“Then she began to laugh most artlessly.

“‘Yes,’ said she, ’you shall have music in your ears, and I will seat myself on your cheek; but you must take care—­take care.  You must not touch me, or I should sting you.  You must promise not to be angry.’

“‘I promise you, Raesel, I promise you I will not,’ I said with tears in my eyes, ’and, moreover, I promise you never to kill a bee or any other insect except those which do harm.’

“‘They are the eyes of the Lord,’ she murmured.  ’I can only see by my own poor bees, but He has every hive, every ant’s nest, every leaf, every blade of grass.  He lives, He feels, He loves, He suffers, He does good by means of all these.  Oh, Monsieur Hennetius, you are right not to pain the Lord, who loves us so much!’

“Never in my life had I been so moved and affected, and it was a full minute before I could ask her—­

“’So, my dear child, you see by your bees; will you explain to me how that is?’

“’I cannot tell, Monsieur Hennetius; it may be because I am so fond of them.  When I was quite a little child they adopted me, and they have never once hurt me.  At first I liked to sit for hours in the apiary all alone and listen to their humming for hours together.  I could see nothing then, everything was dark to me; but insensibly light came upon me.  At first I could see the sun a little, when it was very hot, then a little more, with the wild vine and the honeysuckle like a shade over me, then the full light of day.  I began to emerge from myself; my spirit went forth with the bees.  I could see the mountains, the rocks, the lake, the flowers and mosses, and in the evening, when quite alone, I reflected on these things.  I thought how beautiful they were, and when people talked of this and that, of whortleberries, and mulberries, and heaths, I said to myself, “I know what all these things are like—­they are black, or brown, or green.”  I could see them in my mind, and every day I became better acquainted with them, thanks to my dear bees; and therefore I love them dearly, Monsieur Hennetius.  If you knew how it grieves me when the time comes for robbing them of their wax and their honey!’

“‘I believe you, my child—­I believe it does.’

“My delight at this wonderful discovery was boundless.

“Two days longer Raesel entertained me with a description of her impressions.  She was acquainted with every flower, every Alpine plant, and gave me an account of a great number which have as yet received no botanical names, and which are probably only to be found in inaccessible situations.

“The poor girl was often much affected when she spoke of her dear friends, some little flowers.

“‘Often and often,’ said she, ’I have talked for hours with the golden broom or the tender blue-eyed forget-me-not, and shared in their troubles.  They all wished to quit the earth and fly about; they all complained of their being condemned to dry up in the ground, and of being exposed to wait for days and weeks ere a drop of dew came to refresh them.’