s: To penetrate the inmost lore of poets--to know the mighty ones,


s: To encompass these, the last keen faculty and entrance-price,


s: Old age, and what it brings from all its past experiences.


s: Old Salt Kossabone, I'll tell you how he died:


s: (Had been a sailor all his life--was nearly 90--lived with his


s: House on a hill, with view of bay at hand, and distant cape, and


s: The last of afternoons, the evening hours, for many a year his


s: In his great arm chair by the window seated,


s: (Sometimes, indeed, through half the day,)


s: Dutch Kossabone, Old Salt, related on my mother's side, far back.


s: With Spanish hat and plumes, and gait inimitable,


s: The perfect singing voice--deepest of all to me the lesson--trial


s: (As perfume's, color's, sunlight's correlation:)


s: From these, for these, with these, a hurried line, dead tenor,


s: Nothing is ever really lost, or can be lost,


s: No birth, identity, form--no object of the world.


s: Nor life, nor force, nor any visible thing;


s: Appearance must not foil, nor shifted sphere confuse thy brain.


s: Ample are time and space--ample the fields of Nature.


s: With grass and flowers and summer fruits and corn.


s: A song, a poem of itself--the word itself a dirge,


s: Amid the wilds, the rocks, the storm and wintry night,


s: To me such misty, strange tableaux the syllables calling up;


s: I see swarms of stalwart chieftains, medicine-men, and warriors,


s: (Race of the woods, the landscapes free, and the falls!


s: No picture, poem, statement, passing them to the future:)


s: Yonnondio! Yonnondio!--unlimn'd they disappear;


s: To-day gives place, and fades--the cities, farms, factories fade;


s: Then blank and gone and still, and utterly lost.


s: Ever the undiscouraged, resolute, struggling soul of man;


s: Ever the soul dissatisfied, curious, unconvinced at last;


s: Struggling to-day the same--battling the same.


s: My science-friend, my noblest woman-friend,


s: "Of all Geologies--Histories--of all Astronomy--of Evolution,


s: "The world, the race, the soul--in space and time the universes,


s: "All bound as is befitting each--all surely going somewhere."


s: Nor cease at the theme of One's-Self. I speak the word of the


s: Old farmers, travelers, workmen (no matter how crippled or bent,)


s: Here first the duties of to-day, the lessons of the concrete,


s: Wealth, order, travel, shelter, products, plenty;


s: As of the building of some varied, vast, perpetual edifice,


s: That coursing on, whate'er men's speculations,


s: Amid the changing schools, theologies, philosophies,


s: Amid the bawling presentations new and old,


s: The round earth's silent vital laws, facts, modes continue.


s: For shelter, wine and meat--for sweet appreciation,


s: For beings, groups, love, deeds, words, books--for colors, forms,


s: sprung in freedom's help, all years, all lands


s: The cannoneers of song and thought--the great artillerists--the


s: foremost leaders, captains of the soul:)


s: Thanks--joyful thanks!--a soldier's, traveler's thanks.


s: The two old, simple problems ever intertwined,


s: Close home, elusive, present, baffled, grappled.


s: By each successive age insoluble, pass'd on,


s: To ours to-day--and we pass on the same.


s: And who art thou? said I to the soft-falling shower,


s: Which, strange to tell, gave me an answer, as here translated:


s: I am the Poem of Earth, said the voice of the rain,


s: Eternal I rise impalpable out of the land and the bottomless sea,


s: I descend to lave the drouths, atomies, dust-layers of the globe,


s: And forever, by day and night, I give back life to my own origin,


s: Soon shall these icy ligatures unbind and melt--A little while,


s: And air, soil, wave, suffused shall be in softness, bloom and


s: From these dead clods and chills as from low burial graves.


s: Shall wake and fill. Thou shalt perceive the simple shows, the


s: With these the robin, lark and thrush, singing their songs--the


s: For such the scenes the annual play brings on.


s: Lay on the graves of all dead soldiers, North or South,


s: (Nor for the past alone--for meanings to the future,)


s: Amid these days of order, ease, prosperity,


s: Amid the current songs of beauty, peace, decorum,


s: I cast a reminiscence--(likely 'twill offend you,


s: I heard it in my boyhood;)--More than a generation since,


s: A queer old savage man, a fighter under Washington himself,


s: Lay dying--sons, daughters, church-deacons, lovingly tending him,


s: To the sights and scenes--to forming the line of battle,


s: To the galloping aides, carrying orders,


s: To the wounded, the fallen, the heat, the suspense,


s: The perfume strong, the smoke, the deafening noise;


s: Away with your life of peace!--your joys of peace!


s: Have you learn'd lessons only of those who admired you, and were


s: tender with you, and stood aside for you?


s: Have you not learn'd great lessons from those who reject you, and


s: Shot gold, maroon and violet, dazzling silver, emerald, fawn,


s: Pure luminous color fighting the silent shadows to the last.


s: Since, twenty years and more have circled round and round,


s: well-fill'd purse--no spot will do but this;)


s: A lesser proof than old Voltaire's, yet greater,


s: Proof of this present time, and thee, thy broad expanse, America,


s: Brought safely for a thousand miles o'er land and tide,


s: Some three days since on their own soil live-sprouting,


s: Now here their sweetness through my room unfolding,


s: A bunch of orange buds by mall from Florida.


s: The sun just gone, the eager light dispell'd--(I too will soon be


s: A haze--nirwana--rest and night--oblivion.


s: You lingering sparse leaves of me on winter-nearing boughs,


s: And I some well-shorn tree of field or orchard-row;


s: You tokens diminute and lorn--(not now the flush of May, or July


s: Not meagre, latent boughs alone, O songs! (scaly and bare, like


s: To verdant leaves, or sheltering shade--to nourishing fruit,


s: And love and faith, like scented roses blooming.


s: To-day, with bending head and eyes, thou, too, Columbia,


s: As the Greek's signal flame, by antique records told,


s: Rose from the hill-top, like applause and glory,


s: Welcoming in fame some special veteran, hero,


s: With rosy tinge reddening the land he'd served,


s: So I aloft from Mannahatta's ship-fringed shore,


s: Lift high a kindled brand for thee, Old Poet.


s: In some unused lagoon, some nameless bay,


s: On sluggish, lonesome waters, anchor'd near the shore,


s: An old, dismasted, gray and batter'd ship, disabled, done,


s: Now precedent songs, farewell--by every name farewell,


s: Or Beat! Beat! Drums! or To the Leaven'd Soil they Trod,


s: What wretched shred e'en at the best of all!)


s: Toward the ending day a calm and lull comes on,


s: Three hours of peace and soothing rest of brain.


s: Objects and groups, bearings, faces, reminiscences;


s: The calmer sight--the golden setting, clear and broad:


s: After the supper and talk--after the day is done,


s: As a friend from friends his final withdrawal prolonging,


s: Good-bye and Good-bye with emotional lips repeating,


s: A far-stretching journey awaits him, to return no more,)


s: Shunning, postponing severance--seeking to ward off the last word


s: E'en at the exit-door turning--charges superfluous calling back--


s: O little white-hull'd sloop, now speed on really deep waters,


s: (I will not call it our concluding voyage,


s: But outset and sure entrance to the truest, best, maturest;)


s: We only know that we drift here with the rest,


s: Good-bye my fancy--(I had a word to say,


s: But 'tis not quite the time--The best of any man's word or say,


s: Is when its proper place arrives--and for its meaning,


s: My life and recitative, containing birth, youth, mid-age years,


s: best sooner than the worst)--And now I chant old age,


s: I pass to snow-white hairs the same, and give to pulses


s: On, on ye jocund twain! continue on the same!


s: With all their chances, changes, losses, sorrows,


s: My parents' deaths, the vagaries of my life, the many tearing


s: As some old broken soldier, after a long, hot, wearying march, or


s: To-day at twilight, hobbling, answering company roll-call, Here,


s: Reporting yet, saluting yet the Officer over all.


s: A vague mist hanging 'round half the pages:


s: (Sometimes how strange and clear to the soul,


s: That all these solid things are indeed but apparitions, concepts,


s: Somehow I cannot let it go yet, funeral though it is,


s: Let it remain back there on its nail suspended,


s: But I do not forget thee. Hast thou then faded?


s: Is the odor exhaled? Are the colors, vitalities, dead?


s: No, while memories subtly play--the past vivid as ever;


s: For but last night I woke, and in that spectral ring saw thee,


s: Thy smile, eyes, face, calm, silent, loving as ever:


s: So let the wreath hang still awhile within my eye-reach,


s: It is not yet dead to me, nor even pallid.


s: The soothing sanity and blitheness of completion,


s: The pomp and hurried contest-glare and rush are done;


s: From east and west across the horizon's edge,


s: Two mighty masterful vessels sailers steal upon us:


s: (Our joys of strife and derring-do to the last!)


s: Put on the old ship all her power to-day!


s: Crowd top-sail, top-gallant and royal studding-sails,


s: Out challenge and defiance--flags and flaunting pennants added,


s: As we take to the open--take to the deepest, freest waters.


s: Have I no weapon-word for thee--some message brief and fierce?


s: Nor for myself--my own rebellious self in thee?


s: Down, down, proud gorge!--though choking thee;


s: Thy bearded throat and high-borne forehead to the gutter;


s: Crouch low thy neck to eleemosynary gifts.


s: In each old song bequeath'd--in every noble page or text,


s: (Different--something unreck'd before--some unsuspected author,)


s: After a long, long course, hundreds of years, denials,


s: Accumulations, rous'd love and joy and thought,


s: Add to your show, before you close it, France,


s: With all the rest, visible, concrete, temples, towers, goods,


s: Organ and solemn service, sermon, bending priests,


s: To me come interpolation sounds not in the show--plainly to me,


s: crowding up the aisle and from the window,


s: The clank of cavalry--the strange celerity of forming ranks--the


s: Ah, whispering, something again, unseen,


s: Where late this heated day thou enterest at my window, door,


s: Thou, laving, tempering all, cool-freshing, gently vitalizing


s: Me, old, alone, sick, weak-down, melted-worn with sweat;


s: Thou, nestling, folding close and firm yet soft, companion better


s: (Thou hast, O Nature! elements! utterance to my heart beyond the


s: (For thou art spiritual, Godly, most of all known to my sense,)


s: Art thou not universal concrete's distillation? Law's, all


s: Hast thou no soul? Can I not know, identify thee?


s: Accept me, thou saidst, the elder ballads,


s: And name for me before thou goest each ancient poet.


s: Haply our New World's chieftest debt is to old poems.)


s: Ever so far back, preluding thee, America,


s: The Hindu epics, the Grecian, Chinese, Persian,


s: The Biblic books and prophets, and deep idyls of the Nazarene,


s: The Iliad, Odyssey, plots, doings, wanderings of Eneas,


s: The troubadours, minstrels, minnesingers, skalds,


s: Chaucer, Dante, flocks of singing birds,


s: As some vast wondrous weird dream-presences,


s: The great shadowy groups gathering around,


s: Darting their mighty masterful eyes forward at thee,


s: Thou! with as now thy bending neck and head, with courteous hand


s: Thou! pausing a moment, drooping thine eyes upon them, blent


s: Well pleased, accepting all, curiously prepared for by them,


s: Welcome, Brazilian brother--thy ample place is ready;


s: A loving hand--a smile from the north--a sunny instant hall!


