“It is the wish of my life to see the memorial to Gibran completed before next summer, and it is within my power, if the artistic and material forces join hands to support the project — the memorial will make the loveliest impression on the souls of the emigrants, who hold Gibran sacred and will visit it without a doubt.” And he went back to the picture, completing his explanation:

“The memorial will rise there in the midst of the forest of Mar Sarkis, near the tomb, and the courses of the abun-dant springs will be turned toward it until it becomes a lake, guarding it from meddling hands; and on the face of its water will be mirrored its dancing, majestic shadow...”

•

“It is a wish... my friend. I have a pressing longing to give it body. It has never ceased to haunt my soul since Gibran's face was taken from us in the spring of 1931. The plan of this memorial has existed since that time; the Paris papers published it and commented on it with interest, but circumstances did not favor me after my return to Lebanon. Then came my long seclusion, in which I cut myself off from the world; yet even so I never ceased thinking of Gibran's memorial and of how to keep my promise to him — until last month, when a band of people from Bsharri visited me, asking that the memorial be carried out; and my longing awoke, and my energy for the work was renewed.”

•

There was a moment of silence... and my interlocutor turned toward the drawing, beguiling himself with gazing at it... hiding a tear wavering on his lashes...

The National Institution for Printing and Publishing

in the service of the writers of Arabic

beginning April 5

brings the world to your home

It will publish Zweig in his two masterpieces

Letter from an Unknown Woman

and

Mad Love