Page 109 - The snake's pass

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OX KNOCKSACAR. —
south side higher than on the north or west, I followed it
and di*ew near the top. As I got closer, I heard some one
singing. '* By Jove," said I to myself, " the women of this
country have sweet voices "—indeed, this was by no means
!
the first time I had noticed the fact. I listened, and as I
drew nearer to the top of the hill, I took care not to make
any noise which might disturb the singer. It was an odd
sensation to stand in the shadow of the hill-top, on that
September day, and listen to Ave Maria sung by the un-
known voice of an unseen singer. I made a feeble joke all
to myself:
" My experience of the girls of the "West is that of
vox et praiterea nihil."
There was an infinity of pathos in the voice—some
sweet, sad yearning, as though the earthly spirit was
singing with an unearthly voice—and the idea came on
me with a sense of conviction that some deep unhappiness
underlay that appeal to the Mother of Sorrows. I
listened, and somehow felt guilty. It almost seemed
that I was profaning some shrine of womanhood, and I
took myself to task severely in something of the following
strain :
11
That poor girl has come to this hill top for solitude.
She thinks she is alone with Nature and Nature's
God, and pours forth her soul freely ; and you, wretched,
tainted man, break in on the sanctity of her solitude
"
of her prayer. For shame ! for shame !
Then—men are all hypocrites !—I stole guiltily forward
to gain a peep at the singer who thus communed with