s: "That night he sealed me to him, and I went


s: Thenceforth his leman, submiss and content;


s: So from the hall and feast, whenas I heard


s: His clear voice call, I flitted like a bird


s: That beats the brake, and garnered what he lent.


s: "I was no maid that was no wife; my days


s: Went by in dreams whose lights are golden haze


s: And skies are crimson. Laughing not, nor crying,


s: I strayed all witless with my loose hair flying,


s: Bearing that load that women think their praise.


s: "And felt my breasts grow heavy with that food


s: That women laugh to feel and think it good;


s: But I went shamefast, hanging down my head,


s: With girdle all too strait to serve my stead,


s: And bore an unguessed burden in my blood.


s: And shook the window, till cried out my pain


s: Unto him, saying, 'Lord, I dare not live!


s: Lord, I must die of that which thou didst give!


s: Pity me, Lord!' and fell. The winter rain


s: "Beat at the casement, burst it, and the wind


s: Filled all the room, and swept me white and blind


s: Into the night. I heard the sound of seas


s: Beleaguer earth, I heard the roaring trees


s: Singing together. We left them far behind.


s: Me and my load, and kissed back to my face


s: The sweet new blood of youth, and to my limbs


s: The wine of life; and there I bore him twins,


s: Zethes and Calaïs, in a rock-bound place."


s: To stormy Thrace, think you of how you tarried


s: And let him woo and wed? "Ah, no, for now


s: He's kissed all Athens from my open brow.


s: I am the Wind's wife, wooed and won and married."


s: Flower so fair, so frail, that to bring her a woe,


s: So she grew and waxt supple and fit to be spouse


s: Ah, child, what set thee too high for thy sweet demesne,


s: And joy of herself in the pool when she wonder'd down,


s: Behold, I am fair and dainty and white all over,


s: Peering, heard her; the dove, crooning, complain'd


s: "Overbold of her years that will not be denied;


s: His brow it was like the flat of a sword,


s: And his breath suckt hers as the white rage of the South


s: For lo! one shaft from his terrible eyes she met,


s: And ever draggeth the woe of her piteous tale,


s: So Clytié yearns to the Sun, for her wraith


s: Flower so fair and frail that to work her this woe,


s: I owe the substance of this _lai_ to my friend Ezra Pound, who


s: unearthed it, ψαμάθῳ εἰλυμένα πολλῇ, in some Provençal repertory.


s: The women's house in the House of Paris in Troy.


s: _Helen's women are lying alone in the twilight


s: hour. Chthonoë presently rises and throws a


s: little incense upon the altar flame. Then she


s: begins to speak to the Image of Aphrodite in


s: Where the winds sweep them and make vain


s: Aught save the eyes that held mine bound.


s: That love must weary at last, even mine--


s: Fight for her, who should have her! We stood


s: Close to her cheek. But I saw the flicker


s: Ah, the green thickets quick with birds!


s: As light on the hills seen from afar at sea;


s: Of her wings of healing, and she shall be my guest;


s: And my home her home, O wind of the South West!


s: Turneth his dying eyes, my soul takes flight.


s: Even as a child when I lay harboured thus!


s: Lacedaemon, my land, cradle and nurse of us!


s: Where the sweet green corn and sweet short grass are growing;


s: Blood and dust upon earth, and a hot wind blowing.


s: Therapnae's hawk with the dove of Amyklae.


s: And feel the new grass growing quick over me!


s: But loved too much, who broke the spell;


s: Watch her proud head stiffen and swerve.


s: There alone, those two, long severed been,


s: For hearth and altar, for man and child?


s: To which she tends, from which she came.


s: _Helen Redeemed_, the first poem in this book, was originally


s: And stayed him, nosing and peering, whereto


s: Fearfully daring; next, since it moved not,


s: Stooping, to handle, to stroke, to peer upon


s: Than thistledown falls, brushing the Earth.


s: But the child awoke and, watching him, cried not,


s: Horns and feet--nay, crowed and strained


s: Fleeting swift as a fear thro' the dark trees.


s: In the forest whisper, the thick silences;


s: With none to spy but this gnarled man-brute;


s: Of pricking deer she saw the great stags


s: Thro' the dense nights, far in the forest.


s: Her time would come and with it her master.


s: When she lay heedless, spilling beauty--


s: Then gnaw'd his cheek and turn'd his head.


s: And some wild horror desperate drove him,


s: Upon whose shore, to whose cool breathing


s: He'd stretch his arms, broken with strife


s: To furrow his cheeks, came strength to return


s: Thus his black ferment boil'd. O' nights


s: Claw at his flesh and leap in the brook,


s: Warm blew the breeze to land; she lean'd


s: And she lookt up with her wide full eyes,


s: The moon went out, the concourse of stars


s: Quested the wolves; the leopards' howling


s: Gray sea, gray dawn and scurrying clouds


s: The sands, the headlands fringed with broom


s: To witness this white wreck prone and still--


s: From you, ye Winds, I ask your blitheness!


s: Not that dull spleen which serves i' the world for scorn,


s: Is hers I watch from far off, worshipping


s: Her proud content she bears as a flag is borne


s: It lifts her soaring, near the daylight spring,


s: Whence, if she lift, our days must pass forlorn.


s: Is so remote from men and their believing,


s: They shrink when she is cold, and estimate


s: That hardness which is but a God's dismay:


s: As when the Heaven-sent sprite thro' Hell sped cleaving,


s: Only the gross air checkt him on his way.


s: When winds blow high and leaves begin to fall,


s: And the wan sunlight flits before the blast;


s: When fields are brown and crops are garnered all,


s: And rooks, like mastered ships, drift wide and fast;


s: Maid Artemis, that feeleth her young blood


s: Speedeth abroad with hair blown in a flood


s: To snuff the salt west wind and wanton free.


s: Then would you know how brave she is, how high


s: Mark but her flashing feet, her ravisht eye


s: That takes the boist'rous weather and feels it kind:


s: And hear her eager voice, how tuned it is


s: That hour when thou and Grief were first acquainted


s: Thou wrotest, "Come, for I have lookt on death."


s: And sought thee out, and saw how he had painted


s: Thine eyes with rings of black; yet never fainted


s: Such stress of dark; but then, as one that saith,


s: "I know Love liveth," sat on by death untainted.


s: O to whom Grief too poignant was and dry


s: To sow in thee a fountain crop of tears!


s: O youth, O pride, set too remote and high


s: For touch of solace that gives grace to men!


s: Thy life must be our death, thy hopes our fears:


s: We weep, thou lookest strangely--we know thee then!


s: Until one morning on the brown hillside,


s: His radiance, yet was felt. No words we said,


s: But in one flash transfigured, glorified,


s: All her heart's tumult beating white and red,


s: She fell prone on her face and hid her wide


s: That throbbing kindred whereof thou art graft


s: She, turning half, with sober shame confest


s: I read her wilding heart, and my heart laught.


s: Nor could we know when such days might be given


s: Of utmost Hell, and how his heart was riven


s: By sad Francesca, whose sin was forgiven


s: She supt on his again, and thought it Heaven,


s: She knew her gentler fate and felt it praise.


s: We read that lovers' tale; each lookt at each;


s: But one was fearless, innocent of guile;


s: So did the other learn what she could teach:


s: We read no more, we kiss'd not, but a smile


s: Of proud possession flasht, hover'd a while


s: 'Twixt soul and soul. There was no need for speech.


s: Methought I sensed her spirit here and there


s: Her robe brusht softly; o'er her chamber still


s: There lay her fragrant presence to beguile


s: Numb heart, dead heart. I knelt before her chair,


s: And praying felt her hand laid on my hair,


s: Felt her sweet breath, and guess'd her wistful smile.


s: Then thro' my tears I lookt about the room,


s: But she was gone. I heard my heart beat fast;


s: The street was silent; I could not see her now.


s: To where our station was with heads bent low,


s: And autumn's death-moan shiver'd thro' the gloom.


s: When she had left us but a little while,


s: I still could hear the ringing of her voice,


s: Still see athwart the dusk her shy half-smile


s: And that sweet trust wherein I most rejoice.


s: Then in her self-same tones I heard, "Go thou,


s: Remembering I am with thee here and now,


s: Watchful as ever. See, my eyes shine true!"


s: I lookt, and saw the concourse of clear stars,


s: Steadfast, of limpid candour, and could discover


s: Her soul look on me thro' the prison-bars


s: Which slunk like sin from such an honest Lover:


s: And thro' the vigil-pauses of that night


s: She beam'd on me; and my soul felt her light.


s: My thought of thee is tortured in my sleep--


s: Sometimes thou art near beside me, but a cloud


s: Doth grudge me thy pale face, and rise to creep


s: Slowly about thee, to lap thee in a shroud;


s: Or we must face the clamouring of a crowd


s: Hissing our shame; and I who ought to keep


s: Thine honour safe and my betrayed heart proud,


s: Knowing thee true, must watch a chill doubt leap


s: The tired faith of thee, and thy head bow'd,


s: Nor budge while the gross world holdeth thee cheap!


s: Or there are frost-bound meetings, and reproach


s: At parting, furtive snatches full of fear;


s: Love grown a pain; we bleed to kiss, and kiss


s: Because we bleed for love; the time doth broach


s: Shame, and shame teareth at us till we tear


s: Our hearts to shreds--yet wilder love for this!


s: Before you pass and leave me gaunt and chill


s: In your glad sight, suffer me, nor take ill


s: Whither his Lady led, and lived with her,


s: Strong in her strength, and in her wisdom wise,


s: Love-taught with song to be her thurifer;


s: Am well content to watch my Heaven in thee


s: For even as Beatrix Dante's wreath did bind,


s: So, Hymnia, hast thou imparadised my mind.


s: I thank all Gods that I can let thee go,


s: Lady, without one thought, one base desire


s: To tarnish that clear vision I gained by fire,


s: One stain in me I would not have thee know.


s: That is great might indeed that moves me so


s: To look not there, rather than I should mire


s: That wingéd Spirit that haunts and guards thy brow.


s: That what I have is thee, that whole of thee


s: And striving ever to reach them, and to be


s: As they, I keep thee still; for they are thine.


s: So thy sweet Spirit that should embolden me


s: To shake my wings out wide, serves me for nought,


s: But receives tarnish, vile dishonour, wrought


s: And unendurable shame! that, loving thee,


s: I dare not love, fearing my poisonous thought!


s: Man is too vile for any such high grace,


s: For that he seeks to honour he can but mar;


s: And fly the exultation to know thee near--


s: For if one glance from me wrought thee a scar


s: 'Twould not be death, but life that I should fear.


s: Sometimes the spirit that never leaves me quite


s: Taps at my heart when thou art in the way,


s: Saying, Now thy Queen cometh: therefore pray,


s: Lest she should see thee vile, and at the sight


s: Shiver and fly back piteous to the light


s: That wanes when she is absent. Then, as I may,


s: I wash my soilèd hands and muttering, say,


s: Lord, make me clean; robe Thou me in Thy white!


s: Pure, disembodied, I fall to kiss thy feet,


s: And sense thy glory throbbing round about;


s: Whereafter, rising, I hold thee in a sweet


s: And gentle converse that lifts me up to be,


s: When thou art gone, strange to the gross world's rout.


