The Phantom

The delight of solitude and seclusion embraces my soul.
Who is it that will trouble the serenity of my solitude this evening?
What is this phantom — it steals along, cloaked in the veil of night.
Now it vanishes among the windings of the way, then comes into view again.
Fear takes hold of me — it seems to be running toward me.
It is the phantom of a human being.
In his hand a torch whose smoke scatters into the air.
Is he a criminal fled from the depths of the prisons,
or a commander who fell back on the field and gave his legs free rein, for fear of the disgrace that would overtake him?...
But his torch is in his hand.
He is drawing near me.
The beats of my heart grow faster.

— Who are you? — He answered me not a word.
He is deaf and dumb.
But he is beautiful, and his beauty has no equal among mankind.
In his face is a strange gleam, ringed with a halo of angelic light.
His eyes overflow with enchantment.
He is still standing before me in his giant stature,
clothed in a white robe that adds to his dignity.
I felt tranquility return to me.
— Tell me who you are — why do you not speak?
— I am bewildered.
— Are you the messenger of peace, come down from heaven to mend what mankind has ruined?
Are you a god to be worshipped?
Or are you the messenger of the West, girded in the garment of peace, come to make the fire blaze the fiercer?
He does not speak — he drew back and began to run.
I gathered my resolve and followed him, and I kept running after him until my strength gave way.

And I sank to the ground.
He came back to me, took me by the hand, and raised me up.
His torch is still in his hand, giving light and not burning.

He looks at me with his beautiful eyes, a look of tenderness and compassion.
His right hand passed over my brow and my head, and he was smiling.
And his lips parted, and he said:
Poor woman, how you have suffered and striven!
This is the reward of your striving.
And he handed me the torch.
He made to go, and I stopped him — I wished to go with him —
but he did not answer me; he only signed with his hand — no.
He left me and began to fade away — and vanished.
My knees failed me at the awesomeness of the sight, and I sank to the ground a second time.
I opened my eyes, searching for the torch.
And the torch I did not see.