Volume II Part 74 (2/2)

t.i.tANIA

And there, see, there come Robin and his bride.

And the fairies lead them on, strewing their path With ferns and moon-flowers. See, they have entered in!

[_The last fairy vanishes thro' the gates._]

OBERON

And we must follow, for the gates may close For ever now. Hundreds of years may pa.s.s Before another mortal gives his life To help the poor and needy.

[_OBERON and t.i.tANIA follow hand in hand thro' the gates. They begin to close. SHADOW-OF-A-LEAF steals wistfully and hesitatingly across, as if to enter. They close in his face. He goes up to them and leans against them sobbing, a small green figure, looking like a greenwood spray against their soft ivory glow. The fairy music dies. He sinks to his knees and holds up his hands. Immediately a voice is heard singing and drawing nearer thro' the forest._]

[_Song--drawing nearer._]

Knight on the narrow way, Where wouldst thou ride?

”Onward,” I heard him say, ”Love, to thy side!”

”Nay,” sang a bird above, ”Stay, for I see Death in the mask of love Waiting for thee.”

[_Enter BLONDEL, leading a great white steed. He stops and looks at the kneeling figure._]

BLONDEL

Shadow-of-a-Leaf!

SHADOW-OF-A-LEAF

[_Rising to his feet._]

Blondel!

BLONDEL

I go to seek My King!

SHADOW-OF-A-LEAF

[_In pa.s.sionate grief._]

The King is dead!

BLONDEL

[_In yet more pa.s.sionate joy and triumph._]

The great King lives!

[_Then more tenderly._]

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