s: Meseems thine eyes are two still-folded lakes


s: Wherein deep water reflects the guardian sky,


s: Searching wherein I see how Heaven is nigh


s: And our broad Earth at peace. So my Love takes


s: My soul's thin hands and, chafing them, she makes


s: My life's blood lusty and my life's hope high


s: To hold the world well squandered for their sakes.


s: I looked thee full this day: thine unveiled eyes


s: Rayed their swift-searching magic forth; and then


s: I felt all strength that love can put in men


s: Whenas they know that loveliness is wise.


s: For love can be content with no less prize,


s: Within these long gray shadows many dead


s: Lie waiting: we wait with them. Do you believe


s: That at the last the threadbare soul will give


s: All his shifts over, and stand dishevellèd,


s: Naked in truth? Then we shall hear it said,


s: "Ye two have waited long, daring to live


s: Grimly through days tormented; now reprieve


s: Awaiteth you with all these ancient dead!"


s: The slope sun letteth down thro' our dark bars


s: His ladder from the skies. Hand fast in hand,


s: With quiet hearts and footsteps quiet and slow,


s: Like children venturous in an unknown land


s: We will come to the fields whose flowers are stars,


s: And kneeling ask, "Lord, wilt Thou crown us now?"


s: Fasten the latch, I am tired: come soon,


s: Mossy gray stands the House, four-square to the wind,


s: Of yew and box and fishpond speaks her mind,


s: Sweet-ordered, quaint, recluse, fold within fold


s: Of quietness; but true and choice and kind--


s: The Ægean; and the shafted sun thro' them,


s: That fishes grope to, gives the beamy hue


s: In June I brought her roses, and she cupt


s: One slim bud in her hand and cherisht it,


s: And put it to her mouth. Rose and she supt


s: Each other's sweetness; but the flower was lit


s: By her kind eyes, and glowed. Then in her breast


s: She laid it blushing, warm and doubly blest.


s: When Spring blows o'er the land, and sunlight flies


s: Across the hills, we take the upland way.


s: I have her waist, the wooing wind her eyes


s: And lips and cheeks. His kissing makes her gay


s: As flowers. "Thou hast two lovers, O my dear,"


s: Say I; and she, "He takes what thou dost fear."


s: The snow lies deep, ice-fringes hem the thatch;


s: I knock my shoes, my Love lifts me the latch,


s: Shows me her eyes--O frozen stars, they shine


s: Kindly! I clasp her. Quick! her lips are mine.


s: Late, when the sun was smouldering down the west,


s: She took my arm and laid her cheek to me;


s: The fainting twilight held her, and I guess'd


s: All she would tell, but could not let me see--


s: Wonder and joy, the rising of her breast,


s: Breathless was she and would not have us part:


s: "Adieu, my Saint," I said, "'tis come to this."


s: But she leaned to me, one hand at her heart,


s: And all her soul sighed trembling in a kiss.


s: _Printed by_ R. & R. CLARK, LIMITED, _Edinburgh_.


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s: In Cloth binding. Crown 8vo. 2s. net each.


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s: With 16 Illustrations in Colour by A. S. HARTRICK. 8vo. 5s. net.


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s: illustrations to this book are very attractive."


s: _Uniform Edition. In Green Cloth. Crown 8vo. 7s. 6d. each._


s: With a Portrait engraved on Steel by G. J. STODART.


s: With Introduction by THOMAS HUGHES, and a Portrait.


s: Edited by Professor DOWDEN. With a Portrait.


s: With Introduction by JOHN MORLEY, and a Portrait.


s: With a Portrait; and an Introduction by W. E. HENLEY.


s: With Introduction, Memoir, and Notes, by W. M. ROSSETTI.


s: THE DYNASTS. An Epic-Drama of the War with Napoleon.


s: By THOMAS HARDY. Three Parts in One Vol.


s: THE BAB BALLADS, with which are included Songs of a Savoyard.


s: By Sir W. S. GILBERT. Sixth Edition. Illustrated.


s: With 20 Illustrations on Steel by CRUIKSHANK, LEECH, and BARHAM.


s: _N. B._--_Since some of these poems were born without, and defy


s: titles, I have refrained from forcing any on them._


s: With purple shadows the mist measures the infinite sea


s: The mist-threads weave a rose-fringed dusky drapery


s: As the dark mist puts out the rose-red moon from its deep.


s: No warring waves break the peace of sleep tonight


s: Nor a hungry wind shrieks in pain from the lea.


s: A pilgrim on the hope-lit bark of youth,


s: Played ceaselessly the music of the new.


s: When the moon mutely ascended the heaven's stair.


s: Through youth, through age, through death


s: To cleave into nothing the endless firmament of my being.


s: Take all; my soul's mistress! heart's queen,


s: The flaming fancies of my dream-tortured night


s: The intoxicating fruits of my day dream,


s: Whose inarticulate words of delight and moan


s: Make the ever-yielding music of my soul.


s: When the cloud-dams stay the flow of winds,


s: Through the casement of hope look for thy coming


s: Those agonies that time has built on my soul--


s: Those million suns in the firmament of my dawn.


s: In the forest of my being the voice of your lute;


s: In the depth of my heart the pearl of your tear;


s: In the temple of my soul chimes the bell of your love.


s: Life's sorrow, and death's mute-enchanting peace


s: Steal away silently, fearfully, at thy flute's music.


s: O, frail, faint call which I seek to echo!


s: O, breath of love laden with the aroma of my soul!


s: Why seek I ever without, O guest at my door?


s: A soft light mantle of rose wear the brown hills


s: As they look down on the valley where the rills


s: For the fringe of spring's greenéd draperies.


s: The cloud-banks recede with the fading breeze,


s: The warblers fall into silence in the trees


s: To listen to many-colored dream-melodies


s: That the mute stars make on sleep's endless seas.


s: Shadows with golden feet o'er the green valley hie;


s: The silver rills trill like warblers from earth's deeps


s: As the moon, the sun of another dawn, heavenward leaps.


s: The moon rises and washes the brine with silver;


s: The dunes like white elephants restfully asleep after the chase;


s: And the fog comes to bring the moon its veil of shades.


s: The waves stretch their phosphorescent arms


s: The wind like a wounded gull beats its wings


s: Over the land, over the sea, into the fog-vested intangibility.


s: A faint cry seemeth to flash like lightning;


s: Through the clouds of the roar of waves:


s: It is not from the rocks, nor from the sea;


s: Ah! it is the prayer of a mightier ocean--Humanity!


s: The sunlight that lingers on your hair and lips


s: And the call of nature's numberless birds


s: But reflects in world's mirror the music of our heart's singing--


s: Exquisite joys poured from pitchers of pain,


s: Filled with passion that knows no slaking,


s: Yet tranquil like sleep's dream-billowed sea.


s: More than dream-billowed sea this love that I bring,


s: Its boistrous waves seek the firmament of your yielding;


s: While your heart-beats' arrows seek to slay my heart a'beating,


s: As I inhale the fragrance of your breath and hair;


s: Where purling brooks loosen their brown tresses,


s: Is played on viols of the vines and trees,


s: Far-fleeing only to be nearer to my soul,


s: Rest, rest awhile on the hillside of my echoing!


s: Pour on it the sweet rain of thy words' melody


s: The Dream of his Soul, in flesh and blood--


s: The Dream died like the shadow of a Star!


s: The snow-storm of commerce blinds the eye;


s: Bridge of blood and flesh between the West and East.


s: In the pantheon of the future, yours the immortal seat.


s: Your life our rood-littered road of the Lord.


s: To the meeting place of the West and East.


s: Where burns memory's exhaustless incense


s: Drink of the unquenchable draught of caresses;


s: Tear the flowers of my dreams and fancies;


s: Thy rejoicing, that one festival of the High Gods,


s: Where no offering that I bring ever be too dear,


s: Where no soul burnt in the fire of senses can perish;


s: Where no suffering fails to be mother and daughter of joy.


s: The pearl of my woman-soul buried in deeps of passion,


s: The coral-wreath from the ocean of my bleeding heart;


s: And ravish with exquisite merciless touch


s: The one star in my heaven that has led thee hither--


s: My life's eternity in this worship of an hour.


s: So the kiss-flowers may each be a dream!


s: May my willow be the vision of Eternal Spring.


s: To illumine other spirits on their pathway;


s: Hardly a kiss, or the shadow of a caress;


s: No decking the hour with the jasmines of touch;


s: But a rose-petal shivering in exquisite agony--our love.


s: As separation builds its pathway of tears.


s: Cease weeping, yet the saffron light lingers;


s: Even love's afterglow dying, and is dead.


s: Alas! thou art gone, as are the hours of day;


s: The hard gem-burning stars do not set! Oh,


s: In what dark, in what forest roamest thou?


s: And the purple sunset sets fire to the sky?


s: When cold feel my limbs in terror, and awe?


s: Far and farther to be nearer to my heart!


s: With chilling breath and clutching hands


s: The flowers of yielding from your heart:


s: Of a light that is but a moan, not a sight.


s: Congeal under the cold Sun of Suffering,


s: Charms them, snake-like, and doth bring.


s: Present's storm,--made stormier by Future's promises,--


s: Like Sleep, yielding to Dream's caresses.


s: She vanishes, as before, into the fading Night.


s: Createst thou the world of endless rhyme!


s: Exquisite, sad, the melody at thy touch;


s: Walked the foam-strewn floor of the sea.


s: Poured by the infinite heaven of my heart,


s: Echoed by the endless symphony of the sky.


s: Between the sheltering dunes and fading light


s: Adorned in kiss-woven garments of nudity


s: Our spirits garlanded with myriad embraces,


s: Stern as the rocks that guard the sanctity of his home,


s: And beauteous his visions like the fjords


s: And his Imagination, expansive as the sea,


s: Tries to push the boundary-line of the sky, his Soul,


s: Further and further, where a new North Star


s: An opaque crystal, a stone on life's string


s: A call made clear by the voice of peace;


s: Between black banks of memory, into the Soul's white home.


s: The forest, a green-gold vision of grace


s: Alone, alas, alone! you have loved and lived it,


s: Pour no blood on the ashes, for blood can not turn into dew.


s: While all are silent, as my desires near thee, my Queen.


s: Between palpitating desires, and fragrant dreams.


s: Weariness the tune of this evening melody,


s: No incense-perfume from the forest censer


s: The breeze brings; all still, like torrid noon.


s: I row in a black bark on a copper-colored sea,


s: The sun fades like a golden bubble in its deep;


s: Weariness the chart that I hold in my hand,


s: Weariness the tune of this evening melody.


s: To take my being on the wings of thy embracing


s: To sail away, far away from man's hate and strife


s: Where only love reigns on its throne of unending light.


s: Laid by mute time in the eternal's grave.


s: When the sun bubble-like fades in the west;


s: That pool of silver in life's forest of distress.


s: Or plant a star-seed in the gray-ploughed eve--


s: So out of the abyss of the blackness of night


s: Dawn's million-colored fountain might spring.


s: The silvery beach, a riband around the flowing hair of the sea,


s: No sound, no music, no silence that a wounded soul can heal.


s: A longing more tempestuous than the craven breeze-possesséd deep,


s: But a ceaseless crying over my heart's forsaken valleys


s: Where love like a wraith haunts the empty tombs of memory.


s: And the fading of the last footfall of the stars


s: That writes on the rim of the golden light


s: Through the star-enflowered pathways of sapphire


s: What world-agony distils its poignancy this day?


