Two young,
handsome Counts Reventlow were being brought up in the house, still only
half-grown boys at that time, but who were destined later to win
honourable renown. One of them, the editor of his ancestress's papers,
kept up his acquaintance with the guest he had met in the Paludan-Mueller
home for over forty years.
There often came to the house a young Dane from Caracas in Venezuela, of
unusual, almost feminine beauty, with eyes to haunt one's dreams. He
played uncommonly well, was irresistibly gentle and emotional. After a
stay of a few years in Denmark he returned to his native place. The
previously mentioned Groenbeck, with his pretty sister, and other young
people from the town, were frequent guests during the holidays, and the
days passed in games, music, wanderings about the garden, and delightful
excursions to the woods.
On every side I encountered beauty of some description. I said to Jens
one day: "One kind of beauty is the glow which the sun of Youth casts
over the figure, and it vanishes as soon as the sun sets. Another is
stamped into shape from within; it is Mind's expression, and will remain
as long as the mind remains vigorous. But the supremest beauty of all is
in the unison of the two harmonies, which are contending for existence.
In the bridal night of this supremest beauty, Mind and Nature melt into
one.
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