s: (Let the future care for itself, where it reveals its troubles,


s: (More shining than the Cross, more than the Crown,)


s: Sunshine upon the mountains--many a distant strain


s: From cheery railroad train--from nearer field, barn, house,


s: The whispering air--even the mute crops, garner'd apples, corn,


s: As I sit in twilight late alone by the flickering oak-flame,


s: Musing on long-pass'd war-scenes--of the countless buried unknown


s: Again I see the stalwart ranks on-filing, rising--I hear the


s: Each name recall'd by me from out the darkness and death's ashes,


s: Your mystic roll entire of unknown names, or North or South,


s: Embalm'd with love in this twilight song.


s: Out spake pleased Nature (the round impassive globe, with all its


s: --Then the full-grown poet stood between the two, and took each


s: He slowly rais'd himself from the bed on the floor,


s: (And here a line in memory of his name and death.)


s: (Amid the rest, amid the rushing, whirling, wild debris,


s: A suffering woman saved--a baby safely born!)


s: Although I come and unannounc'd, in horror and in pang,


s: In pouring flood and fire, and wholesale elemental crash, (this


s: Yea, Death, we bow our faces, veil our eyes to thee,


s: We mourn the old, the young untimely drawn to thee,


s: The fair, the strong, the good, the capable,


s: The corpses in the whelming waters and the mud,


s: (Faithful to them found or unfound, forgetting not, bearing the


s: A day--a passing moment or an hour--America itself bends low,


s: War, death, cataclysm like this, America,


s: Take deep to thy proud prosperous heart.


s: E'en as I chant, lo! out of death, and out of ooze and slime,


s: The blossoms rapidly blooming, sympathy, help, love,


s: From West and East, from South and North and over sea,


s: Its hot-spurr'd hearts and hands humanity to human aid moves on;


s: And from within a thought and lesson yet.


s: Thou ever-darting Globe! through Space and Air!


s: Thou that in all the life and death of us, in action or in sleep!


s: (Wrapt in these little potencies of progress, politics, culture,


s: Have lost my recognition of your silent ever-swaying power, ye


s: In which and upon which we float, and every one of us is buoy'd.


s: For his o'erarching and last lesson the greybeard sufi,


s: In the fresh scent of the morning in the open air,


s: On the slope of a teeming Persian rose-garden,


s: Under an ancient chestnut-tree wide spreading its branches,


s: Spoke to the young priests and students.


s: "Has the estray wander'd far? Is the reason-why strangely hidden?


s: (Often unconscious, often evil, downfallen,)


s: To return to its divine source and origin, however distant,


s: Latent the same in subject and in object, without one exception."


s: How cheap is health! how cheap nobility!


s: Abstinence, no falsehood, no gluttony, lust;


s: The open air I sing, freedom, toleration,


s: Your farm--your work, trade, occupation,


s: The democratic wisdom underneath, like solid ground for all.


s: The devilish and the dark, the dying and diseas'd,


s: Newts, crawling things in slime and mud, poisons,


s: The barren soil, the evil men, the slag and hideous rot.


s: More experiences and sights, stranger, than you'd think for;


s: Times again, now mostly just after sunrise or before sunset,


s: And my mate there could tell you the like--we have often confab'd


s: Trials in courts, jury and judge, the accused in the box,


s: Contestants, battles, crowds, bridges, wharves,


s: Now and then mark'd faces of sorrow or joy,


s: (I could pick them out this moment if I saw them again,)


s: Show'd to me--just to the right in the sky-edge,


s: Or plainly there to the left on the hill-tops.


s: Evolution--the cumulative--growths and generations.


s: Begun in ripen'd youth and steadily pursued,


s: Wandering, peering, dallying with all--war, peace, day and night


s: Never even for one brief hour abandoning my task,


s: I end it here in sickness, poverty, and old age.


s: I sing of life, yet mind me well of death:


s: After the cycles, poems, singers, plays,


s: Vaunted Ionia's, India's--Homer, Shakspere--the long, long times'


s: All ages' plummets dropt to their utmost depths,


s: Grand is the seen, the light, to me--grand are the sky and stars,


s: And grand their laws, so multiform, puzzling, evolutionary;


s: (What were all those, indeed, without thee, unseen soul? of what


s: More evolutionary, vast, puzzling, O my soul!


s: More multiform far--more lasting thou than they.


s: Like babes in wombs, latent, folded, compact, sleeping;


s: Billions of billions, and trillions of trillions of them waiting,


s: Urging slowly, surely forward, forming endless,


s: And waiting ever more, forever more behind.


s: Or to what fortune, or whether I may ever see you again,


s: Now for my last--let me look back a moment;


s: The slower fainter ticking of the clock is in me,


s: Exit, nightfall, and soon the heart-thud stopping.


s: Long have we lived, joy'd, caress'd together;


s: Delightful!--now separation--Good-bye my Fancy.


s: Long indeed have we lived, slept, filter'd, become really blended


s: Then if we die we die together, (yes, we'll remain one,)


s: If we go anywhere we'll go together to meet what happens,


s: May-be we'll be better off and blither, and learn something,


s: Edinburgh: T. AND A. CONSTABLE, Printers to Her Majesty


s: The life and the letters of Murray remind one strongly of Thomas


s: None worthier, though the world is wide,


s: I shall be spun.  There is a voice within


s: For though I toil not, neither do I spin,


s: For not by ways like mine degrees are won;


s: And though, to please my uncle, I go in,


s: Or Greek Poetry either, as far as that goes;


s: Nor Sargent nor Sidgwick shall break their repose.


s: Would smile at as 'barbarous'--faith, he well might.


s: (This metre's too tough, I must draw to a close.)


s: And Sidgwick be food for the carrion crows!'


s: He weighed not less than eighteen stone,


s: 'Would you like to see a city given over,


s: If you would, there's little need to be a rover,


s: For St. Andrews is the abject city's name.'


s: For a ten mile walk through the frozen snow


s: To you and to me there has come a change,


s: 'The mist hangs round the College tower,


s: His cousin's work, her empty labour, left.


s: But still he sniffed it, still a fragrance clung


s: And lingered all about the broidered flowers.


s: Then came his landlord, saying in broad Scotch,


s: 'Smoke plug, mon,' whom he looked at doubtfully.


s: Then came the grocer saying, 'Hae some twist


s: At tippence,' whom he answered with a qualm.


s: But when they left him to himself again,


s: Twist, like a fiend's breath from a distant room


s: Diffusing through the passage, crept; the smell


s: Deepening had power upon him, and he mixt


s: And on that night he made a little song,


s: And called his song 'The Song of Twist and Plug,'


s: And sang it; scarcely could he make or sing.


s: 'Rank is black plug, though smoked in wind and rain;


s: And rank is twist, which gives no end of pain;


s: 'Plug, art thou rank? then milder twist must be;


s: Plug, thou art milder: rank is twist to me.


s: 'Rank twist, that seems to make me fade away,


s: Rank plug, that navvies smoke in loveless clay,


s: 'I fain would purchase flake, if that could be;


s: I needs must purchase plug, ah, woe is me!


s: 'My blood-curdling romance I offered to the editor of _Longman's


s: 'Waiting for the spark from heaven to fall.'


s: journalism) has become simply outrageous.'


s: Alone, in Edinburgh, Murray was saddened by the 'unregarding'


s: At this time Edinburgh was honouring itself, and Mr. Parnell, by


s: To feverish pulse each gale blows chill,


s: The perfect health of mind, in these letters of a dying man, is


s: All round, the landscape stretches bare,


s: 'The leaves are off Queen Mary's Thorn!'


s: There was a time when it was counted high


s: Of peaceful labour for the country's weal,


s: _For King and Country_ was a rallying cry


s: That turned men's hearts to fire, their nerves to steel;


s: That war should come, outpouring blood and fire,


s: And bringing grief and hunger in her train.


s: And yet, if there be found no other way,


s: God send us war, and with it send the day


s: When love of country shall be real again!


s: Haunts me in dreams through half the night.


s: Come back to St. Andrews!  Before you went away


s: You said you would be wretched where you could not see the Bay,


s: The East sands and the West sands and the castle in the sea


s: Come back to St. Andrews--St. Andrews and me.


s: Oh, it's dreary along South Street when the rain is coming down,


s: On the stormy days to College, from my window up on high.


s: I wander on the Lade Braes, where I used to walk with you,


s: And purple are the woods of Mount Melville, budding new,


s: But I cannot bear to look, for the tears keep coming so,


s: And the Spring has lost the freshness which it had a year ago.


s: Yet often I could fancy, where the pathway takes a turn,


s: I shall see you in a moment, coming round beside the burn,


s: Coming round beside the burn, with your swinging step and free,


s: And your face lit up with pleasure at the sudden sight of me.


s: Beyond the Rock and Spindle, where we watched the water clear


s: In the happy April sunshine, with a happy sound to hear,


s: There I sat this afternoon, but no hand was holding mine,


s: And the water sounded eerie, though the April sun did shine.


s: Oh, why should I complain of what I know was bound to be?


s: For you had your way to make, and you must not think of me.


s: But a woman's heart is weak, and a woman's joys are few--


s: There are times when I could die for a moment's sight of you.


s: It may be you will come again, before my hair is grey


s: As the sea is in the twilight of a weary winter's day.


s: I have been lonely all my days on earth,


s: With mine own springs of sorrow and of mirth,


s: Though sometimes with vain longing I have sought


s: To walk the paths where other mortals tread,


s: To wear the clothes for other mortals wrought,


s: Yet have I ever found, when thus I strove


s: That I was furthest from all truth and love,


s: Life left my soul, and dwelt but in my sense;


s: No man could love me, for all men could see


s: Their clothes sat on me with outlandish air,


s: Upon their easy road I tripped and fell,


s: And still I sickened of the wholesome fare


s: And when they lifted up their songs of glee,


s: Peace for mine own self I could never find,


s: And still my presence marred the general peace,


s: Not scorning those who walk the beaten track,


s: Their way is best for them, but mine for me.


s: And there is comfort for my lonely heart,


s: To think perhaps our journeys' ends may be


s: Which makes the moorland's purple dower,


s: Erelong the winter frosts shall freeze--


s: Another day let slip!  Its hours have run,


s: All run to waste.  A day of life the less;


s: Through my west window streams the setting sun.


s: My sin and sorrow, filled with vain distress,


s: In place of honest joy for work well done.


s: At noon I passed some labourers in a field.


s: The sweat ran down upon each sunburnt face,


s: Which shone like copper in the ardent glow.


s: And one looked up, with envy unconcealed,


s: Beholding my cool cheeks and listless pace,


s: Yet he was happier, though he did not know.


s: Fain would I shake thee off, but weak am I


s: Which rests irresolute, and lets it lie.


s: Smiles through the window, beautiful and bland,


s: And seems to half entreat and half command


s: My presence out of doors beneath its eye?


s: Will not the air be fresh, the water blue,


s: The smell of beanfields, blowing to the shore,


s: Better than these poor drooping purchased flowers?


s: Good-bye, dull books!  Hot room, good-bye to you!


s: The sea grows purple in the evening hours.


s: With love o'erthrown, with love o'erthrown,


s: What brought her there, what brought her there,


s: We climbed the hill, we climbed the hill,


s: To see two girls to their father's farm.


s: The girls were sisters.  Both were fair,


s: The dark soon severed us, pair from pair,


s: And we frightened most of the sheep about,


s: And I do not think that we greatly tried,


s: The night being fine, it was not worth while.


s: We strayed through furrow and corn and grass


s: And a quickset hedge, which we failed to pass.


s: She said we were near her father's place.


s: And my heart stood still for a moment's space.


s: Then I pleaded, 'Give me a good-night kiss.'


