Dreams
  by　Olive　Schreiner
  To　a　small　girl…child；　who　may　live　to　grasp　somewhat　of　that　which　for　us　is　yet　sight；　not　touch。
  Note。
  These　Dreams　are　printed　in　the　order　in　which　they　were　written。
  In　the　case　of　two　there　was　a　lapse　of　some　years　between　the　writing　of　the　first　and　last　parts；　these　are　placed　according　to　the　date　of　the　first　part。
  Olive　Schreiner。
  Matjesfontein；　Cape　Colony；　South　Africa。　November；　1890。
  CONTENTS。
  I。　　The　Lost　Joy。
  II。　　The　Hunter　（From　〃The　Story　of　of　an　African　Farm〃）。
  III。　　The　Gardens　of　Pleasure。
  IV。　　In　a　Far…off　World。
  V。　　Three　Dreams　in　a　Desert。
  VI。　　A　Dream　of　Wild　Bees　（Written　as　a　letter　to　a　friend）。
  VII。　　In　a　Ruined　Chapel。
  VIII。　　Life's　Gifts。
  IX。　　The　Artist's　Secret。
  X。　　〃I　Thought　I　Stood。〃
  XI。　　The　Sunlight　Lay　across　My　Bed。
  I。　　THE　LOST　JOY。
  All　day；　where　the　sunlight　played　on　the　sea…shore；　Life　sat。
  All　day　the　soft　wind　played　with　her　hair；　and　the　young；　young　face　looked　out　across　the　water。　　She　was　waitingshe　was　waiting；　but　she　could　not　tell　for　what。
  All　day　the　waves　ran　up　and　up　on　the　sand；　and　ran　back　again；　and　the　pink　shells　rolled。　　Life　sat　waiting；　all　day；　with　the　sunlight　in　her　eyes；　she　sat　there；　till；　grown　weary；　she　laid　her　head　upon　her　knee　and　fell　asleep；　waiting　still。
  Then　a　keel　grated　on　the　sand；　and　then　a　step　was　on　the　shoreLife　awoke　and　heard　it。　　A　hand　was　laid　upon　her；　and　a　great　shudder　passed　through　her。　　She　looked　up；　and　saw　over　her　the　strange；　wide　eyes　of　Loveand　Life　now　knew　for　whom　she　had　sat　there　waiting。
  And　Love　drew　Life　up　to　him。
  And　of　that　meeting　was　born　a　thing　rare　and　beautifulJoy；　First…Joy　was　it　called。　　The　sunlight　when　it　shines　upon　the　merry　water　is　not　so　glad；　the　rosebuds；　when　they　turn　back　their　lips　for　the　sun's　first　kiss；　are　not　so　ruddy。　　Its　tiny　pulses　beat　quick。　　It　was　so　warm；　so　soft！　　It　never　spoke；　but　it　laughed　and　played　in　the　sunshine：　　and　Love　and　Life　rejoiced　exceedingly。　　Neither　whispered　it　to　the　other；　but　deep　in　its　own　heart　each　said；　〃It　shall　be　ours　for　ever。〃
  Then　there　came　a　timewas　it　after　weeks？　was　it　after　months？　　（Love　and　Life　do　not　measure　time）when　the　thing　was　not　as　it　had　been。
  Still　it　played；　still　it　laughed；　still　it　stained　its　mouth　with　purple　berries；　but　sometimes　the　little　hands　hung　weary；　and　the　little　eyes　looked　out　heavily　across　the　water。
  And　Life　and　Love　dared　not　look　into　each　other's　eyes；　dared　not　say；　〃What　ails　our　darling？〃　　Each　heart　whispered　to　itself；　〃It　is　nothing；　it　is　nothing；　tomorrow　it　will　laugh　out　clear。〃　　But　tomorrow　and　tomorrow　came。　　They　journeyed　on；　and　the　child　played　beside　them；　but　heavily；　more　heavily。
  One　day　Life　and　Love　lay　down　to　sleep；　and　when　they　awoke；　it　was　gone：　　only；　near　them；　on　the　grass；　sat　a　little　stranger；　with　wide…open　eyes；　very　soft　and　sad。　　Neither　noticed　it；　but　they　walked　apart；　weeping　bitterly；　〃Oh；　our　Joy！　our　lost　Joy！　shall　we　see　you　no　more　for　ever？〃
