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ironical。 You allow yourself no intercourse with social life； you
trample on its conventions； its laws； its customs； sentiments； and
sciences； you reduce them all to the proportions such things take when
viewed by you beyond this universe。〃
〃Therefore you see； my friend； that I am not a woman。 You do wrong to
love me。 What！ am I to leave the ethereal regions of my pretended
strength； make myself humbly small； cringe like the hapless female of
all species； that you may lift me up？ and then； when I； helpless and
broken； ask you for help； when I need your arm； you will repulse me！
No； we can never come to terms。〃
〃You are more maliciously unkind to…night than I have ever known you。〃
〃Unkind！〃 she said； with a look which seemed to blend all feelings
into one celestial emotion； 〃no； I am ill； I suffer； that is all。
Leave me； my friend； it is your manly right。 We women should ever
please you； entertain you； be gay in your presence and have no whims
save those that amuse you。 Come； what shall I do for you； friend？
Shall I sing； shall I dance； though weariness deprives me of the use
of voice and limbs？Ah！ gentlemen； be we on our deathbeds； we yet
must smile to please you； you call that； methinks； your right。 Poor
women！ I pity them。 Tell me； you who abandon them when they grow old；
is it because they have neither hearts nor souls？ Wilfrid； I am a
hundred years old； leave me！ leave me！ go to Minna！〃
〃Oh； my eternal love！〃
〃Do you know the meaning of eternity？ Be silent； Wilfrid。 You desire
me； but you do not love me。 Tell me； do I not seem to you like those
coquettish Parisian women？〃
〃Certainly I no longer find you the pure celestial maiden I first saw
in the church of Jarvis。〃
At these words Seraphita passed her hands across her brow； and when
she removed them Wilfrid was amazed at the saintly expression that
overspread her face。
〃You are right； my friend；〃 she said； 〃I do wrong whenever I set my
feet upon your earth。〃
〃Oh； Seraphita； be my star！ stay where you can ever bless me with that
clear light！〃
As he spoke； he stretched forth his hand to take that of the young
girl； but she withdrew it； neither disdainfully nor in anger。 Wilfrid
rose abruptly and walked to the window that she might not see the
tears that rose to his eyes。
〃Why do you weep？〃 she said。 〃You are not a child； Wilfrid。 Come back
to me。 I wish it。 You are annoyed if I show just displeasure。 You see
that I am fatigued and ill； yet you force me to think and speak； and
listen to persuasions and ideas that weary me。 If you had any real
perception of my nature； you would have made some music； you would
have lulled my feelingsbut no； you love me for yourself and not for
myself。〃
The storm which convulsed the young man's heart calmed down at these
words。 He slowly approached her； letting his eyes take in the
seductive creature who lay exhausted before him； her head resting in
her hand and her elbow on the couch。
〃You think that I do not love you；〃 she resumed。 〃You are mistaken。
Listen to me； Wilfrid。 You are beginning to know much； you have
suffered much。 Let me explain your thoughts to you。 You wished to take
my hand just now〃； she rose to a sitting posture； and her graceful
motions seemed to emit light。 〃When a young girl allows her hand to be
taken it is as though she made a promise； is it not？ and ought she not
to fulfil it？ You well know that I cannot be yours。 Two sentiments
divide and inspire the love of all the women of the earth。 Either they
devote themselves to suffering； degraded； and criminal beings whom
they desire to console； uplift； redeem； or they give themselves to
superior men； sublime and strong； whom they adore and seek to
comprehend； and by whom they are often annihilated。 You have been
degraded； though now you are purified by the fires of repentance； and
to…day you are once more noble； but I know myself too feeble to be
your equal； and too religious to bow before any power but that On
High。 I may refer thus to your life； my friend； for we are in the
North； among the clouds； where all things are abstractions。〃
〃You stab me； Seraphita； when you speak like this。 It wounds me to
hear you apply the dreadful knowledge with which you strip from all
things human the properties that time and space and form have given
them； and consider them mathematically in the abstract； as geometry
treats substances from which it extracts solidity。〃
〃Well； I will respect your wishes； Wilfrid。 Let the subject drop。 Tell
me what you think of this bearskin rug which my poor David has spread
out。〃
〃It is very handsome。〃
〃Did you ever see me wear this 'doucha greka'？〃
She pointed to a pelisse made of cashmere and lined with the skin of
the black fox；the name she gave it signifying 〃warm to the soul。〃
〃Do you believe that any sovereign has a fur that can equal it？〃 she
asked。
〃It is worthy of her who wears it。〃
〃And whom you think beautiful？〃
〃Human words do not apply to her。 Heart to heart is the only language
I can use。〃
〃Wilfrid； you are kind to soothe my griefs with such sweet words
which you have said to others。〃
〃Farewell！〃
〃Stay。 I love both you and Minna； believe me。 To me you two are as one
being。 United thus you can be my brother or； if you will； my sister。
Marry her； let me see you both happy before I leave this world of
trial and of pain。 My God！ the simplest of women obtain what they ask
of a lover； they whisper 'Hush！' and he is silent； 'Die' and he dies；
'Love me afar' and he stays at a distance； like courtiers before a
king！ All I desire is to see you happy； and you refuse me！ Am I then
powerless？Wilfrid； listen； come nearer to me。 Yes； I should grieve
to see you marry Minna butwhen I am here no longer； thenpromise me
to marry her； heaven destined you for each other。〃
〃I listen to you with fascination； Seraphita。 Your words are
incomprehensible； but they charm me。 What is it you mean to say？〃
〃You are right； I forget to be foolish；to be the poor creature whose
weaknesses gratify you。 I torment you； Wilfrid。 You came to these
Northern lands for rest； you； worn…out by the impetuous struggle of
genius unrecognized； you； weary with the patient toils of science；
you； who well…nigh dyed your hands in crime and wore the fetters of
human justice〃
Wilfrid dropped speechless on the carpet。 Seraphita breathed softly on
his forehead； and in a moment he fell asleep at her feet。
〃Sleep！ rest！〃 she said； rising。
She passed her hands over Wilfrid's brow； then the following sentences
escaped her lips； one by one；all different in tone and accent； but
all melodious； full of a Goodness that seemed to emanate from her head
in vaporous waves； like the gleams the goddess chastely lays upon
Endymion sleeping。
〃I cannot show myself such as I am to thee； dear Wilfrid；to thee who
art strong。
〃The hour is come； the hour when