s: What pain-laden heart pours out its exhaustless lay


s: Of tormenting woe and tortured silences?


s: Along and beyond the crescent-bed of the sea-sand


s: What tempest on the wave's-strings makes its cadences?


s: The distant hills dimmed like dull and forgotten dreams


s: Raise their shadowy heads where pour in streams


s: The tears of the heart-hollowed mourners of the skies;


s: While into the turgid heart of the fens at their feet


s: Turbidly fall and dance sheet upon sheet


s: To the measureless measure of the wind's empty sighs.


s: No light but a dismal gray, that neither throbs nor quivers


s: On the torn banks of the heavens' cloud-rivers,


s: But stonily stands still, like death that dies never.


s: Not-dead, but a weeping world bathing its corpses--


s: Its memories, its lost hopes, in regret's hearses


s: To be buried in flowerless graves, without incense or prayer.


s: It writhes in agony, rolls out in undulating rills,


s: This rain-melody from the sea-waves to the farthest hills,


s: Thence to the dreary distance lost to hearing or sight.


s: It is all dark and dank, a mourning of earth and heaven,


s: Sorrow-laden, life-weary, long-lost, death-craven,


s: A day lost to time, a light more baleful than night.


s: No dead these, but a living death seeking peace


s: From the furies--their own thoughts--sorrow--surcease,


s: Kissing the lashing wind thinking it to be the breeze.


s: Pour, pour, pour, O relentless, exhaustless pain!


s: To the measure of thine own agony, thy woe's refrain,


s: These desolate streams of thy music, thy pangs of a million seas.


s: The stars put a silver riband round night's tresses,


s: The rosy mist stilly polishes the round mirror,


s: His short golden arms in the cradle of the sky


s: And herself died as day dies to see the moon,


s: That the unseen hand puts on the crown of night


s: The tall trees wave their green-gold hair.


s: Down the sunset-stream that falls from heaven's bower.


s: Tinkling like the intangible bells of paradise,


s: Into the mysterious love-perfumed ocean of night.


s: Break even the impregnable wall of memory


s: Halting nowhere long, endlessly passest,


s: That burneth all, heedless of curse or prayer.


s: While Destiny stringing the lyre of death


s: Ask me not to stand at thy friendship's gate--


s: Watch thee fall asleep on the couch of freezing friendship?


s: In these arms thou sought and joyed on many delights


s: Excavated the ruins of passion to build them anew,


s: Or sailed on thy wings--these arms--over love's enchanted sea.


s: Barrier not this, but a coward's refuge--


s: A shadow, not the rainbow-light of loving and life.


s: O come, my pilot, conduct the bark of our twin souls


s: Over love's boistrous desire-foam-fringéd ocean


s: Till in the sheer joy and fatigue of flying


s: Into the heart of Passion's another fire-born day.


s: From the upland over the lake-surface pale,


s: While the shivering reeds shook at sunset,


s: And the shadows that fall from the trees,


s: A song of whitewashed away by its black refrain.


s: Only words remained, palpitating and few,


s: Falling through the gloom and night's dew


s: That live for a moment and die ere they gleam.


s: Are not beside me to rouse me from sleep.


s: Yet a thought of thee heals many wounds,


s: In the pool at my feet the goldfishes drag their trains of brown


s: Which cleave it into parts that ceaselessly mingle anew.


s: Through thousand streams sends her light


s: Into the valley aswoon, listening to the harmony of night.


s: I have drunk your tears with insatiate lips;


s: I have broken like a toy the heart of your life;


s: The chalice of soul with the substance of my God,


s: Thou drankest as one that comes from a desert,


s: Thou spiltest the nectar heedless, like mad;


s: But loved thee, longed to live for thy love.


s: Alas! thy tears grew salt, thy love thy self's greedy grasp,--


s: The morning of indifference wings the gray sky;


s: The bird-song of the other dawns the raven's shriek now,--


s: Break not thy heart; thy soul? Let it be still!


s: Beyond the gray-cloud is the land of sunrise:


s: From the gold of sunrise into sunset fire;


s: Yet, not like that, this brush of water-drops


s: May my love kiss the feet of thy love of me.


s: May thy heart's gifts like stars my heart's heaven bedight!


s: Though a sigh rises in my soul this hour;


s: Closes its petals in the west the golden day-flower;


s: By the sea of sleep walks white-robed Night;


s: The breeze but the faint rustle of her drapery


s: From the cavern of the Unknown to sail to us,


s: Like a moving magnet drawing behind her a million dream-argosies.


s: Even thy memory recedes into forgetting,


s: All yield to the power of relentless time


s: Thy vision grows dim in life's sunset-west.


s: Nor endure the stinging moments of love's winter.


s: Deepening night's gloom with mysterious murmurs;


s: May reach the land of the farthest star.


s: Without death, full of dying, yet not dead.


s: As it sits by my side on the shore of time.


s: With its flats and sharps of clouds and night.


s: Dream rain, O, milk from Heaven's breast.


s: Sleep night, sleep with star-eyes closed;


s: Sleep thou too, O, sleep, heedless of moon and sun.


s: You see, merry Phillis, that dear little maid,


s: Three tabbies took out their cats to tea,


s: As well-behaved tabbies as well could be


s: Indeed, it is true, it is perfectly true;


s: Believe me, indeed, I am playing no tricks


s: "Little Polly, will you go a-walking to-day?"


s: "Indeed Little Susan, I will, if I may."


s: Now, isn't that the best way for little girls to go?


s: Why come you down again, shuttlecocks--why?


s: The boat sails away, like a bird on the wing,


s: And the little boys dance on the sands in a ring


s: "For what are you longing, you three little boys?


s: Then ring the bells! then ring the bells!


s: Have found two snails on the garden wall


s: Three little girls were sitting on a rail,


s: Her nice little garden is shaded by trees--


s: There's a cake full of plums, there are strawberries too,


s: I'm fond of a carpet all daisies and grass--


s: A blackbird (yes, blackbirds delight in warm weather,)


s: He sees the two little ones talking together--


s: Three tabbies took out their cats to tea,


s: As well-behaved tabbies as well could be:


s: Each sat in the chair that each preferred,


s: They mewed for their milk, and they sipped and purred.


s: Now tell me this (as these cats you've seen them)--


s: How many lives had these cats between them?


s: And I hear the men and the maidens sing."


s: "Oh, a knight is there, but I can't go down,


s: For the bells ring strangely in London town."


s: Indeed it is true, it is perfectly true;


s: Believe me, indeed, I am playing no tricks;


s: An old man and his dog bide up there in the moon,


s: "Little Polly, will you go a-walking to-day?"


s: "Indeed, little Susan, I will, if I may."


s: "Little Polly, your mother has said you may go;


s: She was nice to say 'Yes;' she should never say 'No.'"


s: "A rook has a nest on the top of the tree--


s: Now, which would be nicest, the ship or the nest?"


s: "Why, that would be nicest that Polly likes best."


s: She plucked this flower, and, as it's sweet,


s: Now, isn't that the best way for little girls to go?


s: And each had a new pelisse of soft green stuff.


s: Five little marigolds standing in a row;


s: Now, isn't that the best way for marigolds to grow?


s: Each with a green stalk, and all the five had got


s: A bright yellow flower, and a new red pot.


s: They craned their necks, and plumed themselves--


s: Don't spill your tea, or gnaw your bread,


s: Say "If you please," and "Thank you, Nurse:"


s: Why come you down again, shuttlecocks--why?


s: When you have got so far, why do you fall?


s: Where all are high, which is highest of all?


s: Has the sun or the moon tumbled into the sea?


s: What is the matter, now? Pray tell it me!


s: The rats and the mice even scamper away;


s: And which is the door to Somewhere Town?


s: The round red sun is the door to go through,


s: The boat sails away, like a bird on the wing,


s: And the little boys dance on the sands in a ring.


s: The wind may fall, or the wind may rise--


s: You are foolish to go; you will stay if you're wise.


s: The little boys dance, and the little girls run:


s: If it's bad to have money, it's worse to have none.


s: "For what are you longing, you three little boys?


s: "We should like some apples, or gingerbread--


s: "Oh, what will you give me, you three little boys,


s: In exchange for these good, good things?"


s: "Some bread and cheese, and some radishes,


s: "Now, that won't do, you three little chums,


s: Two of your fingers, and two of your thumbs,


s: Give thanks, we pray--our flowers are gay,


s: Where we have been, the woods are green.


s: Then ring the bells! then ring the bells!


s: And may each year bring _you_ good cheer,


s: Says Jane, "My stars!--they're very silly;"


s: Have found two snails on the garden wall.


s: "These snails," said Paul, "how slow they walk!


s: Make haste, Mr. Snail, travel quicker, I pray;


s: In a race with our tongues you'd be beaten to-day."


s: Said the butcher's boy to the baker's boy,


s: "If you dare say that," said the baker's boy,


s: And I think, before you've knocked me down,


s: Which proves that they were wise, and had


s: Said "If you please," and "Many thanks,"


s: "Good gracious!" said his Highness, "why,


s: They said I should sail in a little boat,


s: But I've waited all day, and none come my way;


s: And silver people, and a gold church steeple;--


s: Three little girls were sitting on a rail,


s: What did they talk about that fine day,--


s: The crows and the corn they talked about,


s: But nobody knows what was said by the crows,


s: Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by


s: As I passed through the street of a city;


s: They can scarcely have dealings with death.


s: Speak out, and tell me where she dwells,


s: Seem 'gainst your heaven the evening star.


s: Some strange clairvoyance dwells in all,


s: But the first has reared me and taught me,


s: And through the shine, or through the shower,


s: A smile shone through her large dark eyes,


s: The house would gather strength and fame.


s: The wealth would take its wings and flee.


s: All the day my toil was easy, for I knew that in the evening,


s: I could go home from my labor, and find Blanche at the door;


s: How could I dream the sunlight in my sky was so deceiving?


s: And I ceased in my believing 'twould be cloudy ever more.


s: When at last the twilight deepened, I entered our low dwelling,


s: And my darling rose to meet me, with the love-light in her eyes;


s: On that day her simple story to my aunt she had been telling,


s: And I saw her words were welling, fraught with ominous surprise.


s: For it seems my hated uncle, once had given him a daughter,


s: Who on a saddened morning had been stolen from the door,


s: And through the panting city the criers cried and sought her,


s: But in vain; they never brought her to his threshold any more.


s: Had I lost her? Was it possible ever more now to regain her?


s: Would he spurn me, and restrain her with his wily golden charm?


s: All that night my heart was bitter with unutterable anguish,


s: And I cried out in my slumber till with my words I woke:


s: "How long, O Lord, must poverty bow down its head and languish,


s: Wrought gold by cunning hands impearled,


s: She bowed, and smiled, and passed me by,


s: She smiled, and bowed, with stately pride;


s: Like grass the mower turneth from its place;


s: The night's thick darkness was an angry frown,


s: And earth a tear upon the cheek of space.


s: The mighty fiend of storm in wild unrest,


s: By lightning stabbed, dragged slowly up the plain;


s: Great clots of light, like blood, dripped down his breast,


s: And from his open jaws fell foam in rain.


s: The moon is like a shepherd with a flock of starry lambkins,


s: The wind is like a whisper to the mountains from the sea,


s: The sun a gold moth browsing on a flower's pearl-dusted pollen;


s: But my words can scarcely utter what my love is like to me.


