The lady-mistress merely shrugged her shoulders and went away. She got salt cheaply.
May, 1878.
THE AZURE REALM
O azure realm! O realm of azure, light, youth, and happiness! I have beheld thee … in my dreams.
There were several of us in a beautiful, decorated boat. Like the breast of a swan the white sail towered aloft beneath fluttering pennants.
I did not know who my companions were; but with all my being I felt that they were as young, as merry, as happy as I was!
And I paid no heed to them. All about me I beheld only the shoreless azure sea, all covered with a fine rippling of golden scales, and over-head an equally shoreless azure sea, and in it, triumphantly and, as it were, smilingly, rolled on the friendly sun.
And among us, from time to time, there arose laughter, ringing and joyous as the laughter of the gods!
Or suddenly, from some one's lips, flew forth words, verses replete with wondrous beauty and with inspired power … so that it seemed as though the very sky resounded in reply to them, and round about the sea throbbed with sympathy…. And then blissful silence began again.
Diving lightly through the soft waves, our swift boat glided on. It was not propelled by the breeze; it was ruled by our own sportive hearts. Whithersoever we wished, thither did it move, obediently, as though it were gifted with life.