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her hair； and he placed her in a chair at the window； witha candle burning beside her； and went away。
〃I looked at her； and she was sitting motionless； with her handsin her lap。 The wind caught the open window and shut it with acrash； so that a pane came clattering down in fragments； but still shenever moved。 The curtain caught fire； and the flames played abouther face； and I saw that she was dead。 There at the open window satthe dead woman； preaching a sermon against sin… my poor faded rose outof the parsonage garden！〃
FOURTH EVENING
〃This evening I saw a German play acted；〃 said the Moon。 〃It wasin a little town。 A stable had been turned into a theatre； that isto say； the stable had been left standing； and had been turned intoprivate boxes； and all the timber work had been covered withcoloured paper。 A little iron chandelier hung beneath the ceiling； andthat it might be made to disappear into the ceiling； as it does ingreat theatres； when the ting…ting of the prompter's bell is heard；a great inverted tub has been placed just above it。
〃'Ting…ting！' and the little iron chandelier suddenly rose atleast half a yard and disappeared in the tub； and that was the signthat the play was going to begin。 A young nobleman and his lady； whohappened to be passing through the little town； were present at theperformance； and consequently the house was crowded。 But under thechandelier was a vacant space like a little crater： not a singlesoul sat there； for the tallow was dropping； drip； drip！ I saweverything； for it was so warm in there that every loophole had beenopened。 The male and female servants stood outside； peeping throughthe chinks； although a real policeman was inside； threatening themwith a stick。 Close by the orchestra could be seen the noble youngcouple in two old arm…chairs； which were usually occupied by hisworship the mayor and his lady； but these latter were to…day obligedto content themselves with wooden forms； just as if they had beenordinary citizens； and the lady observed quietly to herself； 'Onesees； now； that there is rank above rank；' and this incident gave anair of extra festivity to the whole proceedings。 The chandelier gavelittle leaps； the crowd got their knuckles rapped； and I； the Moon；was present at the performance from beginning to end。〃
FIFTH EVENING
〃Yesterday；〃 began the Moon； 〃I looked down upon the turmoil ofParis。 My eye perated into an apartment of the Louvre。 An oldgrandmother； poorly clad… she belonged to the working class… wasfollowing one of the under…servants into the great emptythrone…room； for this was the apartment she wanted to see… that shewas resolved to see； it had cost her many a little sacrifice； and manya coaxing word； to perate thus far。 She folded her thin hands；and looked round with an air of reverence； as if she had been in achurch。
〃'Here it was！' she said； 'here！' and she approached the throne；from which hung the rich velvet fringed with gold lace。 'There；' sheexclaimed； 'there！' and she knelt and kissed the purple carpet。 Ithink she was actually weeping。
〃'But it was not this very velvet！' observed the footman； and asmile played about his mouth。 'True； but it was this very place；'replied the woman； 'and it must have looked just like this。 'It lookedso； and yet it did not；' observed the man： 'the windows were beatenin； and the doors were off their hinges； and there was blood uponthe floor。' 'But for all that you can say； my grandson died upon thethrone of France。 Died！' mournfully repeated the old woman。 I do notthink another word was spoken； and they soon quitted the hall。 Theevening twilight faded and my light shone doubly vivid upon the richvelvet that covered the throne of France。
〃Now who do you think this poor woman was？ Listen； I will tell youa story。
〃It happened； in the Revolution of July； on the evening of themost brilliantly victorious day； when every house was a fortress；every window a breastwork。 The people stormed the Tuileries。 Evenwomen and children were to be found among the batants。 Theyperated into the apartments and halls of the palace。 A poorhalf…grown boy in a ragged blouse fought among the older insurgents。Mortally wounded with several bayo thrusts； he sank down。 Thishappened in the throne…room。 They laid the bleeding youth upon thethrone of France； wrapped the velvet around his wounds； and hisblood streamed forth upon the imperial purple。 There was a picture！The splendid hall； the fighting groups！ A torn flag upon the ground；the tricolor was waving above the bayos； and on the throne laythe poor lad with the pale glorified countenance； his eyes turnedtowards the sky； his limbs writhing in the death agony； his breastbare； and his poor tattered clothing half hidden by the rich velvetembroidered with silver lilies。 At the boy's cradle a prophecy hadbeen spoken： 'He will die on the throne of France！' The mother's heartdreamt of a second Napoleon。
〃My beams have kissed the wreath of immortelles on his grave；and this night they kissed the forehead of the old grandame； whilein a dream the picture floated before her which thou mayest draw…the poor boy on the throne of France。〃
SIXTH EVENING
〃I've been in Upsala；〃 said the Moon： 〃I looked down upon thegreat plain covered with coarse grass； and upon the barren fields。 Imirrored my face in the Tyris river； while the steamboat drove thefish into the rushes。 Beneath me floated the waves； throwing longshadows on the so…called graves of Odin； Thor； and Friga。 In thescanty turf that covers the hill…side names have been cut。 There is nomonument here； no memorial on which the traveller can have his namecarved； no rocky wall on whose surface he can get it painted； sovisitors have the turf cut away for that purpose。 The naked earthpeers through in the form of great letters and names； these form awork over the whole hill。 Here is an immortality； which laststill the fresh turf grows！
〃Up on the hill stood a man； a poet。 He emptied the mead horn withthe broad silver rim； and murmured a name。 He begged the winds notto betray him； but I heard the name。 I knew it。 A count's corosparkles above it； and therefore he did not speak it out。 I smiled；for I knew that a poet's crown adorns his own name。 The nobility ofEleanora d'Este is attached to the name of Tasso。 And I also knowwhere the Rose of Beauty blooms！〃
Thus spake the Moon； and a cloud came between us。 May no cloudseparate the poet from the rose！
SEVENTH EVENING
〃Along the margin of the shore stretches a forest of firs andbeeches； and fresh and fragrant is this wood； hundreds of nightingalesvisit it every spring。 Close beside it is the sea； the ever…changingsea； and between the two is placed the broad high…road。 One carriageafter another rolls over it； but I did not follow them； for my eyeloves best to rest upon one point。 A Hun's Grave lies there； and thesloe and blackthorn grow luxuriantly among the stones。 Here is truepoetry in nature。
〃And how do you think men appreciate this poetry？ I will tellyou what I heard there last evening and during the night。
〃First； two rich landed proprietors came driving by。 'Those areglorious trees！' said the first。 'Certainly； there are ten loads offirewood in each；' observed the other： 'it will be a hard winter；and last year we got fourteen dollars a load'… and they were gone。'The road here is wretched；' observed another man who drove past。'That's the fault of those horrible trees；' replied his neighbour；'there is no free current of air； the wind can only e from thesea'… and they were gone。 The stage coach went rattling past。 Allthe passengers were asleep at this beautiful spot。 The postillion blewhis horn； but he only thought； 'I can play capitally。 It sounds wellhere。 I wonder if those in there like it？'… and the stage coachvanished。 Then two young fellows came gallopping up on horseback。There's youth and spirit in the blood here！ thought I； and； indeed；they looked with a smile at the moss…grown hill and thick forest。 'Ishould not dislike a walk here with the miller's Christine；' said one…and they flew past。
〃The flowers scented the air； every breath of air was hushed； itseemed as if the sea were a part of the sky that stretched above thedeep valley。 A carriage rolled by。 Six people were si