s: "And bear my heart's blessing wherever you are!"


s: With far other emotions: her young bosom swell'd,


s: And her young cheek with anger was crimson'd.


s: Renown'd Bishop Berkeley has fully, for one, strew'd


s: With arguments page upon page to teach folks


s: That the world they inhabit is only a hoax.


s: But it surely is hard, since we can't do without them,


s: That our senses should make us so oft wish to doubt them!


s: When first the red savage call'd Man strode, a king,


s: Through the wilds of creation--the very first thing


s: That his naked intelligence taught him to feel


s: Was the shame of himself; and the wish to conceal


s: Was the first step in art.  From the apron which Eve


s: In Eden sat down out of fig-leaves to weave,


s: To the furbelow'd flounce and the broad crinoline


s: Of my lady--you all know of course whom I mean--


s: This art of concealment has greatly increas'd.


s: A whole world lies cryptic in each human breast;


s: And that drama of passions as old as the hills,


s: Which the moral of all men in each man fulfils,


s: Is only reveal'd now and then to our eyes


s: In the newspaper-files and the courts of assize.


s: In the group seen so lately in sunlight assembled,


s: 'Mid those walks over which the laburnum-bough trembled,


s: And the deep-bosom'd lilac, emparadising


s: The haunts where the blackbird and thrush flit and sing,


s: The keenest eye could but have seen, and seen only,


s: A circle of friends, minded not to leave lonely


s: The bird on the bough, or the bee on the blossom;


s: Conversing at ease in the garden's green bosom,


s: Like those who, when Florence was yet in her glories,


s: Cheated death and kill'd time with Boccaccian stories.


s: But at length the long twilight more deeply grew shaded,


s: And the fair night the rosy horizon invaded.


s: And the bee in the blossom, the bird on the bough,


s: Through the shadowy garden were slumbering now.


s: The trees only, o'er every unvisited walk,


s: And, as each little sprightly and garrulous leaf


s: Woke up with an evident sense of relief,


s: They all seem'd to be saying... "Once more we're alone,


s: And, thank Heaven, those tiresome people are gone!"


s: Through the deep blue concave of the luminous air,


s: Large, loving, and languid, the stars here and there,


s: Like the eyes of shy passionate women, look'd down


s: O'er the dim world whose sole tender light was their own,


s: When Matilda, alone, from her chamber descended,


s: And enter'd the garden, unseen, unattended.


s: Her forehead was aching and parch'd, and her breast


s: By a vague inexpressible sadness oppress'd:


s: A sadness which led her, she scarcely knew how,


s: And she scarcely knew why... (save, indeed, that just now


s: The house, out of which with a gasp she had fled


s: Half stifled, seem'd ready to sink on her head)...


s: Out into the night air, the silence, the bright


s: Boundless starlight, the cool isolation of night!


s: Her husband that day had look'd once in her face,


s: And press'd both her hands in a silent embrace,


s: And reproachfully noticed her recent dejection


s: With a smile of kind wonder and tacit affection.


s: He, of late so indifferent and listless!... at last


s: Was he startled and awed by the change which had pass'd


s: O'er the once radiant face of his young wife?  Whence came


s: That long look of solicitous fondness?... the same


s: Look and language of quiet affection--the look


s: And the language, alas! which so often she took


s: For pure love in the simple repose of its purity--


s: Her own heart thus lull'd to a fatal security!


s: Ha! would he deceive her again by this kindness?


s: Had she been, then, O fool! in her innocent blindness,


s: The sport of transparent illusion? ah folly!


s: And that feeling, so tranquil, so happy, so holy,


s: She had taken, till then, in the heart, not alone


s: Of her husband, but also, indeed, in her own,


s: For true love, nothing else, after all, did it prove


s: What was love, then?... not calm, not secure--scarcely kind,


s: But in one, all intensest emotions combined:


s: Led by doubt, through the darkness she wander'd away.


s: All silently crossing, recrossing the night.


s: The swift-shooting stars through the infinite burn'd,


s: And silently o'er the obscure and unknown


s: In the heart of Matilda there darted and shone


s: Thoughts, enkindling like meteors the deeps, to expire,


s: Leaving traces behind them of tremulous fire.


s: She enter'd that arbor of lilacs, in which


s: The dark air with odors hung heavy and rich,


s: Like a soul that grows faint with desire.


s: In which she so lately had sat face to face,


s: With her husband,--and her, the pale stranger detested


s: Whose presence her heart like a plague had infested.


s: The whole spot with evil remembrance was haunted.


s: Through the darkness there rose on the heart which it daunted,


s: Each dreary detail of that desolate day,


s: So full, and yet so incomplete.  Far away


s: The acacias were muttering, like mischievous elves,


s: The whole story over again to themselves,


s: Each word,--and each word was a wound!  By degrees


s: Her memory mingled its voice with the trees.


s: Like the whisper Eve heard, when she paused by the root


s: Of the sad tree of knowledge, and gazed on its fruit,


s: To the heart of Matilda the trees seem'd to hiss


s: Wild instructions, revealing man's last right, which is


s: And vague, dimly shaped itself forth on the curtain


s: Of the darkness around her.  It came, and it went;


s: Through her senses a faint sense of peril it sent:


s: It pass'd and repass'd her; it went and it came,


s: And forever more clearly defined; till her eyes


s: In that outline obscure could at last recognize


s: The man to whose image, the more and the more


s: That her heart, now aroused from its calm sleep of yore,


s: From her husband detach'd itself slowly, with pain.


s: Her thoughts had return'd, and return'd to, again,


s: As though by some secret indefinite law,--


s: The vigilant Frenchman--Eugene de Luvois!


s: A light sound behind her.  She trembled.  By some


s: Night-witchcraft her vision a fact had become.


s: On a sudden she felt, without turning to view,


s: That a man was approaching behind her.  She knew


s: By the fluttering pulse which she could not restrain,


s: And the quick-beating heart, that this man was Eugene.


s: Her first instinct was flight; but she felt her slight foot


s: As heavy as though to the soil it had root.


s: And the Duke's voice retain'd her, like fear in a dream.


s: "Ah, lady! in life there are meetings which seem


s: Like a fate.  Dare I think like a sympathy too?


s: Yet what else can I bless for this vision of you?


s: Alone with my thoughts, on this starlighted lawn,


s: By an instinct resistless, I felt myself drawn


s: To revisit the memories left in the place


s: Where so lately this evening I look'd in your face.


s: And I find,--you, yourself,--my own dream!


s: In this world one thought common to you and to me?


s: If so,... I, who deem'd but a moment ago


s: My heart uncompanion'd, save only by woe,


s: Should indeed be more bless'd than I dare to believe--


s: --Ah, but ONE word, but one from your lips to receive"...


s: Interrupting him quickly, she murmur'd, "I sought,


s: Here, a moment of solitude, silence, and thought,


s: Must its charm by my presence so soon be undone?


s: Ah, cannot two share it?  What needs it for this?--


s: The same thought in both hearts,--be it sorrow or bliss;


s: If my heart be the reflex of yours, lady--you,


s: Are you not yet alone,--even though we be two?"


s: "For that,"... said Matilda,... "needs were, you should read


s: You are yet of that age when a woman conceals


s: In her heart so completely whatever she feels


s: From the heart of the man whom it interests to know


s: And find out what that feeling may be?  Ah, not so,


s: Lady Alfred?  Forgive me that in it I look,


s: But I read in your heart as I read in a book."


s: "Well, Duke! and what read you within it? unless


s: It be, of a truth, a profound weariness,


s: "No doubt.  To all facts there are laws.


s: The effect has its cause, and I mount to the cause."


s: Matilda shrank back; for she suddenly found


s: That a finger was press'd on the yet bleeding wound


s: She, herself, had but that day perceived in her breast.


s: "You are sad,"... said the Duke (and that finger yet press'd


s: With a cruel persistence the wound it made bleed)--


s: "You are sad, Lady Alfred, because the first need


s: Of a young and a beautiful woman is to be


s: Beloved, and to love.  You are sad: for you see


s: That you are not beloved, as you deem'd that you were:


s: You are sad: for that knowledge hath left you aware


s: That you have not yet loved, though you thought that you had.


s: "Yes, yes!... you are sad--because knowledge is sad!"


s: He could not have read more profoundly her heart.


s: "What gave you," she cried, with a terrified start,


s: "To read in your thoughts?" he exclaim'd


s: "O lady,--a love, deep, profound--be it blamed


s: Or rejected,--a love, true, intense--such, at least,


s: As you, and you only, could wake in my breast!"


s: "Hush, hush!... I beseech you... for pity!' she gasp'd,


s: Snatching hurriedly from him the hand he had clasp'd,


s: In her effort instinctive to fly from the spot.


s: "For pity?"... he echoed, "for pity! and what


s: Is the pity you owe him? his pity for you!


s: He, the lord of a life, fresh as new-fallen dew!


s: The guardian and guide of a woman, young, fair,


s: And matchless! (whose happiness did he not swear


s: To cherish through life?) he neglects her--for whom?


s: For a fairer than she?  No! the rose in the bloom


s: Of that beauty which, even when hidd'n, can prevail


s: To keep sleepless with song the aroused nightingale,


s: Is not fairer; for even in the pure world of flowers


s: Her symbol is not, and this pure world of ours


s: Has no second Matilda!   For whom?  Let that pass!


s: 'Tis not I, 'tis not you, that can name her, alas!


s: And I dare not question or judge her.  But why,


s: Why cherish the cause of your own misery?


s: Why think of one, lady, who thinks not of you?


s: Why be bound by a chain which himself he breaks through?


s: And why, since you have but to stretch forth your hand,


s: The love which you need and deserve to command,


s: Cried Matilda, as though her whole heart were one blush.


s: "Cease, cease, I conjure you, to trouble my life!


s: Is not Alfred your friend? and am I not his wife?"


s: "And have I not, lady," he answer'd,... "respected


s: HIS rights as a friend, till himself he neglected


s: YOUR rights as a wife?  Do you think 'tis alone


s: For three days I have loved you?  My love may have grown,


s: I admit, day by day, since I first felt your eyes,


s: In watching their tears, and in sounding your sighs.


s: But, O lady! I loved you before I believed


s: That your eyes ever wept, or your heart ever grieved.


s: Then I deem'd you were happy--I deem'd you possess'd


s: All the love you deserved,--and I hid in my breast


s: My own love, till this hour--when I could not but feel


s: Your grief gave me the right my own grief to reveal!


s: I knew, years ago, of the singular power


s: Which Lucile o'er your husband possess'd.  Till the hour


s: In which he revea'd it himself, did I,--say!--


s: By a word, or a look, such a secret betray?


s: No! no! do me justice.  I never have spoken


s: Of this poor heart of mine, till all ties he had broken


s: Which bound YOUR heart to him.  And now--now, that his love


s: For another hath left your own heart free to rove,


s: What is it,--even now,--that I kneel to implore you?


s: Only this, Lady Alfred!... to let me adore you


s: Unblamed: to have confidence in me: to spend


s: On me not one thought, save to think me your friend.


s: Let me speak to you,--ah, let me speak to you still!


s: Hush to silence my words in your heart if you will.


s: I ask no response: I ask only your leave


s: To live yet in your life, and to grieve when you grieve!"


s: "Leave me, leave me!"... she gasp'd, with a voice thick and low


s: From emotion.  "For pity's sake, Duke, let me go!


s: I feel that to blame we should both of us be,


s: "To blame? yes, no doubt!"... answer'd he,


s: "If the love of your husband, in bringing you peace,


s: Had forbidden you hope.  But he signs your release


s: By the hand of another.  One moment! but one!


s: Who knows when, alas! I may see you alone


s: As to-night I have seen you? or when we may meet


s: As to-night we have met? when, entranced at your feet,


s: As in this blessed hour, I may ever avow


s: The thoughts which are pining for utterance now?"


s: "Duke! Duke!"... she exclaim'd,... "for Heaven's sake let me go!


s: It is late.  In the house they will miss me, I know.


s: We must not be seen here together.  The night


s: Is advancing.  I feel overwhelm'd with affright!


s: He repeated, with lingering reproach on the word.


s: "To your lord? do you think he awaits you in truth?


s: Is he anxiously missing your presence, forsooth?


s: Return to your lord!... his restraint to renew?


s: And hinder the glances which are not for you?


s: No, no!... at this moment his looks seek the face


s: Of another! another is there in your place!


s: The soft speech which from silence your absence relieves!"


s: "You mistake, sir!"... responded a voice, calm, severe,


s: And sad,. . .  "You mistake, sir! that other is here."


s: With a half-stifled scream, as she felt herself reel


s: From the place where she stood, cried Matilda.


s: What! eaves-dropping, madam?"... the Duke cried... "And so


s: Without wishing to hear it, that infamous word,--


s: With concentrated wrath in the savage rebuke,


s: Which betray'd that he felt himself baffled... "you know


s: And therefore my place, at this moment, is here.


s: O lady, this morning my place was beside


s: Your husband, because (as she said this she sigh'd)


s: I felt that from folly fast growing to crime--


s: The crime of self-blindness--Heaven yet spared me time


s: To save for the love of an innocent wife


s: All that such love deserved in the heart and the life


s: Of the man to whose heart and whose life you alone


s: Can with safety confide the pure trust of your own."


s: She turn'd to Matilda, and lightly laid on her


s: Which that man has confided to you, that, in spite


s: Of his friend, I now trust I may yet save to-night--


s: Save for both of you, lady! for yours I revere;


s: Duc de Luvois, what say you?--my place is not here?"


s: And, so saying, the hand of Matilda she caught,


s: Wound one arm round her waist unresisted and sought


s: Gently, softly, to draw her away from the spot.


s: The Duke stood confounded, and follow'd them not,


s: But not yet the house had they reach'd when Lucile


s: Her tender and delicate burden could feel


s: Sink and falter beside her.  Oh, then she knelt down,


s: Flung her arms round Matilda, and press'd to her own


s: Bright, breathless, and buoyant, and brimful of June,


s: Floated up from the hillside, sloped over the vale,


s: And poised herself loose in mid-heaven, with one pale,


s: Minute, scintillescent, and tremulous star


s: Swinging under her globe like a wizard-lit car,


s: Thus to each of those women revealing the face


s: Of the other.  Each bore on her features the trace


s: Of a vivid emotion.  A deep inward shame


s: The cheek of Matilda had flooded with flame.


s: Trembled visibly yet; for she could not but feel


s: That a heavenly hand was upon her that night,


s: And it touch'd her pure brow to a heavenly light.


s: "In the name of your husband, dear lady," she said,


s: "In the name of your mother, take heart!  Lift your head,


s: For those blushes are noble.  Alas! do not trust


s: To that maxim of virtue made ashes and dust,


s: That the fault of the husband can cancel the wife's.


s: Take heart! and take refuge and strength in your life's


s: Pure silence,--there, kneel, pray, and hope, weep, and wait!"


s: "Saved, Lucile!" sobb'd Matilda, "but saved to what fate?


s: "Fool'd away by a fancy, again to your side


s: Must your husband return.  Doubt not this.  And return


s: For the love you can give, with the love that you yearn


s: To receive, lady.  What was it chill'd you both now?


s: Not the absence of love, but the ignorance how


s: Love is nourish'd by love.  Well! henceforth you will prove


s: Your heart worthy of love,--since it knows how to love."


s: "What gives you such power over me, that I feel


s: Thus drawn to obey you?  What are you, Lucile?"


s: Sigh'd Matilda, and lifted her eyes to the face


s: There pass'd suddenly through it the trace


s: Of deep sadness; and o'er that fair forehead came down


s: A shadow which yet was too sweet for a frown.


s: "The pupil of sorrow, perchance,"... she replied.


s: "Of sorrow?" Matilda exclaim'd... "O confide


s: To my heart your affliction.  In all you made known


s: I should find some instruction, no doubt, for my own!"


s: "And I some consolation, no doubt; for the tears


s: Of another have not flow'd for me many years."


s: It was then that Matilda herself seized the hand


s: Of Lucile in her own, and uplifted her; and


s: Of a lamp of pure white alabaster, aloft


s: From the ceiling suspended, around it slept soft.


s: The casement oped into the garden.  The pale


s: Cool moonlight stream'd through it.  One lone nightingale


s: Sung aloof in the laurels.  And here, side by side,


s: Hand in hand, the two women sat down undescried,


s: The bright head it humbles, a young rose inclines


s: To some pale lily near it, the fair vision shines


s: As one flower with two faces, in hush'd, tearful speech,


s: Like the showery whispers of flowers, each to each


s: Link'd, and leaning together, so loving, so fair,


s: So united, yet diverse, the two women there


s: Look'd, indeed, like two flowers upon one drooping stem,


s: In the soft light that tenderly rested on them.


s: All that soul said to soul in that chamber, who knows?


s: Undisturb'd with their secret within them.  For who


s: To the heart of the floweret can follow the dew?


s: A night full of stars!  O'er the silence, unseen,


s: The footsteps of sentinel angels between


s: The dark land and deep sky were moving.  You heard


s: Pass'd from earth up to heaven the happy watchword


s: Which brighten'd the stars as amongst them it fell


s: From earth's heart, which it eased... "All is well! all is well!"


s: The Poets pour wine; and, when 'tis new, all decry it;


s: But, once let it be old, every trifler must try it.


s: And Polonius, who praises no wine that's not Massic,


s: Complains of my verse, that my verse is not classic.


s: And Miss Tilburina, who sings, and not badly,


s: My earlier verses, sighs "Commonplace sadly!"


s: As for you, O Polonius, you vex me but slightly;


s: But you, Tilburina, your eyes beam so brightly


s: In despite of their languishing looks, on my word,


s: That to see you look cross I can scarcely afford.


s: Yes! the silliest woman that smiles on a bard


s: Better far than Longinus himself can reward


s: The appeal to her feelings of which she approves;


s: And the critics I most care to please are the Loves.


s: Alas, friend! what boots it, a stone at his head


s: And a brass on his breast,--when a man is once dead?


s: Ay! were fame the sole guerdon, poor guerdon were then


s: Theirs who, stripping life bare, stand forth models for men.


s: The reformer's?--a creed by posterity learnt


s: The poet's?--a laurel that hides the bald brow


s: It hath blighted!  The painter's?--Ask Raphael now


s: Which Madonna's authentic!  The stateman's?--a name


s: For parties to blacken, or boys to declaim!


s: The soldier's?--three lines on the cold Abbey pavement!


s: Were this all the life of the wise and the brave meant,


s: All it ends in, thrice better, Neaera, it were


s: Unregarded to sport with thine odorous hair,


s: Untroubled to lie at thy feet in the shade


s: And be loved, while the roses yet bloom overhead,


s: Than to sit by the lone hearth, and think the long thought,


s: A severe, sad, blind schoolmaster, envied for naught


s: Save the name of John Milton!  For all men, indeed,


s: Who in some choice edition may graciously read,


s: With fair illustration, and erudite note,


s: The song which the poet in bitterness wrote,


s: Beat the poet, and notably beat him, in this--


s: The joy of the genius is theirs, whilst they miss


s: The grief of the man: Tasso's song--not his madness!


s: Dante's dreams--not his waking to exile and sadness!


s: Milton's music--but not Milton's blindness!...


s: My Milton, and answer, with those noble eyes


s: Which the glory of heaven hath blinded to earth!


s: Say--the life, in the living it, savors of worth:


s: That the deed, in the doing it, reaches its aim:


s: That the fact has a value apart from the fame:


s: That a deeper delight, in the mere labor, pays


s: Scorn of lesser delights, and laborious days:


s: And Shakespeare, though all Shakespeare's writings were lost,


s: And his genius, though never a trace of it crossed


s: Posterity's path, not the less would have dwelt


s: In the isle with Miranda, with Hamlet have felt


s: All that Hamlet hath uttered, and haply where, pure


s: On its death-bed, wrong'd Love lay, have moan'd with the Moor!


s: When Lord Alfred that night to the salon return'd


s: He found it deserted.  The lamp dimly burn'd


s: As though half out of humor to find itself there


s: Forced to light for no purpose a room that was bare.


s: He sat down by the window alone.  Never yet


s: Did the heavens a lovelier evening beget


s: Since Latona's bright childbed that bore the new moon!


s: The dark world lay still, in a sort of sweet swoon,


s: Wide open to heaven; and the stars on the stream


s: Were trembling like eyes that are loved on the dream


s: Of a lover; and all things were glad and at rest


s: Save the unquiet heart in his own troubled breast.


s: He endeavor'd to think--an unwonted employment,


s: Which appear'd to afford him no sort of enjoyment.


s: "Withdraw into yourself.  But, if peace you seek there for,


s: Your reception, beforehand, be sure to prepare for,"


s: Wrote the tutor of Nero; who wrote, be it said,


s: Better far than he acted--but peace to the dead!


s: He bled for his pupil: what more could he do?


s: But Lord Alfred, when into himself he withdrew,


s: Found all there in disorder.  For more than an hour


s: He sat with his head droop'd like some stubborn flower


s: Beaten down by the rush of the rain--with such force


s: Did the thick, gushing thoughts hold upon him the course


s: Of their sudden descent, rapid, rushing, and dim,


s: From the cloud that had darken'd the evening for him.


s: At one moment he rose--rose and open'd the door,


s: And wistfully look'd down the dark corridor


s: Toward the room of Matilda.  Anon, with a sigh


s: Of an incomplete purpose, he crept quietly


s: Back again to his place in a sort of submission


s: To doubt, and return'd to his former position,--


s: That loose fall of the arms, that dull droop of the face,


s: And the eye vaguely fix'd on impalpable space.


s: The dream, which till then had been lulling his life,


s: As once Circe the winds, had seal'd thought; and his wife


s: And his home for a time he had quite, like Ulysses,


s: Forgotten; but now o'er the troubled abysses


s: Of the spirit within him, aeolian, forth leapt


s: To their freedom new-found, and resistlessly swept


s: All his heart into tumult, the thoughts which had been


s: Long pent up in their mystic recesses unseen.


s: How long he thus sat there, himself he knew not,


s: Till he started, as though he were suddenly shot,


s: To the sound of a voice too familiar to doubt,


s: Which was making some noise in the passage without.


s: A sound English voice; with a round English accent,


s: Which the scared German echoes resentfully back sent;


s: The complaint of a much disappointed cab-driver


s: Mingled with it, demanding some ultimate stiver;


s: Then, the heavy and hurried approach of a boot


s: Which reveal'd by its sound no diminutive foot:


s: And the door was flung suddenly open, and on


s: The threshold Lord Alfred by bachelor John


s: Was seized in that sort of affectionate rage or


s: Frenzy of hugs which some stout Ursa Major


s: On some lean Ursa Minor would doubtless bestow


s: With a warmth for which only starvation and snow


s: Could render one grateful.  As soon as he could,


s: Lord Alfred contrived to escape, nor be food


s: Any more for those somewhat voracious embraces.


