"I'll go and court her for her beauty.
She must answer 'yes' or 'no.'"
As usual Mark fell helpless before the combination of music and a story. His cries diminished in volume. She said in his ear, "And then the Lady sings," and she tuned her voice to a young-ladyish, high sweetness and sang,
"My father was a Spanish Captain,
Went to sea a month ago,"
Mark made a great effort and choked down his cries to heaving sobs as he tried to listen,
"First he kissed me, then he left me;
Bade me always answer 'no.'"
She told the little boy, now looking up at her out of the one eye not covered by his hands, "Then the gentleman says to her," she made her voice loud and hearty and bluff,
"Oh, Madam, in your face is beauty,
On your lips red roses grow.
Will you take me for your lover?
Madam, answer 'yes' or 'no.'"
She explained in an aside to Mark, "But her father had told her she must always answer just the one thing, 'no,' so she had to say," she turned up in the mincing, ladylike key again, and sang,
"Oh no, John, no, John, no."
Mark drew a long quivering breath through parted lips and sat silent, his one eye fixed on his mother, who now sang in the loud, lusty voice,