Портрет художника в юності

           Hehadfeltasubtle,dark,andmurmurouspresencepenetratehisbeingandfirehimwithabriefiniquitouslust:it,too,hadslippedbeyondhisgraspleavinghismindlucidandindifferent.This,itseemed,wastheonlyloveandthattheonlyhatehissoulwouldharbour.

           Buthecouldnolongerdisbelieveintherealityoflove,sinceGodHimselfhadlovedhisindividualsoulwithdivinelovefromalleternity.Gradually,ashissoulwasenrichedwithspiritualknowledge,hesawthewholeworldformingonevastsymmetricalexpressionofGod’spowerandlove.Lifebecameadivinegiftforeverymomentandsensationofwhich,wereiteventhesightofasingleleafhangingonthetwigofatree,hissoulshouldpraiseandthanktheGiver.Theworldforallitssolidsubstanceandcomplexitynolongerexistedforhissoulsaveasatheoremofdivinepowerandloveanduniversality.Soentireandunquestionablewasthissenseofthedivinemeaninginallnaturegrantedtohissoulthathecouldscarcelyunderstandwhyitwasinanywaynecessarythatheshouldcontinuetolive.Yetthatwaspartofthedivinepurposeandhedarednotquestionitsuse,heaboveallotherswhohadsinnedsodeeplyandsofoullyagainstthedivinepurpose.