butshehadtheinvisiblethread,towhichshecouldholdfast;andshepossessedagiftwhichalltheotherslacked.thiswasadeterminationtothrowherselfentirelyintowhateversheundertook,anditmadeherfeelasifshehadeyesevenatthetipsofherfingers,andcouldheardownintoherveryheart.quietlyshewentforthintothenoisy,bustling,wonderfulworld,andwherevershewenttheskiesgrewbright,andshefeltthewarmsunbeam,andarainbowaboveintheblueheavensseemedtospanthedarkworld.sheheardthesongofthebirds,andsmeltthescentoftheorangegrovesandappleorchardssostronglythatsheseemedtotasteit.softtonesandcharmingsongsreachedherear,aswellasharshsoundsandroughwords-thoughtsandopinionsinstrangecontradictiontoeachother.intothedeepestrecessesofherheartpenetratedtheechoesofhumanthoughtsandfeelings.nowsheheardthefollowingwordssadlysung,-
"lifeisashadowthatflitsaway
inanightofdarknessandwoe."butthenwouldfollowbrighterthoughts:
"lifehastherose'ssweetperfume
withsunshine,light,andjoy."andifonestanzasoundedpainfully-
"eachmortalthinksofhimselfalone,
isatruth,alas,tooclearlyknown;"then,ontheotherhand,cametheanswer-
"love,likeamightyflowingstream,
fillseveryheartwithitsradiantgleam."sheheard,indeed,suchwordsasthese-
"intheprettyturmoilherebelow,
allisavainandpaltrycamealsowordsofcomfort-
"greatandgoodaretheactionsdone
bymanywhoseworthisneverknown."andifsometimesthemockingstrainreachedher-
"whynotjoininthejestingcry
thatcontemnsallgiftsfromthethroneonhigh?"intheblindgirl'sheartastrongervoicerepeated-
"totrustinthyselfandgodisbest,
inhisholywillforevertorest."