precious stones,—two sapphires on the sides and in the middle a carbuncle; his stockings were of shining linen interwoven with threads of silver, and his shoes were entirely of silk. This was the representative form of corijugial love with the husband. And with the wife it was this:—Her face I saw and did not see. I saw it as beauty itself, and did not see it because this was inexpressible to me. For there was a splendour of flaming light in her face,—such light as there is with the angels in the third heaven,—and it dimmed my sight, so that I was simply struck with amazement. Observing this, she spoke to me, saying, What do you see? I answered, I see only conjugial love and a form of it; but I see and do not see. At this she turned herself obliquely from her husband, and I could then regard her more attentively. Her eyes sparkled with the light of her heaven,—which, as was said, is flaming, and therefore is derived from the love of wisdom. For in that heaven wives love their husbands from wisdom and in their wisdom; and husbands love their wives from that love and in that towards themselves; and thus they are united. This was the origin of her beauty; which was such that no painter could emulate and portray it in its form; for there is no such lustre in his colour, nor any such beauty expressible in his art. Her hair was gracefully arranged in correspondence with her beauty, and flowers were inserted in it in the form of coronets. She wore a necklace of carbuncles, and pendent from this was a rosary of chrysolites; and she had bracelets of pearl. She was clothed in a flowing robe of scarlet, and under this a waistcoat of purple, which was clasped in front with rubies. But what astonished me, the colours varied according to her aspect towards her husband; and according to this they were also now more and now less brilliant,—more in a mutual aspect to each other and less in an oblique aspect. After I had observed these things they conversed with me again; and when the husband was talking he spoke as if at the same time from his wife; and when the wife was talking she spoke as if at the same time from her husband; for such is the union of minds from which their speech flows. And then I also marked the tone of voice of conjugial love; that inwardly it was simultaneous with and also a proceeding from the delights of a state of peace and innocence. At length they said, We are recalled; we must depart. And then they appeared to be conveyed in a chariot again as before; and were carried along a paved way among gardens of flowers, out of whose beds sprang olive trees and orange trees laden with fruit; and when they were near their heaven virgins came to meet them, and received and conducted them in. (C. L. n. 42.)
