5 March 1889

Nature by itself is a sufficient companion to me. Alone on the paths of my estate, I experience endings and beginnings, the small things of life. However, I do feel the need for a confidant in the form of paper, to transcribe the meteorology of a soul, my very own, which is nothing other than a part of a great whole. This morning, some mysterious destiny brought me to the banks of the moats, between the church and the castle, when a blue arrow shot past me several metres away. A shrill, powerful and repeating cry confirmed what I had suspected, it was a kingfisher. With its vivid colours, this bird has the appearance of emerging from an Oriental dream, like a messenger of Persian or Hindu gods.

According to certain books that I possess, it may be identified with the halcyon, this creature aided by Zeus, who is said to have allowed it to nest on a calm sea long enough for its eggs to hatch. The Ancient Greeks from the time of Aristotle thought that the gods sympathised not only with men, but also with animals. How wonderful it would be if ancient fauna travelled through time and we could return to this state of living together! In an instant, the kingfisher transports me to the Garden of Eden. This bird alone has remade the world into a place where I am no longer alone.