s: She is sweeter than the sweetest, she is better than she seems.


s: I cling with Abraham Lincoln to the fact,


s: Are plain men, scattered in each walk of life.


s: To them, my words. And if I cut, perchance.


s: Against the rind of prejudice, and disclose


s: The fruit of truth, it is for the love of truth;


s: And truth, I hold with Joubert, to consist


s: In seeing things and persons as God sees.


s: An African, thick lipped, and heavy heeled,


s: With woolly hair, large eyes, and even teeth,


s: A forehead high, and beetling at the brows


s: Enough to show a strong perceptive thought


s: Ran out beyond the eyesight in all things--


s: Of science, art, or books, or government--


s: Slave from a slaver to the Georgia coast,


s: His life disposed of at the market rate;


s: Yet in the face of all, a plain, true man--


s: Of Valley Earl, an owner of broad lands,


s: Whose wife, in some gray daybreak of the past,


s: Had tarried with the night, and passed away;


s: But left him, as the marriage ring of death


s: Was slipped upon her finger, a fair child.


s: He called this daughter Coralline. To him


s: Upon the coast where death's impatient sea


s: Each day brought health and strength to Karagwe.


s: Each day he worked upon the cotton-field,


s: And every boll he picked had thought in it.


s: He labored, but his mind was otherwhere;


s: Strange fancies, faced with ignorance and doubt,


s: Came peering in, each jostling each aside,


s: Like men, who in a crowded market-place,


s: Push 'gainst the mob, to see some pageant pass.


s: All things were new and wonderful to him.


s: What were the papers that his owner read?


s: The marks and characters, what could they mean?


s: If speech, what then the use of oral speech?


s: At last by digging round the spreading roots


s: Of this one thought, he found the treasure out--


s: Knowledge: this was the burden which was borne


s: By these black, busy, ant-like characters.


s: But how acquire the meaning of the signs?


s: Till once, when all alone, he drew it forth,


s: And gazed at it, and strove to learn its sense.


s: But while he studied, Dalton Earl rode by,


s: Snatched rudely at the paper in his hand,


s: And tore it up, commanding that the slave


s: Have fifty lashes for this breach of law.


s: Against the law? Who then could make a law


s: Had said loved justice, and was friend to all.


s: The fifty lashes scourged the slave's bare back,


s: The red blood running down at every stroke,


s: The dark skin clinging ghastly to the lash.


s: No moan escaped him at the stinging pain.


s: Tremblingly he stood, and patiently bore all;


s: His heart indignant, shaking his broad breast,


s: Strong as the heart that Hippodamia wept,


s: Which with the cold, intrusive brass thrust through,


s: Was given to learn the secret of the books.


s: He studied in the woods, and by the fall


s: Which shoots down like an arrow from the cliff,


s: Feathered with spray and barbed with hues of flint.


s: His books were bits of paper printed on,


s: Found here and there, brought thither by the wind.


s: Once standing near the bottom of the fall


s: Of the dark cliff above him, gathering flowers,


s: His master's child, sweet Coralline; she leaned


s: He climbed the bank, but ere he reached the height,


s: A shriek rang out above the water's roar;


s: The babe had fallen, and a quadroon girl


s: Lay fainting near, upon the treacherous sward.


s: The babe had fallen, but with no injury yet.


s: Karagwe slipped down upon a narrow ledge,


s: And reaching out, caught hold the little frock,


s: Whose folds were tangled in a bending shrub,


s: And safely drew the child back to the cliff.


s: The slave had favors shown him after this,


s: Although he spoke not of the perilous deed,


s: By wandering often in the woods and fields,


s: But little thought, for most is useless dream;


s: And whoso dreams may never learn to act.


s: The dreamer and the thinker are not kin.


s: That idly drifts along a listless stream--


s: And nature brought strange meanings to the slave;


s: He loved the breeze, and when he heard it pass


s: The silken court-dress of the lady Wind,


s: To waltz the whirlwind on the distant sea.


s: That when men died, the soul lived on and on;


s: The eye could not behold it; why not then


s: The viewless air be filled with living souls?


s: Not only these, but other shapes and forms


s: Might dwell unseen about us at all times.


s: Why could not things still more impalpable


s: Have real existence? Whence came our thoughts?


s: They were not ours. He fancied that most thoughts


s: Were whispered to the soul, or good, or bad.


s: With measureless black wings, that when it dared,


s: Placed its clawed foot upon the necks of men,


s: Made their lives darker than a starless night.


s: He did not strive to picture out the good,


s: With the clear splendor of one noble deed.


s: He proudly dreamed that to no other mind


s: And found their newest thoughts as old as time--


s: Their brightest fancies woven in the threads


s: And knowledge still elusive and far off.


s: The days that lengthen into years went on.


s: The quadroon girl who fainted on the cliff


s: Watched him with interest in all his ways.


s: At first through pity was she drawn to him.


s: While both were sitting on a rustic seat,


s: Near the tall mansion where the planter dwelt,


s: A drunken overseer came straggling past,


s: Swayed up to her, and caught her by the arm,


s: And with an insult, strove to drag her on.


s: Upon the white man, caused her quick release.


s: He turned, and in the face struck Karagwe.


s: The patient slave did not return the blow,


s: But the next day they tied him to a post,


s: And fifty stripes his naked shoulders flayed.


s: Stricken in mind at being deeply wronged,


s: Filled with a noble scorn, that men most learned


s: He wept at heart; no groan fled through his lips.


s: Ruth, as she walked the pebbled garden lanes,


s: Or daily in her hundred household cares,


s: Thought of the dark face and noble heart


s: Moved through the dusk, among the dewy leaves,


s: And, darker than the shadows, scaled the wall,


s: And waited in the garden, crouching down


s: Among the foliage of the fragrant trees,


s: Hoping that she again might come that way.


s: He saw her through the window of the house,


s: Pass and repass, and heard her sweetly sing


s: But would not call to her, nor give a sign


s: That he was there; to see her was enough.


s: Perhaps, if those about her knew he came


s: To meet her in the garden, they would place


s: Some punishment upon her, some restraint,


s: That she, though innocent, might have to bear.


s: And on his poor straw pallet, dreamed of her,


s: Dreamed of Queen Mary, and the love he gave.


s: Ruth was but tinged with shade, and always seemed


s: Some luscious fruit, with but the slightest hint


s: Of something foreign to the grafted bough


s: Whereon it grew. Her eyes were black, and large,


s: And passionate, and proved the deathless soul,


s: That through their portals looked upon the world,


s: Her long black lashes hung above their depths,


s: And they were dreamy, too, at intervals,


s: And glowed with tender beauty when she loved.


s: Her grace made for her such appropriate wear,


s: That, though her gown was of the coarsest cloth,


s: And though her duty was the lowest kind,


s: Than trailing robes of velvet or of silk.


s: Her voice was full, and sweet, and musical,


s: Soft as the low breathings of an instrument


s: Touched by the unseen fingers of the breeze.


s: The large plantation, next to Dalton Earl's,


s: Was owned by Richard Wain, a hated man--


s: Two miles up by the river ran his lands;


s: And here, within a green-roofed kirk of woods,


s: The slave found that seclusion he desired.


s: At times lay next his heart, nor did its beat


s: Defile the fruity knowledge on the leaves.


s: The words were sweet as wine of Eshcol grapes


s: To his parched lips. He saw the past arise.


s: Vague were the people, and the pageant moved,


s: Yet One there was, who stood in bold relief;


s: A lovely, noble face with sweeping beard,


s: And hair that trailed in beauty round his neck;


s: A patient man, whose deeds were always good.


s: Whose words were brave for freedom and mankind.


s: In passing through the grounds of Richard Wain,


s: Some sheets of paper fastened at the ends,


s: Blown from the house, he thought, or thrown away.


s: The sheets were closely written on and sealed.


s: That night the writings, wrapped about the Book,


s: Were safe within the hollow of the tree.


s: All day he dreamed, "What token shall I give.


s: That she will know my thought and understand."


s: Weighed down with its gold treasure in its belt,


s: And killed it; then, when morning came again,


s: Bore it to Ruth beneath the fragrant trees.


s: "I bring you, Ruth, a dead bee for a sign.


s: When once again you come to walk the lane,


s: I then shall know that you are truly mine,


s: Willing to be my wife, and share my lot,


s: But if you do not wear it, then I shall care


s: No more for anything; but waste my life,


s: A bee without a queen." Then not one word


s: Spoke Ruth; but when the sunset came, and she


s: Went from the house again to walk alone,


s: The dead bee glittered gem-like in her hair.


s: And him she met for whom the sign was meant,


s: And in his hand she laid her own, and smiled.


s: The next day, Richard Wain, when riding past,


s: Heard Ruth's bird-voice trilling in the lane,


s: And caught a glimpse of her between the trees,


s: He thought, "The prize I coveted is near;


s: She will be mine before the set of sun."


s: Returning soon, toward the house he went,


s: Strode to the door, calling for Dalton Earl,


s: And told him for what merchandise he came.


s: The girl was not for sale, the other said.


s: "You talk at random now," said Richard Wain,


s: "You know I hold the deed of all your lands,


s: Your whole estate shall have a sheriff's sale."


s: The planter turned a coward at the threat,


s: And knowing well what blood ran in the veins


s: Above his wine he told Ruth of her fate,


s: And to the floor she fell, and swooned away.


s: And begged, and prayed, that she might still remain.


s: At this he told her how the lands were held,


s: And if she went not he must starve or beg.


s: "Then let the lands be sold, and sold again;


s: If his, they are not yours. What good will come


s: Lightly his mustache twirled Dalton Earl.


s: At dusk, in tears to Karagwe's low roof,


s: Ruth passed, and uttered, with wild, angry words,


s: The hard conditions that had been imposed.


s: She wept; he comforted: "There yet was hope:


s: Who said that those who suffered would be blessed."


s: Then for the last, toward the planter's house


s: They walked, and o'er them saw the spider moon


s: Weaving the storm upon its web of cloud.


s: His fierce eyes flashed; he thirsted for revenge.


s: Sped the expelled thoughts like shuddering gusts of wind.


s: He wept that this injustice should be done;


s: Yet knew that in God's hand the scale was set,


s: And though His poor, down-trodden, waited long,


s: They waited surely, for His hour would come.


s: The night passed, and the troublous morning broke,


s: And Ruth was sold away from him she loved.


s: The dark day died, and when the moon arose,


s: The foremost torch in day's long funeral train,


s: Karagwe went down toward the river's brink,


s: Thinking of what had been. He turned and saw


s: And caught the weapon from the assassin's grasp,


s: And stood before the planter, Dalton Earl!


s: "Forgive," he said, "Forgiveness is a slave;


s: She has no pride, she never does an ill;


s: For she is meekly great, and nobly good,


s: And patient, though the lash of anger smites."


s: Rebuked, the master stood before the slave,


s: And Richard Wain passed on, nor knew his life


s: Was saved by one that he had that day wronged.


s: Thus Dalton Earl: "I thank you for this act,


s: To take the sullied life of Richard Wain.


s: He drugged the wine he gave me at his house,


s: And title of my lands, begged me to play,


s: And while I played, stake all upon a card.


s: He won, and I have hated from that hour."


s: Like some great thought that finds release at last,


s: The happy Spring in buds expression found.