s: Then the two men sat down and scann'd each other's faces:


s: And Alfred could see that his cousin was taken


s: With unwonted emotion.  The hand that had shaken


s: His own trembled somewhat.  In truth he descried


s: You ALWAYS are giving advice, Jack, to me.


s: You are careless;--but surely you have not forgotten,--


s: Or neglected... I warn'd you the whole thing was rotten.


s: To have written to-day; but the note shall be sent


s: Too late! oh, what devil bewitch'd you to wait?


s: But his own niece?... In Heaven's name, Jack...


s: Made me most apprehensive.  Alas, and alas!


s: I at once wrote and warn'd you.  Well, now let that pass.


s: Confirm'd my forebodings too terribly, though.


s: I drove down to the city at once; found the door


s: Of the Bank close: the Bank had stopp'd payment at four.


s: Next morning the failure was known to be fraud:


s: Warrant out for McNab: but McNab was abroad:


s: Gone--we cannot tell where.  I endeavor'd to get


s: Information: have learn'd nothing certain as yet--


s: Not even the way that old Ridley was gone:


s: Or with those securities what he had done:


s: Or whether they had been already call'd out:


s: If they are not, their fate is, I fear, past a doubt.


s: Twenty families ruin'd, they say: what was left,--


s: The old fox ran to earth in,--but join you as fast


s: *These events, it is needless to say, Mr. Morse,


s: Took place when Bad News as yet travell'd by horse;


s: Ere the world, like a cockchafer, buzz'd on a wire,


s: Or Time was calcined by electrical fire;


s: Ere a cable went under the hoary Atlantic,


s: Or the word Telegram drove grammarians frantic.


s: At the change in his cousin, the hue of whose face


s: Had grown livid; and glassy his eyes fix'd on space.


s: "Courage, courage!"... said John,... "bear the blow like a man!"


s: And he caught the cold hand of Lord Alfred.  There ran


s: Through that hand a quick tremor.  "I bear it," he said,


s: "But Matilda? the blow is to her!"  And his head


s: I half think I know the girl better than you.


s: She has courage enough--and to spare.  She cares less


s: Than most women for luxury, nonsense, and dress.


s: If you did not avert, you may help her to bear t.


s: There is clearly no use in considering how,


s: Or whence, came the mischief.  The mischief is here.


s: Broken shins are not mended by crying--that's clear!


s: One has but to rub them, and get up again,


s: And push on--and not think too much of the pain.


s: And at least it is much that you see that to her


s: You owe too much to think of yourself.  You must stir


s: And arouse yourself Alfred, for her sake.  Who knows?


s: Something yet may be saved from this wreck.  I suppose


s: We shall make him disgorge all he can, at the least.


s: A fool! I have sinn'd, and to HER I have sinn'd!


s: I have been heedless, blind, inexcusably blind!


s: To shut out the vision, he bow'd his head low


s: On his hands; and the great tears in silence roll'd on


s: And fell momently, heavily, one after one.


s: John felt no desire to find instant relief


s: Of his cousin, the broken and heartfelt admission


s: Of some error demanding a heartfelt contrition:


s: Some oblivion perchance which could plead less excuse


s: To the heart of a man re-aroused to the use


s: Of the conscience God gave him, than simply and merely


s: The neglect for which now he was paying so dearly.


s: So he rose without speaking, and paced up and down


s: The long room, much afflicted, indeed, in his own


s: In his anxious reflections, he cross'd and re-cross'd


s: The place where his cousin yet hopelessly hung


s: O'er the table; his fingers entwisted among


s: The rich curls they were knotting and dragging: and there,


s: That sound of all sounds the most painful to hear,


s: The sobs of a man!  Yet so far in his own


s: Kindly thoughts was he plunged, he already had grown


s: He stopp'd short, and bent on his cousin awhile


s: A pain'd sort of wistful, compassionate smile,


s: Approach'd him,--stood o'er him,--and suddenly laid


s: Alfred lifted his face all disfigured with tears


s: And gazed vacantly at him, like one that appears


s: In some foreign language to hear himself greeted,


s: "There, I think," he replied.  Cousin John said no more,


s: And appear'd to relapse to his own cogitations,


s: Of which not a gesture vouchsafed indications.


s: A half-look to the dial; then quietly threw


s: His arm round the neck of his cousin, and drew


s: What has happen'd," he said,... "let us go to her now."


s: Though his face, he look'd more than his wont was--a man.


s: Strong for once, in his weakness.  Uplifted, fill'd through


s: That "id sum quod cogito;"--that which, in fine


s: A man thinks and feels, with his whole force of thought


s: With himself, and rose up from his self-overthrow


s: The survivor of much which that strife had laid low


s: At his feet, as he rose at the name of his wife,


s: Lay in ruins the brilliant unrealized life


s: Which, though yet unfulfill'd, seem'd till then, in that name,


s: To be his, had he claim'd it.  The man's dream of fame


s: And of power fell shatter'd before him; and only


s: There rested the heart of the woman, so lonely


s: In all save the love he could give her.  The lord


s: Of that heart he arose.  Blush not, Muse, to record


s: That his first thought, and last, at that moment was not


s: Of the power and fame that seem'd lost to his lot,


s: But the love that was left to it; not of the pelf


s: He had cared for, yet squander'd; and not of himself,


s: We have grown up from boyhood together.  Our track


s: Has been through the same meadows in childhood: in youth


s: Through the same silent gateways, to manhood.  In truth,


s: There is none that can know me as you do; and none


s: To whom I more wish to believe myself known.


s: Speak the truth; you are not wont to mince it, I know.


s: Nor I, shall I shirk it, or shrink from it now.


s: In despite of a wanton behavior, in spite


s: Of vanity, folly, and pride, Jack, which might


s: Have turn'd from me many a heart strong and true


s: As your own, I have never turn'd round and miss'd YOU


s: From my side in one hour of affliction or doubt


s: By my own blind and heedless self-will brought about.


s: Tell me truth.  Do I owe this alone to the sake


s: Of those old recollections of boyhood that make


s: In your heart yet some clinging and crying appeal


s: From a judgment more harsh, which I cannot but feel


s: Might have sentenced our friendship to death long ago?


s: Or is it... (I would I could deem it were so!)


s: That, not all overlaid by a listless exterior,


s: Your heart has divined in me something superior


s: To that which I seem; from my innermost nature


s: Not wholly expell'd by the world's usurpature?


s: Some instinct of earnestness, truth, or desire


s: For truth?  Some one spark of the soul's native fire


s: Moving under the ashes, and cinders, and dust


s: Which life hath heap'd o'er it?  Some one fact to trust


s: And to hope in?  Or by you alone am I deem'd


s: The mere frivolous fool I so often have seem'd


s: Be true, at the last, to what now makes you grieve


s: For having belied your true nature so long.


s: Necessity is a stern teacher.  Be strong!


s: "Do you think," he resumed,... "what I feel while I speak


s: Is no more than a transient emotion, as weak


s: As these weak tears would seem to betoken it?"


s: Thank you, cousin! your hand then.  And now I will go


s: (Poor infant!) too surely, this mission of sorrow;


s: If she sleeps, I will not mar her dreams of tomorrow.


s: Watch'd him wistful, and left him to seek her alone.


s: His heart beat so loud when he knock'd at her door,


s: He could hear no reply from within.  Yet once more


s: He knock'd lightly.  No answer.  The handle he tried:


s: The door open'd: he enter'd the room undescried.


s: No brighter than is that dim circlet of light


s: Which enhaloes the moon when rains form on the night,


s: The pale lamp an indistinct radiance shed


s: Round the chamber, in which at her pure snowy bed


s: Matilda was kneeling; so wrapt in deep prayer


s: That she knew not her husband stood watching her there.


s: With the lamplight the moonlight had mingled a faint


s: And unearthly effulgence which seem'd to acquaint


s: The whole place with a sense of deep peace made secure


s: By the presence of something angelic and pure.


s: And not purer some angel Grief carves o'er the tomb


s: Where Love lies, than the lady that kneel'd in that gloom.


s: She had put off her dress; and she look'd to his eyes


s: Like a young soul escaped from its earthly disguise;


s: Her fair neck and innocent shoulders were bare,


s: And over them rippled her soft golden hair;


s: Her simple and slender white bodice unlaced


s: Confined not one curve of her delicate waist.


s: As the light that, from water reflected, forever,


s: Trembles up through the tremulous reeds of a river,


s: So the beam of her beauty went trembling in him,


s: Through the thoughts it suffused with a sense soft and dim.


s: Reproducing itself in the broken and bright


s: Bow'd his heart, bow'd his knee.  Knowing scarce what he did,


s: To her side through the chamber he silently slid,


s: And knelt down beside her--and pray'd at her side.


s: Upstarting, she then for the first time descried


s: That her husband was near her; suffused with the blush


s: Which came o'er her soft pallid cheek with a gush


s: Shy with fear from the fern where some hunter approaches,


s: She shrank back; he caught her, and circling his arm


s: Round her waist, on her brow press'd one kiss long and warm.


s: Then her fear changed in impulse; and hiding her face


s: On his breast, she hung lock'd in a clinging embrace


s: With her soft arms wound heavily round him, as though


s: She fear'd, if their clasp was relaxed, he would go:


s: Her smooth, naked shoulders, uncared for, convulsed


s: By sob after sob, while her bosom yet pulsed


s: In its pressure on his, as the effort within it


s: Lived and died with each tender tumultuous minute.


s: "O Alfred, O Alfred! forgive me," she cried--


s: "Forgive you, my poor child!" he sigh'd;


s: "But I never have blamed you for aught that I know,


s: And I have not one thought that reproaches you now."


s: From her arms he unwound himself gently.  And so


s: He forced her down softly beside him.  Below


s: The canopy shading their couch, they sat down.


s: And he said, clasping firmly her hand in his own,


s: "When a proud man, Matilda, has found out at length,


s: That he is but a child in the midst of his strength,


s: But a fool in his wisdom, to whom can he own


s: The weakness which thus to himself hath been shown?


s: From whom seek the strength which his need of is sore,


s: Although in his pride he might perish, before


s: He could plead for the one, or the other avow


s: 'Mid his intimate friends?  Wife of mine, tell me now,


s: Do you join me in feeling, in that darken'd hour,


s: The sole friend that CAN have the right or the power


s: To be at his side, is the woman that shares


s: His fate, if he falter; the woman that bears


s: The name dear for HER sake, and hallows the life


s: She has mingled her own with,--in short, that man's wife?"


s: "This chamber in which we two sit, side by side,


s: (And his arm, as he spoke, seem'd more softly to press her),


s: Is now a confessional--you, my confessor!"


s: "I?" she falter'd, and timidly lifted her head.


s: "Yes! but first answer one other question," he said:


s: "When a woman once feels that she is not alone:


s: That the heart of another is warm'd by her own;


s: That another feels with her whatever she feel


s: And halves her existence in woe or in weal;


s: That a man, for her sake, will, so long as he lives,


s: Live to put forth the strength which the thought of her gives;


s: Live to shield her from want, and to share with her sorrow;


s: Live to solace the day, and provide for the morrow:


s: Will that woman feel less than another, O say,


s: The loss of what life, sparing this, takes away?


s: Will she feel (feeling this), when calamities come,


s: That they brighten the heart, though they darken the home?"


s: She turn'd, like a soft rainy heav'n, on him


s: Eyes that smiled through fresh tears, trustful, tender, and dim.


s: "That woman," she murmur'd, "indeed were thrice blest!"


s: "Then courage, true wife of my heart!" to his breast


s: As he folded and gather'd her closely, he cried.


