Page:Tales of humour and romance translated by Holcroft.djvu/326

hallowed shade of my sainted Josephina. Thou saidst thou wouldest surround me with thy love, thou hast kept thy word. I feel thy breath, I feel thy kisses on my lips, I feel myself embraced by thy glorified spirit." With deepest feelings of delight he again seized his flute, and again the harp sounded; but always softer and softer, till at length its whispering tones died away. Sellner's whole frame was powerfully roused by the spiritual visitation of this evening,—restless, he threw himself upon his bed, and the whispering of the harp ever recurred to him in his heated dreams. Late and exhausted with the phantoms of the night he awoke, felt his whole frame strongly affected, and a voice plainly spoke within him, expressing as he thought his immediate dissolution, and announcing the victory of the soul over the body. With restless desire he waited for the evening, and with eager hopes repaired to the chamber of Josephina. Already had he succeeded in lulling himself with his flute into quiet dreams, when the ninth hour struck, and scarce had the last sound of the clock ceased to vibrate, when the harp began again softly to sound, till at last it thrilled in full harmonious chords. When his flute was silent, the magic also ceased. The pale glimmering light too floated over him, and in his ecstacy he could only cry, "Josephina, Josephina, take me to thy affectionate bosom!" The tones of the harp at this moment parting with sighs,