s: Coralline Earl grew rich in every grace.


s: Her eyes' blue heavens were serene with soul,


s: And goodness sunned her face from light within.


s: Her hands were soft with kindness. On her brow


s: Shone hope, more lovely than a ruby star.


s: At the king's gate, and waited for the hour,


s: When, clothed with pomp, he too should take his seat


s: Love tarried, that he too might enter in,


s: Not long the waiting; for when Stanley Thane


s: Came from his northern home with Dalton Earl,


s: Love took the sceptre that his waiting won.


s: Well worthy to be loved was Stanley Thane.


s: Reaped fortune by a rise in merchandise,


s: Now sent his partner son with Dalton Earl


s: Toward the claspless girdle of the South.


s: And Stanley Thane was all that makes true men;


s: High thought, high purpose, loving right the best,


s: His mind was clear and fresh as air at morn.


s: He kissed the rosy tips of Coralline's hand,


s: And that day galloped with her through the town,


s: And wandered with her down magnolia lanes,


s: And watched, below the spray-woofed fall, the brook,


s: That seemed a maid, who, sitting at a loom,


s: Long o'er his writings hidden in the tree


s: Pondered the slave, and found at last their worth.


s: Must he return them? To whom did they belong?


s: If he should give them back to Dalton Earl


s: Unjustly, Richard Wain might claim them still.


s: He chose to keep there folded round the Book,


s: He thought of Ruth as one who was at rest,


s: And wept for her as though she was no more,


s: And sometimes gathered flowers, and placed them where


s: He knew she soon would pass, as tenderly


s: As though he laid them down upon her grave.


s: Once in the twilight, as the shadows fell,


s: A skiff shot from the under-reaching shore,


s: And Stanley Thane and Coralline sailed down


s: The languid waters, 'neath the dappled moon.


s: They spoke of giant wars that yet might be


s: To drive the dragon Slavery from the land.


s: Coralline smoothed the evils it had wrought.


s: Stanley, who could not see a wrong excused,


s: Said, "God is just; he knows nor white nor black.


s: If war must come, each shackle will be forced,


s: To make, at last, the nation wholly free."


s: Shut the winged words in cages of his heart;


s: And rained disdain on noble Stanley's head,


s: Scorning his Northern thought and Northern blood,


s: And sighed that it had been their lot to meet.


s: "If that is true," he said, "then let us part,


s: And let us hope we shall not meet again.


s: The boat was near the bank; he sprang to it,


s: And left her sitting in the gilded prow--


s: Fighting a thousand tears, whose war-cry rose:


s: Thin patience brings thick damage in the end.


s: When Richard Wain found that the deed was lost,


s: Which he had won at play with Dalton Earl,


s: And turn the voluble mill-wheel of his tongue.


s: He half suspected Dalton Earl the thief,


s: Yet knew, if this were true, the threat he made


s: To gain Ruth from him, would have been in vain.


s: And so, because he feared to lose his power,


s: He kept his secret that the deed was lost.


s: Now through the mighty pulses of the land


s: Throbbed the dark blood of war; and Sumter's guns


s: Were the first heart-beats of a better day.


s: The avenging angel, with a scourging sword


s: Of fire and death, with triumph on his face,


s: Swept o'er the nation with the cry of War!


s: Ten thousand boroughs, dreaming peace, awake.


s: War in the South, with the South! War! War!


s: The shame we nourished stings us to the death.


s: O, fair, false wife, South! lo, thy lord, the North,


s: Loveth thee still, though thou hast gone astray.


s: In truth's great court, vain has thy trial been,


s: For no divorce could there be granted thee.


s: The child you bore was bitter curse and shame,


s: And not the child of thy husband, the North.


s: It has led thee to miry paths, and raised


s: The gall of despair to thy famished lips;


s: It were better that such a child should die.


s: The first year of the war had passed away


s: When Richard Wain, the planter, sprang to arms.


s: Fell on the misty hills, and on the vales,


s: Thinking, he drowsed; his chin couched on his breast;


s: A dim light wrought at shadows on the walls.


s: Slowly the sash was raised behind him there.


s: Perhaps he slept; he did not heed the noise,


s: And Karagwe sprang in, and faced his foe.


s: He held a long knife up and brandished it,


s: And said, "As surely as you call or move,


s: Tour life will not be worth a blade of grass;


s: But if you do not call, and sign the words,


s: No harm will come, and I shall go away."


s: He drew the paper forth; the planter read:


s: Shall lay a claim to it to make it mine.


s: "Why, this I shall not sign, of course," he said.


s: "You might have asked me to give back your Ruth,


s: And I would not have minded; but your game


s: Lies deeper than a check upon the queen."


s: A sudden madness leaped along his nerves,


s: "Sign! for unless you sign this writing now,


s: You shall not live; now promise me to sign!"


s: He caught the planter fiercely by the throat,


s: Starting his quailing eyes, "Now will you sign or not?


s: You have ten seconds more to make your choice."


s: "Give me the paper then, and I will sign."


s: But not an hour had passed, before the hounds


s: Of Richard Wain and Dalton Earl were slipped,


s: And scenting on his track through stream and field.


s: The slave first ran toward the hollow tree;


s: There left the paper signed by Richard Wain,


s: Disturbing not the deed; but took the Book,


s: And up the tireless road, tied on and on,


s: The night was dark, but darker still the clouds


s: That loomed along the rim where day had gone.


s: The wind blew cold, and hastened quickly past,


s: Escaping, like a slave, the hound-like clouds


s: Whose thunder-barkings sounded in its ears.


s: When on his track he heard the savage dogs.


s: He knew the paths and windings many miles,


s: And gained a covert island, where a hut,


s: Built by some poor and friendless fugitive,


s: The red-lipped whisper of the morning ran.


s: Then, when he would have ventured from the door,


s: A large black hound arose, and licked his hand.


s: The dog was Dalton Earl's; he started back.


s: The dream of freedom nourished many years


s: Seemed withering, and for the moment lost.


s: For long the slave had thought of liberty,


s: And worshipped her, as in that elder time


s: A tyrant's subjects worshipped, praying her


s: That she would not delay, but hasten forth,


s: And bridge the hated gulf 'twixt rich and poor,


s: And making knowledge paramount to wealth.


s: O strange, that in our age, and in a land


s: Where liberty was laid the corner-stone,


s: A slave, perforce, should be obliged to dream,


s: And dote on freedom, like the poor oppressed


s: Who lived and hoped two thousand years ago!


s: And slavery to this slave was like a fruit--


s: Made rank with superstition and with crime.


s: Yet though the fruit was bitter to the core,


s: Many there were who died for love of it.


s: O, many they who listen through long nights


s: To hear a footstep that will never come.


s: There is not a flower along the border blown,


s: But has in it the blood of North and South.


s: Karagwe went back, and on a paper wrote,--


s: "Your dog has harmed me not, and why should you,


s: That I have never wronged, plot harm to me?


s: You made me slave, you sold away my bride,


s: And now you set your hounds upon my track,


s: Because I seek the freedom that is mine.


s: Though you have wronged me, still I do you good,


s: For in an oak, the largest of the grove,


s: Is the lost deed that holds your house and lands."


s: The paper fastened round the hound's strong neck,


s: And Earl read what the slave had written down,


s: And that day found the deed hid in the tree,


s: Wandered toward the North, living at times


s: On berries and on fruit. Above him leaned


s: The tall trees, bower-like 'neath their wrestling arms;


s: Beneath, the murky waters, black as death,


s: Stirred only to the plunge of venomed things.


s: The long, seared grasses clung to every bough


s: Whose trailing robe hung near the sluggish lymph.


s: And here and there, among the savage moss,


s: Blossomed alone some snowy gold-spired flower,


s: Like God's own church found in a heathen land.


s: The birds o'erhead, that, plumaged like the morn,


s: Caroled their sweetness, sang the holy psalms.


s: Two heavy logs he lashed, and launched them out,


s: Then, with a pole for help in case of need,


s: Sprang on the float, and drifted down the stream.


s: Thus for two days he drifted, eating naught


s: Except the berries growing near the shore.


s: Then on a cool, bright morning, when the wind


s: Far off a buoy was tossing on the waves,


s: Much like the red heart of the joyful deep--


s: And ships were in the offing, sailing on


s: Like the vague ships that with our hopes and fears


s: Put from their harbors to return no more.


s: Upon the pole the coat that he had worn,


s: Hoping for succor from the distant ships;


s: And not in vain; for ere the sun had set,


s: Half starved, he clambered up a vessel's side,


s: And found himself with friends, and on his way


s: To freedom, 'neath the steadfast northern star.


s: Two years of war, two years of many tears,


s: In ranks led on by error, fought and fell.


s: Within the breast of Coralline, Stanley Thane


s: Possessed acknowledged empire; all her love


s: Stood like an emptied vase. Then from the North


s: Gloomed like a night about her,--he its star.


s: That, pollen-vestured, laughs at care all day


s: Had closed the doors and shutters of its house.


s: Forth in the dewy garden, 'neath the stars,


s: Walked Coralline and Ruth, sad and alone;


s: For Ruth was owned again by Dalton Earl.


s: "I grieve," said Coralline, "that Stanley Thane


s: My hasty words were said with earnest thought.


s: Would that a bird might fly to him and sing--


s: 'She loves you still, Stanley, she loves you still.'"


s: Ruth followed quickly, "Your wish is heard;


s: And say to him the words that you have said."


s: Then fell the other on the quadroon's neck,


s: And kissed her through her tears, and promised her


s: Her freedom, if she went to Stanley Thane.


s: She did not dream what impulse urged the slave,


s: Nor that in sending her toward the North


s: Bearing a message full of trust and love,


s: She sent a message smeared with blood instead.


s: For Ruth hoped now for vengeance for her past.


s: Wronged by her father, she would wreak her hate


s: Full on her sister, and destroy her peace,


s: As hers had been destroyed in dark dead days.


s: That night she stole a knife, and sharpened it,


s: And while she drew it up and down the stone,


s: Sipped from the poison nectar of revenge.


s: She thought of Stanley Thane, and pitied him


s: That he should be the victim of her hate;


s: But wished that Coralline could see him then,


s: After the violent knife had done its work,


s: So Ruth arose, and when the wine-lipped Dawn,


s: Gathering his robes about him like a god,


s: Went up to the great summits of the world


s: From the black valleys of immeasurable space,


s: She passed beyond the limit of the vale.


s: Those she loved best had all been torn away;


s: The last, her child, was sold she knew not where;


s: And Coralline too should taste a bitter cup,


s: For many days Ruth journeyed to the North,


s: And reached at last the camp. She passed the guard,


s: And in the night discovered Stanley's tent;


s: Then gliding in, bent o'er him while he slept.


s: He dreamed of Coralline, and in his sleep


s: Said--"Coralline, 'tis better to forgive."


s: And Ruth who heard, cried, "She forgives;


s: She loves you still, Stanley--she loves you still!"


s: At this he woke, and saw the woman there,


s: And saw the weapon raised above his breast,


s: And a vague horror at the mockery of the words


s: Left him all powerless, and sealed up his speech.


s: But one swift hand passed in and grasped the arm,


s: And snatched the knife, and there before them stood


s: And after, at Fort Pillow, when the storm


s: Had gone against us, and the traitors slew


s: Five hundred men who had laid down their arms,


s: For his whole country, he fell back and died.