s: "For the refuge, to-night in these arms open'd wide


s: To your heart, can be never closed to it again,


s: And this room is for both an asylum!  For when


s: I pass'd through that door, at the door I left there


s: One step from that threshold, and daily, I fear,


s: We must face it henceforth; but it enters not here,


s: For that door shuts it out, and admits here alone


s: A heart which calamity leaves all your own!"


s: She started... "Calamity, Alfred, to you?"


s: "To both, my poor child, but 'twill bring with it too


s: Speak!" she falter'd in tones timid, anxious, and weak.


s: "O yet for a moment," he said, "hear me on!


s: Matilda, this morn we went forth in the sun,


s: Like those children of sunshine, the bright summer flies,


s: That sport in the sunbeam, and play through the skies


s: While the skies smile, and heed not each other: at last,


s: When their sunbeam is gone, and their sky overcast,


s: Who recks in what ruin they fold their wet wings?


s: So indeed the morn found us,--poor frivolous things!


s: Now our sky is o'ercast, and our sunbeam is set,


s: And the night brings its darkness around us.  Oh yet


s: Have we weather'd no storm through those twelve cloudless hours?


s: While its sun was upon us, its incense stream'd to us,


s: And its myriad voices of joy seem'd to woo us,


s: We stray'd from each other, too far, it may be,


s: How deep was my need of thee, dearest, how great


s: Was thy claim on my heart and thy share in my fate!


s: But, Matilda, an angel was near us, meanwhile,


s: Watching o'er us to warn, and to rescue!


s: Which you saw with suspicion, that presence you eyed


s: With resentment, an angel's they were at your side


s: And at mine; nor perchance is the day all so far,


s: When we both in our prayers, when most heartfelt they are,


s: May murmur the name of that woman now gone


s: I seek your forgiveness, in opening my heart


s: Unto yours,--from this clasp be it never to part!


s: Matilda, the fortune you brought me is gone,


s: But a prize richer far than that fortune has won


s: It is yours to confer, and I kneel for that prize,


s: 'Tis the heart of my wife!"  With suffused happy eyes


s: She sprang from her seat, flung her arms wide apart,


s: And tenderly closing them round him, his heart


s: Clasp'd in one close embrace to her bosom; and there


s: Droop'd her head on his shoulder; and sobb'd.


s: Not sorrow, not even the sense of her loss,


s: Flow'd in those happy tears, so oblivious she was


s: Of all save the sense of her own love!  Anon,


s: However, his words rush'd back to her.  "All gone,


s: With soft tears she upraised; but those tears were for HIM.


s: "Gone! my husband?" she said," tell me all! see! I need,


s: To sober this rapture, so selfish indeed,


s: He kiss'd her fair forehead, and mournfully smiled,


s: As he told her the tale he had heard--something more,


s: The gain found in loss of what gain lost of yore.


s: "Rest, my heart, and my brain, and my right hand, for you;


s: And with these, my Matilda, what may I not do?


s: And know not, I knew not myself till this hour,


s: Which so sternly reveal'd it, my nature's full power."


s: "And I too," she murmur'd, "I too am no more


s: The mere infant at heart you have known me before.


s: I have suffer'd since then.  I have learn'd much in life.


s: O take, with the faith I have pledged as a wife,


s: The heart I have learn'd as a woman to feel!


s: Less from him, than herself, what that motion express'd,


s: She dropp'd her bright head, and hid all on his breast.


s: Evening star of my heart, light forever my life!


s: If from eyes fix'd too long on this base earth thus far


s: You have miss'd your due homage, dear guardian star,


s: Believe that, uplifting those eyes unto heaven,


s: There I see you, and know you, and bless the light given


s: To lead me to life's late achievement; my own,


s: My blessing, my treasure, my all things in one!"


s: How lovely she look'd in the lovely moonlight,


s: That stream'd thro' the pane from the blue balmy night!


s: How lovely she look'd in her own lovely youth,


s: As she clung to his side, full of trust and of truth!


s: How lovely to HIM, as he tenderly press'd


s: Her young head on his bosom, and sadly caress'd


s: The glittering tresses which now shaken loose


s: Shower'd gold in his hand, as he smooth'd them!


s: Interpose not one pulse of thine own beating heart


s: Twixt these two silent souls!  There's a joy beyond art,


s: And beyond sound the music it makes in the breast.


s: Here were lovers twice wed, that were happy at least!


s: No music, save such as the nightingales sung,


s: Breath'd their bridals abroad; and no cresset, up-hung,


s: Lit that festival hour, save what soft light was given


s: From the pure stars that peopled the deep-purple heaven.


s: He open'd the casement: he led her with him,


s: Hush'd in heart, to the terrace, dipp'd cool in the dim


s: Lustrous gloom of the shadowy laurels.  They heard


s: With her wild note bewildering the woodlands: they saw


s: Not unheard, afar off, the hill-rivulet draw


s: His long ripple of moon-kindled wavelets with cheer


s: From the throat of the vale; o'er the dark sapphire sphere


s: The mild, multitudinous lights lay asleep,


s: Pastured free on the midnight, and bright as the sheep


s: Of Apollo in pastoral Thrace; from unknown


s: Hollow glooms freshen'd odors around them were blown


s: Intermittingly; then the moon dropp'd from their sight,


s: Immersed in the mountains, and put out the light


s: Which no longer they needed to read on the face


s: Slept sumptuous round them; and Nature, that never


s: Sleeps, but waking reposes, with patient endeavor


s: Her old, quiet toil in the heart of the green


s: Summer silence, preparing new buds for new blossoms,


s: And stealing a finger of change o'er the bosoms


s: Of the unconscious woodlands; and Time, that halts not


s: Where their march lies--the wary, gray strategist, Time,


s: With the armies of Life, lay encamp'd--Grief and Crime,


s: Love and Faith, in the darkness unheeded; maturing,


s: For his great war with man, new surprises; securing


s: All outlets, pursuing and pushing his foe


s: Smiled the stars like new hopes out of heaven, and sweetly


s: Their hearts beat thanksgiving for all things, completely


s: Confiding in that yet untrodden existence


s: Over which they were pausing.  To-morrow, resistance


s: And struggle; to-night, Love his hallow'd device


s: Hung forth, and proclaim'd his serene armistice.


s: When Lucile left Matilda, she sat for long hours


s: In her chamber, fatigued by long overwrought powers,


s: 'Mid the signs of departure, about to turn back


s: To her old vacant life, on her old homeless track.


s: She felt her heart falter within her.  She sat


s: Like some poor player, gazing dejectedly at


s: The insignia of royalty worn for a night;


s: Exhausted, fatigued, with the dazzle and light,


s: And the effort of passionate feigning; who thinks


s: Of her own meagre, rush-lighted garret, and shrinks


s: From the chill of the change that awaits her.


s: Oppressive, and comfortless, blank reveries,


s: Unable to sleep, she descended the stair


s: With the chill of the dawn, yet unris'n, but at hand,


s: Strangely smote on her feverish forehead.  The land


s: Lay in darkness and change, like a world in its grave:


s: No sound, save the voice of the long river wave


s: And the crickets that sing all the night!


s: Vaguely watching the thin cloud that curl'd on the hill.


s: Emotions, long pent in her breast, were at stir,


s: And the deeps of the spirit were troubled in her.


s: Ah, pale woman! what, with that heart-broken look,


s: Didst thou read then in nature's weird heart-breaking book?


s: Have the wild rains of heaven a father? and who


s: Hath in pity begotten the drops of the dew?


s: What leads forth in his season the bright Mazaroth?


s: Hath the darkness a dwelling,--save there, in those eyes?


s: And what name hath that half-reveal'd hope in the skies?


s: Of the long river wave through its stone-troubled bound,


s: And the crickets that sing all the night.


s: Which belong to unknown, supernatural powers,


s: Whose sudden and solemn suggestions are all


s: That to this race of worms,--stinging creatures, that crawl,


s: Lie, and fear, and die daily, beneath their own stings,--


s: Can excuse the blind boast of inherited wings.


s: When the soul, on the impulse of anguish, hath pass'd


s: Beyond anguish, and risen into rapture at last;


s: When she traverses nature and space, till she stands


s: In the Chamber of Fate; where, through tremulous hands,


s: Hum the threads from an old-fashion'd distaff uncurl'd,


s: And those three blind old women sit spinning the world.


s: The dark was blanch'd wan, overhead.  One green star


s: Was slipping from sight in the pale void afar;


s: The spirits of change and of awe, with faint breath,


s: Were shifting the midnight, above and beneath.


s: The spirits of awe and of change were around


s: And a hand on her hand, like a ghostly surprise,


s: And she felt herself fix'd by the hot hollow eyes


s: Of the Frenchman before her: those eyes seemed to burn,


s: And scorch out the darkness between them, and turn


s: Into fire as they fix'd her.  He look'd like the shade


s: Of a creature by fancy some solitude made,


s: And sent forth by the darkness to scare and oppress


s: Some soul of a monk in a waste wilderness.


s: "At last, then,--at last, and alone,--I and thou,


s: Not for me was the tryst.  Never mind--it is mine;


s: And whatever led hither those proud steps of thine,


s: They remove not, until we have spoken.  My hour


s: Is come; and it holds me and thee in its power,


s: As the darkness holds both the horizons.  'Tis well!


s: The timidest maiden that e'er to the spell


s: Of her first lover's vows listen'd, hush'd with delight,


s: When soft stars were brightly uphanging the night,


s: Never listen'd, I swear, more unquestioningly,


s: Than thy fate hath compell'd thee to listen to me!"


s: To the sound of his voice, as though out of a dream.


s: When he ceased, took the night with its moaning again,


s: Like the voices of spirits departing in pain.


s: "Continue," she answer'd, "I listen to hear."


s: And dim light between them, she saw that his face


s: Was disturb'd.  To and fro he continued to pace,


s: With his arms folded close, and the low restless stride


s: Of a panther, in circles around her, first wide.


s: Then narrower, nearer, and quicker.  At last


s: He stood still, and one long look upon her he cast.


s: "Lucile, dost thou dare to look into my face?


s: Is the sight so repugnant? ha, well! canst thou trace


s: One word of thy writing in this wicked scroll,


s: With thine own name scrawl'd through it, defacing a soul?"


s: In his face there was something so wrathful and wild,


s: And then turn'd him from her, renewing again


s: That short restless stride; as though searching in vain


s: For the point of some purpose within him.


s: You shudder to look in my face: do you feel


s: No reproach when you look in your own heart?"


s: In my conscience I do not deserve your rebuke:


s: "Gentle justice! you first bid Life hope not, and then


s: With a chill sort of restless and suffering smile.


s: They stood by the wall of the garden.  The skies,


s: Dark, sombre, were troubled with vague prophecies


s: Of the dawn yet far distant.  The moon had long set,


s: And all in a glimmering light, pale, and wet


s: With the night-dews, the white roses sullenly loom'd


s: Round about her.  She spoke not.  At length he resumed,


s: "Wrecked creatures we are! I and thou--one and all!


s: Only able to injure each other and fall,


s: Soon or late, in that void which ourselves we prepare


s: For the souls that we boast of! weak insects we are!


s: O heaven! and what has become of them? all


s: Those instincts of Eden surviving the Fall:


s: That glorious faith in inherited things:


s: That sense in the soul of the length of her wings;


s: Gone! all gone! and the wail of the night wind sounds human,


s: Bewailing those once nightly visitants!  Woman,


s: Woman, what hast thou done with my youth?  Give again,


s: Give me back the young heart that I gave thee... in vain!"