s: I have learned, but I did not know in time,


s: The fruits that hang on the tree of bliss


s: When we reached the house, it was late enough,


s: Of time and distance, and such dull stuff,


s: Went not to sleep till the black turned grey,


s: And the sun rose up, and the light increased,


s: And sometimes now, when the nights are mild,


s: And the moon is away, and no stars shine,


s: To think of the kiss which was not mine.


s: Let great minds laugh at a grief so small,


s: Let small minds laugh at a fool so great.


s: Shy youths, take warning by this my fate.


s: They have made him a cage; they have clipped his wing;


s: They have shut him up in a dingy street,


s: And they praise his singing and call it sweet.


s: But his heart and his song are saddened and filled


s: With the woods, and the nest he never will build,


s: And the wild young dawn coming into the tree,


s: And the mate that never his mate will be.


s: And day by day, when his notes are heard


s: They freshen the street--but alas for the bird


s: But where's the use of honey, when the loaf of bread is dear?


s: The sun shines fair on Tweedside, the river flowing bright,


s: Your heart is full of pleasure, your eyes are full of light,


s: Your cheeks are like the morning, your pearls are like the dew,


s: Or morning and her dew-drops are like your pearls and you.


s: Because you are a princess, a princess of the land,


s: You will not turn your lightsome eyes a moment where I stand,


s: A poor unnoticed poet, a-making of his rhymes;


s: But I have found a mistress, more fair a thousand times.


s: 'Tis May, the elfish maiden, the daughter of the Spring,


s: Upon whose birthday morning the birds delight to sing.


s: They would not sing one note for you, if you should so command,


s: Although you are a princess, a princess of the land.


s: Each, while she reigned, possessed alone


s: In London, showing what befell him there,


s: He spent last summer in Trafalgar Square,


s: With men and women who by want are driven


s: Thither for lodging, when the nights are fair.


s: No roof there is between their heads and heaven,


s: No warmth but what by ragged clothes is given,


s: Who with despair, like them, have vainly striven.


s: Snatching brief morsels of a poor repose,


s: And if through weariness they might sleep sound,


s: Their eyes must open almost ere they close.


s: Twice every hour the night patrol comes round


s: To clear these wretches off, who may not keep


s: Yet the stern shepherds of the poor black sheep


s: There was a mother there who strove in vain,


s: With sobs, to hush a starving child to sleep.


s: And through the night which took so long to wane,


s: Performing deeds which God will not disdain.


s: There was a girl, forlorn of the forlorn,


s: Whose dress was white, but draggled, soiled, and torn,


s: Who wandered like a ghost without a home.


s: She spoke to him before the day was born.


s: Earning dislike from most, abuse from some,


s: Now asked the hour, and when he told her 'Two,'


s: Wailed, 'O my God, will daylight never come?'


s: Yes, it will come, and change the sky anew


s: From star-besprinkled black to sunlit blue,


s: And bring sweet thoughts and innocent desires


s: To countless girls.  What will it bring to you?


s: Each like to each, this month have passed,


s: One thing they lacked: the perfect touch


s: Dear Ritchie, I am waiting for the signal word to fly,


s: And tell me that the visit which has suffered such belating


s: Is to be a thing of now, and no more of by-and-by.


s: The sea is at its bluest, and the Spring is new creating


s: The woods and dens we know of, and the fields rejoicing lie,


s: All is ready for your coming, dear Ritchie--yes, and I,


s: Then wherefore mourn the wreaths that lie


s: When we have laid aside our last endeavour,


s: And said farewell to one or two that weep,


s: And issued from the house of life for ever,


s: To find a lodging in the house of sleep--


s: With eyes fast shut, in sunless chambers lying,


s: With folded arms unmoved upon the breast,


s: Beyond the noise of sorrow and of crying,


s: Beyond the dread of dreaming, shall we rest?


s: Or shall there come at last desire of waking,


s: To walk again on hillsides that we know,


s: When sunrise through the cold white mist is breaking,


s: Shall there be yearning for the sound of voices,


s: The sight of faces, and the touch of hands,


s: The will that works, the spirit that rejoices,


s: The heart that feels, the mind that understands?


s: Shall dreams and memories crowding from the distance,


s: Shall ghosts of old ambition or of mirth,


s: And being dead, and powerless to recover


s: The substance of the show whereon we gaze,


s: Shall we be likened to the hapless lover,


s: Not so: for we have known how swift to perish


s: Is man's delight when youth and health take wing,


s: Until the winter leaves him nought to cherish


s: Dream as we may, desire of life shall never


s: Disturb our slumbers in the house of sleep.


s: Yet oh, to think we may not greet for ever


s: The one or two that, when we leave them, weep!


s: With strength renewed he quits the isle,


s: To move their ruth.  The bars are strong.


s: Last Sunday night I read the saddening story


s: The 'faith unfaithful' and the joyless glory


s: Of Lancelot, 'groaning in remorseful pain.'


s: I thought of all those nights in wintry weather,


s: Those Sunday nights that seem not long ago,


s: When we two read our Poet's words together,


s: Till summer warmth within our hearts did glow.


s: Ah, when shall we renew that bygone pleasure,


s: Drink from one cup the overflowing measure,


s: And find, in sharing it, the draught more sweet?


s: That time perchance is far, beyond divining.


s: Till then we drain the 'magic cup' apart;


s: Yet not apart, for hope and memory twining


s: Smile upon each, uniting heart to heart.


s: And thou, poor fool! dost point the way.


s: When one who has wandered out of the way


s: Whose heart has grown both cold and grey,


s: How gladly he mounts up the steep hillside,


s: And in his veins, like a full springtide,


s: He breathes the pure sweet mountain breath,


s: And in tones that are strong and rich and deep


s: For the soul has awakened from mortal sleep,


s: With silver throats and tongues of gold.


s: Thy towers!  Once more we leap and spring,


s: Which deemed thy glowing face grown pale.


s: For thee the birds shall never sing again,


s: Nor fresh green leaves come out upon the tree,


s: The brook shall no more murmur the refrain


s: Thou liest underneath the windswept lea,


s: Thou dreamest not of pleasure or of pain,


s: Thou dreadest no to-morrow that shall be.


s: Deep rest is thine, unbroken by the rain,


s: Ay, or the thunder.  Brother, canst thou see


s: The tears that night and morning fall in vain


s: 'In the shadow of Thy wings, O Lord of Hosts, whom I extol,


s: I will put my trust for ever,' so the kingly David sings.


s: 'Thou shalt help me, Thou shalt save me, only


s: In our ears this voice triumphant, like a blowing trumpet, rings,


s: Shadows are there overhead, but they are of the clouds that roll,


s: The cloying fruits, the noxious flowers,


s: I long have roamed the walks and bowers,


s: Come down to seek the wretch who cowers,


s: From flowers and fruit, each hour I dread


s: By rounded hills closed in on every hand.


s: The streets slope steeply to the market-square,


s: Long lines of white-washed houses, clean and fair,


s: With roofs irregular, and steps of stone


s: The people swarthy, idle, full of mirth,


s: Live mostly by the tillage of the earth.


s: Upon the northern hill-top, looking down,


s: Like some sequestered saint upon the town,


s: Ten years ago, the moon with rising light


s: Made all the convent towers as clear as day,


s: While still in deepest shade the village lay.


s: Both light and shadow with repose were filled,


s: The village sounds, the convent bells were stilled.


s: No foot in all the streets was now astir,


s: And in the convent none kept watch but her


s: Whom they called Ursula.  The moonlight fell


s: Her eyes were dark, and full of unshed woe,


s: Like mountain tarns which cannot overflow,


s: Surcharged with rain, and round about the eyes


s: Deep rings recorded sleepless nights, and cries


s: Stifled before their birth.  Her brow was pale,


s: Of cypress trees, shone shadowed by her hair.


s: So still she was, that had you seen her there,


s: You might have thought you were beholding death.


s: Came from between them, it were hard to know


s: But when the summer night was now far spent,


s: She kneeled upon the floor.  Her head she leant


s: Down on the cold stone of the window-seat.


s: In those pale brows, or if they chilled the stone.


s: And as she knelt, she made a bitter moan,


s: With words that issued from a bitter soul,--


s: Thy peace which waiteth for the world-worn heart?


s: Is this the blessed chastening of Thy rod,


s: Which only wounds to heal?  Is this the cross


s: That I must carry, counting all for loss


s: Which once was precious in the world to me?


s: And let me come, forsaking all, to Thee.


s: But here, though that old world beholds me not,


s: Here, though I seek Thee through my lonely lot,


s: Here, though I fast, do penance day by day,


s: Kneel at Thy feet, and ever watch and pray,


s: Revisit me.  The pale blue smoke is curled


s: Up from the dwellings of the sons of men.


s: I see it, and all my heart turns back again


s: From seeking Thee, to find the forms I love.


s: 'Thou, with Thy saints abiding far above,


s: What canst Thou know of this, my earthly pain?


s: They said to me, Thou shalt be born again,


s: And learn that worldly things are nothing worth,


s: In that new state.  O God, is this new birth,


s: Are these the living waters which refresh


s: The thirsty spirit, that it thirst no more?


s: Still all my life is thirsting to the core.


s: Thou canst not satisfy, if this be Thou.


s: Among the friends they tell me to forget,


s: I never seemed to seek Thee, but I found


s: And most of all in hearts that loved me well.


s: 'And then I came to seek Thee in this cell,


s: And all this have I done, or else have striven


s: On plains where there is only sun and sand,


s: My thirst unquenchable, my heart burnt dry.


s: And still in my parched throat I faintly cry,


s: 'He will not answer me.  He does not hear.


s: Oh for a strength of will to rise and curse


s: God, and defy Him here to strike me dead!


s: But my heart fails me, and I bow my head,


s: And cry to Him for mercy, still in vain.


s: That I might burst all bondage of control,


s: Be for one moment as the beasts that die,


s: And pour my life in one blaspheming cry!'


s: The morning came, and all the convent towers


s: Were gilt with glory by the golden hours.


s: With quiet footsteps, calling her by name,


s: But there was none that answered.  In her cell,


s: On form and face, and showed that she was dead.


s: 'May Christ receive her soul!' the sisters said,


s: And how God's mercy spared her pain and strife,


s: And gave this quiet death.  The face was still,


s: Like a tired child's, that lies and sleeps its fill.


s: No gift I bring but worship, and the love


s: Which all must bear to lovely souls and pure,


s: Those lights, that, when all else is dark, endure;


s: Stars in the night, to lift our eyes above;


s: To lift our eyes and hearts, and make us move


s: Less doubtful, though our journey be obscure,


s: That they watch over us, where'er we rove.


s: And though my gift itself have little worth,


s: Yet worth it gains from her to whom 'tis given,


s: As a weak flower gets colour from the sun.


s: Or rather, as when angels walk the earth,


s: All things they look on take the look of heaven--


s: For of those blessed angels thou art one.


s: There dwelt such power, and in your smile


s: And sweet, as once you were, you seemed,


s: And round your waist my arm was pressed,


s: That I leapt to see as she passed along,


s: As she passed along with her beautiful face,


s: Though I travelled and sought for a month and a day.


s: Till she treads it again with her sacred feet?


s: Last night for the first time, O Heart's Delight,


s: The dearest moment which my soul has known,


s: Since I beheld and loved you at first sight.


s: I left you, and I wandered in the night,


s: Under the rain, beside the ocean's moan.


s: All was black dark, but in the north alone


s: There was a glimmer of the Northern Light.