s: Some, seeking the highest type of noble men,


s: Compare their heroes with the cavaliers,


s: Boasting their ancestry through tangled lines;


s: But I, who care not for patrician blood,


s: Hold him the highest who constrains great ends,


s: Or rounds a prudent life with noble deeds.


s: In my life I have had two idols, one my country, one my wife,


s: And I know I loved them faithfully, and both with one accord;


s: But the day came, beaded falsely on my brittle leash of life,


s: High upon the rocky summit of a cliff in red Algiers,


s: Raised against the sky of sunset, like a beaker filled with wine,


s: Stands the city I was born in, my belovèd Constantine.


s: Round the ancient Cintran city runs a dark wall broad and strong,


s: Whose blade is bid in foldings of a circling sash of streams.


s: Far away the Atlas mountains rear their heads of lasting snow,


s: I was poor: they say they found me lying naked in the street,


s: And a beggar so befriended me and brought me to his door,


s: And cared for me and tended me, until my growing feet


s: I never knew the tenderness of father or of mother;


s: My tatters scarcely covered me; my hunger made me thin;


s: I never knew of sympathy or kindness from another;


s: I drank the cup of bitterness that comes to want and sin.


s: And I went out to the venders and some meagre fruitage bought,


s: Till with selling and with buying, lo, a new life was begun.


s: Soon I found myself the owner of vast houses, wares, and sails,


s: A very prince of traffic, with my slaves beyond the line,


s: Where they sold my costly merchandise of cloth and cotton bales,


s: Of many colored leathers, ostrich feathers, dates, and wine.


s: In the days when I, a beggar, wandered idly through the street,


s: One for whom my heart grew larger, and I could not turn away.


s: Long my eyes upon the banquet of her beauty freely fed;


s: How could I help but love her, whom the angels might adore!


s: But at last, tired of my staring, she turned away her head;


s: Yet I saw the large pearls tremble that about her neck she wore.


s: Either cheek was sea-shell tinted, and around her dewy lips


s: And begged of her, and prayed of her that I her slave might be.


s: I was dark and swarthy featured, comely still in form and face;


s: My long black hair hung glossily about my neck and head;


s: My large jet eyes were lustrous, and I had an easy grace


s: That almost made a kingly robe my ragged garb of red.


s: I chained the maiden with my arm, I would not let her go;


s: She said she was Eudocia, that Yorghi was her sire;


s: I said I was Demetrius, a beggar vile and low,


s: But 'neath my heart's one crucible love lit its fusing fire.


s: Her sensuous long dark lashes hung above her dreamy eyes,


s: Like twin clouds of stormy portent balanced over limpid deeps;


s: Like the wings of birds of passage seen against the hazy skies;


s: Like the petal o'er the pollen of the flow'ret when it sleeps.


s: All her vesture was embroidered with the finest lace of gold;


s: A diamond in her turban with its eye-like glitter shone;


s: The white dress more than half revealed a form of perfect mould,


s: To my eyes she gave her dark eyes, down to gaze into and dream;


s: And I seemed like one who leans above a bridge's slender rail,


s: And thinks, and gazes wistfully deep down into the stream,


s: After this I met her daily in the palace-garden ways,


s: And she always came to meet me, and opened wide the gate,


s: Often chiding, often smiling at my minute-long delays,


s: And bringing dainty viands in a golden cup and plate.


s: I, her lover, was a beggar, but she loved me all the same;


s: Had I been Haroun Alraschid she could not have loved me more;


s: But all pleasure cloys or ceases; if the cup is stricken down,


s: All its contents are like acid, burning deep a long regret;


s: If it cloys, we calmly leave it, with perhaps a careless frown,


s: Or may be a pleasant memory that is easy to forget.


s: Once when in the golden kiosk, with Eudocia's hand in mine,


s: Came old Yorghi frowning darkly with the storm upon his face;


s: Ere I went I turned upon him, and I boldly claimed her hand,


s: And vowed that I would have her, though the city barred my way;


s: But he scoffed at me, a beggar, and repeated his command,


s: So two lives, like confluent rivers, were unkindly torn apart;


s: One to slide through fruited gardens, longing vainly for the sea,


s: But ever dreaming fondly of a meeting yet to be.


s: And I labored; and my gains accrued and doubled in my hand,


s: For Fortune having given once will give us more and more;


s: I was like a stranger passing through some long neglected land,


s: Who finds beneath each stone he turns a wedge of golden ore.


s: And drank the fountain water from the words of Scio's bard.


s: All my ships had favoring breezes, not one sank or went ashore;


s: The very fat of commerce oozed between their pitchy seams;


s: And a block of serried buildings did not half contain my store,


s: Still I changed not my apparel, still I wore my bezan robe,


s: Better rich to wear a tatter, than poor, wear silk, I said.


s: Daily from my mullioned window flew a pigeon in the air,


s: And beneath its wing lay folded lines for her I loved the best;


s: Daily from her palace window it returned and brought me there,


s: Ah, dear love, she waited patiently with mournful, longing eyes,


s: Like the moon she waited nightly for the cloud to pass her brow;


s: Like the birds she waited daily for the coming in the skies


s: Of the other bringing succor to the hunger on the bough.


s: And all wealth was lost upon her, for she had to look upon


s: Seemed the black wing of a raven who had ventured overbold,


s: And was perched upon her forehead that its beauty might be seen.


s: Every day in milk she bathed her, till at last she was as white;


s: She slept 'neath silken curtains with musk-scented laces fringed.


s: But at last the ready day came, that my hopes had longed to meet,


s: And arrayed my perfect person from my head down to my feet,


s: With the garments that became me, with the velvet of my peers.


s: And a friend I had who loved me to bestride each horse's back--


s: Every friend I gave a cloak to, purple velvet ermine-bound;


s: Every charger was caparisoned--the harness wrought with gold.


s: At high noon we started gayly, and the palace entrance found;


s: And I sought the statesman Yorghi with a purpose to unfold.


s: I had come to wed his daughter; all her heart had long been mine;


s: Now that my wealth was boundless--it but strengthened my design;


s: If he gave her I would cede him half my fortune, store on store.


s: In my face he laughed, me scorning, and despised me and my part--


s: Said Eudocia was his daughter--he knew nothing of her heart;


s: He had pledged her hand and fortune to my ruler, Ahmed Bey.


s: There are times when our resentment centres solely in a glance,


s: When our feelings burn too deeply for effectiveness in speech;


s: Such a look I gave to Yorghi as I led out in advance,


s: While my ten friends followed after with brave consolation each.


s: Now a war like distant thunder muttered in the darkened air;


s: In the sky a fowl of omen hovered o'er to rob our graves;


s: And men, like birds affrighted, hurried homeward in despair.


s: We heard the tramp of armies like the far-off march of waves.


s: War a pestilent disease is on the body of the world--


s: All the standards of the nations, and shall rule for evermore.


s: What availed my marble buildings where I bartered for my gold?


s: All my gains were vainly gotten, for Eudocia was not mine.


s: Then my goods I turned to money, all my ships and houses sold,


s: And sent the glittering product far away from Constantine.


s: On us like a wild hawk swooping came Damrémont with his men;


s: And the Kabyles based reliance on the friendship of the Fates.


s: I held that love of country was a higher love of self,


s: With generous ends, but selfish still, whatever might be said;


s: I forgot my boasted honor; I had garnered all my pelf;


s: I became a hissing traitor to the land I owed my bread.


s: All was plain; if I was faithful, then Eudocia was lost;


s: Recreant, and gaining victory, I could claim her as my right.


s: I scarcely weighed the balance, and I dared not count the cost;


s: I stole out from the city to the alien camp that night.


s: I was loyal to the purpose that within my heart was shrined;


s: Another might have coped with it, and triumphed o'er its fall.


s: So men are, they do not vary much, the level of mankind,


s: "I have come to bring assistance, if you take my terms," I said,


s: "For I know the weakest portion of the city's scowling wall.


s: There's a maiden named Eudocia I would sell my soul to wed;


s: Give me the right to have her, and I freely tell you all."


s: Then he smiled across his table as he granted my desire--


s: Smile of memory begotten, some remembrance of delight--


s: And he heard my story quietly, but said he would require


s: Me to go into the city as a spy the coming night.


s: Years before, a secret entrance 'neath the wall I ordered made;


s: And they were dead who built it, so none knew of it but me.


s: When the darkness came I gained it, and softly in the shade,


s: A purse of gold and rubies bought the whispered countersign,


s: And with its aid I noted place and number of the troops.


s: I chalked upon a building: _Lo, the doom of Constantine!


s: There's a traitor in the city, and the populace are dupes._


s: In the street I met a masker hurrying onward through the night,


s: And something in his bearing told of one I called a friend.


s: "Sir," I said, and on his shoulder I had laid my finger quite,


s: By my voice he knew me quickly, and removed his mask to say:


s: "My footsteps seek the palace; have you heard not of the fête?


s: In three days old Yorghi's daughter is to wed with Ahmed Bey;


s: To-night the plighting party; I must hasten; it is late."


s: I shall not hold the favor lightly, but shall pay you in a week


s: With a sapphire for each moment; and they will not see my face."


s: From foundation to entablature the palace shone with light,


s: And I fancied it a genii with a hundred fiery eyes;


s: His mouth the yawning door-way, and a cloud across the night


s: Seemed the hair upon his forehead, blowing in the windy skies.


s: Quick he gorged me, for I entered, and heard at once the swell


s: The magnolia seemed the husband, and the rest his consorts sweet.


s: To a splendid hall a eunuch led me down a damask floor,


s: The Bey among the maskers led the lily by his side.


s: Round a fountain, in the centre of the golden burnished room,


s: A nightingale was singing, and with sadness mocked us all.


s: When the Bey passed by me graciously, I whispered in the ear


s: Of the one he led beside him (should I fail to win her yet!)


s: "Our day is at its dawning; I, Demetrius, am here;


s: Meet me yonder in the garden, at the place where once we met."


s: There she followed very quickly, and I held her to my heart,


s: And kissed with fervid kisses all her lips and throat and chin.


s: Here she longed to dwell forever so that we might never part,


s: And be fed with many kisses my enfolding arms within.


s: There the amorous stars out-twinkled; and anear, a sordid lake,


s: Like a miser, hugged the silver of their glitter to its breast;


s: And it stayed within the closet of the trees and tangled brake,


s: Lest some fortunate bold robber should steal from it in its rest.


s: Now the years had changed Eudocia from the rosebud to the rose,


s: Made more perfect every feature, added many a gentle grace,


s: And she made my heart her garden, there to dwell and find repose:


s: My face, low bending over, should become her tender skies,


s: And my arms the goodly verdure that about the margin grew.


s: I dared not risk to tell her of the traitor she was near;


s: I said the Bey would tremble when I came to claim her hand;


s: I said that she must wait me, and despair not; but have cheer,


s: For my triumph would be public in the corners of the land.


s: While we spoke we heard commotion in the palace down the hill;


s: Gay lights swung in the distance, like red fire-flies in a glen;


s: Call by call was heard and answered with a herd of echoes shrill,


s: On her lips I kissed my tears in, on her lips and on her eyes


s: Which she opened only languidly to show her answering tears,


s: And I kissed the diamond crescent that I saw sink down and rise,


s: While it flashed upon the torches with a hundred silver spears.


