Page:The collected works of Henrik Ibsen (Heinemann Volume 4).djvu/214

 Well then, from Troy—it was there I left off

[Rises and listens. What is that strange sort of murmur that's rushing? [Sunrise.

[Sings.]

From the demigod's ashes there soar, youth-renewing, Birds ever singing. Zeus the Omniscient Shaped them contending. Owls of wisdom, My birds, where do they slumber? Thou must die if thou rede not The song's enigma!

How strange now,—I really fancied there came From the statue a sound. Music, this, of the Past. I heard the stone-accents now rising, now sinking.— I will register it, for the learned to ponder.

[Notes in his pocket-book

"The statue did sing. I heard the sound plainly, But didn't quite follow the text of the song. The whole thing, of course, was hallucination.— Nothing else of importance observed to-day."

[Proceeds on his way.