s: Glad of the present, and from forethought free,


s: That when the tale is told, the final word


s: Large eyes illumined with her spirit's light;


s: Lips that are lovely both by sound and sight,


s: Breathing such music as the dove, which broods


s: Within the dark and silence of the woods,


s: Croons to the mate that is her heart's delight.


s: Where is a line, in cloud or wave or hill,


s: To match the curve which rounds her soft-flushed cheek?


s: A colour, in the sky of morn or of even,


s: To match that flush?  Ah, let me now be still!


s: If of her spirit I should strive to speak,


s: I should come short, as earth comes short of heaven.


s: Love, when the present is become the past,


s: And dust has covered all that now is new,


s: If then these songs of mine might hope to last,


s: Which sing most sweetly when they sing of you,


s: Though queen and empress wore oblivion's hue,


s: Now, while the present stays with you and me,


s: In love's copartnery our hearts combine,


s: Life's loss and gain in equal shares to take.


s: Partners in fame our memories then would be:


s: Your name remembered for my songs; and mine


s: Still unforgotten for your sweetness' sake.


s: And heard the Christmas bells ring sweet and clearly,


s: And whispered to your heart, 'I love you dearly.'


s: And dreaming some fair dream of summer weather.


s: They sang a Christmas carol both together.


s: Sing as ye sang upon the first creation,


s: And earth was laid upon a sure foundation.


s: And kindly feeling all the wide world over,


s: And morning on the snow-clad hills grows grey.


s: Shine more and more unto the perfect day!


s: The Red King's gone a-hunting, in the woods his father made


s: Are all gone out upon the sport the Red King loves the best.


s: Last night, when they were feasting in the royal banquet-hall,


s: De Breteuil told a dream he had, that evil would befall


s: If the King should go to-morrow to the hunting of the deer,


s: And while he spoke, the fiery face grew well-nigh pale to hear.


s: He drank until the fire came back, and all his heart was brave,


s: Then bade them keep such woman's tales to tell an English slave,


s: For he would hunt to-morrow, though a thousand dreams foretold


s: All the sorrow and the mischief De Breteuil's brain could hold.


s: So the Red King's gone a-hunting, for all that they could do,


s: And an arrow in the greenwood made De Breteuil's dream come true.


s: There's many walk the forest, who would gladly see the sport,


s: When the King goes out a-hunting with the nobles of his court,


s: And when the nobles scatter, and the King is left alone,


s: The forest laws are cruel, and the time is hard as steel


s: To English slaves, trod down and bruised beneath the Norman heel.


s: There are worms that carry poison, and that are not slow to turn.


s: The lords came back, by one and two, from straying far apart,


s: And they found the Red King lying with an arrow in his heart.


s: Who should have done the deed, but him by whom it first was seen?


s: They cried upon Prince Henry, the brother of the King,


s: And he came up the greenwood, and rode into the ring.


s: He looked upon his brother's face, and then he turned away,


s: And galloped off to Winchester, where all the treasure lay.


s: 'God strike me,' cried De Breteuil, 'but brothers' blood is thin!


s: They say it was enchantment, that fixed him to the scene,


s: To look upon his traitor's work, and so it may have been.


s: But presently he got to horse, and took the seaward way,


s: And all alone within the glade, in state the Red King lay.


s: Then a creaking cart came slowly, which a charcoal-burner drove.


s: He found the dead man lying, a ghastly treasure-trove;


s: He raised the corpse for charity, and on his wagon laid,


s: And so the Red King drove in state from out the forest glade.


s: His hair was like a yellow flame about the bloated face,


s: The blood had stained his tunic from the fatal arrow-place.


s: Not good to look upon was he, in life, nor yet when dead.


s: The driver of the cart drove on, and never turned his head.


s: When next the nobles throng at night the royal banquet-hall,


s: Another King will rule the feast, the drinking and the brawl,


s: While Walter Tyrrel walks alone upon the Norman shore,


s: And the Red King in the forest will chase the deer no more.


s: On the field of Waterloo we made Napoleon rue


s: That ever out of Elba he decided for to come,


s: For we finished him that day, and he had to run away,


s: And yield himself to Maitland on the Billy-ruffium.


s: 'Twas a stubborn fight, no doubt, and the fortune wheeled about,


s: And the brave Mossoos kept coming most uncomfortable near,


s: And says Wellington the hero, as his hopes went down to zero,


s: 'I wish to God that Blooker or the night was only here!'


s: But Blooker came at length, and we broke Napoleon's strength,


s: And the flower of his army--that's the old Imperial Guard--


s: They made a final sally, but they found they could not rally,


s: And at last they broke and fled, after fighting bitter hard.


s: Now Napoleon he had thought, when a British ship he sought,


s: And gave himself uncalled-for, in a manner, you might say,


s: He'd be treated like a king with the best of every thing,


s: And maybe have a palace for to live in every day.


s: He was treated very well, as became a noble swell,


s: But we couldn't leave him loose, not in Europe anywhere,


s: For we knew he would be making some gigantic undertaking,


s: While the trustful British lion was reposing in his lair.


s: We tried him once before near the European shore,


s: Having planted him in Elba, where he promised to remain,


s: But when he saw his chance, why, he bolted off to France,


s: And he made a lot of trouble--but it wouldn't do again.


s: Says the Prince to him, 'You know, far away you'll have to go,


s: To a pleasant little island off the coast of Africay,


s: Where they tell me that the view of the ocean deep and blue,


s: Is remarkable extensive, and it's there you'll have to stay.'


s: So Napoleon wiped his eye, and he wished the Prince good-bye,


s: And being stony-broke, made the best of it he could,


s: Now of that I don't complain, but I ask and ask in vain,


s: Why me, a British soldier, as has lost a useful arm


s: Through fighting of the foe, when the trumpets ceased to blow,


s: Should be forced to feed the pigs on a little Surrey farm,


s: While him as fought with us, and created such a fuss,


s: And in the whole of Europe did a mighty deal of harm,


s: Should be kept upon a rock, like a precious fighting cock,


s: And be found in beer and baccy, which would suit me to a charm?


s: Long since I came into the school of Art,


s: A child in works, but not a child in heart.


s: Slowly I learn, by her instruction mild,


s: I climb.  The staircase clock strikes one.


s: Good night, my love! good night, my sweet!


s: The best place in my heart for Scotland,


s: The best place in my heart for Scotland!


s: And all the doors will yield to him who tries,


s: Save one, whereof men say, behind it lies


s: The haunting secret.  He who keeps the key,


s: Keeps it securely, smiles perchance to see


s: The eager hands stretched out to clutch the prize,


s: Or looks with pity in the yearning eyes,


s: And is half moved to let the secret free.


s: And truly some at every hour pass through,


s: Pass through, and tread upon that solemn floor,


s: Yet come not back to tell what they have found.


s: With tears and cries, the keeper of the door,


s: But wait till our appointed hour comes round.


s: Long lines of cliff breaking have left a chasm;


s: And in the chasm are foam and yellow sands;


s: In cluster; then a moulder'd church; and higher


s: A long street climbs to one tall-tower'd mill;


s: And high in heaven behind it a gray down


s: Three children of three houses, Annie Lee,


s: The prettiest little damsel in the port,


s: Made orphan by a winter shipwreck, play'd


s: Among the waste and lumber of the shore,


s: Hard coils of cordage, swarthy fishing-nets,


s: Anchors of rusty fluke, and boats updrawn,


s: And built their castles of dissolving sand


s: To watch them overflow'd, or following up


s: And flying the white breaker, daily left


s: In this the children play'd at keeping house.


s: Enoch was host one day, Philip the next,


s: While Annie still was mistress; but at times


s: `This is my house and this my little wife.'


s: `Mine too' said Philip `turn and turn about:'


s: When, if they quarrell'd, Enoch stronger-made


s: Was master: then would Philip, his blue eyes


s: All flooded with the helpless wrath of tears,


s: Shriek out `I hate you, Enoch,' and at this


s: And pray them not to quarrel for her sake,


s: And say she would be little wife to both.


s: But when the dawn of rosy childhood past,


s: And the new warmth of life's ascending sun


s: Was felt by either, either fixt his heart


s: On that one girl; and Enoch spoke his love,


s: But Philip loved in silence; and the girl


s: But she loved Enoch; tho' she knew it not,


s: To purchase his own boat, and make a home


s: For Annie: and so prosper'd that at last


s: For leagues along that breaker-beaten coast


s: Than Enoch.  Likewise had he served a year


s: On board a merchantman, and made himself


s: Full sailor; and he thrice had pluck'd a life


s: From the dread sweep of the down-streaming seas:


s: And ere he touch'd his one-and-twentieth May


s: He purchased his own boat, and made a home


s: For Annie, neat and nestlike, halfway up


s: The narrow street that clamber'd toward the mill.


s: With bag and sack and basket, great and small,


s: Went nutting to the hazels.  Philip stay'd


s: An hour behind; but as he climb'd the hill,


s: Just where the prone edge of the wood began


s: To feather toward the hollow, saw the pair,


s: His large gray eyes and weather-beaten face


s: That burn'd as on an altar.  Philip look'd,


s: And in their eyes and faces read his doom;


s: Then, as their faces drew together, groan'd,


s: And slipt aside, and like a wounded life


s: Crept down into the hollows of the wood;


s: There, while the rest were loud in merrymaking,


s: Had his dark hour unseen, and rose and past


s: So these were wed, and merrily rang the bells,


s: And merrily ran the years, seven happy years,


s: Seven happy years of health and competence,


s: With children; first a daughter.  In him woke,


s: With his first babe's first cry, the noble wish


s: Than his had been, or hers; a wish renew'd,


s: While Enoch was abroad on wrathful seas,


s: Or often journeying landward; for in truth


s: Enoch's white horse, and Enoch's ocean-spoil


s: Rough-redden'd with a thousand winter gales,


s: Not only to the market-cross were known,


s: Whose Friday fare was Enoch's ministering.


s: Then came a change, as all things human change.


s: Ten miles to northward of the narrow port


s: And once when there, and clambering on a mast


s: In harbor, by mischance he slipt and fell:


s: And while he lay recovering there, his wife


s: Taking her bread and theirs: and on him fell,


s: Altho' a grave and staid God-fearing man,


s: Yet lying thus inactive, doubt and gloom.


s: He seem'd, as in a nightmare of the night,


s: And her, he loved, a beggar: then he pray'd


s: `Save them from this, whatever comes to me.'


s: And while he pray'd, the master of that ship


s: Enoch had served in, hearing his mischance,


s: Came, for he knew the man and valued him,


s: And wanting yet a boatswain.  Would he go?


s: There yet were many weeks before she sail'd,


s: Sail'd from this port.  Would Enoch have the place?


s: So now that the shadow of mischance appear'd


s: No graver than as when some little cloud


s: And isles a light in the offing: yet the wife--


s: When he was gone--the children--what to do?


s: Then Enoch lay long-pondering on his plans;


s: To sell the boat--and yet he loved her well--


s: How many a rough sea had he weather'd in her!


s: He knew her, as a horseman knows his horse--


s: And yet to sell her--then with what she brought


s: Buy goods and stores--set Annie forth in trade


s: With all that seamen needed or their wives--


s: So might she keep the house while he was gone.


s: Should he not trade himself out yonder? go


s: This voyage more than once? yea twice or thrice--


s: With fuller profits lead an easier life,


s: Have all his pretty young ones educated,


s: And pass his days in peace among his own.


s: Then moving homeward came on Annie pale,


s: Nursing the sickly babe, her latest-born.


