M. VIEUXBOIS.

Ah! I am old,—and I forget.

Was the place growing green, Babette?

BABETTE.

But of a greenness !—yes, M'sieu'!
And then the sky so blue!--so blue!
And when I dropped my immortelle,
How the birds sang!

(Lifting her apron to her eyes.)

This poor Ma'am'selle!

M. VIEUXBOIS.

You're a good girl, BABETTE, but she,

She was an Angel, verily.

Sometimes I think I see her yet

Stand smiling by the cabinet;

And once, I know, she peeped and laughed

Betwixt the curtains

Where's the draught?

(She gives him a cup.)

Now I shall sleep, I think, BABETTE ;-
Sing me your Norman chansonnette.

BABETTE (sings).

"Once at the Angelus
(Ere I was dead),

Angels all glorious
Came to my Bed;
Angels in blue and white
Crowned on the Head."

M. VIEUXBOIS (drowsily).

"She was an Angel ".. "Once she laughed "

What, was I dreaming?

...

Where's the draught?

BABETTE (showing the empty cup).

The draught, M'sieu'?

M. VIEUXBCIS.

How I forget!

I am so old! But sing, BABETTE!

BABETTE (sings).

"One was the Friend I left
Stark in the Snow;
One was the Wife that died
Long,-long ago;

Ah, PAUL!

And ROSE

One was the Love I lost

How could she know?"

M. VIEUXBOIS (murmuring).

old PAUL!... EULALIE too! And O! "the sky so blue!"

BABETTE (sings).

"One had my Mother's eyes,

Wistful and mild;

One had my Father's face;

One was a Child:

All of them bent to me,

Bent down and smiled!"

(He is asleep!)

M. VIEUXBOIS (almost inaudibly).

"How I forget!"

Good-night, Babette!"

EPILOGUE

HEIGHO! how chill the evenings get!
Good-night, NINON !-good-night, NINETTE!
Your little Play is played and finished;-
Go back, then, to your Cabinet!

LOYAL, L'ÉTOILE! no more to-day!

Alas! they heed not what we say :

They smile with ardour undiminished; But we, we are not always gay!