Page:Tales of humour and romance translated by Holcroft.djvu/204

 I may learn to mitigate it, when I release an immortal spirit from the bonds of life.

The innumerable host of angelic beings who live in celestial love, encircled the compassionate angel, and promised to surround him in the moment of his dissolution with their luminous beams, that he might know it was death he had suffered; and his brother, whose kiss opens our stiffened lips, as the breath of morn expands the ice-cold flowers, embraced him, and said: "When I kiss thee again, my brother, then thou shalt have died Earth, and shalt be once more with us in Heaven!"

Moved with compassion, the angel descended upon a field of battle, where all had died, save a blooming youth whose blood-Stained bosom still gently heaved. Beside the hero there was no one but his betrothed—he could no longer feel her burning tears, and her cry of anguish fell upon his ear undistinguished from the distant battle-shout around.

The angel quickly discovered the dying warrior, and approaching in the form of his lover, inhaled with a warm kiss the afflicted soul from his gory bosom—he gave the soul to his brother, who kissed him for the second time, and forthwith it smiled above.

The angel of the last hour, sprang like a flash of lightning into the empty form, pervaded the body, and