My visits seemed like so many delightful festivals, and Clara's mother took care that they were not so long as to weary her treasure.

She often fell asleep while we were reading and talking, but usually she sent me away before midnight with "There's another day coming to-morrow." Long before my first visit to the young actress I had arranged a way of getting into the house at any time, and Dr.Boltze had no suspicion of my expeditions, since on my return I strove the more zealously to fulfil all my school duties.
This sounds scarcely credible, yet it is strictly true, for from a child up to the present time I have always succeeded, spite of interruptions of every kind, in devoting myself to the occupation in which I was engaged.

Loud noises in an adjoining room, or even tolerably severe physical pain, will not prevent my working on as soon as the subject so masters me as to throw the external world and my own body into the background.

Only when the suffering becomes very intense, the whole being must of necessity yield to it.
During the hours of the night which followed these evening visits I often succeeded in working earnestly for two or three hours in preparation for the examination.

During my recitations, however, weariness asserted itself, and even more strongly the new feeling which had obtained complete mastery over me.