s: But I hid me for a moment 'neath a bush of liberal bloom,


s: Above, an imminent meteor flashed westward 'gainst the night,--


s: A full moon with a bluer glow, and trailed with ruby shine;


s: It seemed a blazing torch to me, borne onward with the flight


s: Of a spirit, that beneath it, brought defeat to Constantine.


s: And a thousand blatant bugles proved it waiting for their spite;


s: And we heard the rasp of bullets in the dark astonished air.


s: When the sun rose, hot and bloody, all the fight had well begun;


s: The artillery were pounding at the weak place in the wall;


s: While the smoke, from vale and city, seemed the melancholy, dun


s: Robes of spirits hovering over for the fated ones to fall.


s: Like a strong Numidian lion, on her rock the city lay,


s: Stone by stone a breach was opened in the thin place in the wall,


s: Saying to the town, "Surrender, Constantine must surely fall;


s: If you fail, no soul remaining shall be left to count your dead."


s: Like a sword-thrust was the answer, "There is plenty in the place


s: We can furnish them abundance; but surrender means disgrace,


s: Should not this town be captured, every man must bear the fault,


s: And many a one bethought him of his own in sunny France.


s: Down our line there ran the murmur, "We must take it by assault,"


s: Like great billows never breaking were the rocks of Constantine,


s: And a cargoed ship the city with its keel in every one;


s: She was sailing for the future with the barter of the line,


s: And her mast-like towers were gaudy with the pennons of the sun.


s: But now a storm had struck her, and a hole was in her side,


s: And the waters rushed in wildly while she paused upon the brink.


s: All in vain each brave endeavor; for all on board her tried


s: To close the leak with fury, that the vessel might not sink.


s: Our men the angry waters that could not be turned nor checked,


s: And they bore all straws before them in their mad impetuous way.


s: When the night fell, in the palace all the lights were lit again.


s: Never yet so fair Eudocia, and she won the wisest praise


s: From the aliens there assembled to behold our marriage rite;


s: Not alone her queenly beauty; but the grace of all her ways,


s: And I saw my friend the masker his unasked-for presence bring


s: To the pollen of the wedding, lady-petaled on each side.


s: Then was struck upon my bosom near the place the heart might be,


s: But the mad bee gained no honey in his hurry to depart;


s: His sting had been well pointed, but his villainy was loss,


s: For I wore, with faith, a secret, o'er the throbbing of my heart,


s: This had turned aside the weapon and spared me many years


s: For one whose heart has been to me a holy pilgrim shrine,


s: For one for whom I gave away with bitterness and tears


s: The city of Jugurtha, my own mother Constantine.


s: We dwell now in a palace near the white surge of a bay;


s: But at times my good steed wanders, and in the twilight late,


s: I find me near my city, while the muezzin in the gray,


s: I was a naturalist, and had crossed the sea


s: A monstrous spider of which I had heard.


s: The people of the town wagged doubting heads,


s: The spider, though he knew not his abode.


s: And that the woof whereof he wove his web,


s: That mound the hill-side and the vernal vale,


s: Like the raised letters of an ancient page


s: Made for the blind gropers of to-day to read,


s: He entered a dark tomb, and therein slept,


s: Until the world, like some round shield upraised,


s: Splintered the thrown spears of dawn. As he woke,


s: He found himself ensnared in some thick web,


s: Yet reached his knife, and slowly cut it through;


s: Then when he stood, a monstrous spider fled.


s: Another joined us from the cottage near--


s: A vine-clad cottage, lit for love's abode.


s: A lily-croft, with trees, encinctured it;


s: And here were yellow lilies strewn about,


s: As though the place had been the banquet grove


s: Seemed like the cups of gold that Solomon


s: Wrought for the holy service of the Lord.


s: "This is my daughter," said the fisherman.


s: Her head and face were covered with a scarf,


s: But large dark eyes looked forth, and in their depths


s: (Often, in dreams, I thought it sweet to die,


s: And reft of this gross vision, see at last,


s: As the large soul, quit of the body can,


s: And to her knee the broidered skirt hung down;


s: While 'neath, the Turkish garment was confined


s: In plaits about the ankles; but her shoes


s: Of the clear Bospore. As I wandered back,


s: I thought much of the spider that I sought;


s: But more of two dark eyes, that seemed two stars


s: Which shone down in my heart; while the far space


s: Behind them, pure, but unknown, was the soul.


s: I thought to test this maiden's charity;


s: Tattered and soiled with use. As she went by,


s: And faced her with a face disguised, and held


s: My hand out while I begged for some small alms.


s: She gave abundantly from her lean purse,


s: That given with free heart, is given to God,


s: Henceforth, I strode a coastward way, to meet


s: The dark-eyed daughter of the fisherman.


s: Beneath her roof she made my welcome sweet,


s: And yielded both her hands, and drew the scarf


s: That veiled the wondrous beauty of her face.


s: If painter, or if sculptor, in some dream,


s: Could mingle Faith with Love and Charity,


s: And give them utterance in one pure face,


s: I know the face would be a face like hers.


s: Her eyes were diamond doors of her true soul,


s: And with their silken latches softly closed,


s: When, couched beneath his poppy parachute,


s: Inactive Sleep came by. Her glances seemed


s: Like gold-winged angels sent from heavenly doors.


s: Once, tarrying late, I told her of my life,


s: But now, lo! she around my heart had wound


s: The close web of her love, and held me fast


s: Clothed in the sackcloth of regret, she said,


s: She long had wept the past; but for my sake


s: She now would cast it off, and live for me.


s: I said that few could exculpate the past


s: From stormy doing with the ships of hope.


s: Their present dwindled fortune, and the yoke


s: Her people chafed their necks in, on the hills.


s: Her father was a brave Circassian chief;


s: But here he dwelt disguised, till once again


s: He could lead on his race, and wound the heel


s: We kissed good-night, and parted. As I went,


s: A distant hill, all shadow, took new shape,


s: And seemed a sprawling spider, while two trees


s: That grew upon it, were his upraised arms


s: Clutching at two red fire-flies, that were stars.


s: With day-break came a knuckle at my door;


s: His face like strange death's, and his dark eyes wide


s: With some vague horror, stood the fisherman.


s: "Come, hasten with me," were his only words.


s: And gained his silent cottage. Entering,


s: He led me to his daughter's vacant couch.


s: The room had but one window, and the sash


s: Was raised. I looked out to the ground beneath.


s: A vine crept up, and with long fingers made


s: And o'er the window threw a leafy scarf.


s: But what was this, that fastened to the ledge


s: Twisted with five strands. This the fisherman


s: Saw with new horror, while between white lips


s: We saw strange foot-prints on the moistened beach,


s: But these were lost soon in a wooded dell


s: Where all trace had an end. The long day through


s: We sought among the tombs, up from the dell;


s: But unrewarded, when the sun was quenched,


s: And like an awful spider, o'er the earth


s: Crawled with gaunt legs of shadow. Then our homes


s: The night was warm, and with my window raised,


s: I sat and mourned, and wrung my hopeless hands.


s: No light was in the house. I half reclined--


s: My back toward the window. Something shut


s: The puny sheen of starlight from the room.


s: The Thing, a monstrous shape, was with me there,


s: And two hard arms were thrown about my waist.


s: Of the strong spider. As we went, I grew


s: Glad, for I thought that now I should be brought


s: To the great spider's web, and there, mayhap,


s: Learn the sad fate of her I loved so well.


s: Up a stark cliff we went, then crossed the web


s: Just as the red moon bloomed upon the hills


s: Of a vast tomb, whose outside, hewn on rock,


s: Outlined a Gorgon's face with jaws agape--


s: Changed to the stone that in the elder days


s: She changed the sons of men who looked on her.


s: We passed the funnel, entering the tomb.


s: About my arms the spider threw his cords,


s: And shackled them. I dared not move, but lay


s: Upon the smooth stone floor, inured to fear.


s: I fancied now that I was safe till dawn.


s: If I could use my hands I then might find


s: Some weapon of defense, some club, or stone,


s: And so resist with some small chance for life.


s: The thought bred strength. I slowly drew my arms


s: Upon my sides, and, with persistence, gained


s: Their freedom; though about the wrists, the flesh


s: Was bruised and harrowed, and my blood made wet


s: The spider's cord wherewith I had been bound.


s: The night seemed endless. As it came to dawn,


s: For solace to the moan. As light grew strong,


s: I saw, not far from where I had been laid,


s: A maiden sitting. All her hair set free,


s: Against the painted wall. My heart threw wide


s: The guest within, at once the doors were shut.


s: The sun came up, and spread a cloth of gold


s: And there the town, and fancied where, among


s: The trees upon the shore, her cottage stood;


s: Then hoped 'gainst hope to enter it again.


s: Two thousand years ago, this distant sea


s: Teemed with the thrifty commerce of the world.


s: When Athens was, and when her scholars cut,


s: With thoughts of iron, their own deathless names


s: Into the stone page of fame, this vale beneath


s: Held a great city. These, its tombs, endure.


s: And vanity of life, than that a tomb suggests.


s: While we looked forth on the historic view,


s: And spread his wings, and darted his sharp beak.


s: At last the spider caught him by the neck,


s: With his serrated claws that grew like horns,


s: And killed him; then plucked the vanquished plumes,


s: And sucked the warm blood from the sundered ends.


s: From this we knew the monster brought us here


s: To serve a hideous banquet, and that one


s: Must need be near, and see the other slain.


s: The web was like the sail of some large ship,


s: And reached forth from the Gorgon's open mouth,


s: On either side, to boughs of blighted trees.


s: Birds were caught in it, and about the place


s: Wherein the spider hid to watch for prey,


s: Their bones lay bleaching in the sun and rain.


s: Upon the web the winds laid violent hands,


s: And tugged at it, but lacked the sinewed strength


s: To tear it or divorce it from its place.


s: The rain left on it when the sun came up,


s: Dyed the vast cloth with all prismatic hues,


s: And made it glitter like the silken sail


s: The eagle's death bequeathed new lease of life.


s: Some object for defense. The tomb was strange.


s: Alone the spider could have known of it.


s: Of deftly inlaid woods, or carved, or bronzed.


s: Within, a skeleton, its white skull crowned


s: With gold bestarred with diamonds, chilled my blood.


s: A bronze lamp, cast to represent the beast


s: Was on the floor; and from its lion's mouth


s: The flame had issued, like the flame of life


s: That flickered and went out with him gold-crowned.


s: A target stood near by, and on it clashed


s: Griffon and stag, adverse as right and wrong.


s: On conic jars were bacchanalian scenes,--


s: Nude chubby Bacchi, grotesque leering fauns,


s: All linked 'neath vines that grew important grapes;


s: And in the jars were rings and flowers of gold.


s: We found twin ear-drops cut from choicest stone,


s: Life is a harp, and all its nervous strings,


s: Touched by the fingers of the fear of death,


s: And kissed with silent kisses mixed with tears,


s: Hope, like an eagle in the mountain air,


s: Soars in time's future, it mounts up with wings


s: Toward the unmapped city walled by death.


s: Thither the eagle of our hope took flight.


s: Toward us, crouched the spider, at the mouth


s: Of our strange prison on the towering cliff.


s: The spider's shape was full a fathom long.


