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Show - 173 - to an end. Their eyes were glued on Chang Lin and they listened with baited breath to each word he said. Little else could be discerned beyond the circle of light, but their attention was suddenly drawn by the almost inaudible sound of a haunting little melody. The three turned their eyes to Dirk's grave and there, bent over the little marker was Claudine. She appeared like a wraith draped over it and the perfume of gardenias overshadowed the fragrance of the other flowers. She spoke,in a sing-song voice and the years of hopeless wandering and tortuous lovefor her childhood sweetheart were all embodied in the little tune-like sentences she sang. "Beloved, I've waited so long to hear your voice. Do not deny me. If you turn away now I am doomed forever to roam aimlessly on this earth. Take me with you. Hold me in your arms again. Tell me that you forgive me." Her voice trailed off to a whisper and then there was silence. Not a word was spoken by any of them. They stood there and watched the torment of the beautiful Claudine. Such anguish was almost too much to bear thought Penny. How much more could this forsaken girl endure? Time seemed to stand still. The ghost was silent. She was listening intently, but to what, no one 'could tell. Then Dirk was there. Where he had come from, Penny could not say. Was it from the grave? She did not know. He stood tall and straight and every bit as .handsome as Maddie had said he was and as he was pictured in the locket. His dark curly hair was like a shining crown and his smiling face reflected his happiness. He wore the same dark clothes that Maddie had described that fateful night. Claudine floated into his arms and he clasped her closely to him. "I, too, have waited for you, my love." His voice was low and cultured and there was a resonance to it that was beyond description. "Can you ever forgive me?" cried Claudine. |