Empress Elisabeth of Austria: The Song of the Yellow Domino

Do you think of that night still in the glowing ballroom?
Long, long ago, long ago,
where two souls once met,
long, long ago, long ago,
where our odd friendship began.
Do you, my friend, still think of it at times?
Do you think of the words, so intimately trusting,
that we exchanged by the loud dance music?
Oh, only too fast our time dwindled away,
a press of the hand yet, and I had to fly.
I did not dare unveil my face to you,
but I did show my soul to the light.
Friend, that was more, that was more!
Years have gone and drawn away,
but they will never unite us two again.
Questioning at night I look at the stars,
none gave me back help or answer.
Soon I came near to you, soon again far away.
Are you already lingering on another star?
If you live, then give me a sign by day,
that I may scarcely hope, but can await.
So long ago, so long ago!
Let me wait no more,
wait no more!

        --Empress Elisabeth of Austria (1837-1898). She apparently sent this poem to Fritz Pacher von Theinburg, a man she had met once at a masked ball and had had a brief anonymous correspondence with. She cut off the correspondence when he asked her to say who she was (he actually knew she was the Empress, but did not want to be compromised), but years later she sent him this last note. He wrote a poem back to her, explaining, but the letter was returned to him unopened. Poem is quoted in Elisabeth, "die seltsame Frau" (1934), by Egon Caesar Conte Corti (1886-1953).

Das Lied des gelben Domino
"Long, long ago."

Denkst du der Nacht noch im leuchtenden Saal?
Lang, lang ist's her, lang ist's her,
wo sich zwei Seelen getroffen einmal,
lang, lang ist's her, lang ist's her,
wo uns're seltsame Freundschaft begann.
Denkst du, mein Freund, wohl noch manchmal daran?
Denkst du der Worte, so innig vertraut,
die wir getauscht bei der Tanzweisen Laut?
Ach! Nur zu schnell schwand die Zeit uns dahin,
ein Druck der Hand noch, und ich musste flieh'n.
Mein Antlitz enthüllen durft' ich dir nicht,
doch dafür gab ich der Seele ihr Licht.
Freund, das war mehr, das war mehr!
Jahre vergingen und zogen vorbei,
doch sie vereinten nie wieder uns zwei.
Forschend bei Nacht fragt die Sterne mein Blick,
Auskunft noch Antwort gibt keiner zurück.
Bald wähnt' ich nahe dich, bald wieder fern.
Weilst du vielleicht schon auf anderem Stern?
Lebst du, so gib mir ein Zeichen bei Tag,
das ich kaum hoffen, erwarten vermag.
So lang ist's her, so lang ist's her!
Lass mich warten nicht mehr,
warten nicht mehr!