been listening to it unconsciously for some minutes past. I lay still,
either charmed to stillness, or fearful of breaking the spell. As I lay,
I was lapt in the folds of a waking dream.

I was in bed in a castle, on the seashore; the wind came from the sea in
chill _eerie soughs_, and the waves fell with a threatful tone upon the
beach, muttering many maledictions as they rushed up, and whispering
cruel portents as they drew back, hissing and gurgling, through the
million narrow ways of the pebbly ramparts; and I knew that a maiden in
white was standing in the cold wind, by the angry sea, singing. I had a
kind of dreamy belief in my dream; but, overpowered by the spell of the
music, I still lay and listened. Keener and stronger, under the impulses
of my will, grew the power of my hearing. At last I could distinguish
the words. The ballad was _Annie of Lochroyan;_ and Lady Alice was
singing it. The words I heard were these:--

Oh, gin I had a bonnie ship,
And men to sail wi' me,
It's I wad gang to my true love,
Sin' he winna come to me.

Lang stood she at her true love's door,
And lang tirled at the pin;
At length up gat his fause mother,
Says, "Wha's that wad be in?"

* * * * *

Love Gregory started frae his sleep,
And to his mother did say: