The Soul made answer meet: "O companion of my earthly Self's encasement of soft flesh, I love thee even as thou lovest me, and I do draw thee upward, even as thou dost drag me down. Dost thou not know that from earth thou hast come, hence to earth must go again; that thy natural tendencies are downward even unto the earth from which thou didst spring? Yet dost thou love that in me which soars even upward to the home from whence I came. A ray of eternal light am I, a glow of the warm of a spark of the central flame; hence must I ever strive to reach that perfect sphere from whence I came, more beautiful and entrancing than thou canst know, nor can I anchored be until once again that safe haven I reach wherefrom I lately came. Yet, list! sweet partner of my earthly pilgrimage, dost know why thou lovest me, even though hither and thither I draw thee? Tis that I am born of Love, and none can resist Love; and the great tender earth, thy mother, is nourished by the great Love which is the creator of thee and me. O fair and sweet companion, my earthly armour that I love, thou and I together may reach beyond where we stand reluctantly and defiantly! Gaze on me, thy soul, who giveth radiance to thee and beauty to thine eye, and dost attend all that is lovable unto thee I Gaze at me, and even that which is earthly will partake of me and become more of heaven than of earth!
"And so we will wander in joy through life; and who knows but that even the flowers may grow sweeter for our having dwelt here? If we but look upward, thou following me, and I, though loving thee much, yet yielding not to thy sweet persuasive pleadings and downward looking, who knows but we may heal those who, even like thee, do cry out against the non-adjustment of the body and the soul, who, even like thee, have known soul-hunger and soul-starvation, which disease driveth out of the body all its softness and smoothness, and even casteth a shadow on the soul which should never he shadowed, lest it loseth the sight of the home where light alone doth dwell and love alone doth reign."
The voice ceased. A great tenderness, an unbounded beauty shone on the face of the fleshly one, and turning from the deep silence that rolled at her feet, the woman gave a glad look at the stars, which once again adorned her sky and flitted away with a ringing laugh.
The Soul echoed her joy, and the world looked on amazed—for naught is there as rare in life as a happy, joyous woman.