s: Whom Enoch took, and handled all his limbs,


s: Appraised his weight and fondled fatherlike,


s: To Annie, till the morrow, when he spoke.


s: Then first since Enoch's golden ring had girt


s: Her finger, Annie fought against his will:


s: Many a sad kiss by day and night renew'd


s: (Sure that all evil would come out of it)


s: For here or his dear children, not to go.


s: Her and her children, let her plead in vain;


s: So grieving held his will, and bore it thro'.


s: For Enoch parted with his old sea-friend,


s: Bought Annie goods and stores, and set his hand


s: To fit their little streetward sitting-room


s: With shelf and corner for the goods and stores.


s: So all day long till Enoch's last at home,


s: Shaking their pretty cabin, hammer and axe,


s: Auger and saw, while Annie seem'd to hear


s: Her own death-scaffold raising, shrill'd and rang,


s: Till this was ended, and his careful hand,--


s: The space was narrow,--having order'd all


s: Almost as neat and close as Nature packs


s: Her blossom or her seedling, paused; and he,


s: Who needs would work for Annie to the last,


s: Ascending tired, heavily slept till morn.


s: And Enoch faced this morning of farewell


s: Brightly and boldly.  All his Annie's fears,


s: Save, as his Annie's, were a laughter to him.


s: Where God-in-man is one with man-in-God,


s: Pray'd for a blessing on his wife and babes


s: Will bring fair weather yet to all of us.


s: Keep a clean hearth and a clear fire for me,


s: For I'll be back, my girl, before you know it.'


s: Then lightly rocking baby's cradle `and he,


s: Nay--for I love him all the better for it--


s: God bless him, he shall sit upon my knees


s: And I will tell him tales of foreign parts,


s: And make him merry, when I come home again.


s: Come Annie, come, cheer up before I go.'


s: Him running on thus hopefully she heard,


s: And almost hoped herself; but when he turn'd


s: The current of his talk to graver things


s: On providence and trust in Heaven, she heard,


s: Heard and not heard him; as the village girl,


s: Who sets her pitcher underneath the spring,


s: Musing on him that used to fill it for her,


s: Hears and not hears, and lets it overflow.


s: At length she spoke `O Enoch, you are wise;


s: That I shall look upon your face no more.'


s: `Well then,' said Enoch, `I shall look on yours.


s: (He named the day) get you a seaman's glass,


s: Spy out my face, and laugh at all your fears.'


s: But when the last of those last moments came,


s: Look to the babes, and till I come again,


s: Keep everything shipshape, for I must go.


s: Cast all your cares on God; that anchor holds.


s: Parts of the morning? if I flee to these


s: Cast his strong arms about his drooping wife,


s: And kiss'd his wonder-stricken little ones;


s: But for the third, sickly one, who slept


s: When Annie would have raised him Enoch said


s: `Wake him not; let him sleep; how should this child


s: Remember this?' and kiss'ed him in his cot.


s: But Annie from her baby's forehead clipt


s: Thro' all his future; but now hastily caught


s: His bundle, waved his hand, and went his way.


s: She when the day, that Enoch mention'd, came,


s: Borrow'd a glass, but all in vain: perhaps


s: She could not fix the glass to suit her eye;


s: Perhaps her eye was dim, hand tremulous;


s: She saw him not: and while he stood on deck


s: Ev'n to the last dip of the vanishing sail


s: She watch'd it, and departed weeping for him;


s: Then, tho' she mourn'd his absence as his grave,


s: Set her sad will no less to chime with his,


s: But throve not in her trade, not being bred


s: And still foreboding `what would Enoch say?'


s: For more than once, in days of difficulty


s: And pressure, had she sold her wares for less


s: Than what she gave in buying what she sold:


s: She fail'd and sadden'd knowing it; and thus,


s: Gain'd for here own a scanty sustenance,


s: Now the third child was sickly-born and grew


s: Yet sicklier, tho' the mother cared for it


s: Whether her business often call'd her from it,


s: Or thro' the want of what it needed most,


s: Or means to pay the voice who best could tell


s: After a lingering,--ere she was aware,--


s: Philip's true heart, which hunger'd for her peace


s: (Since Enoch left he had not look'd upon her),


s: Smote him, as having kept aloof so long.


s: `Surely' said Philip `I may see her now,


s: May be some little comfort;' therefore went,


s: Then struck it thrice, and, no one opening,


s: Enter'd; but Annie, seated with her grief,


s: Fresh from the burial of her little one,


s: But turn'd her own toward the wall and wept.


s: Then Philip standing up said falteringly


s: He spoke; the passion in her moan'd reply


s: As I am!' half abash'd him; yet unask'd,


s: He set himself beside her, saying to her:


s: `I came to speak to you of what he wish'd,


s: You chose the best among us--a strong man:


s: For where he fixt his heart he set his hand


s: To do the thing he will'd, and bore it thro'.


s: And leave you lonely? not to see the world--


s: For pleasure?--nay, but for the wherewithal


s: Than his had been, or yours: that was his wish.


s: To find the precious morning hours were lost.


s: If he could know his babes were running wild


s: Like colts about the waste.  So Annie, now--


s: Have we not known each other all our lives?


s: Him and his children not to say me nay--


s: For, if you will, when Enoch comes again


s: Why then he shall repay me--if you will,


s: Now let me put the boy and girl to school:


s: Then Annie with her brows against the wall


s: Answer'd `I cannot look you in the face;


s: When you came in my sorrow broke me down;


s: And now I think your kindness breaks me down;


s: But Enoch lives; that is borne in on me:


s: She rose, and fixt her swimming eyes upon him,


s: Then calling down a blessing on his head


s: Caught at his hand and wrung it passionately,


s: Then Philip put the boy and girl to school,


s: And bought them needful books, and everyway,


s: Made himself theirs; and tho' for Annie's sake,


s: He oft denied his heart his dearest wish,


s: And seldom crost her threshold, yet he sent


s: Gifts by the children, garden-herbs and fruit,


s: Or conies from the down, and now and then,


s: With some pretext of fineness in the meal


s: To save the offence of charitable, flour


s: From his tall mill that whistled on the waste.


s: Scarce could the woman when he came upon her,


s: Out of full heart and boundless gratitude


s: Light on a broken word to thank him with.


s: But Philip was her children's all-in-all;


s: From distant corners of the street they ran


s: Lords of his house and of his mill were they;


s: Worried his passive ear with petty wrongs


s: Or pleasures, hung upon him, play'd with him


s: And call'd him Father Philip.  Philip gain'd


s: Going we know not where: and so ten years,


s: Since Enoch left his hearth and native land,


s: Fled forward, and no news of Enoch came.


s: It chanced one evening Annie's children long'd


s: And Annie would go with them; then they begg'd


s: For Father Philip (as they call'd him) too:


s: Him, like the working bee in blossom-dust,


s: Blanch'd with his mill, they found; and saying to him


s: But when the children pluck'd at him to go,


s: He laugh'd, and yielding readily to their wish,


s: For was not Annie with them? and they went.


s: Just where the prone edge of the wood began


s: To feather toward the hollow, all her force


s: Fail'd her; and sighing `let me rest' she said.


s: While all the younger ones with jubilant cries


s: Broke from their elders, and tumultuously


s: Down thro' the whitening hazels made a plunge


s: To the bottom, and dispersed, and beat or broke


s: Their tawny clusters, crying to each other


s: And calling, here and there, about the wood.


s: Her presence, and remember'd one dark hour


s: Here in this wood, when like a wounded life


s: He crept into the shadow: at last he said


s: Lifting his honest forehead `Listen, Annie,


s: How merry they are down yonder in the wood.'


s: `Tired, Annie?' for she did not speak a word.


s: `Tired?' but her face had fall'n upon her hands;


s: `The ship was lost' he said `the ship was lost!


s: No more of that! why should you kill yourself


s: And make them orphans quite?'  And Annie said


s: `I thought not of it: but--I known not why--


s: Then Philip coming somewhat closer spoke.


s: That tho' I know not when it first came there,


s: I know that it will out at last.  O Annie,


s: It is beyond all hope, against all chance,


s: Should still be living; well then--let me speak:


s: I grieve to see you poor and wanting help:


s: Unless--they say that women are so quick--


s: Perhaps you know what I would have you know--


s: I wish you for my wife.  I fain would prove


s: That I love them as if they were mine own;


s: And I believe, if you were fast my wife,


s: That after all these sad uncertain years,


s: We might be still as happy as God grants


s: To any of His creatures.  Think upon it:


s: No burthen, save my care for you and yours:


s: And we have known each other all our lives,


s: And I have loved you longer than you know.'


s: Then answer'd Annie; tenderly she spoke:


s: `You have been as God's good angel in our house.


s: God bless you for it, God reward you for it,


s: Philip, with something happier than myself.


s: Can one live twice? can you be ever loved


s: Scared as it were `dear Philip, wait a while:


s: If Enoch comes--but Enoch will not come--


s: I well may wait a little.'  `Nay' she cried


s: `I am bound: you have my promise--in a year:


s: Will you not bide your year as I bide mine?'


s: And Philip answer'd `I will bide my year.'


s: Here both were mute, till Philip glancing up


s: Then fearing night and chill for Annie rose,


s: And sent his voice beneath him thro' the wood.


s: Up came the children laden with their spoil;


s: Then all descended to the port, and there


s: At Annie's door he paused and gave his hand,


s: Saying gently `Annie, when I spoke to you,


s: That was your hour of weakness.  I was wrong.


s: I am always bound to you, but you are free.'


s: Then Annie weeping answer'd `I am bound.'


s: She spoke; and in one moment as it were,


s: While yet she went about her household ways,


s: Ev'n as she dwelt upon his latest words,


s: That he had loved her longer than she knew,


s: And there he stood once more before her face,


s: Claiming her promise.  `Is it a year?' she ask'd.


s: `Yes, if the nuts' he said `be ripe again:


s: Come out and see.'  But she--she put him off--


s: So much to look to--such a change--a month--


s: Give her a month--she knew that she was bound--


s: A month--no more.  Then Philip with his eyes


s: Full of that lifelong hunger, and his voice


s: Shaking a little like a drunkard's hand,


s: `Take your own time, Annie, take your own time.'


s: And Annie could have wept for pity of him;


s: Trying his truth and his long-sufferance,


s: Some thought that Philip did but trifle with her;


s: Some that she but held off to draw him on;


s: And others laugh'd at her and Philip too,


s: As simple folks that knew not their own minds;


s: Would hint a worse in either.  Her own son


s: Was silent, tho' he often look'd his wish;


s: But evermore the daughter prest upon her


s: Careworn and wan; and all these things fell on her


s: That Annie could not sleep, but earnestly


s: Pray'd for a sign `my Enoch is he gone?'


s: Then compass'd round by the blind wall of night


s: Brook'd not the expectant terror of her heart,


s: Started from bed, and struck herself a light,


s: `Under a palmtree.'  That was nothing to her:


s: No meaning there: she closed the book and slept:


s: `He is gone' she thought `he is happy, he is singing


s: The Sun of Righteousness, and these be palms


s: "Hosanna in the highest!"'  Here she woke,


s: Resolved, sent for him and said wildly to him


s: `There is no reason why we should not wed.'


s: `Then for God's sake,' he answer'd, `both our sakes,


s: So these were wed and merrily rang the bells,


s: Merrily rang the bells and they were wed.


