Just as I had settled myself to listen to the beautiful serenade, the
folding-doors leading to the balcony above the entrance parted. A tall
gentleman, very handsome and dignified, in uniform and glittering with
orders, stepped out on the balcony, leading by the hand the lovely
young Lady fair, dressed in white like a lily in the night, or like
the moon in the clear skies.
I could not take my eyes from her, and garden, trees, and fields
disappeared before me, as she stood there tall and slender, so
wondrously illuminated by the torch-light, now speaking with such
grace to the young officer, and now nodding down kindly to the
musicians. The people below were beside themselves with delight,
and at last I too could restrain myself no longer, and joined in the
cheers with all my might.
But when, soon after, she disappeared from the balcony, one after
another the torches below were extinguished and the music-stands
cleared away, and the garden around was once more dark, and the trees
rustled as before--then it all became clear to me; I saw that it was
really only the aunt who had ordered the flowers of me, that the Lady
fair never thought of me and had been married long ago, and that I
myself was a big fool.
All this plunged me into an abyss of reflection. I rolled myself round
like a hedgehog on the prickles of my own thoughts. Snatches of music
still reached me now and then from the ball-room--the clouds floated
lonely away above the dim garden.
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