162 WHISPERS FROM FAIRYLAND. [Tt

 

seemed to rise before his eyes, and the contrast
between his former state of happy industry and his
present condition of idle luxury (for so he deemed it)
became indescribably vivid and at the same time
painful. Presently when he was between dozing and
waking, the old creaking noise came once more from
the piece of furniture, which again opened as on
previous occasions.

Simon seemed to be unable to rouse himself from
the dreamy state of languor into which he had fallen,
but yet he saw with sufficient clearness what followed.
The music played in a strain more melancholy than
ever, and fell upon his ears with so mournful a cadence
as to add greatly to the grief which, even in his half-
sleep, he felt so acutely. Forth came the little figures,
too, as usual, but across the beauteous white of the
frosted silver breasts of each a black scarf was thrown,
and their whole deportment was one which betokened
great and intense sorrow. Very slowly they moved to
and fro, and in a voice which seemed agitated by the
most profound emotion, the same singer whom Simon
had previously heard chanted in a low and grave
tone the following verses :—

‘ Farewell to happy moments past,
Never, ah! never to return !
What happiness on earth may last ?
When will mankind true wisdom learn ?
Farewell! ‘Farewell !” oh! cruel word,
‘From home and friends when forced to part,
“What sound more sad is ever heard
To try the fond and faithful heart ?
In vain we strive for grateful rest,
We yield to some resistless spell,
And, forced from all we love the best,
Are tortured by that word ‘‘ Farewell !”’