"It would be no hard thing to love such a man as he, methinks," she exclaimedto herself as she went on leisurely weaving the thick braids of herhair, and humming a song just low enough for Willan to half hear andhalf lose the words.

"0nce in a hedge a bird went singing, Singing because there was nobody near. Close to the hedge a voice came crying, 'Sing it again! I am waiting to hear. Sing it forever! 'T is sweet to hear.'

"Never again that bird went singing Till it was surer that no one was near. Long in that hedge there was somebody waiting, Crying in vain, 'I am waiting to hear. Sing it again! It was sweet to hear.'"

"I wonder if Sister Clarice's lover had asked her to sing, as WillanBlaycke just now asked me, that she did make this song," thoughtVictorine. "It hath a marvellous fitness, surely." And she repeated thelast three lines.

"Long in that hedge there was somebody waiting, Crying in vain, 'I am waiting to hear. Sing it again! It was sweet to hear.'"