s: A footstep seem'd to fall beside her path,


s: She knew not whence; a whisper in her ear,


s: She knew not what; nor loved she to be left


s: What ail'd her then, that ere she enter'd, often


s: Her hand dwelt lingeringly on the latch,


s: Fearing to enter: Philip thought he knew:


s: Such doubts and fears were common to her state,


s: Being with child: but when her child was born,


s: Then her new child was as herself renew'd,


s: Then the new mother came about her heart,


s: Then her good Philip was her all-in-all,


s: And that mysterious instinct wholly died.


s: And where was Enoch? prosperously sail'd


s: The ship `Good Fortune,' tho' at setting forth


s: The Biscay, roughly ridging eastward, shook


s: She slipt across the summer of the world,


s: And frequent interchange of foul and fair,


s: She passing thro' the summer world again,


s: And sent her sweetly by the golden isles,


s: There Enoch traded for himself, and bought


s: Quaint monsters for the market of those times,


s: Less lucky her home-voyage: at first indeed


s: Thro' many a fair sea-circle, day by day,


s: Scarce-rocking, her full-busted figure-head


s: Stared o'er the ripple feathering from her bows:


s: Then follow'd calms, and then winds variable,


s: Then baffling, a long course of them; and last


s: Storm, such as drove her under moonless heavens


s: Till hard upon the cry of `breakers' came


s: But Enoch and two others.  Half the night,


s: Buoy'd upon floating tackle and broken spars,


s: These drifted, stranding on an isle at morn


s: Soft fruitage, mighty nuts, and nourishing roots;


s: The helpless life so wild that it was tame.


s: There in a seaward-gazing mountain-gorge


s: They built, and thatch'd with leaves of palm, a hut,


s: Half hut, half native cavern.  So the three,


s: For one, the youngest, hardly more than boy,


s: Hurt in that night of sudden ruin and wreck,


s: Lay lingering out a three-years' death-in-life.


s: They could not leave him.  After he was gone,


s: And Enoch's comrade, careless of himself,


s: Fire-hollowing this in Indian fashion, fell


s: Sun-stricken, and that other lived alone.


s: In those two deaths he read God's warning `wait.'


s: The mountain wooded to the peak, the lawns


s: And winding glades high up like ways to Heaven,


s: The slender coco's drooping crown of plumes,


s: The lightning flash of insect and of bird,


s: That coil'd around the stately stems, and ran


s: Ev'n to the limit of the land, the glows


s: And glories of the broad belt of the world,


s: All these he saw; but what he fain had seen


s: He could not see, the kindly human face,


s: The myriad shriek of wheeling ocean-fowl,


s: The league-long roller thundering on the reef,


s: The moving whisper of huge trees that branch'd


s: And blossom'd in the zenith, or the sweep


s: Of some precipitous rivulet to the wave,


s: As down the shore he ranged, or all day long


s: A shipwreck'd sailor, waiting for a sail:


s: Among the palms and ferns and precipices;


s: Then the great stars that globed themselves in Heaven,


s: The scarlet shafts of sunrise--but no sail.


s: There often as he watch'd or seem'd to watch,


s: So still, the golden lizard on him paused,


s: Moved haunting people, things and places, known


s: The babes, their babble, Annie, the small house,


s: The climbing street, the mill, the leafy lanes,


s: The peacock-yewtree and the lonely Hall,


s: The horse he drove, the boat he sold, the chill


s: The gentle shower, the smell of dying leaves,


s: And the low moan of leaden-color'd seas.


s: Once likewise, in the ringing of his ears,


s: Tho' faintly, merrily--far and far away--


s: He heard the pealing of his parish bells;


s: Then, tho' he knew not wherefore, started up


s: Shuddering, and when the beauteous hateful isle


s: Return'd upon him, had not his poor heart


s: Spoken with That, which being everywhere


s: Lets none, who speaks with Him, seem all alone,


s: The sunny and rainy seasons came and went


s: Year after year.  His hopes to see his own,


s: And pace the sacred old familiar fields,


s: Not yet had perish'd, when his lonely doom


s: (She wanted water) blown by baffling winds,


s: Like the Good Fortune, from her destined course,


s: Stay'd by this isle, not knowing where she lay:


s: For since the mate had seen at early dawn


s: Across a break on the mist-wreathen isle


s: The silent water slipping from the hills,


s: They sent a crew that landing burst away


s: In search of stream or fount, and fill'd the shores


s: With clamor.  Downward from his mountain gorge


s: Stept the long-hair'd long-bearded solitary,


s: Brown, looking hardly human, strangely clad,


s: With inarticulate rage, and making signs


s: They knew not what: and yet he led the way


s: To where the rivulets of sweet water ran;


s: And heard them talking, his long-bounden tongue


s: Was loosen'd, till he made them understand;


s: Whom, when their casks were fill'd they took aboard:


s: Scarce credited at first but more and more,


s: Amazed and melted all who listen'd to it:


s: And clothes they gave him and free passage home;


s: But oft he work'd among the rest and shook


s: Came from his county, or could answer him,


s: If question'd, aught of what he cared to know.


s: And dull the voyage was with long delays,


s: The vessel scarce sea-worthy; but evermore


s: He like a lover down thro' all his blood


s: Of England, blown across her ghostly wall:


s: Pitying the lonely man, and gave him it:


s: Then moving up the coast they landed him,


s: Ev'n in that harbor whence he sail'd before.


s: But homeward--home--what home? had he a home?


s: His home, he walk'd.  Bright was that afternoon,


s: Sunny but chill; till drawn thro' either chasm,


s: Roll'd a sea-haze and whelm'd the world in gray;


s: Cut off the length of highway on before,


s: And left but narrow breadth to left and right


s: Disconsolate, and thro' the dripping haze


s: The dead weight of the dead leaf bore it down.


s: Thicker the drizzle grew, deeper the gloom;


s: Last, as it seem'd, a great mist-blotted light


s: Flared on him, and he came upon the place.


s: Then down the long street having slowly stolen,


s: His eyes upon the stones, he reach'd the home


s: Where Annie lived and loved him, and his babes


s: In those far-off seven happy years were born;


s: But finding neither light nor murmur there


s: (A bill of sale gleam'd thro' the drizzle) crept


s: Still downward thinking `dead or dead to me!'


s: Down to the pool and narrow wharf he went,


s: He thought it must have gone; but he was gone


s: Who kept it; and his widow, Miriam Lane,


s: With daily-dwindling profits held the house;


s: A haunt of brawling seamen once, but now


s: Stiller, with yet a bed for wandering men.


s: Told him, with other annals of the port,


s: Not knowing--Enoch was so brown, so bow'd,


s: How Philip put her little ones to school,


s: And kept them in it, his long wooing her,


s: Her slow consent, and marriage, and the birth


s: Of Philip's child: and o'er his countenance


s: Regarding, well had deem'd he felt the tale


s: Less than the teller: only when she closed


s: `Enoch, poor man, was cast away and lost'


s: Repeated muttering `cast away and lost;'


s: But Enoch yearn'd to see her face again;


s: And know that she is happy.'  So the thought


s: Haunted and harass'd him, and drove him forth,


s: Was growing duller twilight, to the hill.


s: There did a thousand memories roll upon him,


s: Far-blazing from the rear of Philip's house,


s: Allured him, as the beacon-blaze allures


s: The bird of passage, till he madly strikes


s: Against it, and beats out his weary life.


s: For Philip's dwelling fronted on the street,


s: The latest house to landward; but behind,


s: With one small gate that open'd on the waste,


s: Flourish'd a little garden square and wall'd:


s: But Enoch shunn'd the middle walk and stole


s: Up by the wall, behind the yew; and thence


s: That which he better might have shunn'd, if griefs


s: Like his have worse or better, Enoch saw.


s: For cups and silver on the burnish'd board


s: Sparkled and shone; so genial was the hearth:


s: And on the right hand of the hearth he saw


s: Philip, the slighted suitor of old times,


s: Stout, rosy, with his babe across his knees;


s: And o'er her second father stoopt a girl,


s: Fair-hair'd and tall, and from her lifted hand


s: To tempt the babe, who rear'd his creasy arms,


s: Caught at and ever miss'd it, and they laugh'd:


s: And on the left hand of the hearth he saw


s: The mother glancing often toward her babe,


s: But turning now and then to speak with him,


s: Her son, who stood beside her tall and strong,


s: And saying that which pleased him, for he smiled.


s: Now when the dead man come to life beheld


s: His wife his wife no more, and saw the babe


s: Hers, yet not his, upon the father's knee,


s: And all the warmth, the peace, the happiness,


s: And his own children tall and beautiful,


s: And him, that other, reigning in his place,


s: Lord of his rights and of his children's love,--


s: Then he, tho' Miriam Lane had told him all,


s: Because things seen are mightier than things heard,


s: Stagger'd and shook, holding the branch, and fear'd


s: To send abroad a shrill and terrible cry,


s: Which in one moment, like the blast of doom,


s: Would shatter all the happiness of the hearth.


s: He therefore turning softly like a thief,


s: Lest the harsh shingle should grate underfoot,


s: Lest he should swoon and tumble and be found,


s: Crept to the gate, and open'd it, and closed,


s: As lightly as a sick man's chamber-door,


s: Behind him, and came out upon the waste.


s: And there he would have knelt, but that his knees


s: Were feeble, so that falling prone he dug


s: His fingers into the wet earth, and pray'd.


s: `Too hard to bear! why did they take me hence?


s: A little longer! aid me, give me strength


s: My children too! must I not speak to these?


s: They know me not.  I should betray myself.


s: Never: not father's kiss for me--the girl


s: So like her mother, and the boy, my son.'


s: There speech and thought and nature fail'd a little,


s: And he lay tranced; but when he rose and paced


s: All down the long and narrow street he went


s: `Not to tell her, never to let her know.'


s: Upbore him, and firm faith, and evermore


s: Prayer from a living source within the will,


s: And beating up thro' all the bitter world,


s: Like fountains of sweet water in the sea,


s: Kept him a living soul.  `This miller's wife'


s: Has she no fear that her first husband lives?'


s: `Ay ay, poor soul' said Miriam, `fear enow!


s: If you could tell her you had seen him dead,


s: Why, that would be her comfort;' and he thought


s: `After the Lord has call'd me she shall know,


s: Scorning an alms, to work whereby to live.


s: Almost to all things could he turn his hand.


s: Cooper he was and carpenter, and wrought


s: To make the boatmen fishing-nets, or help'd


s: That brought the stinted commerce of those days;


s: Thus earn'd a scanty living for himself:


s: Work without hope, there was not life in it


s: Whereby the man could live; and as the year


s: Roll'd itself round again to meet the day


s: Weakening the man, till he could do no more,


s: But kept the house, his chair, and last his bed.


s: For sure no gladlier does the stranded wreck


s: See thro' the gray skirts of a lifting squall


s: The boat that bears the hope of life approach


s: To save the life despair'd of, than he saw


s: Death dawning on him, and the close of all.


s: For thro' that dawning gleam'd a kindlier hope


s: Then may she learn I loved her to the last.'


s: He call'd aloud for Miriam Lane and said


s: Not to reveal it, till you see me dead.'


s: `Dead' clamor'd the good woman `hear him talk!


s: I warrant, man, that we shall bring you round.'


s: `Swear' add Enoch sternly `on the book.'


s: And on the book, half-frighted, Miriam swore.


s: Then Enoch rolling his gray eyes upon her,


s: `Did you know Enoch Arden of this town?'


s: `Know him?' she said `I knew him far away.


s: Ay, ay, I mind him coming down the street;


s: Held his head high, and cared for no man, he.'


s: `His head is low, and no man cares for him.


