At midnight, when suddenly you hear br an invisible procession going by br with exquisite music, voices, br don't mourn your luck that's failing now, br work gone wrong, your plans br all proving deceptive--don't mourn them uselessly: br as one long prepared, and full of courage, br say goodbye to her, to Alexandria who is leaving. br Above all, don't fool yourself, don't say br it was a dream, your ears deceived you: br don't degrade yourself with empty hopes like these. br As one long prepared, and full of courage, br as is right for you who were given this kind of city, br go firmly to the window br and listen with deep emotion, br but not with the whining, the pleas of a coward; br listen--your final pleasure--to the voices, br to the exquisite music of that strange procession, br and say goodbye to her, to the Alexandria you are losing.