It relieved the pain, and when Cordula told her so, Els went on with her explanation.
"When all these blows fell upon me, they at first seemed, indeed, unprecedented and scarcely possible to endure.

When afterwards my Wolff's unhappy deed was added, I felt as though I were standing in a dense, dark mist, where each step forwards must lead me into a stifling morass or over a precipice.

Then I began to reflect upon what had happened, as is my custom; I separated, in my thoughts, the evil menacing in the future from the good, and had scarcely made a little progress in this way when morass and abyss lost their terrors; both, I found, could be left to take care of themselves, since neither Wolff nor I lack love and good will, and we possess some degree of prudence and caution." "Yes, this thinking and considering!" cried the countess, with a faint sigh.

"It succeeds in my case, too, only, unluckily, I usually don't begin until it is too late and the folly has been committed." "Then, henceforth, you must reverse the process," answered Els cheerily.
But directly after she changed her tone, which sounded serious enough as she added: "The sorrow of the poor Vorchtels and the grief my betrothed husband must endure, because the dead man was once a dear friend, certainly casts a dark shadow upon many things; but you, who love the chase, must surely be familiar with the misty autumn mornings to which I allude.

Everything, far and near, is covered by a thick veil, yet one feels that there is bright sunshine behind it.