy unalloyed!"

But one cried of a sudden-"It seems that somewhere there is a

break in the chain of light and one of the stars has been lost."

The golden string of their harp snapped, their song stopped, and

they cried in dismay-"Yes, that lost star was the best, she was

the glory of all heavens!"

From that day the search is unceasing for her, and the cry goes

on from one to the other that in her the world has lost its one

joy!

Only in the deepest silence of night the stars smile and whisper

among themselves-"Vain is this seeking! unbroken perfection is

over all!"

79.

If it is not my portion to meet thee in this life then let me

ever feel that I have missed thy sight-let me not forget for a

moment, let me carry the pangs of this sorrow in my dreams and in

my wakeful hours.