s: Always thus! what I once was, I have not forgot."


s: As the wind that heaps sand in a desert, there stirr'd


s: Through his voice an emotion that swept every word


s: Into one angry wail; as, with feverish change,


s: He continued his monologue, fitful and strange.


s: "Woe to him in whose nature, once kindled, the torch


s: Of Passion burns downward to blacken and scorch!


s: But shame, shame and sorrow, O woman, to thee


s: Whose hand sow'd the seed of destruction in me!


s: Whose lip taught the lesson of falsehood to mine!


s: Whose looks made me doubt lies that look'd so divine!


s: My soul by thy beauty was slain in its sleep:


s: And if tears I mistrust, 'tis that thou too canst weep!


s: Well!... how utter soever it be, one mistake


s: In the love of a man, what more change need it make


s: In the steps of his soul through the course love began,


s: Than all other mistakes in the life of a man?


s: And I said to myself, 'I am young yet: too young


s: To have wholly survived my own portion among


s: The great needs of man's life, or exhausted its joys;


s: What is broken? one only of youth's pleasant toys!


s: Shall I be the less welcome, wherever I go,


s: For one passion survived?  No! the roses will blow


s: As of yore, as of yore will the nightingales sing,


s: Not less sweetly for one blossom cancell'd from Spring!


s: Hast thou loved, O my heart? to thy love yet remains


s: All the wide loving-kindness of nature.  The plains


s: And the hills with each summer their verdure renew.


s: Wouldst thou be as they are? do thou then as they do,


s: Let the dead sleep in peace.  Would the living divine


s: Where they slumber?  Let only new flowers be the sign!'


s: "Vain! all vain!... For when, laughing, the wine I would quaff,


s: I remember'd too well all it cost me to laugh.


s: Through the revel it was but the old song I heard,


s: Through the crowd the old footsteps behind me they stirr'd,


s: In the night-wind, the starlight, the murmurs of even,


s: In the ardors of earth, and the languors of heaven,


s: I could trace nothing more, nothing more through the spheres,


s: But the sound of old sobs, and the track of old tears!


s: It was with me the night long in dreaming or waking,


s: It abided in loathing, when daylight was breaking,


s: The burthen of the bitterness in me!  Behold,


s: All my days were become as a tale that is told.


s: And I said to my sight, 'No good thing shalt thou see,


s: For the noonday is turned to darkness in me.


s: In the house of Oblivion my bed I have made.'


s: And I said to the grave, 'Lo, my father!' and said


s: To the worm, 'Lo, my sister!'  The dust to the dust,


s: And one end to the wicked shall be with the just!"


s: He ceased, as a wind that wails out on the night


s: And moans itself mute.  Through the indistinct light


s: A voice clear, and tender, and pure with a tone


s: "And say you, and deem you, that I wreck'd your life?


s: Alas! Duc de Luvois, had I been your wife


s: By a fraud of the heart which could yield you alone


s: For the love in your nature a lie in my own,


s: Should I not, in deceiving, have injured you worse?


s: Yes, I then should have merited justly your curse,


s: (He broke into a fierce, angry laugh, as he said)


s: "Yet, lady, you knew that I loved you: you led


s: My love on to lay to its heart, hour by hour,


s: All the pale, cruel, beautiful, passionless power


s: Shut up in that cold face of yours! was this well?


s: But enough! not on you would I vent the wild hell


s: Which has grown in my heart.  Oh, that man! first and last


s: He tramples in triumph my life! he has cast


s: His shadow 'twixt me and the sun... let it pass!


s: These words, at least, spare me the pain of reply.


s: Enough, Duc de Luvois! farewell.  I shall try


s: To forget every word I have heard, every sight


s: That has grieved and appall'd me in this wretched night


s: Which must witness our final farewell.  May you, Duke,


s: Never know greater cause your own heart to rebuke


s: Than mine thus to wrong and afflict you have had!


s: "Stay, Lucile, stay!"... he groaned, "I am mad,


s: Brutalized, blind with pain!  I know not what I said.


s: I mean it not.  But" (he moan'd, drooping his head)


s: "Forgive me!  I--have I so wrong'd you, Lucile?


s: Only sad, very sad to the soul," she said, "far,


s: One moment," he murmur'd.  "I think, could I gaze


s: Thus awhile on your face, the old innocent days


s: Would come back upon me, and this scorching heart


s: Free itself in hot tears.  Do not, do not depart


s: Thus, Lucile! stay one moment.  I know why you shrink,


s: Why you shudder; I read in your face what you think.


s: Do not speak to me of it.  And yet, if you will,


s: Whatever you say, my own lips shall be still.


s: I lied.  And the truth, now, could justify nought.


s: There are battles, it may be, in which to have fought


s: Is more shameful than, simply, to fail.  Yet, Lucile,


s: Had you help'd me to bear what you forced me to feel--"


s: "Could I help you," she murmur'd, "but what can I say


s: That your life will respond to?"  "My life?" he sigh'd.  "Nay,


s: My life hath brought forth only evil, and there


s: The wild wind hath planted the wild weed: yet ere


s: You exclaim, 'Fling the weed to the flames,' think again


s: Why the field is so barren.  With all other men


s: First love, though it perish from life, only goes


s: Like the primrose that falls to make way for the rose.


s: For a man, at least most men, may love on through life:


s: Love in fame; love in knowledge; in work: earth is rife


s: With labor, and therefor, with love, for a man.


s: If one love fails, another succeeds, and the plan


s: Of man's life includes love in all objects!  But I?


s: All such loves from my life through its whole destiny


s: Fate excluded.  The love that I gave you, alas!


s: Was the sole love that life gave to me.  Let that pass!


s: It perish'd, and all perish'd with it.  Ambition?


s: Wealth left nothing to add to my social condition.


s: Fame?  But fame in itself presupposes some great


s: Field wherein to pursue and attain it.  The State?


s: I, to cringe to an upstart?  The Camp?  I, to draw


s: From its sheath the old sword of the Dukes of Luvois


s: To defend usurpation?  Books, then?  Science, Art?


s: But, alas! I was fashion'd for action: my heart,


s: Wither'd thing though it be, I should hardly compress


s: 'Twixt the leaves of a treatise on Statics: life's stress


s: Needs scope, not contraction! what rests? to wear out


s: At some dark northern court an existence, no doubt,


s: In wretched and paltry intrigues for a cause


s: As hopeless as is my own life!  By the laws


s: Of a fate I can neither control nor dispute,


s: Then she answer'd, "We are our own fates.  Our own deeds


s: Are our doomsmen.  Man's life was made not for men's creeds


s: But men's actions.  And, Duc de Luvois, I might say


s: That all life attests, that 'the will makes the way.'


s: Is the land of our birth less the land of our birth,


s: Or its claim the less strong, or its cause the less worth


s: Our upholding, because the white lily no more


s: Is as sacred as all that it bloom'd for of yore?


s: Yet be that as it may be; I cannot perchance


s: Judge this matter.  I am but a woman, and France


s: Has for me simpler duties.  Large hope, though, Eugene


s: De Luvois, should be yours.  There is purpose in pain,


s: Otherwise it were devilish.  I trust in my soul


s: That the great master hand which sweeps over the whole


s: Of this deep harp of life, if at moments it stretch


s: To shrill tension some one wailing nerve, means to fetch


s: Its response the truest, most stringent, and smart,


s: Its pathos the purest, from out the wrung heart,


s: Whose faculties, flaccid it may be, if less


s: Sharply strung, sharply smitten, had fail'd to express


s: Just the one note the great final harmony needs.


s: And what best proves there's life in a heart?--that it bleeds?


s: Grant a cause to remove, grant an end to attain,


s: Grant both to be just, and what mercy in pain!


s: Cease the sin with the sorrow!  See morning begin!


s: Pain must burn itself out if not fuel'd by sin.


s: There is hope in yon hill-tops, and love in yon light.


s: Let hate and despondency die with the night!"


s: He was moved by her words.  As some poor wretch confined


s: In cells loud with meaningless laughter, whose mind


s: Wanders trackless amidst its own ruins, may hear


s: A voice heard long since, silenced many a year,


s: And now, 'mid mad ravings recaptured again,


s: Singing through the caged lattice a once well-known strain,


s: Which brings back his boyhood upon it, until


s: The mind's ruin'd crevices graciously fill


s: The long-troubled spirit grows slowly aware


s: Of the mockery round it, and shrinks from each thing


s: Hard by, with his squalid straw crown, now confess'd


s: A madman more painfully mad than the rest.--


s: So the sound of her voice, as it there wander'd o'er


s: His echoing heart, seem'd in part to restore


s: The forces of thought: he recaptured the whole


s: Of his life by the light which, in passing, her soul


s: From a dream, and perceived he had dream'd a mistake:


s: His spirit was soften'd, yet troubled in him:


s: He felt his lips falter, his eyesight grow dim,


s: Which reveals--not restores--the wild havoc of night.


s: There are some creatures born for the night, not the day.


s: Broken-hearted the nightingale hides in the spray,


s: And the owl's moody mind in his own hollow tower


s: Dwells muffled.  Be darkness henceforward my dower.


s: Light, be sure, in that darkness there dwells, by which eyes


s: Grown familiar with ruins may yet recognize


s: To itself it may be) God's dread office and right


s: Of punishing sin, is a sin in heaven's sight,


s: Leave the judgment to Him who alone knows the law.


s: Surely no man can be his own judge, least of all


s: That sad serene countenance, mournful as law


s: And tender as pity, bow'd o'er him: and heard


s: In some thicket the matinal chirp of a bird.


s: She continued, "in life we have met once again,


s: And once more life parts us.  Yon day-spring for me


s: Lifts the veil of a future in which it may be


s: We shall meet nevermore.  Grant, oh grant to me yet


s: The belief that it is not in vain we have met!


s: I plead for the future.  A new horoscope


s: I would cast: will you read it?  I plead for a hope:


s: I plead for a memory; yours, yours alone,


s: To restore or to spare.  Let the hope be your own,


s: Faith yet lived, ere this age of the sluggard began,


s: Men aroused to the knowledge of evil, fled far


s: From the fading rose-gardens of sense, to the war


s: With the Pagan, the cave in the desert, and sought


s: Not repose, but employment in action or thought,


s: Life's strong earnest, in all things! oh, think not of me,


s: But yourself! for I plead for your own destiny:


s: I plead for your life, with its duties undone,


s: With its claims unappeased, and its trophies unwon;


s: And in pleading for life's fair fulfilment, I plead


s: For all that you miss, and for all that you need."


s: Through the calm crystal air, faint and far, as she spoke,


s: A clear, chilly chime from a church-turret broke;


s: And the sound of her voice, with the sound of the bell,


s: On his ear, where he kneel'd, softly, soothingly fell.


s: All within him was wild and confused, as within


s: A chamber deserted in some roadside inn,


s: Where, passing, wild travellers paused, over-night,


s: To quaff and carouse; in each socket each light


s: Is extinct; crash'd the glasses, and scrawl'd is the wall


s: With wild ribald ballads; serenely o'er all,


s: For the first time perceived, where the dawn-light creeps faint


s: Through the wrecks of that orgy, the face of a saint,


s: Seen through some broken frame, appears noting meanwhile


s: The ruin all round with a sorrowful smile.


s: And he gazed round.  The curtains of Darkness half drawn


s: Oped behind her; and pure as the pure light of dawn


s: She stood, bathed in morning, and seem'd to his eyes


s: From their sight to be melting away in the skies


s: He had loved long ago--loved and lost! dead to him,


s: Dead to all the life left him; but there, in the dim


s: Dewy light of the dawn, stood a spirit; 'twas hers;


s: And he said to the soul of Lucile de Nevers:


s: Pray for mine, if one soul for another may pray.


