Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno Concluded.djvu/344

306 of her voice was simply indescribable; I have never heard any earthly music like it.

On me the first effect of her voice was a sudden sharp pang that seemed to pierce through one's very heart. (I had felt such a pang only once before in my life, and it had been from seeing what, at the moment, realised one's idea of perfect beautyit was in a London exhibition, where, in making my way through a crowd, I suddenly met, face to face, a child of quite unearthly beauty.) Then came a rush of burning tears to the eyes, as though one could weep one's soul away for pure delight. And lastly there fell on me a sense of awe that was almost terrorsome such feeling as Moses must have had when he heard the words "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." The figures of the children became vague and shadowy, like glimmering meteors: while their voices rang together in exquisite harmony as they sang: