THE MERMAID'S TEA SERVICE. 21 



of tte sweetest strains to life's music' I do 

 not know. You may listen and learn for 

 yourself. 



"The next room is filled witli the singing 

 of sirens and laughter of sea nymphs as they 

 leap from crag to crag under the sea. If you 

 listen well you may catch, too, the sigh of a 

 sailor boy as he fell asleep. 



"The outer whirls and the vestibule re- 

 tain the pleasant murmur of winds through 

 palms and spice trees of a sea-girt island, the 

 pleasant lapping of waves upon the sand, and 

 the laughter of bathers in the surf. Through 

 all and above all is heard the ceaseless roar of 

 the ocean. 



"I can not explain to you the mysterious 

 union between myself and my native sea, 

 whereby sighs and sobbings as from a heart 

 oppressed become forever my heritage. 



" But the gray old sea has a secret, a mys- 

 terious and terrible sori'ow. By the thought 

 of it he is transformed, and white with rage he 

 breaks rocks to atoms and tears continents in 

 his fury. Again he falls to sobbing so piteous- 

 ly that we all sob with him. The secret of his 

 sorrow is a long, sad tale ; but I will tell it to 

 you, and why he moans and raves, why he sobs 

 and sighs. Listen ! " 



