Page:Popular Tales and Romances of the Northern Nations (Volume 2).djvu/31

Rh short time, his performance attracted the attention of all the neighbourhood; whenever he touched his lute, mothers silenced their crying babes, the noisy boys were sent away from the doors, and, in a short time, he had the satisfaction to observe, by means of his looking-glass, that Mela’s white hand opened the window when he began to prelude. When he succeeded thus far, when he gained her ear, his joy broke forth in triumphant strains, or danced in light cheerful melodies; but, if the presence of her mother, or some necessary occupation kept her from being seen, nothing but melancholy tones sighed from his lute, and he gave vent to those feelings of agony with which disappointed love filled his heart.

Mela was a docile pupil, and soon understood this expressive language. She repeatedly made the experiment, to ascertain whether she had correctly interpreted or not, and found that she could govern the tones of the invisible musician according to her own fancy. Quiet, modest maidens are more accurate observers, and have a much quicker perception than those