 The setting for the song is entirely on the lantern-room balcony of the lighthouse in which Nora and her father, Lampey, live.Nora sings the song to her fiancé Paul, who has been lost at sea for over a year but Nora believes will one day return.Leading into the song, one night Lampey scolds Nora, telling her to accept that Paul is no doubt dead and will never return, only to apologize for his outburst and excuse himself.