The smiling and
gracious young damsel instantly replied that, on the contrary, she would
be delighted to play the accompaniment for him. Would he look at the
music now? He did look at it; found it simple enough; imagined that the
refrain verse might be made rather effective. Would he try it over now?
Yes, if she would be so kind. She forthwith went to the piano, he
following; and at once there was silence in the long, low-ceilinged
drawing-room. Of course this was but a trial, and the room had not been
constructed with a view to any acoustic requirements; nevertheless, the
fine and penetrating _timbre_ of his trained voice told all the same;
indeed, it is probable there was a lump in the throat of more than one
of those young ladies when he sang the pathetic refrain, with its proud
and sonorous finish--
"O lang may his lady-love
Look frae the Castle Doune,
Ere she see the Earl o' Moray
Come sounding through the toun."
Simple as the air was, it haunted the ear even of this professional
vocalist all the evening; but perhaps that was because he was looking
forward to a coming occasion on which he would have to sing the ballad;
and well he knew that however numerous his audience might be--though he
might be standing before all the Rosses and Frasers, the Gordons and
Munroes, the Mackays and Mackenzies of the county--well he knew that he
would be singing--that he intended to sing--to an audience of one only.
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