Even the suffering I had endured had neither silenced the yearning voice of my heart nor cooled the warmth of my blood.

I, who had believed that the garden of love was forever closed against me, was beloved by the most beautiful girl, who was even dearer to me than life, and with new hope, which Nenny's faith in God's goodness bedewed with warm spring rain, I enjoyed this happiness.
Yet conscience could not be silenced.

The warning voice of my mother, to whom I had opened my heart, sharpened the admonitions of mine; and when Wildbad brought me only relief, by no means complete recovery, I left the decision to the physician.

It was strongly adverse.

Under the most favourable circumstances years must pass ere I should be justified in binding any woman's fate to mine.
So this beginning of a beautiful and serious love story became a swiftly passing dream.