  The　little　soft　and　sad…eyed　stranger　slipped　a　hand　into　one　hand　of　each；　and　drew　them　closer；　and　Life　and　Love　walked　on　with　it　between　them。　　And　when　Life　looked　down　in　anguish；　she　saw　her　tears　reflected　in　its　soft　eyes。　　And　when　Love；　mad　with　pain；　cried　out；　〃I　am　weary；　I　am　weary！　　I　can　journey　no　further。　　The　light　is　all　behind；　the　dark　is　all　before；〃　a　little　rosy　finger　pointed　where　the　sunlight　lay　upon　the　hill…　sides。　　Always　its　large　eyes　were　sad　and　thoughtful：　　always　the　little　brave　mouth　was　smiling　quietly。
  When　on　the　sharp　stones　Life　cut　her　feet；　he　wiped　the　blood　upon　his　garments；　and　kissed　the　wounded　feet　with　his　little　lips。　　When　in　the　desert　Love　lay　down　faint　（for　Love　itself　grows　faint）；　he　ran　over　the　hot　sand　with　his　little　naked　feet；　and　even　there　in　the　desert　found　water　in　the　holes　in　the　rocks　to　moisten　Love's　lips　with。　　He　was　no　burdenhe　never　weighted　them；　he　only　helped　them　forward　on　their　journey。
  When　they　came　to　the　dark　ravine　where　the　icicles　hang　from　the　rocks　for　Love　and　Life　must　pass　through　strange　drear　placesthere；　where　all　is　cold；　and　the　snow　lies　thick；　he　took　their　freezing　hands　and　held　them　against　his　beating　little　heart；　and　warmed　themand　softly　he　drew　them　on　and　on。
  And　when　they　came　beyond；　into　the　land　of　sunshine　and　flowers；　strangely　the　great　eyes　lit　up；　and　dimples　broke　out　upon　the　face。　　Brightly　laughing；　it　ran　over　the　soft　grass；　gathered　honey　from　the　hollow　tree；　and　brought　it　them　on　the　palm　of　its　hand；　carried　them　water　in　the　leaves　of　the　lily；　and　gathered　flowers　and　wreathed　them　round　their　heads；　softly　laughing　all　the　while。　　He　touched　them　as　their　Joy　had　touched　them；　but　his　fingers　clung　more　tenderly。
  So　they　wandered　on；　through　the　dark　lands　and　the　light；　always　with　that　little　brave　smiling　one　between　them。　　Sometimes　they　remembered　that　first　radiant　Joy；　and　whispered　to　themselves；　〃Oh！　could　we　but　find　him　also！〃
  At　last　they　came　to　where　Reflection　sits；　that　strange　old　woman　who　has　always　one　elbow　on　her　knee；　and　her　chin　in　her　hand；　and　who　steals　light　out　of　the　past　to　shed　it　on　the　future。
  And　Life　and　Love　cried　out；　〃O　wise　one！　tell　us：　　when　first　we　met；　a　lovely　radiant　thing　belonged　to　usgladness　without　a　tear；　sunshine　without　a　shade。　　Oh！　how　did　we　sin　that　we　lost　it？　　Where　shall　we　go　that　we　may　find　it？〃
  And　she；　the　wise　old　woman；　answered；　〃To　have　it　back；　will　you　give　up　that　which　walks　beside　you　now？〃
  And　in　agony　Love　and　Life　cried；　〃No！〃
  〃Give　up　this！〃　said　Life。　　〃When　the　thorns　have　pierced　me；　who　will　suck　the　poison　out？　　When　my　head　throbs；　who　will　lay　his　tiny　hands　upon　it　and　still　the　beating？　　In　the　cold　and　the　dark；　who　will　warm　my　freezing　heart？〃
  And　Love　cried　out；　〃Better　let　me　die！　　Without　Joy　I　can　live；　without　this　I　cannot。　　Let　me　rather　die；　not　lose　it！〃