s: I to ask have no right, thou to give hast no power,


s: One hope to my heart.  But in this parting hour


s: I name not my heart, and I speak not to thine.


s: Answer, soul of Lucile, to this dark soul of mine,


s: Does not soul owe to soul, what to heart heart denies,


s: Hope, when hope is salvation?  Behold, in yon skies,


s: This wild night is passing away while I speak:


s: Lo, above us, the day-spring beginning to break!


s: Something wakens within me, and warms to the beam:


s: Is it hope that awakens? or do I but dream?


s: I know not.  It may be, perchance, the first spark


s: Of a new light within me to solace the dark


s: Unto which I return; or perchance it may be


s: The last spark of fires half extinguish'd in me.


s: I know not.  Thou goest thy way: I my own;


s: For good or for evil, I know not.  Alone


s: This I know; we are parting.  I wish'd to say more,


s: But no matter! 'twill pass.  All between us is o'er.


s: Forget the wild words of to-night.  'Twas the pain


s: For long years hoarded up, that rush'd from me again.


s: I was unjust: forgive me.  Spare now to reprove


s: Other words, other deeds.  It was madness, not love,


s: That you thwarted this night.  What is done is now done.


s: Death remains to avenge it, or life to atone.


s: I was madden'd, delirious!  I saw you return


s: To him--not to me; and I felt my heart burn


s: With a fierce thirst for vengeance--and thus... let it pass!


s: Long thoughts these, and so brief the moments, alas!


s: Thou goest thy way, and I mine.  I suppose


s: 'Tis to meet nevermore.  Is it not so?  Who knows,


s: Or who heeds, where the exile from Paradise flies?


s: Or what altars of his in the desert may rise?


s: Is it not so, Lucile?  Well, well!  Thus then we part


s: Once again, soul from soul, as before heart from heart!"


s: And again clearer far than the chime of a bell,


s: That voice on his sense softly, soothingly fell.


s: "Our two paths must part us, Eugene; for my own


s: Seems no more through that world in which henceforth alone


s: You must work out (as now I believe that you will)


s: The hope which you speak of.  That work I shall still


s: (If I live) watch and welcome, and bless far away.


s: Doubt not this.  But mistake not the thought, if I say


s: That the great moral combat between human life


s: And each human soul must be single.  The strife


s: None can share, though by all its results may be known.


s: When the soul arms for battle, she goes forth alone.


s: I say not, indeed, we shall meet nevermore,


s: For I know not.  But meet, as we have met of yore,


s: I know that we cannot.  Perchance we may meet


s: By the death-bed, the tomb, in the crowd, in the street,


s: Shall we meet from henceforth as we have met, Eugene.


s: For we know not the way we are going, nor yet


s: Where our two ways may meet, or may cross.  Life hath set


s: No landmarks before us.  But this, this alone,


s: I will promise: whatever your path, or my own,


s: If, for once in the conflict before you, it chance


s: That the Dragon prevail, and with cleft shield, and lance


s: Lost or shatter'd, borne down by the stress of the war,


s: I, still watching (unknown to yourself, it may be)


s: O'er the conflict to which I conjure you, should see


s: That my presence could rescue, support you, or guide,


s: In the hour of that need I shall be at your side,


s: To warn, if you will, or incite, or control;


s: And again, once again, we shall meet, soul to soul!"


s: He stood on the bare edge of dawn.  She was gone,


s: Like a star, when up bay after bay of the night,


s: Ripples in, wave on wave, the broad ocean of light.


s: And at once, in her place was the Sunrise!  It rose


s: In its sumptuous splendor and solemn repose,


s: The supreme revelation of light.  Domes of gold,


s: Realms of rose, in the Orient! and breathless, and bold,


s: While the great gates of heaven roll'd back one by one,


s: The bright herald angel stood stern in the sun!


s: Thrice holy Eospheros!  Light's reign began


s: In the heaven, on the earth, in the heart of the man.


s: The dawn on the mountains! the dawn everywhere!


s: Light! silence! the fresh innovations of air!


s: O earth, and O ether!  A butterfly breeze


s: Floated up, flutter'd down, and poised blithe on the trees.


s: Through the revelling woods, o'er the sharp-rippled stream,


s: Up the vale slow uncoiling itself out of dream,


s: Around the brown meadows, adown the hill-slope,


s: The spirits of morning were whispering, "HOPE!"


s: He uplifted his eyes.  In the place where she stood


s: But a moment before, and where now roll'd the flood


s: Of the sunrise all golden, he seem'd to behold,


s: In the young light of sunrise, an image unfold


s: Of his own youth,--its ardors--its promise of fame--


s: Its ancestral ambition; and France by the name


s: Of his sires seem'd to call him.  There, hover'd in light,


s: That image aloft, o'er the shapeless and bright


s: And Aurorean clouds, which themselves seem'd to be


s: Brilliant fragments of that golden world, wherein he


s: To the earth, stood the man, gazing at it!  Around


s: The rims of the sunrise it hover'd and shone


s: Transcendent, that type of a youth that was gone;


s: And he--as the body may yearn for the soul,


s: So he yearn'd to embody that image.  His whole


s: No! for Time is a fiction, and limits not fate.


s: Thought alone is eternal.  Time thralls it in vain.


s: For the thought that springs upward and yearns to regain


s: The true source of spirit, there IS no TOO LATE.


s: As the stream to its first mountain levels, elate


s: In the fountain arises, the spirit in him


s: Arose to that image.  The image waned dim


s: Into heaven; and heavenward with it, to melt


s: As it melted, in day's broad expansion, he felt


s: With a thrill, sweet and strange, and intense--awed, amazed--


s: Something soar and ascend in his soul, as he gazed.


s: Man is born on a battle-field.  Round him, to rend


s: Or resist, the dread Powers he displaces attend,


s: By the cradle which Nature, amidst the stern shocks


s: That have shatter'd creation, and shapen it, rocks.


s: He leaps with a wail into being; and lo!


s: His own mother, fierce Nature herself, is his foe.


s: Her whirlwinds are roused into wrath o'er his head:


s: 'Neath his feet roll her earthquakes: her solitudes spread


s: To daunt him: her forces dispute his command:


s: Her snows fall to freeze him: her suns burn to brand:


s: Her seas yawn to engulf him: her rocks rise to crush:


s: And the lion and leopard, allied, lurk to rush


s: Where the infinite forest spreads breathless and far,


s: 'Mid the cruel of eye and the stealthy of claw


s: (Striped and spotted destroyers!) he sees, pale with awe,


s: Grim Doorga, blue-limb'd and red-handed, go by,


s: And the first thing he worships is Terror.


s: Still impell'd by necessity hungrily on,


s: He conquers the realms of his own self-reliance,


s: And the last cry of fear wakes the first of defiance.


s: From the serpent he crushes its poisonous soul;


s: Smitten down in his path see the dead lion roll!


s: On toward Heaven the son of Alcmena strides high on


s: The heads of the Hydra, the spoils of the lion:


s: And man, conquering terror, is worshipp'd by man.


s: A camp has the world been since first it began!


s: From his tents sweeps the roving Arabian; at peace,


s: A mere wandering shepherd that follows the fleece;


s: But, warring his way through a world's destinies,


s: Lo from Delhi, from Bagdadt, from Cordova, rise


s: Domes of empiry, dower'd with science and art,


s: Schools, libraries, forums, the palace, the mart!


s: New realms to man's soul have been conquer'd.  But those


s: Forthwith they are peopled for man by new foes!


s: The stars keep their secrets, the earth hides her own,


s: And bold must the man be that braves the Unknown!


s: Not a truth has to art or to science been given,


s: But brows have ached for it, and souls toil'd and striven;


s: And many have striven, and many have fail'd,


s: And many died, slain by the truth they assail'd,


s: But when Man hath tamed Nature, asserted his place


s: And dominion, behold! he is brought face to face


s: Danger ever at hand, till the armed Archangel


s: Sound o'er him the trump of earth's final evangel.


s: Silence straightway, stern Muse, the soft cymbals of pleasure,


s: Be all bronzen these numbers, and martial the measure!


s: Breathe, sonorously breathe, o'er the spirit in me


s: One strain, sad and stern, of that deep Epopee


s: Which thou, from the fashionless cloud of far time,


s: Chantest lonely, when Victory, pale, and sublime


s: In the light of the aureole over her head,


s: Hears, and heeds not the wound in her heart fresh and red.


s: Blown wide by the blare of the clarion, unfold


s: And the long Black Sea billow that once bore those fleets,


s: Which said to the winds, "Be ye, too, Genoese!"


s: And the red angry sands of the chafed Cheronese;


s: And the two foes of man, War and Winter, allied


s: Round the Armies of England and France, side by side


s: Enduring and dying (Gaul and Briton abreast!)


s: Where the towers of the North fret the skies of the East.


s: Since that sunrise which rose through the calm linden stems


s: O'er Lucile and Eugene, in the garden of Ems,


s: Through twenty-five seasons encircling the sun,


s: This planet of ours on its pathway hath gone,


s: And the fates that I sing of have flowed with the fates


s: Of a world, in the red wake of war, round the gates


s: Of that doom'd and heroical city, in which


s: (Fire crowning the rampart, blood bathing the ditch!),


s: At bay, fights the Russian as some hunted bear,


s: Whom the huntsmen have hemm'd round at last in his lair.


s: A fang'd, arid plain, sapp'd with underground fire,


s: Soak'd with snow, torn with shot, mash'd to one gory mire!


s: There Fate's iron scale hangs in horrid suspense,


s: While those two famished ogres--the Siege, the Defence,


s: Face to face, through a vapor frore, dismal, and dun,


s: Glare, scenting the breath of each other.


s: Double-bodied, two-headed--by separate ways


s: Winding, serpent-wise, nearer; the other, each day's


s: Sullen toil adding size to,--concentrated, solid,


s: And audible [Greek text omitted] gone sombrely forth


s: To the world from that Autocrat Will of the north!


s: Ghostly motionless vapor began to prevail


s: Over city and camp; like the garment of death


s: Which (is formed by) the face it conceals.


s: War, yet drowsily yawning, began to suspire;


s: Wherethrough, here and there, flash'd an eye of red fire,


s: And closed, from some rampart beginning to bellow


s: Hoarse challenge; replied to anon, through the yellow


s: And sulphurous twilight: till day reel'd and rock'd


s: And roar'd into dark.  Then the midnight was mock'd


s: With fierce apparitions.  Ring'd round by a rain


s: Of red fire, and of iron, the murtherous plain


s: Flared with fitful combustion; where fitfully fell


s: Afar off the fatal, disgorged scharpenelle,


s: And fired the horizon, and singed the coil'd gloom


s: With wings of swift flame round that City of Doom.


s: So the day--so the night!  So by night, so by day,


s: With stern patient pathos, while time wears away,


s: In the trench flooded through, in the wind where it wails,


s: In the snow where it falls, in the fire where it hails


s: Shot and shell--link by link, out of hardship and pain,


s: Toil, sickness, endurance, is forged the bronze chain


s: Save the mine's sudden leap from the treacherous soil.


s: Save the midnight attack, save the groans of the maim'd,


s: And Death's daily obolus due, whether claim'd


s: Bitter, snow-bound, and sullen November is come.


s: And its snows have been bathed in the blood of the brave;


s: And many a young heart has glutted the grave:


s: And on Inkerman yet the wild bramble is gory,


s: And those bleak heights henceforth shall be famous in story.


