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with her beak at the straw covering； as though she would tear it up。
The lark rose up again； singing gaily； and I withdrew behind the red
morning clouds。〃
ELEVENTH EVENING
〃I will give you a picture of Pompeii；〃 said the Moon。 〃I was in
the suburb in the Street of Tombs； as they call it； where the fair
monuments stand； in the spot where； ages ago； the merry youths；
their temples bound with rosy wreaths； danced with the fair sisters of
Lais。 Now； the stillness of death reigned around。 German
mercenaries； in the Neapolitan service； kept guard； played cards；
and diced； and a troop of strangers from beyond the mountains came
into the town； accompanied by a sentry。 They wanted to see the city
that had risen from the grave illumined by my beams； and I showed them the wheel…ruts in the streets paved with broad lava slabs； I showed them the names on the doors； and the signs that hung there yet： they saw in the little courtyard the basins of the fountains； ornamented with shells； but no jet of water gushed upwards； no songs sounded forth from the richly…painted chambers； where the bronze dog kept the door。
〃It was the City of the Dead； only Vesuvius thundered forth his
everlasting hymn； each separate verse of which is called by men an
eruption。 We went to the temple of Venus； built of snow…white
marble； with its high altar in front of the broad steps； and the
weeping willows sprouting freshly forth among the pillars。 The air was
transparent and blue； and black Vesuvius formed the background； with fire ever shooting forth from it； like the stem of the pine tree。
Above it stretched the smoky cloud in the silence of the night； like
the crown of the pine； but in a blood…red illumination。 Among the
company was a lady singer； a real and great singer。 I have witnessed
the homage paid to her in the greatest cities of Europe。 When they
came to the tragic theatre； they all sat down on the amphitheatre
steps； and thus a small part of the house was occupied by an audience； as it had been many centuries ago。 The stage still stood unchanged； with its walled side…scenes； and the two arches in the background； through which the beholders saw the same scene that had been exhibited in the old times… a scene painted by nature herself； namely； the mountains between Sorento and Amalfi。 The singer gaily mounted the ancient stage； and sang。 The place inspired her； and she reminded me of a wild Arab horse； that rushes headlong on with snorting nostrils and flying mane… her song was so light and yet so firm。 Anon I thought of the mourning mother beneath the cross at Golgotha； so deep was the expression of pain。 And； just as it had done thousands of years ago； the sound of applause and delight now filled the theatre。 'Happy； gifted creature！' all the hearers exclaimed。 Five minutes more； and the stage was empty； the company had vanished； and not a sound more was heard… all were gone。 But the ruins stood unchanged； as they will stand when centuries shall have gone by； and when none shall know of the momentary applause and of the triumph of the fair songstress； when all will be forgotten and gone； and even for me this hour will be but a dream of the past。〃
TWELFTH EVENING
〃I looked through the windows of an editor's house；〃 said the
Moon。 〃It was somewhere in Germany。 I saw handsome furniture； many books； and a chaos of newspapers。 Several young men were present： the editor himself stood at his desk； and two little books； both by young authors； were to be noticed。 'This one has been sent to me；' said he。 'I have not read it yet； what think you of the contents？' 'Oh；' said the person addressed… he was a poet himself… 'it is good enough； a little broad； certainly； but； you see； the author is still young。 The verses might be better； to be sure； the thoughts are sound； though there is certainly a good deal of common…place among them。 But what will you have？ You can't be always getting something new。
That he'll turn out anything great I don't believe； but you may safely
praise him。 He is well read； a remarkable Oriental scholar； and has
a good judgment。 It was he who wrote that nice review of my
'Reflections on Domestic Life。' We must be lenient towards the young man。〃
〃'But he is a complete hack！' objected another of the gentlemen。
'Nothing worse in poetry than mediocrity； and he certainly does not go beyond this。'
〃'Poor fellow；' observed a third； 'and his aunt is so happy
about him。 It was she； Mr。 Editor； who got together so many
subscribers for your last translation。'
〃'Ah； the good woman！ Well； I have noticed the book briefly。
Undoubted talent… a welcome offering… a flower in the garden of
poetry… prettily brought out… and so on。 But this other book… I
suppose the author expects me to purchase it？ I hear it is praised。 He
has genius； certainly： don't you think so？'
〃'Yes； all the world declares as much；' replied the poet； 'but
it has turned out rather wildly。 The punctuation of the book； in
particular； is very eccentric。'
〃'It will be good for him if we pull him to pieces； and anger
him a little； otherwise he will get too good an opinion of himself。'
〃'But that would be unfair；' objected the fourth。 'Let us not carp
at little faults； but rejoice over the real and abundant good that
we find here： he surpasses all the rest。'
〃'Not so。 If he is a true genius； he can bear the sharp voice of
censure。 There are people enough to praise him。 Don't let us quite
turn his head。'
〃'Decided talent；' wrote the editor； 'with the usual carelessness。
that he can write incorrect verses may be seen in page 25； where there
are two false quantities。 We recommend him to study the ancients；
etc。'
〃I went away；〃 continued the Moon； 〃and looked through the windows in the aunt's house。 There sat the be…praised poet； the tame one； all the guests paid homage to him； and he was happy。
〃I sought the other poet out； the wild one； him also I found in
a great assembly at his patron's； where the tame poet's book was being discussed。
〃'I shall read yours also；' said Maecenas； 'but to speak honestly…
you know I never hide my opinion from you… I don't expect much from it； for you are much too wild； too fantastic。 But it must be allowed that； as a man； you are highly respectable。'
〃A young girl sat in a corner； and she read in a book these words：
〃'In the dust lies genius and glory；
But ev'ry…day talent will pay。
It's only the old； old story；
But the piece is repeated each day。'〃
THIRTEENTH EVENING
The Moon said； 〃Beside the woodland path there are two small
farm…houses。 The doors are low； and some of the windows are placed quite high； and others close to the ground； and whitethorn and
barberry bushes grow around them。 The roof of each house is
overgrown with moss and with yellow flowers and houseleek。 Cabbage and potatoes are the only plants cultivated in the gardens； but out of the hedge there grows a willow tree； and under this willow tree sat a little girl； and she sat with her eyes fixed upon the old oak tree between the two huts。
〃It was an old withered stem。 It had been sawn off at the top； and
a stork had built his nest upon it； and he stood in this nest clapping
with his beak。 A little boy came and stood by the girl's side： they
were brother and sister。
〃'What are you looking at？' he asked。
〃'I'm watching the stork；' she replied： 'our neighbors told me
that he would bring us a little brother or sister to…day； let us watch
to see it come！'
〃'The stork brings no such things；' the boy declared； 'you may
be sure of that。 Our neighbor told me the same thing； but she
laughed when she said it； and so I asked her if she could say 'On my
honor；' and she could not； and I know by that the story about the
storks is not true； and that they only tell it to us children for
fun。'
〃'But where do babies come from； then？' asked the girl。
〃'Why； an angel from heaven brings them under his cloak； but no
man can see him； and that's why we never know when he brings them。'
〃At that moment there was a rustling in the branches of the willow
tree； and the children folded their hands and looked at one another：
it was certainly the angel coming with the baby。 They took each
other's hand； and