s: I think I have not three days more to live;


s: A half-incredulous, half-hysterical cry.


s: `You Arden, you! nay,--sure he was a foot


s: Who married--but that name has twice been changed--


s: Sit, listen.'  Then he told her of his voyage,


s: His wreck, his lonely life, his coming back,


s: And how he kept it.  As the woman heard,


s: Fast flow'd the current of her easy tears,


s: While in her heart she yearn'd incessantly


s: To rush abroad all round the little haven,


s: But awed and promise-bounded she forbore,


s: Saying only `See your bairns before you go!


s: Eager to bring them down, for Enoch hung


s: A moment on her words, but then replied.


s: While I have power to speak.  I charge you now,


s: When you shall see her, tell her that I died


s: Blessing her, praying for her, loving her;


s: As when she laid her head beside my own.


s: So like her mother, that my latest breath


s: Was spent in blessing her and praying for her.


s: And tell my son that I died blessing him.


s: Who hardly saw me living, let them come,


s: I am their father; but she must not come,


s: For my dead face would vex her after-life.


s: And now there is but one of all my blood,


s: This hair is his: she cut it off and gave it,


s: And I have borne it with me all these years,


s: And thought to bear it with me to my grave;


s: But now my mind is changed, for I shall see him,


s: My babe in bliss: wherefore when I am gone,


s: Take, give her this, for it may comfort her:


s: Made such a voluble answer promising all,


s: That once again he roll'd his eyes upon her


s: While Enoch slumber'd motionless and pale,


s: And Miriam watch'd and dozed at intervals,


s: There came so loud a calling of the sea,


s: He woke, he rose, he spread his arms abroad


s: Crying with a loud voice `a sail! a sail!


s: I am saved'; and so fell back and spoke no more.


s: And when they buried him the little port


s: Dust are our frames; and gilded dust, our pride


s: Looks only for a moment whole and sound;


s: Found lying with his urns and ornaments,


s: Which at a touch of light, an air of heaven,


s: Came from a grizzled cripple, whom I saw


s: Sunning himself in a waste field alone--


s: Old, and a mine of memories--who had served,


s: Long since, a bygone Rector of the place,


s: And been himself a part of what he told.


s: The county God--in whose capacious hall,


s: Hung with a hundred shields, the family tree


s: Sprang from the midriff of a prostrate king--


s: Whose blazing wyvern weathercock'd the spire,


s: Stood from his walls and wing'd his entry-gates


s: And swang besides on many a windy sign--


s: Saw from his windows nothing save his own--


s: What lovelier of his own had he than her,


s: His only child, his Edith, whom he loved


s: But `he that marries her marries her name'


s: This fiat somewhat soothed himself and wife,


s: Her all of thought and bearing hardly more


s: A sleepy land where under the same wheel


s: The same old rut would deepen year by year;


s: Where almost all the village had one name;


s: Where Aylmer follow'd Aylmer at the Hall


s: That Love could bind them closer well had made


s: With horror, worse than had he heard his priest


s: Preach an inverted scripture, sons of men


s: Daughters of God; so sleepy was the land.


s: And might not Averill, had he will'd it so,


s: Somewhere beneath his own low range of roofs,


s: There was an Aylmer-Averill marriage once,


s: When the red rose was redder than itself,


s: And York's white rose as red as Lancaster's,


s: With wounded peace which each had prick'd to death.


s: `Not proven' Averill said, or laughingly


s: `Some other race of Averills'--prov'n or no,


s: What cared he? what, if other or the same?


s: He lean'd not on his fathers but himself.


s: By one low voice to one dear neighborhood,


s: Would often, in his walks with Edith, claim


s: That shook the heart of Edith hearing him.


s: Than of that islet in the chestnut-bloom


s: Flamed his cheek; and eager eyes, that still


s: Took joyful note of all things joyful, beam'd,


s: Beneath a manelike mass of rolling gold,


s: Their best and brightest, when they dwelt on hers.


s: Edith, whose pensive beauty, perfect else,


s: Shone like a mystic star between the less


s: We know not wherefore; bounteously made,


s: And yet so finely, that a troublous touch


s: Thinn'd, or would seem to thin her in a day,


s: A joyous to dilate, as toward the light.


s: And these had been together from the first.


s: Leolin's first nurse was, five years after, hers:


s: So much the boy foreran; but when his date


s: Doubled her own, for want of playmates, he


s: His elder, and their parents underground)


s: Had tost his ball and flown his kite, and roll'd


s: His hoop to pleasure Edith, with her dipt


s: Against the rush of the air in the prone swing,


s: Made blossom-ball or daisy-chain, arranged


s: Her garden, sow'd her name and kept it green


s: In living letters, told her fairy-tales,


s: Show'd here the fairy footings on the grass,


s: The little dells of cowslip, fairy palms,


s: The petty marestail forest, fairy pines,


s: What look'd a flight of fairy arrows aim'd


s: All at one mark, all hitting: make-believes


s: For Edith and himself: or else he forged,


s: Of battle, bold adventure, dungeon, wreck,


s: Flights, terrors, sudden rescues, and true love


s: Crown'd after trial; sketches rude and faint,


s: Sleeps in the plain eggs of the nightingale.


s: And thus together, save for college-times


s: Or Heav'n in lavish bounty moulded, grew.


s: And more and more, the maiden woman-grown,


s: He wasted hours with Averill; there, when first


s: That soon should wear the garland; there again


s: When burr and bine were gather'd; lastly there


s: On whose dull sameness his full tide of youth


s: Broke with a phosphorescence cheering even


s: No bar between them: dull and self-involved,


s: Tall and erect, but bending from his height


s: With half-allowing smiles for all the world,


s: And mighty courteous in the main--his pride


s: Lay deeper than to wear it as his ring--


s: Would care no more for Leolin's walking with her


s: Than for his old Newfoundland's, when they ran


s: To loose him at the stables, for he rose


s: Roaring to make a third: and how should Love,


s: Whom the cross-lightnings of four chance-met eyes


s: Flash into fiery life from nothing, follow


s: Seldom, but when he does, Master of all.


s: So these young hearts not knowing that they loved,


s: Not she at least, nor conscious of a bar


s: Between them, nor by plight or broken ring


s: By Averill: his, a brother's love, that hung


s: With wings of brooding shelter o'er her peace,


s: Might have been other, save for Leolin's--


s: Who knows? but so they wander'd, hour by hour


s: Gather'd the blossom that rebloom'd, and drank


s: For out beyond her lodges, where the brook


s: Vocal, with here and there a silence, ran


s: By sallowy rims, arose the laborers' homes,


s: A frequent haunt of Edith, on low knolls


s: That dimpling died into each other, huts


s: At random scatter'd, each a nest in bloom.


s: Her art, her hand, her counsel all had wrought


s: About them: here was one that, summer-blanch'd,


s: Was parcel-bearded with the traveller's-joy


s: The warm-blue breathings of a hidden hearth


s: Broke from a bower of vine and honeysuckle:


s: One look'd all rosetree, and another wore


s: A close-set robe of jasmine sown with stars:


s: Like visions in the Northern dreamer's heavens,


s: Each, its own charm; and Edith's everywhere;


s: He but less loved than Edith, of her poor:


s: Rose from the clay it work'd in as she past,


s: Not sowing hedgerow texts and passing by,


s: Nor dealing goodly counsel from a height


s: That makes the lowest hate it, but a voice


s: A splendid presence flattering the poor roofs


s: Revered as theirs, but kindlier than themselves


s: He, loved for her and for himself.  A grasp


s: Having the warmth and muscle of the heart,


s: A childly way with children, and a laugh


s: Ringing like proved golden coinage true,


s: Were no false passport to that easy realm,


s: Where once with Leolin at her side the girl,


s: Nursing a child, and turning to the warmth


s: Heard the good mother softly whisper `Bless,


s: God bless 'em; marriages are made in Heaven.'


s: A flash of semi-jealousy clear'd it to her.


s: With half a score of swarthy faces came.


s: His own, tho' keen and bold and soldierly,


s: Sear'd by the close ecliptic, was not fair;


s: Fairer his talk, a tongue that ruled the hour,


s: Tho' seeming boastful: so when first he dash'd


s: Of patron `Good! my lady's kinsman! good!'


s: Call'd all her vital spirits into each ear


s: That stood from our a stiff brocade in which,


s: Stept thro' the stately minuet of those days:


s: But Edith's eager fancy hurried with him


s: Snatch'd thro' the perilous passes of his life:


s: I know not, for he spoke not, only shower'd


s: And most on Edith: like a storm he came,


s: And shook the house, and like a storm he went.


s: He flow'd and ebb'd uncertain, to return


s: When others had been tested) there was one,


s: Sprinkled about in gold that branch'd itself


s: Made by a breath.  I know not whence at first,


s: Nor of what race, the work; but as he told


s: The story, storming a hill-fort of thieves


s: He got it; for their captain after fight,


s: His comrades having fought their last below,


s: Was climbing up the valley; at whom he shot:


s: Down from the beetling crag to which he clung


s: This dagger with him, which when now admired


s: By Edith whom his pleasure was to please,


s: At once the costly Sahib yielded it to her.


s: And when she show'd the wealthy scabbard, saying


s: `Look what a lovely piece of workmanship!'


s: Slight was his answer `Well--I care not for it:'


s: Then playing with the blade he prick'd his hand,


s: `But would it be more gracious' ask'd the girl


s: That is no lady?'  `Gracious?  No' said he.


s: `Me?--but I cared not for it.  O pardon me,


s: `Take it' she added sweetly `tho' his gift;


s: `Why then I love it:' but Sir Aylmer past,


s: And neither loved nor liked the thing he heard.


s: The next day came a neighbor.  Blues and reds


s: They talk'd of: blues were sure of it, he thought:


s: Then of the latest fox--where started--kill'd


s: My Peter, first:' and did Sir Aylmer know


s: That great pock-pitten fellow had been caught?


s: Then made his pleasure echo, hand to hand,


s: And rolling as it were the substance of it


s: Between his palms a moment up and down--


s: `The birds were warm, the birds were warm upon him;


s: We have him now:' and had Sir Aylmer heard--


s: Nay, but he must--the land was ringing of it--


s: This blacksmith-border marriage--one they knew--


s: Raw from the nursery--who could trust a child?


s: With nearing chair and lower'd accent) think--


s: For people talk'd--that it was wholly wise


s: To let that handsome fellow Averill walk


s: So freely with his daughter? people talk'd--


s: The girl might be entangled ere she knew.


s: Sir Aylmer Aylmer slowly stiffening spoke:


s: `The girl and boy, Sir, know their differences!'


s: `Good' said his friend `but watch!' and he `enough,


s: More than enough, Sir!  I can guard my own.'


s: They parted, and Sir Aylmer Aylmer watch'd.


s: Pale, for on her the thunders of the house


s: Had fallen first, was Edith that same night;


s: Pale as the Jeptha's daughter, a rough piece


s: Which Leolin open'd, she cast back upon him


s: A piteous glance, and vanish'd.  He, as one


s: On either side the hearth, indignant; her,


s: Cooling her false cheek with a featherfan,


s: Him glaring, by his own stale devil spurr'd,


s: And, like a beast hard-ridden, breathing hard.


s: Presumptuous! trusted as he was with her,


s: The sole succeeder to their wealth, their lands,


s: The last remaining pillar of their house,


s: The one transmitter of their ancient name,


s: Their child.'  `Our child!'  `Our heiress!'  `Ours!' for


s: `Boy, mark me! for your fortunes are to make.


