"Falling leaf, and fading tree."
Oh, why should she sing that? He writhed as if in bodily pain, but the beautiful voice went on and on.
"Good-bye, summer, good-bye, good-bye!"
How cruel she seemed! Stately, imperious, yet womanly, she held her listeners spellbound, but every word cut into his heart like a knife.
"All the to-morrows shall be as to-day."
The tears came and his lips grew white. Then some way into the cruel magnificence of her voice came a hint of pity as she sang:
"Good-bye to hope, good-bye, good-bye!"
There was a hush, then she began again:
"What are we waiting for, Oh, my heart?
Kiss me straight on the brows, and part!"
All the love in her soul surged into her song; the joy of happy love; the agony of despairing love; the pleading cry of doubting love; the dull suffering of hopeless love; and then her whole strength was merged into a passionate prayer for the lost love, as she sang the last words: