’Twas post meridian, half-past four,

By signal I from Nancy parted,

At six she linger’d on the shore,

With uplift hands and broken hearted.

At seven, while taughtening the forestay,

I saw her faint, or else ’twas fancy;

At eight we all got under weigh,

And bade a long adieu to Nancy!

*  *  *  *  *

At last,—’twas in the month of May,—