Almost beside himself with joy, Pierre bought some oranges, and many a little luxury besides, and carried them home to the poor invalid, telling her, not without tears, of his good fortune.

* * * * *

When evening came, and Pierre was admitted to the concert hall, he felt that never in his life had he been in so grand a place.  The music, the glare of lights, the beauty, the flashing of diamonds and the rustling of silks, completely bewildered him.  At last she came; and the child sat with his eyes riveted on her face.  Could it be that the grand lady, glittering with jewels, and whom everybody seemed to worship, would really sing his little song?

Breathless he waited:—­the band, the whole band, struck up a little plaintive melody:  he knew it, and clapped his hands for joy!  And oh, how she sang it!  It was so simple, so mournful, so soul-subduing.  Many a bright eye was dimmed with tears, many a heart was moved, by the touching words of that little song.

Pierre walked home as if he were moving on the air.  What cared he for money now?  The greatest singer in Europe had sung his little song, and thousands had wept at his grief.

The next day he was frightened by a visit from Madame Malibran.  She laid her hand on his yellow curls, and, turning to the sick woman, said:  “Your little boy, madam, has brought you a fortune.  I was offered, this morning, by the first publisher in London, a large sum for his little song.  Madam, thank God that your son has a gift from heaven.”

The noble-hearted singer and the poor woman wept together.  As for Pierre, always mindful of Him who watches over the tried and the tempted, he knelt down by his mother’s bedside and uttered a simple prayer, asking God’s blessing on the kind lady who had deigned to notice their affliction.

The memory of that prayer made the singer even more tender-hearted; and she now went about doing good.  And on her early death, he who stood by her bed, and smoothed her pillow, and lightened her last moments by his affection, was the little Pierre of former days,—­now rich, accomplished, and one of the most talented composers of the day.

All honor to those great hearts who, from their high stations, send down bounty to the widow and the fatherless!

* * * * *

PIERRE (pe [^a]r’), Peter.

MALIBRAN, a French singer and actress.  She died in 1836, when only 28 years old.

What does “he walked as if moving on air” mean?

BREATHLESS = breath+_less_, without breath, out of breath; holding the breath on account of great interest.

BREATHLESSLY, in a breathless manner.  Use breath, breathless, breathlessly, in sentences of your own.

Pronounce separately the two similar consonant sounds coming together in the following words and phrases: 

humming; meanness; is sure; his spirit; send down; this shows; eyes sparkled; wept together; frequent trials.