s: Two parts it had, the fore part, head and breast;


s: The hinder part, the trunk. The first was black,


s: But all the last was covered with short hair,


s: Yellow and fine. Eight sprawling legs adhered


s: To his tough breast. Eight eyes were in his head,


s: Two in the front, and three on either side;


s: They had no eyelids, and were never closed,


s: His pincers grew between his foremost eyes--


s: Were toothed like saws, were venomous, and sharp,


s: With claws on either end. Two arms stretched out


s: From his mailed shoulders, and with these he caught


s: His tangled prey, or guided what he spun.


s: Slowly the monster turned, and glared at us,


s: Working his arms, and opening his claws,


s: Then moved toward us fiercely for attack.


s: Where darkness was; there as we crouched with dread,


s: My foot struck some hard substance. In despair


s: I grasped at it, and with great joy upheld


s: An ancient sword!--surely, a sharp, bold tooth


s: To bite the spider. I would sink it deep,


s: Up to the gum of the crossed guard. Alert,


s: And with one blow cut off his brutish head.


s: He writhed awhile with pain, but in the end,


s: Drew up the eight long legs and two thick arms,


s: And the green earth seemed happy to be free,


s: And glad the sky cloud-frescoed 'gainst the blue.


s: We sought the sea-side cottage, where the chief


s: Clasped once again his daughter to his breast.


s: Down from the hill we fetched the spider slain,


s: And I to science gave these simple facts:


s: Not with the insects. As they breathe with gills


s: The treasure of the tomb brought wealth to us,


s: And we who loved were wed one golden day;


s: And the great Czar hearing our story told,


s: Sent presents to the bride of silk and pearls.


s: I know the drift and purpose of the years;


s: The will, which is the magnet of the soul,


s: Be something more than man. The husks fall off;


s: Old civilizations pass, the new come on.


s: There are two farms which, smiling in the sun,


s: Two hearts will join, who from their bounty live.


s: One farm is John Bernard's, and one is mine;


s: And she, the one pearl woman in my eyes,


s: Is his sweet daughter, gentle Grace Bernard.


s: Who gave me birth home to his narrow house.


s: I was at college when death's summons came,


s: And all the grief fell on me, crushing me;


s: And all my heart cried out in bitterness,


s: Moaning to cease with its wet language,--tears.


s: Then with my prospects of professional life


s: Thwarted and void, I came back to the farm--


s: I came back to the love of Grace Bernard.


s: She was the dove that on the flood of grief


s: Brought to my window there love's olive spray.


s: From college to the farm-house where I dwelt


s: I took my books, friends who are never cold,


s: Old as the mountains, or the sea's white lash


s: Wherewith he smites the shoulders of the shore;


s: And, too, I brought my diamond microscope


s: Which magnifies a pin's head to a man's,


s: The naturalists have not yet touched upon.


s: Breaking the past's upturned face of shelving rocks


s: But find my footsteps always thither tend,


s: Toward the farm-house of the other farm,


s: Where Grace Bernard is noontime and delight.


s: When first I took the hand of her I love,


s: _You twain are strands which Destiny shall braid_,


s: And then a numb misgiving, not explained,


s: Settled with chilly dampness on my heart.


s: My Grace Bernard in Grace was not misnamed,


s: There was a soft Madonna look about her eyes;


s: The long thick lash, the drooping-petal lid,


s: Wrought on her face all love and tenderness.


s: Her lips were of that deep intensest red


s: The cherry, red rose, and columbine wear.


s: Her golden hair was sunshine changed to silk,


s: Which fell below her waist, and was a thing


s: Might dare to mesh his hands in, or to kiss.


s: The Spring has come and brought her affluent days,


s: The presses blare its probable approach,


s: May leave more vacant chairs about our hearths


s: There is no cheek which may not blanch for it.


s: It is Filth's daughter, and where the low


s: There it must come. As all forms of life,


s: In seeds and eggs, so all infection does.


s: Acting on particles which from filth arise,


s: And bear their seed like grain, or breed like flies.


s: This product, scattered on the spotless air,


s: And hurried on the currents of the wind,


s: Is breathed by human beings, near and far;


s: Ripens and grows, until the sufferer dies.


s: Because the sharp frost kills it. Cholera


s: The utmost cold of long, dark winter days.


s: It will not touch my Grace who is so dear;


s: But that we twain may at the altar stand,


s: And gather many a day of happiness and peace.


s: Down by the brook which separates the farms,


s: Is a great rock that leans above the stream,


s: And seems some monster of the Saurian day,


s: That coming to the water's edge to drink,


s: And dreamed of Grace Bernard, and watched the brook;


s: And while I dreamed there came within the dream


s: Now seemed reverted, and its backward look


s: Of Shakespeare's features after he was dead.


s: I, seeing the future's face, make here my cast.


s: And this the premonition that was mine--


s: So write it down, that when the time has passed,


s: I may compare the facts with what is here.


s: And yet I scarcely should have written this,


s: Had I not seen his haunting face to-day--


s: That face which I had never seen before,


s: That leans, athirst, above the brimming stream.


s: The soldier, when he goes to meet the foe,


s: May darkly understand that death is near,


s: Far off, across the turbulence of waves,


s: Her supplicating hands outstretched to one


s: Who strikes her with coarse blows on cheek and breast.


s: He is her husband, and he leaves her there,


s: His is the face that I have seen to-day--


s: A firm mouth, with large wandering black eyes,


s: Long, fine black hair, which idly falls about


s: Shoulders that stoop from labor over books;


s: Not broad enough to hold a generous soul.


s: I see the farm-house where my Grace abides;


s: The afternoon is clear, the grass is green;


s: And Grace comes forth and walks toward the brook.


s: Beside its bank, which is a slope of moss,


s: Now Grace draws near, and starting back to find


s: A stranger in the dell she loves the most,


s: And half repelled by inconsistent fears.


s: He rises, bowing low, and begs to speak:


s: He has not seen such beauty in his life;


s: He craves to touch a finger of her hand,


s: Whereto, with fastings and with many prayers,


s: Through God's good grace he hopes yet to attain.


s: Then John Bernard, who has been working near,


s: Seeding the furrows for his empty barns,


s: This stranger and my Grace puts hand in hand.


s: I see her smile in answer to his smiles.


s: She makes her ears his cells for honeyed speech;


s: And yet she seems to fear him for some cause.


s: Now, as the slow sun tarries on the hills,


s: I see them parting at the farm-house door--


s: The wide half-door which now is opened half--


s: And as he passes down the bordered path,


s: She leans out from the door, and watches him


s: Above the white brow and the golden hair.


s: I see them riding down the village street:


s: He on a horse as black and strong as iron,


s: She on her snowy palfrey, robed in green,


s: Slack reins in hand; the horses side by side.


s: Even as I see and write, my heart grows cold--


s: Breasts the bleak wind, high in the biting air.


s: Of gas-lit streets and buildings, and above,


s: Its dear face buried in its cloudy hands,


s: The Night bends over, weeping. In the street


s: The world and I have grappled in fair fight,


s: I only ask, that those who find these words,


s: Will send them to my people past the sea;


s: And afterward he writes his wife's address.


s: He leaves the paper foldless on a stand,


s: And then goes forth; but not to end his life.


s: He dreams that now his life is but begun.


s: He sees my Grace in all his coming days;


s: He sees the large old farm-house where she dwells,


s: And therein hopes to happily pass the years,


s: Living in peace and plenty till he dies.


s: First balancing on this side, then on that,


s: Come the world's jeers and gibes; and so 'tis best.


s: Should half men's schemings find success at last,


s: I fear God's plans would have but narrow room.


s: You will not win my Grace, who loves me still;


s: You will not dare to kiss her hand again.)


s: Linked with sweet converse, sit two shadowed forms.


s: The new sword moon against the violet sky


s: Is held aloft, by one white arm of cloud


s: Raised from the sombre shoulder of a hill.


s: My Grace and I are sitting in the bower,


s: And down upon my breast and girdling arm


s: Is strewn pure gold--no alloy mixes it--


s: Who seek to shuttle sunshine in their silk,


s: Would give its weight in diamonds for this hair,


s: Whereof to make a fabric for their king.


s: I see the trees that skirt the yonder vale,


s: And where the road dents down between their arms,


s: Now he comes near, and striding up the path


s: A fierce deep hatred leaps up from his heart,


s: As lightning, which forebodes the nearing storm,


s: While Grace, with sweetly growing confidence,


s: Whispers with lips which slightly touch my ear,


s: "I never loved him, I was always yours."


s: With flowers and with her presence, which is far


s: Above the fragrant presence of all flowers.


s: A song of twilight and the evening star.


s: There as the shadows slowly gather round,


s: She, ice to his approaches; he, despair;


s: She bows him from the room, and puts the fruit


s: Dreaming of me, and singing some wild song


s: Of Pan, who, by the river straying down,


s: Cut reeds, and blew upon them with such power,


s: He charmed the lilies and the dragon-flies.


s: Now while the song is swaying to its close,


s: And clasp true arms about my darling Grace;


s: And says that I must eat it; she would not


s: Have taken it, but that she did not wish


s: "Surely this stranger has peculiar taste


s: Perhaps there is more in it than we know."


s: And in the light of morning turn it round.


s: Of that deep reddish yellow, like fine gold.


s: Perhaps the tree had wrapped its roots about


s: A chest of treasure, and had drawn the wealth


s: Into its heart to spend it on its fruit.


s: But while I slowly turn the orange round,


s: And look more closely, lo, the slightest cut!--


s: A deep incision made by some sharp steel.


s: I carefully cut the rind, and without once


s: Breaking the fine apartments of the fruit,


s: Or spilling thence a drop of golden juice,


s: Find that one room through which the steel has passed.


s: Fail to discover aught that's poisonous.


s: Clinging with abject fear, I see a Shape


s: Whose wings are reeking with foul slime, whose eyes


s: Its face has somewhat of the human shape,


s: The under-jaw too large, and bearded long;


s: Such front the Genius, Danhasch, may have worn.


s: The idol Krishna's, from whose feasts depart,


s: Smitten with cholera, the Hindoo devotees.


s: Its head is red as if sucked full of blood;


s: But all the rest, its hundred legs, and tail,


s: The mailed back, and the wide-webbed prickly wings,


s: Are green, like those base eyes of jealousy


s: And press the point down on the slimy hide.


s: The blunt edge crushes, does not pierce the shape,


s: And brings the straggle that I gloat to see.


s: The legs stretch out, and work to get away;


s: A barbed tongue and twin fangs drool from the mouth.


s: The eyes protrude, and glare with deadly hate,


s: I ponder long on what this shape can be.


s: There is no doubt Gianni placed it here;


s: If so, where has he caught and caged a thing


s: He hopes to take the life of her I love.


s: Might be detected, this remains unknown.


s: The Thing I have discovered--this vile Shape,


s: And now I have the secret. For some days


s: In some strange manner he has found this germ,


s: And placed it in the orange, hoping thus


s: To bring the dread disease to Grace Bernard.


s: I seem to be with him I hate, once more,


s: That I through chance averted. Now I too


s: And no more cross my path; should he remain,


s: He shall but wait to meet her, for my words


s: I know that I shall fall sick dangerously,


s: And Grace is near, and watching my calm face.


s: The village doctor makes his morning call,


s: And takes my listless hand to feel the pulse.


s: There is no pulse! His hand goes to the heart.


s: My heart has ceased to beat, and all is still.