  And　the　wise　old　woman　answered；　〃O　fools　and　blind！　　What　you　once　had　is　that　which　you　have　now！　　When　Love　and　Life　first　meet；　a　radiant　thing　is　born；　without　a　shade。　　When　the　roads　begin　to　roughen；　when　the　shades　begin　to　darken；　when　the　days　are　hard；　and　the　nights　cold　and　longthen　it　begins　to　change。　　Love　and　Life　WILL　not　see　it；　WILL　not　know　ittill　one　day　they　start　up　suddenly；　crying；　'O　God！　O　God！　we　have　lost　it！　Where　is　it？'　　They　do　not　understand　that　they　could　not　carry　the　laughing　thing　unchanged　into　the　desert；　and　the　frost；　and　the　snow。　　They　do　not　know　that　what　walks　beside　them　still　is　the　Joy　grown　older。　The　grave；　sweet；　tender　thingwarm　in　the　coldest　snows；　brave　in　the　dreariest　desertsits　name　is　Sympathy；　it　is　the　Perfect　Love。〃
  South　Africa。
  II。　　THE　HUNTER。
  In　certain　valleys　there　was　a　hunter。　　Day　by　day　he　went　to　hunt　for　wild…fowl　in　the　woods；　and　it　chanced　that　once　he　stood　on　the　shores　of　a　large　lake。　　While　he　stood　waiting　in　the　rushes　for　the　coming　of　the　birds；　a　great　shadow　fell　on　him；　and　in　the　water　he　saw　a　reflection。　　He　looked　up　to　the　sky；　but　the　thing　was　gone。　　Then　a　burning　desire　came　over　him　to　see　once　again　that　reflection　in　the　water；　and　all　day　he　watched　and　waited；　but　night　came　and　it　had　not　returned。　　Then　he　went　home　with　his　empty　bag；　moody　and　silent。　　His　comrades　came　questioning　about　him　to　know　the　reason；　but　he　answered　them　nothing；　he　sat　alone　and　brooded。　　Then　his　friend　came　to　him；　and　to　him　he　spoke。
  〃I　have　seen　today；〃　he　said；　〃that　which　I　never　saw　beforea　vast　white　bird；　with　silver　wings　outstretched；　sailing　in　the　everlasting　blue。　　And　now　it　is　as　though　a　great　fire　burnt　within　my　breast。　　It　was　but　a　sheen；　a　shimmer；　a　reflection　in　the　water；　but　now　I　desire　nothing　more　on　earth　than　to　hold　her。〃
  His　friend　laughed。
  〃It　was　but　a　beam　playing　on　the　water；　or　the　shadow　of　your　own　head。　　Tomorrow　you　will　forget　her；〃　he　said。
  But　tomorrow；　and　tomorrow；　and　tomorrow　the　hunter　walked　alone。　　He　sought　in　the　forest　and　in　the　woods；　by　the　lakes　and　among　the　rushes；　but　he　could　not　find　her。　　He　shot　no　more　wild　fowl；　what　were　they　to　him？
  〃What　ails　him？〃　said　his　comrades。
  〃He　is　mad；〃　said　one。
  〃No；　but　he　is　worse；〃　said　another；　〃he　would　see　that　which　none　of　us　have　seen；　and　make　himself　a　wonder。〃
  〃Come；　let　us　forswear　his　company；〃　said　all。
  So　the　hunter　walked　alone。
  One　night；　as　he　wandered　in　the　shade；　very　heartsore　and　weeping；　an　old　man　stood　before　him；　grander　and　taller　than　the　sons　of　men。
  〃Who　are　you？〃　asked　the　hunter。
  〃I　am　Wisdom；〃　answered　the　old　man；　〃but　some　men　call　me　Knowledge。　　All　my　life　I　have　grown　in　these　valleys；　but　no　man　sees　me　till　he　has　sorrowed　much。　　The　eyes　must　be　washed　with　tears　that　are　to　behold　me；　and；　according　as　a　man　has　suffered；　I　speak。〃
  And　the　hunter　cried：
  〃Oh；　you　who　have　lived　here　so　long；　tell　me；　what　is　that　great　wild　bird　I　have　seen　sailing　in　the　blue？　　They　would　have　me　believe　she　is　a　dream；　the　shadow　of　my　own　head。〃
  The　old　man　smiled。