第4章

THEVATICAN—SALADELLEMUSE

(1887)

IsatintheMuses\'Hallatthemidoftheday,Anditseemedtogrowstill,andthepeopletopassaway,Andthechiselledshapestocombineinahazeofsun,TillbesideaCarraracolumntheregleamedforthOne。

Shewasnorthisnorthatofthosebeingsdivine,Buteachandthewhole—anessenceofalltheNine;

Withtentativefootshenearedtomyhalting—place,Apensivesmileonhersweet,small,marvellousface。

\"Regardedsolong,werendertheesad?\"saidshe。

\"Notyou,\"sighedI,\"butmyowninconstancy!

Iworshipeachandeach;inthemorningone,Andthen,alas!anotheratsinkofsun。

\"To—daymysoulclaspsForm;butwhereismytrothOfyesternightwithTune:canonecleavetoboth?\"

—\"Benotperturbed,\"saidshe。\"Thoughapartinfame,AsIandmysistersareone,those,too,arethesame。

—\"Butmylovesgofurther—toStory,andDance,andHymn,Theloverofallinasun—sweepisfooltowhim

Isswayedlikeariver—weedastheripplesrun!\"

—\"Nay,wight,thousway\'stnot。Thesearebutphasesofone;

\"AndthatoneisI;andIamprojectedfromthee,Onethatoutofthybrainandheartthoucausesttobe

Externtotheenothing。Grievenot,northyselfbecall,Woowherethouwilt;andrejoicethoucanstloveatall!

ROME

ATTHEPYRAMIDOFCESTIUS

NEARTHEGRAVESOFSHELLEYANDKEATS

(1887)

Who,then,wasCestius,Andwhatishetome?

AmidthickthoughtsandmemoriesmultitudinousOnethoughtalonebringshe。

IcanrecallnowordOfanythinghedid;

FormeheisamanwhodiedandwasinterredToleaveapyramidWhosepurposewasexprestNotwithitsfirstdesign,Nortill,fardowninTime,besideitfoundtheirrestTwocountrymenofmine。

Cestiusinlife,maybe,Slew,breathedoutthreatening;

Iknownot。ThisIknow:indeathallsilentlyHedoesakindlierthing,InbeckoningpilgrimfeetWithmarblefingerhighTowhere,byshadowywallandhistory—hauntedstreet,Thosematchlesssingerslie

—Say,then,helivedanddiedThatstoneswhichbearhisnameShouldmark,throughTime,wheretwoimmortalShadesabide;

Itisanamplefame。

LAUSANNE

INGIBBON\'SOLDGARDEN:11—12P。M。

June27,1897

(The110thanniversaryofthecompletionofthe\"DeclineandFall\"atthesamehourandplace)

Aspiritseemstopass,Formalinpose,butgraveandgrandwithal:

Hecontemplatesavolumestoutandtall,Andfarlampsfleckhimthroughthethinacacias。

Anonthebookisclosed,With\"Itisfinished!\"Andatthealley\'sendHeturns,andsoononmehisglancesbend;

And,asfromearth,comesspeech—small,muted,yetcomposed。

\"HowfarestheTruthnow?—Ill?

—Dopensbutslilyfurtherheradvance?

Mayonenotspeedherbutinphraseaskance?

DoscribesavertheComictobeReverendstill?

\"StillrulethosemindsonearthAtwhomsageMilton\'swormwoodwordswerehurled:

\'TruthlikeabastardcomesintotheworldNeverwithoutill—fametohimwhogivesherbirth\'?\"

ZERMATT

TOTHEMATTERHORN

(June—July,1897)

Thirty—twoyearssince,upagainstthesun,Sevenshapes,thinatomiestolowersight,Labouringlyleaptandgainedthygabledheight,Andfourlivespaidforwhatthesevenhadwon。

Theywerethefirstbywhomthedeedwasdone,AndwhenIlookatthee,mymindtakesflightTothatday\'stragicfeatofmanlymight,Asthough,tillthen,ofhistorythouhadstnone。

Yetageserementoppedthee,lateandsoonThouwatch\'dsteachnighttheplanetsliftandlower;

Thougleam\'dsttoJoshua\'spausingsunandmoon,Andbrav\'dstthetokeningskywhenCaesar\'spowerApproacheditsbloodyend:yea,saw\'stthatNoonWhendarknessfilledtheearthtilltheninthhour。

THEBRIDGEOFLODI{2}

(Spring,1887)

I

WhenoftendermindandbodyIwasmovedbyminstrelsy,Andthatstrain\"TheBridgeofLodi\"

Broughtastrangedelighttome。

II

Inthebattle—breathingjingleOfitsforward—footingtuneIcouldseethearmiesmingle,AndthecolumnscleftandhewnIII

Onthatfar—famedspotbyLodiWhereNapoleonclovehiswayTohisfame,whenlikeagodheBentthenationstohissway。

IV

HencethetunecamecaperingtomeWhileItracedtheRhoneandPo;

NorcouldMilan\'sMarvelwoomeFromthespotenglamouredso。

V

Andto—day,sunlitandsmiling,HereIstanduponthescene,Withitssaffronwalls,duntiling,Anditsmeadsofmaidengreen,VI

EvenaswhenthetrackwaythunderedWiththechargeofgrenadiers,AndthebloodoffortyhundredSplasheditsparapetsandpiers

VII

AnyancientcroneI\'dtoadyLikealassinyoung—eyedprime,CouldshetellsometaleofLodiAtthatmovingmightytime。

VIII

So,IaskthewivesofLodiFortraditionsofthatday;

Butalas!notanybodySeemstoknowofsuchafray。

IX

AndtheyheedbuttransitoryMarketingsincheeseandmeat,TillIjudgethatLodi\'sstoryIsextinctinLodi\'sstreet。

X

YetwhilehereandtheretheythridthemIntheirzesttosellandbuy,LetmesitmedownamidthemAndbeholdthosethousandsdie

XI

—NotacreaturecaresinLodiHowNapoleonswepteacharch,Orwhereupanddownwardtrodhe,OrforhismemorialMarch!

XII

SothatwhereforeshouldIbehere,WatchingAddalipthelea,WhenthewholeromancetoseehereIsthedreamIbringwithme?

XIII

Andwhysing\"TheBridgeofLodi\"

AsIsitthereonandswing,WhennoneshowsbysmileornodheGuesseswhyorwhatIsing?

XIV

SinceallLodi,lowandheadones,Seemtopassthatstoryby,ItmaybetheLodi—bredonesRateittruly,andnotI。

XV

OnceengrossingBridgeofLodi,Isthyclaimtoglorygone?

MustIpipeapalinody,Orbesilentthereupon?

XVI

Andifhere,fromstrandtosteeple,Benostonetofamethefight,MustIsaytheLodipeopleArebutviewingcrimearight?

XVII

Nay;I\'llsing\"TheBridgeofLodi\"

Thatlong—loved,romanticthing,ThoughnoneshowbysmileornodheGuesseswhyandwhatIsing!