These words, so often repeated,
The greatest sorrow that this world can give,
Is, far away from those one loves--to live,
always drew forth a heavy sigh; and as she sang them, her pale, but still lovely face, would sink on her breast, her hands and feet would become languidly still, but directly she would rouse herself up to her labour, commence another verse, and set the invisible wheel going again.
In deep thought, I wandered forth from the widow's house. My soul was as dark as the colour of the heath I trod on; my whole mind was occupied with Cecilia and her dreadful fate. In every airy phantom, far and near, that flitted before my eyes, I fancied I beheld the unfortunate maniac as she sat and seemed to spin, and rocked herself, and threw up and down her hands with untiring motion. In the wild bird's plaintive whistle--in the lonely heath lark's mournful song, I heard only that one sorrowful truth--the words, alas! deeply felt by thousands of saddened hearts--
The greatest sorrow that this world can give,
Is, far away from those one loves--to live.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 1]: From a collection of short tales in one volume, entitled 'Haablös,'--Hopeless.
[Footnote 2]: Niel's Bugge, in Danish history generally called Ridder Buggé, the wealthy owner of the ancient castle of Hald, was on had terms with King Waldemar Kristoffersen, to whom he would not yield allegiance. After it had been sought in vain to bring about a reconciliation at Slagelsé, Ridder Buggé and two ether noblemen, Otto Stigsen and Peter Andersen, were treacherously murdered when returning home from the meeting. Some burghers of Middlefort were blamed for this dark deed, but they were probably employed by persons in a higher station; at least, Waldemar found it necessary to clear himself from the suspicion of guilt by the oaths of twelve men.
[Footnote 3]: 'Schukelmeier,' a play upon the name Mr. Meier, was a nickname signifying Smuggler, which the lower classes in Hamburg bestowed on the Danes, whom they accused of having smuggled the French into Hamburg.