The voices and the flower-bells peal out.

     Seelchen, enraptured, stretches her arms to embrace the sight
     and sound, but all fades slowly into dark sleep.

SCENE III

The dark scene again becomes glamorous.  Seelchen is seen with her hand stretched out towards the Piazza of a little town, with a plane tree on one side, a wall on the other, and from the open doorway of an Inn a pale path of light.  Over the Inn hangs a full golden moon.  Against the wall, under the glimmer of a lamp, leans a youth with the face of the wine Horn, in a crimson dock, thrumming a mandolin, and singing: 

         “Little star soul
          Through the frost fields of night
          Roaming alone, disconsolate—­
          From out the cold
          I call thee in
          Striking my dark mandolin
          Beneath this moon of gold.”

From the Inn comes a burst of laughter, and the sound of
dancing.

Seelchen:  [Whispering] It is the big world!

The Youth of the wine Horn sings On: 

         “Pretty grey moth,
          Where the strange candles shine,
          Seeking for warmth, so desperate—­
          Ah! fluttering dove
          I bid thee win
          Striking my dark mandolin
          The crimson flame of love.”

Seelchen. [Gazing enraptured at the Inn] They are dancing!

As she speaks, from either side come moth-children, meeting and
fluttering up the path of light to the Inn doorway; then
wheeling aside, they form again, and again flutter forward.

Seelchen. [Holding out her hands] They are real!  Their wings are windy.

The Youth of the wine Horn sings on;

         “Lips of my song,
          To the white maiden’s heart
          Go ye, and whisper, passionate. 
          These words that burn
          ’O listening one! 
          Love that flieth past is gone
          Nor ever may return!’”

Seelchen runs towards him—­but the light above him fades; he has become shadow.  She turns bewildered to the dancing moth-children —­but they vanish before her.  At the door of the Inn stands Lamond in a dark cloak.

Seelchen.  It is you!

Lamond.  Without my little soul I am cold.  Come! [He holds out his arms to her]

Seelchen.  Shall I be safe?

Lamond.  What is safety?  Are you safe in your mountains?

Seelchen.  Where am I, here?

Lamond.  The Town.

Smiling, he points to the doorway.  And silent as shadows there come dancing out, two by two, two girls and two youths.  The first girl is dressed in white satin and jewels; and the first youth in black velvet.  The second girl is in rags, and a shawl; and the second youth in shirt and corduroys.  They dance gravely, each couple as if in a world apart.

Seelchen. [Whispering] In the mountains all dance together.  Do they never change partners?