A nightingale was close to them, pouring out his whole soul in song.
'Is it not very late in the year for a nightingale ?' 'He is waiting for his mate.

She is rearing a late brood, I suppose.' 'What do you think it is which can stir him up to such an ecstasy of joy, and transfigure his whole heart into melody ?' 'What but love, the fulness of all joy, the evoker of all song ?' 'All song ?--The angels sing in heaven.' 'So they say: but the angels must love if they sing.' 'They love God!' 'And no one else ?' 'Oh yes: but that is universal, spiritual love; not earthly love--a narrow passion for an individual.' 'How do we know that they do not learn to love all by first loving one ?' 'Oh, the angelic life is single!' 'Who told you so, Miss Lavington ?' She quoted the stock text, of course:--'"In heaven they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels."' '"As the tree falls, so it lies." And God forbid that those who have been true lovers on earth should contract new marriages in the next world.

Love is eternal.

Death may part lovers, but not love.

And how do we know that these angels, as they call them, if they be really persons, may not be united in pairs by some marriage bond, infinitely more perfect than any we can dream of on earth ?' 'That is a very wild view, Mr.Smith, and not sanctioned by the Church,' said Argemone, severely.