s: The moon, swathed in storm, has long set: through the camp


s: No sound save the sentinel's slow sullen tramp,


s: The distant explosion, the wild sleety wind,


s: That seems searching for something it never can find.


s: The midnight is turning: the lamp is nigh spent:


s: And, wounded and lone, in a desolate tent


s: Lies a young British soldier whose sword...


s: However, my Muse is compell'd to retrace


s: Her precipitous steps and revert to the past.


s: The shock which had suddenly shatter'd at last


s: Alfred Vargrave's fantastical holiday nature,


s: Had sharply drawn forth to his full size and stature


s: The real man, conceal'd till that moment beneath


s: All he yet had appear'd.  From the gay broider'd sheath


s: Which a man in his wrath flings aside, even so


s: Leaps the keen trenchant steel summon'd forth by a blow.


s: And thus loss of fortune gave value to life.


s: The wife gain'd a husband, the husband a wife,


s: In that home which, though humbled and narrow'd by fate,


s: Was enlarged and ennobled by love.  Low their state,


s: By those he unwittingly brought nearer heaven


s: By one fraudulent act, than through all his sleek speech


s: The hypocrite brought his own soul, safe from reach


s: Purse and person, henceforth (honest man!) took his stand


s: By Matilda and Alfred; guest, guardian, and friend


s: Of the home he both shared and assured, to the end,


s: With his large lively love.  Alfred Vargrave meanwhile


s: Faced the world's frown, consoled by his wife's faithful smile.


s: Late in life he began life in earnest; and still,


s: With the tranquil exertion of resolute will,


s: Through long, and laborious, and difficult days,


s: Out of manifold failure, by wearisome ways,


s: Work'd his way through the world; till at last he began


s: (Reconciled to the work which mankind claims for man),


s: After years of unwitness'd, unwearied endeavor,


s: Years impassion'd yet patient, to realize ever


s: More clear on the broad stream of current opinion


s: The reflex of powers in himself--that dominion


s: Which the life of one man, if his life be a truth,


s: May assert o'er the life of mankind.  Thus, his youth


s: In his manhood renew'd, fame and fortune he won


s: Matilda had borne him; but scarce had the boy,


s: With all Eton yet fresh in his full heart's frank joy,


s: The darling of young soldier comrades, just glanced


s: Down the glad dawn of manhood at life, when it chanced


s: That a blight sharp and sudden was breath'd o'er the bloom


s: Of his joyous and generous years, and the gloom


s: Of a grief premature on their fair promise fell:


s: No light cloud like those which, for June to dispel,


s: Captious April engenders; but deep as his own


s: Deep nature.  Meanwhile, ere I fully make known


s: The cause of this sorrow, I track the event.


s: When first a wild war-note through England was sent,


s: He, transferring without either token or word,


s: To friend, parent, or comrade, a yet virgin sword,


s: From a holiday troop, to one bound for the war,


s: Had march'd forth, with eyes that saw death in the star


s: Whence others sought glory.  Thus fighting, he fell


s: On the red field of Inkerman; found, who can tell


s: By what miracle, breathing, though shatter'd, and borne


s: To the rear by his comrades, pierced, bleeding, and torn.


s: Where for long days and nights, with the wound in his side,


s: The young heart was rankling; for there, of a truth,


s: In the first earnest faith of a pure pensive youth,


s: A love large as life, deep and changeless as death,


s: Lay ensheath'd: and that love, ever fretting its sheath,


s: The frail scabbard of life pierced and wore through and through.


s: There are loves in man's life for which time can renew


s: All that time may destroy.  Lives there are, though, in love,


s: Which cling to one faith, and die with it; nor move,


s: Though earthquakes may shatter the shrine.


s: Love laid claim to this young life, it matters not now.


s: Oh is it a phantom? a dream of the night?


s: A vision which fever hath fashion'd to sight?


s: The wind wailing ever, with motion uncertain,


s: Sways sighingly there the drench'd tent's tattered curtain,


s: That is lifting it now: and it is not the mind


s: As wan as the lamp's waning light, which concenters


s: Its dull glare upon her.  With eyes dim and dimmer


s: There, all in a slumberous and shadowy glimmer,


s: The sufferer sees that still form floating on,


s: And feels faintly aware that he is not alone.


s: She is flitting before him.  She pauses.  She stands


s: By his bedside all silent.  She lays her white hands


s: On the brow of the boy.  A light finger is pressing


s: Softly, softly the sore wounds: the hot blood-stain'd dressing


s: Slips from them.  A comforting quietude steals


s: Through the rack'd weary frame; and, throughout it, he feels


s: The slow sense of a merciful, mild neighborhood.


s: Something smooths the toss'd pillow.  Beneath a gray hood


s: Of rough serge, two intense tender eyes are bent o'er him,


s: And thrill through and through him.  The sweet form before him,


s: It is surely Death's angel Life's last vigil keeping!


s: He waked before dawn.  Still the vision is there.


s: Still that pale woman moves not.  A minist'ring care


s: Meanwhile has been silently changing and cheering


s: Some power unknown, and benignant, he bless'd


s: In silence the sense of salvation.  And rest


s: Having loosen'd the mind's tangled meshes, he faintly


s: Sigh'd... "Say what thou art, blessed dream of a saintly


s: Slid, softer than silence... "The Soeur Seraphine,


s: A poor Sister of Charity.  Shun to inquire


s: Aught further, young soldier.  The son of thy sire,


s: For the sake of that sire, I reclaim from the grave.


s: Thou didst not shun death: shun not life: 'Tis more brave


s: He waken'd again, when the dawn was just steeping


s: The skies with chill splendor.  And there, never flitting,


s: Never flitting, that vision of mercy was sitting.


s: As the dawn to the darkness, so life seemed returning


s: Slowly, feebly within him.  The night-lamp yet burning,


s: "If thou be of the living, and not of the dead,


s: Sweet minister, pour out yet further the healing


s: Of that balmy voice; if it may be, revealing


s: Of Matilda and Alfred, it matters not!  One


s: Who is not of the living nor yet of the dead:


s: To thee, and to others, alive yet"... she said...


s: "So long as there liveth the poor gift in me


s: Of this ministration; to them, and to thee,


s: Dead in all things beside.  A French Nun, whose vocation


s: Is now by this bedside.  A nun hath no nation.


s: Wherever man suffers, or woman may soothe,


s: The hot pillow; and added... "Yet more than another


s: Is thy life dear to me.  For thy father, thy mother,


s: My dearest dear father! my mother! you knew,'


s: From her bosom two letters: and--can it be true?


s: Into tears... "My poor mother--my father! the worst


s: "They know you are living; they know that meanwhile


s: I am watching beside you.  Young soldier, weep not!"


s: But still on the nun's nursing bosom, the hot


s: Fever'd brow of the boy weeping wildly is press'd.


s: There, at last, the young heart sobs itself into rest:


s: And he hears, as it were between smiling and weeping,


s: And day follow'd day.  And, as wave follow'd wave,


s: With the tide, day by day, life, re-issuing, drave


s: Through that young hardy frame novel currents of health.


s: Yet some strange obstruction, which life's health by stealth


s: Seemed to cherish, impeded life's progress.  And still


s: A feebleness, less of the frame than the will,


s: Clung about the sick man--hid and harbor'd within


s: The sad hollow eyes: pinch'd the cheek pale and thin:


s: And clothed the wan fingers with languor.


s: Day by day, night by night, unremitting in care,


s: Unwearied in watching, so cheerful of mien,


s: And so gentle of hand, sat the Soeur Seraphine!


s: A strange woman truly! not young; yet her face,


s: Wan and worn as it was, bore about it the trace


s: Of a beauty which time could not ruin.  For the whole


s: Quiet cheek, youth's lost bloom left transparent, the soul


s: Seemed to fill with its own light, like some sunny fountain


s: Everlastingly fed from far off in the mountain


s: That pours, in a garden deserted, its streams,


s: And all the more lovely for loneliness seems.


s: So that, watching that face, you could scarce pause to guess


s: The years which its calm careworn lines might express,


s: Feeling only what suffering with these must have past


s: To have perfected there so much sweetness at last.


s: Thus, one bronzen evening, when day had put out,


s: His brief thrifty fires, and the wind was about,


s: The nun, watchful still by the boy, on his own


s: Laid a firm quiet hand, and the deep tender tone


s: These wounds of the body.  Why hast thou conceal'd,


s: Young soldier, that yet open wound in the heart?


s: As of one that is suddenly touched on the spot


s: From which every nerve derives suffering.


s: Lies my heart, then, so bare?" he moaned bitterly.


s: With compassionate accents she hastened to say,


s: "Do you think that these eyes are with sorrow, young man,


s: 'Go ye forth, heal the sick, lift the low, bind the broken!'


s: Of the body alone?  Is our mission, then, done,


s: When we leave the bruised hearts, if we bind the bruised bone?


s: Nay, is not the mission of mercy twofold?


s: Whence twofold, perchance, are the powers that we hold


s: To fulfil it, of Heaven!  For Heaven doth still


s: To us, Sisters, it may be, who seek it, send skill


s: Won from long intercourse with affliction, and art


s: Help'd of Heaven, to bind up the broken of heart.


s: Trust to me!"  (His two feeble hands in her own


s: She drew gently.)  "Trust to me!" (she said, with soft tone):


s: I have died to in this world, but what I recall


s: Enough of its sorrow, enough of its trial,


s: To grieve for both--save from both haply!  The dial


s: Receives many shades, and each points to the sun.


s: The shadows are many, the sunlight is one.


s: Life's sorrows still fluctuate: God's love does not.


s: And His love is unchanged, when it changes our lot.


s: Looking up to this light, which is common to all,


s: And down to these shadows, on each side, that fall


s: In time's silent circle, so various for each,


s: Is it nothing to know that they never can reach


s: So far, but what light lies beyond them forever?


s: Trust to me!  Oh, if in this hour I endeavor


s: To trace the shade creeping across the young life


s: That, in tracing the shade, I shall find out the sun.


s: Had those gentle accents to win from his pale


s: And parch'd, trembling lips, as it rose, the brief tale


s: Of a life's early sorrow.  The story is old,


s: And in words few as may be shall straightway be told.


s: A few years ago, ere the fair form of Peace


s: Was driven from Europe, a young girl--the niece


s: Of a French noble, leaving an old Norman pile


s: By the wild northern seas, came to dwell for a while


s: With a lady allied to her race--an old dame


s: Of a threefold legitimate virtue, and name,


s: From childhood, nor father nor mother had smiled.


s: One uncle their place in her life had supplied,


s: And their place in her heart: she had grown at his side,


s: And under his roof-tree, and in his regard,


s: Seem'd the sole human creature that lived in the heart


s: Of that stern rigid man, or whose smile could impart


s: One ray of response to the eyes which, above


s: Her fair infant forehead, look'd down with a love


s: That seem'd almost stern, so intense was its chill


s: Lofty stillness, like sunlight on some lonely hill


s: Which is colder and stiller than sunlight elsewhere.


s: Grass grew in the court-yard; the chambers were bare


s: In that ancient mansion; when first the stern tread


s: Of its owner awaken'd their echoes long dead:


s: Bringing with him this infant (the child of a brother),


s: Whom, dying, the hands of a desolate mother


s: Had placed on his bosom.  'Twas said--right or wrong--


s: That, in the lone mansion, left tenantless long,


s: To which, as a stranger, its lord now return'd,


s: In years yet recall'd, through loud midnights had burn'd


s: The light of wild orgies.  Be that false or true,


s: Slow and sad was the footstep which now wander'd through


s: Those desolate chambers; and calm and severe


s: Every morn at the mass that firm sorrowful face,


s: Which seem'd to lock up in a cold iron case


s: Tears harden'd to crystal.  Yet harsh if he were,


s: In the rule of his own rigid life, which, at least,


s: Was benignant to others.  The poor parish priest,


s: Who lived on his largess, his piety praised.


