My soul was ever plagued by loneliness.

By spirit-sight alone was I upborne.

And yet;—in Strader’s case I was deceived.

Romanus:

I often felt as though some gruesome shape

Was pressing painfully upon my soul

Whene’er thy words were in the course of life

Shown to be naught but errors and mistakes;

That as the spirit-sight seemed to deceive

My mystic master did this shape become