Page:Selections from the writings of Kierkegaard.djvu/59

 Selections from the Writings of Kierkegaard 57

The conditions were accepted. All reasonable and just demands a host may make on his guests were fulfilled : they ate and drank, and "drank and were filled with drink," as the Bible has it ;* that is, they drank stoutly.

The desert was served. Even if Victor had not, as yet, had his desire gratified to hear the splashing of a fountain â€” which, for that matter, he had luckily forgotten since that former conversation â€” now champagne flowed profusely. The clock struck twelve. Thereupon Constantin commanded silence, saluted the Young Person with a goblet and the words quod felix sit faustumque'^ and bade him to speak first.

(The Young Person's Speech)

The Young Person arose and declared that he felt the power of the wine, which was indeed apparent to some de- gree; for the blood pulsed strongly in his temples, and his appearance was not as beautiful as before the meal. He spoke as follows:

If there be truth in the words of the poets, dear fellow- banqueters, then unrequited love is, indeed, the greatest of sorrows. Should you require any proof of this you need but listen to the speech of lovers. They say that it is death, certain death; and the first time they believe it â€” for the space of two weeks. The next time they say that it is death ; and finally they will die sometime â€” as the result of unre- quited love. For that love has killed them, about that there can obtain no doubt. And as to love's having to take hold three times to make away with them, that is not different from the dentist's having to pull three times before he is able to budge that firmly rooted molar. But, if unrequited love thus means certain death, how happy am I who have never loved and, I hope, will only achieve dying some time,


 * Haggai 1, 6 (inexact).

oMay it be fortunate and favorable.