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296
SÖNYA KOVALÉVSKY
the brain reel; but one breathes more freely, and the
heart beats with a fluttering hope that takes away the
sting of death.
Sönya had always wished to die young. In spite of
the inexhaustible freshness of mind which made her
ever ready to receive new impressions, to drink from
fresh sources of pleasure and find enjoyment in trifles,
there was still in her mind and soul a longing which
life could never satisfy.
It was the impossibility of harmonizing and
fulfilling all the desires of such a nature as hers that wrecked
her life. And in this light we can look upon her death
with less sadness.
Starting from her own belief in a deep relationship
between the different phenomena of life, one cannot
fail to understand that death was, as it were, the natural
outcome of it all. It was not merely that destructive
and fatal microbes had settled on her lungs; and not
even because life could never give her the joys for which
she craved. But also the necessary organic
relationship between her inner and outer being was wanting;
the link between the worlds of thought and feeling,
between her temperament and disposition, was lacking.
She saw, as it were, " as when that which is perfect is
come," but she acted only " in part."
If there be a world in which these contrasts are
harmonized, truly she must be happy now. If not—then
she has gained the desired harmony in another way,
because in complete rest there is also harmony.
Few deaths have awakened such great and such
general regret as did that of Sönya. From nearly all
quarters of the civilized world telegrams of condolence
reached the Stockholm University. From the highly
conservative University of St. Petersburg, of which she
had been made a corresponding member during the
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