Kitty's dream 1

I was drowsing on the terrace, listening to Beethoven. Suddenly, a mysterious voice ordered me to choose between becoming deaf or blind. "That means no more listening to the Moonlight Sonata ? Nor playing it either ! How, how could it be possible ?! ", I wondered to myself.
 
Then the sweet smile I often caught in my mother's eyes flashed into my mind and a twinge of pain squeezed my heart. "How ! How could I give up those divine moments ?" I thought.
The mysterious voice went on, harshly : 
"Thou hast to choose !"
"Please, please wait !", I pleaded, "Let me store up some memories."
... The photo of my sister that I loved so much on my bedside table, the small square of sky I used to see through my window, with the palm tops and the round moon upon the spire of the distant village church "like a dot on an i " *. "Perhaps I could have a trained dog to guide me around !", I thought. "Yes a well trained dog for the blind... But ... no !", I went on reasoning "I would be much too dependant ! 
 
I hastily tried to remember the familiar, joyful chirrup of the birds in the morning, under the roof above my window; my sister's clear singsong laugh, and the familiar racket made by my early-riser nieces and nephews in the play room downstairs. They are insignificant sounds, but so dear to me. We might live in a grand house and pride ourselves on all our lovely things, but the moment we hear the crackle of a fire we decide very quickly which are the few we value most.
 
My choice was made.
 
The Fifth Symphony just ended.  Everything suddenly fell silent. There was not even the sound of a breeze. I was surrounded by a deep and dreadful silence. Sadly I thought, resigned : "That is it !"... I opened my eyes. The last sun rays still lingered on the top of the distant village palms and the church spire glimmered in the crepuscular reddish sky. It was the familiar sight of every day. It was so calm, and so peaceful ! "Yet, it's not what I feel in my heart ? !", I thought miserably. But then, a light wind brought me the echo of my sister's clear laugh from the far end of the garden.
 
I sighed with relief. It was only a dream, a bad dream !
 
   
* Alfred de Musset

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