At first she could make out nothing but fragments of the air—clear and soft and distant—
Music fragment
but as he drew nearer the words become more distinct:
And kiss'd her ripe ros-es, and blest her black e'e;
And aye since whene'er we meet, sing, for the sound is sweet,
"I was a-sleep but ye've wak-en'd me.'
Music fragment
So clear and penetrating and careless and joyous was this singing!—her heart was stirred with pride as she listened; this was not the voice of a man who would trouble himself with any whipper-snapper criticism;—nay, she began to wonder that she had wasted so much indignation on so trivial a thing. Then there was a sudden silence, except for his footfall; and presently the dark figure appeared out there on the white road—his shadow a sharp black in front of him, the little terrier trotting behind him—and in a minute or so the long swinging stride had carried him past their ambush on his homeward way to the cottage.
'What a splendid voice that fellow has got!' her father said, as they also now went out on to the white highway, and took the opposite direction.
'He seems to be very well contented with himself,' she said, rather absently.