s: I swear you shall not make them out of mine.


s: Now inasmuch as you have practised on her,


s: Perplext her, made her half forget herself,


s: Swerve from her duty to herself and us--


s: Far as we track ourselves--I say that this,--


s: From you and yours for ever--shall you do.


s: Sir, when you see her--but you shall not see her--


s: No, you shall write, and not to her, but me:


s: And you shall say that having spoken with me,


s: And after look'd into yourself, you find


s: That you meant nothing--as indeed you know


s: That you meant nothing.  Such as match as this!


s: Impossible, prodigious!'  These were words,


s: Arguing boundless forbearance: after which,


s: As the wind-hover hangs in the balance, paused


s: Sir Aylmer reddening from the storm within,


s: Then broke all bonds of courtesy, and crying


s: `Boy, should I find you by my doors again,


s: My men shall lash you from the like a dog;


s: The footstool from before him, and arose;


s: So, stammering `scoundrel' out of teeth that ground


s: As in a dreadful dream, while Leolin still


s: Retreated half-aghast, the fierce old man


s: Follow'd, and under his own lintel stood


s: Storming with lifted hands, a hoary face


s: Meet for the reverence of the hearth, but now,


s: Vext with unworthy madness, and deform'd.


s: That watch'd him, till he heard the ponderous door


s: Close, crashing with long echoes thro' the land,


s: Went Leolin; then, his passions all in flood


s: Down thro' the bright lawns to his brother's ran,


s: And foam'd away his heart at Averill's ear:


s: Whom Averill solaced as he might, amazed:


s: The man was his, had been his father's, friend:


s: He must have seen, himself had seen it long;


s: He must have known, himself had known: besides,


s: Where our Caucasians let themselves be sold.


s: Some one, he thought, had slander'd Leolin to him.


s: `Brother, for I have loved you more as a son


s: Than brother, let me tell you: I myself--


s: What is their pretty saying? jilted is it?


s: Pain'd, and, as bearing in myself the shame


s: The woman should have borne, humiliated,


s: I lived for years a stunted sunless life;


s: Watching your growth, I seem'd again to grow.


s: Loves you: I know her: the worst thought she has


s: She must prove true: for, brother, where two fight


s: The strongest wins, and truth and love are strength,


s: But Leolin cried out the more upon them--


s: Insolent, brainless, heartless! heiress, wealth,


s: Their wealth, their heiress! wealth enough was theirs


s: For twenty matches.  Were he lord of this,


s: Why, twenty boys and girls should marry on it,


s: And forty blest ones bless him, and himself


s: Be wealthy still, ay wealthier.  He believed


s: This filthy marriage-hindering Mammon made


s: That saturate soul with body.  Name, too! name,


s: Their ancient name! they MIGHT be proud; its worth


s: Was being Edith's.  Ah, how pale she had look'd


s: Darling, to-night! they must have rated her


s: Beyond all tolerance.  These old pheasant-lords,


s: These partridge-breeders of a thousand years,


s: Who had mildew'd in their thousands, doing nothing


s: Since Egbert--why, the greater their disgrace!


s: Fall back upon a name! rest, rot in that!


s: Not KEEP it noble, make it nobler? fools,


s: With such a vantage-ground for nobleness!


s: He had known a man, a quintessence of man,


s: The life of all--who madly loved--and he,


s: Thwarted by one of these old father-fools,


s: Had rioted his life out, and made an end.


s: He would not do it! her sweet face and faith


s: Held him from that: but he had powers, he knew it:


s: Back would he to his studies, make a name,


s: Name, fortune too: the world should ring of him


s: To shame these mouldy Aylmers in their graves:


s: Chancellor, or what is greatest would he be--


s: `O brother, I am grieved to learn your grief--


s: Give me my fling, and let me say my say.'


s: At which, like one that sees his own excess,


s: He laugh'd; and then was mute; but presently


s: Wept like a storm: and honest Averill seeing


s: How low his brother's mood had fallen, fetch'd


s: His richest beeswing from a binn reserved


s: For banquets, praised the waning red, and told


s: The vintage--when THIS Aylmer came of age--


s: Then drank and past it; till at length the two,


s: Tho' Leolin flamed and fell again, agreed


s: That much allowance must be made for men.


s: Faded with morning, but his purpose held.


s: That darken'd all the northward of her Hall.


s: Persuasion, no, nor death could alter her:


s: He should not be rejected.  `Write to me!


s: They loved me, and because I love their child


s: They hate me: there is war between us, dear,


s: Which breaks all bonds but ours; we must remain


s: Sacred to one another.'  So they talk'd,


s: Poor children, for their comfort: the wind blew;


s: The rain of heaven, and their own bitter tears,


s: Tears, and the careless rain of heaven, mixt


s: Upon their faces, as they kiss'd each other


s: In darkness, and above them roar'd the pine.


s: So Leolin went; and as we task ourselves


s: To learn a language known but smatteringly


s: In phrases here and there at random, toil'd


s: Mastering the lawless science of our law,


s: Thro' which a few, by wit or fortune led,


s: May beat a pathway out to wealth and fame.


s: The jests, that flash'd about the pleader's room,


s: Lightning of the hour, the pun, the scurrilous tale,--


s: Old scandals buried now seven decads deep


s: In other scandals that have lived and died,


s: And left the living scandal that shall die--


s: Were dead to him already; bent as he was


s: To make disproof of scorn, and strong in hopes,


s: Charier of sleep, and wine and exercise,


s: Except when for a breathing-while at eve,


s: Harder the times were, and the hands of power


s: Were bloodier, and the according hearts of men


s: Seem'd harder too; but the soft river-breeze,


s: Which fann'd the gardens of that rival rose


s: His former talks with Edith, on him breathed


s: Far purelier in his rushings to and fro,


s: After his books, to flush his blood with air,


s: Then to his books again.  My lady's cousin,


s: Half-sickening of his pension'd afternoon,


s: Drove in upon the student once or twice,


s: Had golden hopes for France and all mankind,


s: Answer'd all queries touching those at home


s: With a heaved shoulder and a saucy smile,


s: And fain had haled him out into the world,


s: And air'd him there: his nearer friend would say


s: `Screw not the chord too sharply lest it snap.'


s: Then left alone he pluck'd her dagger forth


s: From where his worldless heart had kept it warm,


s: And wrinkled benchers often talk'd of him


s: For heart, I think, help'd head: her letters too,


s: Or made occasion, being strictly watch'd,


s: Charm'd him thro' every labyrinth till he saw


s: An end, a hope, a light breaking upon him.


s: But they that cast her spirit into flesh,


s: Her worldy-wise begetters, plagued themselves


s: To sell her, those good parents, for her good.


s: Might lie within their compass, him they lured


s: Into their net made pleasant by the baits


s: So month by month the noise about their doors,


s: And distant blaze of those dull banquets, made


s: The nightly wirer of their innocent hare


s: Sullen, defiant, pitying, wroth, return'd


s: Leolin's rejected rivals from their suit


s: Slipt o'er those lazy limits down the wind


s: And laughter to their lords: but those at home,


s: The cordon close and closer toward the death,


s: Then closed her access to the wealthiest farms,


s: Last from her own home-circle of the poor


s: They barr'd her: yet she bore it: yet her cheek


s: What amulet drew her down to that old oak,


s: So old, that twenty years before, a part


s: Falling had let appear the brand of John--


s: Once grovelike, each huge arm a tree, but now


s: The broken base of a black tower, a cave


s: Of touchwood, with a single flourishing spray.


s: Found for himself a bitter treasure-trove;


s: Burst his own wyvern on the seal, and read


s: Writhing a letter from his child, for which


s: A crippled lad, and coming turn'd to fly,


s: But scared with threats of jail and halter gave


s: To him that fluster'd his poor parish wits


s: The letter which he brought, and swore besides


s: Nor let them know themselves betray'd, and then,


s: Soul-stricken at their kindness to him, went


s: Hating his own lean heart and miserable.


s: Thenceforward oft from out a despot dream


s: Panting he woke, and oft as early as dawn


s: Sweeping the frothfly from the fescue, brush'd


s: Thro' the dim meadow toward his treasure-trove,


s: Seized it, took home, and to my lady, who made


s: A downward crescent of her minion mouth,


s: Listless in all despondence, read; and tore,


s: Were living nerves to feel the rent; and burnt,


s: Now chafing at his own great self defied,


s: Now striking on huge stumbling-blocks of scorn


s: After much wailing, hush'd itself at last


s: Hopeless of answer: then tho' Averill wrote


s: And bad him with good heart sustain himself--


s: All would be well--the lover heeded not,


s: But passionately restless came and went,


s: And rustling once at night about the place,


s: There by a keeper shot at, slightly hurt,


s: Raging return'd: nor was it well for her


s: Kept to the garden now, and grove of pines,


s: Watch'd even there; and one was set to watch


s: The watcher, and Sir Aylmer watch'd them all,


s: Yet bitterer from his readings: once indeed,


s: Warm'd with his wines, or taking pride in her,


s: She look'd so sweet, he kiss'd her tenderly


s: Not knowing what possess'd him: that one kiss


s: Was Leolin's one strong rival upon earth;


s: Seem'd hope's returning rose: and then ensued


s: He seldom crost his child without a sneer;


s: The mother flow'd in shallower acrimonies:


s: Never one kindly smile, one kindly word:


s: So that the gentle creature shut from all


s: With twenty months of silence, slowly lost


s: Nor greatly cared to lose, her hold on life.


s: Last, some low fever ranging round to spy


s: Like flies that haunt a wound, or deer, or men,


s: Or almost all that is, hurting the hurt--


s: Save Christ as we believe him--found the girl


s: And flung her down upon a couch of fire,


s: Where careless of the household faces near,


s: She, and with her the race of Aylmer, past.


s: Star to star vibrates light: may soul to soul


s: Strike thro' a finer element of her own?


s: So,--from afar,--touch as at once? or why


s: That night, that moment, when she named his name,


s: Did the keen shriek `yes love, yes Edith, yes,'


s: Shrill, till the comrade of his chambers woke,


s: And came upon him half-arisen from sleep,


s: With a weird bright eye, sweating and trembling,


s: His hair as it were crackling into flames,


s: And his long arms stretch'd as to grasp a flyer:


s: Nor knew he wherefore he had made the cry;


s: Found a dead man, a letter edged with death


s: Beside him, and the dagger which himself


s: Gave Edith, reddn'd with no bandit's blood:


s: Then Averill went and gazed upon his death.


s: And when he came again, his flock believed--


s: Beholding how the years which are not Time's


s: Had blasted him--that many thousand days


s: Were clipt by horror from his term of life.


s: Yet the sad mother, for the second death


s: Scarce touch'd her thro' that nearness of the first,


s: And being used to find her pastor texts,


s: Sent to the harrow'd brother, praying him


s: To speak before the people of her child,


s: And fixt the Sabbath.  Darkly that day rose:


s: Autumn's mock sunshine of the faded woods


s: Was all the life of it; for hard on these,


s: A breathless burthen of low-folded heavens


s: Stifled and chill'd at once: but every roof


s: Edith among the hamlets round, and since


s: The parents' harshness and the hapless loves


s: And double death were widely murmur'd, left


s: Their own gray tower, or plain-faced tabernacle,


s: To hear him; all in mourning these, and those


s: With blots of it about them, ribbon, glove


s: Or kerchief; while the church,--one night, except


s: For greenish glimmerings thro' the lancets,--made


s: Still paler the pale head of him, who tower'd


s: Above them, with his hopes in either grave.