noon
THE GOLDEN NOON . If my life were but a day -- One morn , one night , With a golden noon for play , And I , of right , Could say what I would do With it -- what would I do ? Penance to me -- e ` en the stake , And late or soon ! -- Yet would Love remain to make That golden noon Delightful -- I would do -- Ah , Love , what would I do ? And when the singer ceased there was a merry round of applause . The ripple thus awakened had scarcely subsided , when the ancient Lysander opened one of the doors , and , after ringing the tiled floor with the butt of his javelin , and bowing statelywise , announced Sergius . Taking a nod from the Princess , he withdrew to give the visitor place .