"All men may tell their love, surely," I said. "Why should they not?"
"All men may not tell their love, Mistress Joice," he replied; "all men may not ask for love in return. Over some men's lives there is so deep a shadow that it precludes them from asking any woman to share their lot--sometimes it is best that those men go through life alone, unloved and with no other's lot bound up with theirs. But, hark, she is going to sing that song he wrote for her."
Through the warm air Mary's voice arose as he stood by her; through the quiet of the night when nought was heard but the distant barking of the dogs, which were strangely restless this evening, and nought seen but the fireflies, she sang his little song:
"If we should part--some day of days
We might stand face to face again,
And, dear, my eyes I scarce could raise
To yours without a bitter pain.
For memory then must backward turn
To all the love that went before,
While thoughts our hearts would sear and burn
Making our meeting still more sore.
So shall we part? Ah. No, Love, no.
Or shall we stay and still be true,
Shall one remain--the other go,
Or shall I still rest close to you?
"If we should part--could I rejoice
If by some chance I saw your face?
Or if you, too, should hear my voice
Cold and without one plea for grace.
Such as in days agone I sought
Craving one whispered word from you;
Would not your heart with grief be fraught
Recalling all the love we slew.
So shall we part? Ah. No, Love, no.
Or shall we stay and still be true,
Shall one remain--the other go,
Or shall I still rest close to you?
"Ah! best it is we never part,
Better by far that we keep true,
Clasp hand to hand, bind heart to heart,
As in the past we used to do.
So murmur, sweet, the words once more,
Breathe them to me again, again,
Whisper you love me as before,
Proclaim Love's victory over pain.
And we'll not part. Ah. No, Love, no.
'Tis best to stay for ever true.
Since you remain, I cannot go,
But ever must rest close to you."
Her voice ceased and we could see her fond face turned up to his and observe the look of love in her dark eyes. And my lord, sitting in the deep chair which had been my father's in other days, murmured to himself, "'If we should part! If we should part!' Ah, well! they need never part. Never, never."