s: The peasant was fed, and the chapel was raised,


s: And the cottage was built, by his liberal hand.


s: Yet he seem'd in the midst of his good deeds to stand


s: There appear'd some inscrutable flaw in the plan


s: Of his life, that love fail'd to pass over.


s: Alone did not fear him, nor shrink from him; smiled


s: Seem'd the type of some joy lost, and miss'd, in himself.


s: Ever welcome he suffer'd her glad face to glide


s: In on hours when to others his door was denied:


s: He would watch her at prattle and play, like a brook


s: Whose babble disturbs not the quietest spot,


s: But soothes us because we need answer it not.


s: But few years had pass'd o'er that childhood before


s: A change came among them.  A letter, which bore


s: Sudden consequence with it, one morning was placed


s: In the hands of the lord of the chateau.  He paced


s: To and fro in his chamber a whole night alone


s: After reading that letter.  At dawn he was gone.


s: Weeks pass'd.  When he came back again he return'd


s: With a tall ancient dame, from whose lips the child learn'd


s: That they were of the same race and name.  With a face


s: Sad and anxious, to this wither'd stock of the race


s: He confided the orphan, and left them alone


s: To the angry surprise of half Paris, that one


s: Of the chiefs of that party which, still clinging on


s: To the banner that bears the white lilies of France,


s: Will fight 'neath no other, nor yet for the chance


s: Of restoring their own, had renounced the watchword


s: And the creed of his youth in unsheathing his sword,


s: For a Fatherland father'd no more (such is fate!)


s: And in no wise disturbed by what Paris might say,


s: The new soldier thus wrote to a friend far away:--


s: "To the life of inaction farewell!  After all,


s: Creeds the oldest may crumble, and dynasties fall,


s: But the sole grand Legitimacy will endure,


s: In whatever makes death noble, life strong and pure.


s: Freedom! action!... the desert to breathe in--the lance


s: Of the Arab to follow!  I go! vive la France!"


s: Few and rare were the meetings henceforth, as years fled,


s: 'Twixt the child and the soldier.  The two women led


s: Lone lives in the lone house.  Meanwhile the child grew


s: Into girlhood; and, like a sunbeam, sliding through


s: Her green quiet years, changed by gentle degrees


s: To the loveliest vision of youth a youth sees


s: In his loveliest fancies: as pure as a pearl,


s: And as perfect: a noble and innocent girl,


s: With eighteen sweet summers dissolved in the light


s: Of her lovely and lovable eyes, soft and bright!


s: Then her guardian wrote to the dame,... "Let Constance


s: Go with you to Paris.  I trust that in France


s: I may be ere the close of the year.  I confide


s: My life's treasure to you.  Let her see, at your side,


s: Constance to abide with that old stately dame


s: Thus met her.  'Twas there their acquaintance began,


s: There it closed.  That old miracle, Love-at-first-sight,


s: Needs no explanations.  The heart reads aright


s: Its destiny sometimes.  His love neither chidden


s: Nor check'd, the young soldier was graciously bidden


s: An habitual guest to that house by the dame.


s: His own candid graces, the world-honor'd name


s: Of his father (in him not dishonor'd) were both


s: Fair titles to favor.  His love, nothing loath,


s: The old lady observed, was return'd by Constance.


s: And as the child's uncle his absence from France


s: Yet prolong'd, she (thus easing long self-gratulation)


s: Wrote to him a lengthen'd and moving narration


s: Of the graces and gifts of the young English wooer:


s: His father's fair fame; the boy's deference to her;


s: His love for Constance,--unaffected, sincere;


s: And the girl's love for him, read by her in those clear


s: Limpid eyes; then the pleasure with which she awaited


s: Her cousin's approval of all she had stated.


s: At length from that cousin an answer there came,


s: Brief, stern; such as stunn'd and astonish'd the dame.


s: "Let Constance leave Paris with you on the day


s: You receive this.  Until my return she may stay


s: At her convent awhile.  If my niece wishes ever


s: To behold me again, understand, she will never


s: "You have broken faith with me.  Farewell!"


s: The tears of Constance, nor the grief of her lover:


s: The dream they had laid out their lives in was over.


s: Bravely strove the young soldier to look in the face


s: Of a life where invisible hands seemed to trace


s: O'er the threshold these words... "Hope no more!"


s: Had his love been, the strong manful heart would have spurn'd


s: That weakness which suffers a woman to lie


s: At the roots of man's life, like a canker, and dry


s: And wither the sap of life's purpose.  But there


s: Lay the bitterer part of the pain!  Could he dare


s: To forget he was loved? that he grieved not alone?


s: The woman he loved, for himself dare he seek


s: Surcease to that sorrow, which thus held him weak,


s: Through a comrade, who brought him a letter to read


s: From the dame who had care of Constance (it was one


s: To whom, when at Paris, the boy had been known,


s: A Frenchman, and friend of the Faubourg), which said


s: That Constance, although never a murmur betray'd


s: What she suffer'd, in silence grew paler each day,


s: And seem'd visibly drooping and dying away.


s: With such broken, passionate words, as unfold


s: In glimpses alone, a coil'd grief.  Through each pause


s: Of its fitful recital, in raw gusty flaws,


s: The rain shook the canvas, unheeded; aloof,


s: And unheeded, the night-wind around the tent-roof


s: At intervals wirbled.  And when all was said,


s: The sick man, exhausted, droop'd backward his head,


s: Sat the Soeur Seraphine, in deep thought.  The still smile


s: That was wont, angel-wise, to inhabit her face


s: And made it like heaven, was fled from its place


s: In her eyes, on her lips; and a deep sadness there


s: Seem'd to darken the lines of long sorrow and care,


s: Been so long, then, the struggle?... and yet, all in vain!


s: Nay, not all in vain! shall the world gain a man,


s: And yet Heaven lose a soul?  Have I done all I can?


s: Soul to soul, did he say?  Soul to soul, be it so!


s: And then--soul of mine, whither? whither?"


s: Silent tears in those deep eyes ascended, and fell.


s: A mother's heart, wild with alarm for her son,


s: Breathed bitterly forth its despairing appeal.


s: "The pledge of a love owed to thee, O Lucile!


s: The hope of a home saved by thee--of a heart


s: Which hath never since then (thrice endear'd as thou art!)


s: Ceased to bless thee, to pray for thee, save! save my son!


s: And if not"... the letter went brokenly on,


s: Blotted heart-broken pages.  He mournfully drew,


s: With pathos, the picture of that earnest youth,


s: So unlike his own; how in beauty and truth


s: He had nurtured that nature, so simple and brave!


s: And how he had striven his son's youth to save


s: From the errors so sadly redeem'd in his own,


s: And so deeply repented: how thus, in that son,


s: In whose youth he had garner'd his age, he had seem'd


s: To be bless'd by a pledge that the past was redeem'd,


s: And forgiven.  He bitterly went on to speak


s: Of the boy's baffled love; in which fate seem'd to break


s: Unawares on his dreams with retributive pain,


s: And the ghosts of the past rose to scourge back again


s: The hopes of the future.  To sue for consent


s: Pride forbade: and the hope his old foe might relent


s: Experience rejected... "My life for the boy's!"


s: (He exclaim'd); "for I die with my son, if he dies!


s: Lucile! Heaven bless you for all you have done!


s: Save him, save him, Lucile! save my son! save my son!"


s: "Ay!" murmur'd the Soeur Seraphine... "heart to heart!


s: THERE, at least, I have fail'd not!  Fulfill'd is my part?


s: Accomplish'd my mission?  One act crowns the whole.


s: Do I linger?  Nay, be it so, then!... Soul to soul!"


s: She knelt down, and pray'd.  Still the boy slumber'd on,


s: Dawn broke.  The pale nun from the bedside was gone.


s: Meanwhile, 'mid his aides-de-camp, busily bent


s: O'er the daily reports, in his well-order'd tent


s: There sits a French General--bronzed by the sun


s: And sear'd by the sands of Algeria.  One


s: Who forth from the wars of the wild Kabylee


s: The idol, the darling, the dream and the star


s: Of the younger French chivalry: daring in war,


s: And wary in council.  He enter'd, indeed,


s: Late in life (and discarding his Bourbonite creed)


s: The Army of France: and had risen, in part


s: From a singular aptitude proved for the art


s: Of that wild desert warfare of ambush, surprise,


s: And stratagem, which to the French camp supplies


s: Its subtlest intelligence; partly from chance;


s: Partly, too, from a name and position which France


s: Was proud to put forward; but mainly, in fact,


s: From the prudence to plan, and the daring to act,


s: In frequent emergencies startlingly shown,


s: To the rank which he now held,--intrepidly won


s: With many a wound, trench'd in many a scar,


s: All within, and without, that warm tent seems to bear


s: Smiling token of provident order and care.


s: All about, a well-fed, well-clad soldiery stands


s: In groups round the music of mirth-breathing bands.


s: In and out of the tent, all day long, to and fro,


s: The messengers come and the messengers go,


s: Upon missions of mercy, or errands of toil:


s: To report how the sapper contends with the soil


s: In the terrible trench, how the sick man is faring


s: In the hospital tent: and, combining, comparing,


s: Constructing, within moves the brain of one man,


s: For the hospital service, wise, skilful, humane.


s: Of the Sisters of Charity: one he declares


s: To be known through the camp as a seraph of grace;


s: He has seen, all have seen her indeed, in each place


s: Where suffering is seen, silent, active--the Soeur...


s: I have heard much," the General, musing, replies;


s: "And we owe her already (unless rumor lies)


s: The lives of not few of our bravest.  You mean


s: Ah, how do they call her?... the Soeur--Seraphine


s: (Is it not so?).  I rarely forget names once heard."


s: "Yes; the Soeur Seraphine.  Her I meant."


s: I have much wish'd to see her.  I fancy I trace,


s: In some facts traced to her, something more than the grace


s: Of an angel; I mean an acute human mind,


s: Ingenious, constructive, intelligent.  Find,


s: And if possible, let her come to me.  We shall,


s: I believe she has lately obtained the permission


s: To tend some sick man in the Second Division


s: A murmur and stir round the door of the tent.


s: Of urgent and serious importance, the grace


s: Of brief private speech with the General there.


s: The chieftain stroked moodily somewhat his beard,


s: A sable long silver'd: and press'd down his brow


s: On his hand, heavy vein'd.  All his countenance, now


s: Unwitness'd, at once fell dejected, and dreary,


s: As a curtain let fall by a hand that's grown weary,


s: Into puckers and folds.  From his lips, unrepress'd,


s: Steals th' impatient sigh which reveals in man's breast


s: A conflict conceal'd, and experience at strife


s: With itself,--the vex'd heart's passing protest on life.


s: He turn'd to his papers.  He heard the light tread


s: Of a faint foot behind him: and, lifting his head,


s: Said, "Sit, Holy Sister! your worth is well known


s: To the hearts of our soldiers; nor less to my own.


s: I have much wish'd to see you.  I owe you some thanks;


s: In the name of all those you have saved to our ranks


s: I record them.  Sit!  Now then, your mission?"


s: Paused silent.  The General eyed her anon