large/7245/short_story_053_1212_librivox_64kb_mp3/shortstory053_04_titbottomsspectacles_lja_64kb_29
large/7245/short_story_053_1212_librivox_64kb_mp3/shortstory053_04_titbottomsspectacles_lja_64kb
English
7245
I wept, until my spectacles were dimmed, for those hopeless lovers; but there was a pang beyond tears for those icy statues. I WEPT UNTIL MY SPECTACLES WERE DIMMED FOR THOSE HOPELESS LOVERS BUT THERE WAS A PANG BEYOND TEARS FOR THOSE ICY STATUES
 not having the spectacles, thought that the iron rod was flexible, and the ice statue warm. I saw many a gallant heart, which seemed to me brave and loyal as the crusaders, pursuing, through days and nights, and a long life of devotion, the hope of lighting at least a smile in the cold eyes, if not a fire in the icy heart. I watched the earnest, enthusiastic sacrifice. I saw the pure resolve, the generous faith, the fine scorn of doubt, the impatience of suspicion. I watched the grace, the ardor, the glory of devotion. Through those strange spectacles how often I saw the noblest heart renouncing all other hope, all other ambition, all other life, than the possible love of some one of those statues. "Ah! me, it was terrible, but they had not the love to give. The face was so polished and smooth, because there was no sorrow in the heart,--and drearily, often, no heart to be touched. I could not wonder that the noble heart of devotion was broken, for it had dashed itself against a stone.  SADNESS WAS RATHER IN SEEING THOSE WHO NOT HAVING THE SPECTACLES THOUGHT THAT THE IRON ROD WAS FLEXIBLE AND THE ICE STATUE WARM I SAW MANY A GALLANT HEART WHICH SEEMED TO ME BRAVE AND LOYAL AS THE CRUSADERS PURSUING THROUGH DAYS AND NIGHTS AND A LONG LIFE OF DEVOTION THE HOPE OF LIGHTING AT LEAST A SMILE IN THE COLD EYES IF NOT A FIRE IN THE ICY HEART I WATCHED THE EARNEST ENTHUSIASTIC SACRIFICE I SAW THE PURE RESOLVE THE GENEROUS FAITH THE FINE SCORN OF DOUBT THE IMPATIENCE OF SUSPICION I WATCHED THE GRACE THE ARDOR THE GLORY OF DEVOTION THROUGH THOSE STRANGE SPECTACLES HOW OFTEN I SAW THE NOBLEST HEART RENOUNCING ALL OTHER HOPE ALL OTHER AMBITION ALL OTHER LIFE THAN THE POSSIBLE LOVE OF SOME ONE OF THOSE STATUES AH ME IT WAS TERRIBLE BUT THEY HAD NOT THE LOVE TO GIVE THE FACE WAS SO POLISHED AND SMOOTH BECAUSE THERE WAS NO SORROW IN THE HEART AND DRULY OFTEN NO HEART TO BE TOUCHED I COULD NOT WONDER THAT THE NOBLE HEART OF DEVOTION WAS BROKEN FOR IT HAD DASHED ITSELF AGAINST A STONE
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