The Winter Night. 3/9 



"It is remarkable how quickly the nights have grown 

 light. Even stars of the first magnitude can now barely 

 manage to twinkle in the pale sky at midnight. 



" Saturday, March 24th. Easter Eve. To-day a 

 notable event has occurred. We have allowed the light 

 of spring to enter the saloon. During the whole of the 

 winter the skylight was covered with snow to keep the 

 cold out, and the dogs' kennels, moreover, had been 

 placed round it. Now we have thrown out all the snow 

 upon the ice, and the panes of glass in the skylight have 

 been duly cleared and cleaned. 



" Monday, March 26th. We are lying motionless- 

 no drift. How long will this last ? Last equinox how- 

 proud and triumphant I was ; the whole world looked 

 bright ; but now I am proud no longer. 



" The sun mounts up and bathes the ice-plain with its 

 radiance. Spring is coming, but brings no joys with it. 

 Here it is as lonely and cold as ever. One's soul freezes. 

 Seven more years of such life or say only four how 

 will the soul appear then ? And she. . . . ? If I dared 

 to let my longings loose to let my soul thaw. Ah ! I 

 long more than I dare confess. 



" I have not courage to think of the future. . . . And 

 how will it be at home, when year after year rolls by 

 and no one comes ? 



" I know this is all a morbid mood ; but still this 

 inactive, lifeless monotony, without any change, wrings 

 one's very soul. No struggle, no possibility of struggle ! 



