第11章

V

\"Imaynotgo!\"sheatlengthupspake,\"Thoughtscallmeback

Iwouldstillloseallforyourdear,dearsake;

Myheartisthine,friend!ButmytrackIhometoAthelhallmusttakeTohinderhouseholdwrack!\"

VI

Heappealed。Buttheyparted,weakandwan:

Andhelefttheshore;

Hisshipdiminished,waslow,wasgone;

Andsheheardinthewavesasthedaytidewore,Andreadintheleerofthesunthatshone,Thattheypartedforevermore。

VII

Shehomedasshecame,atthedipofeveOnAthelCoombRegainingtheHallshehadsworntoleave

Thehousewassoundlessasatomb,Andsheenteredherchamber,theretogrieveLone,kneeling,inthegloom。

VIII

Fromthelawnwithoutroseherhusband\'svoiceToonehisfriend:

\"AnotherherLove,anothermychoice,Hergoingisgood。Ourconditionsmend;

Inachangeofmatesweshallbothrejoice;

Ihopedthatitthusmightend!

IX

\"Aquickdivorce;shewillmakehimhers,AndIwedmine。

SoTimerightsallthingsinlong,longyears

Orrathershe,byherbolddesign!

Iadmireawomannobalkdeters:

Shehasblessedmylife,infine。

X

\"Ishallbuildnewroomsformynewtruebride,Letthebygonebe:

Bynow,nodoubt,shehascrossedthetideWiththemantohermind。FarhappiersheInsomewarmvinelandbyhissideThanevershewaswithme。\"

THESEASONSOFHERYEAR

I

Winteriswhiteonturfandtree,Andbirdsarefled;

Butsummersongsterspipetome,Andpetalsspread,ForwhatIdreamtofsecretlyHislipshavesaid!

II

O\'tisafineMaymorn,theysay,Andbloomshaveblown;

Butwildandwintryismyday,Mybirdsmakemoan;

ForhewhovowedleavesmetopayAlone—alone!

THEMILKMAID

UnderadaisiedbankTherestandsarichredruminatingcow,AndhardagainstherflankAcotton—hoodedmilkmaidbendsherbrow。

Thefloweryriver—oozeUpheavesandfalls;themilkpurrsinthepail;

FewpilgrimsbutwouldchooseThepeaceofsuchalifeinsuchavale。

Themaidbreatheswords—tovent,Itseems,hersenseofNature\'sscenery,Ofwhoselife,sentiment,Andessence,verypartitselfisshe。

Shebendsaglanceofpain,And,atamoment,letsescapeatear;

Isitthatpassingtrain,Whosealienwhirroffendshercountryear?

Nay!PhyllisdoesnotdwellOnvisualandfamiliarthingslikethese;

WhatmovesheristhespellOfinnerthemesandinnerpoetries:

CouldbutbySundaymornHergaynewgowncome,meadsmightdrytodun,Trainsshriektillearsweretorn,IfFredwouldnotpreferthatOtherOne。

THELEVELLEDCHURCHYARD

\"Opassenger,praylistandcatchOursighsandpiteousgroans,HalfstifledinthisjumbledpatchOfwrenchedmemorialstones!

\"Welate—lamented,restinghere,Aremixedtohumanjam,Andeachtoeachexclaimsinfear,\'IknownotwhichIam!\'

\"ThewickedpeoplehaveannexedTheversesonthegood;

AroaringdrunkardsportsthetextTeetotalTommyshould!

\"Wherewearehuddlednonecantrace,Andifournamesremain,Theypavesomepathorp—ingplaceWherewehaveneverlain!

\"There\'snotamodestmaidenelfButdreadsthefinalTrumpet,Lesthalfofhershouldriseherself,Andhalfsomelocalstrumpet!

\"FromrestorationsofThyfane,FromsmoothingsofThysward,FromzealousChurchmen\'spickandplaneDeliverusOLord!Amen!\"

1882。

THERUINEDMAID

\"O\'Melia,mydear,thisdoeseverythingcrown!

WhocouldhavesupposedIshouldmeetyouinTown?

Andwhencesuchfairgarments,suchprosperi—ty?\"

\"Odidn\'tyouknowI\'dbeenruined?\"saidshe。

—\"Youleftusintatters,withoutshoesorsocks,Tiredofdiggingpotatoes,andspuddingupdocks;

Andnowyou\'vegaybraceletsandbrightfeathersthree!\"

\"Yes:that\'showwedresswhenwe\'reruined,\"saidshe。

—\"Athomeinthebartonyousaid\'thee\'and\'thou,\'

And\'thikoon,\'and\'theasoon,\'and\'t\'other\';butnowYourtalkingquitefits\'eeforhighcompa—ny!\"

\"Somepolishisgainedwithone\'sruin,\"saidshe。

—\"Yourhandswerelikepawsthen,yourfaceblueandbleak,ButnowI\'mbewitchedbyyourdelicatecheek,Andyourlittleglovesfitasonanyla—dy!\"

\"Weneverdoworkwhenwe\'reruined,\"saidshe。

—\"Youusedtocallhome—lifeahag—riddendream,Andyou\'dsigh,andyou\'dsock;butatpresentyouseemToknownotofmegrimsormelancho—ly!\"

\"True。There\'sanadvantageinruin,\"saidshe。

—\"IwishIhadfeathers,afinesweepinggown,Andadelicateface,andcouldstrutaboutTown!\"

\"Mydear—arawcountrygirl,suchasyoube,Isn\'tequaltothat。Youain\'truined,\"saidshe。

WESTBOURNEPARKVILLAS,1866,THERESPECTABLEBURGHERON\"THEHIGHERCRITICISM\"

SinceReverendDoctorsnowdeclareThatclerksandpeoplemustprepareTodoubtifAdameverwere;

Toholdthefloodalocalscare;

Toargue,thoughthestolidstare,ThateverythinghadhappenedereTheprophetstoitshappeningsware;

ThatDavidwasnogiant—slayer,NoronetocallaGod—obeyerIncertaindetailswecouldspare,ButratherwasadebonairShrewdbandit,skilledasbanjo—player:

ThatSolomonsangthefleshlyFair,AndgavetheChurchnothoughtwhate\'er;

ThatEstherwithherroyalwear,AndMordecai,thesonofJair,AndJoshua\'striumphs,Job\'sdespair,AndBalaam\'sass\'sbitterblare;

Nebuchadnezzar\'sfurnace—flare,AndDanielandthedenaffair,Andotherstoriesrichandrare,WerewrittomakeolddoctrinewearSomethingofaromanticair:

ThattheNainwidow\'sonlyheir,AndLazaruswithcadaverousglare(AsdoneinoilsbyPiombo\'scare)

DidnotreturnfromSheol\'slair:

ThatJaelsetafiendishsnare,ThatPontiusPilateactedsquare,ThatneveraswordcutMalchus\'earAnd(butforshameImustforbear)

That—didnotreappear!

—Sincethustheyhint,norturnahair,AllchurchgoingwillIforswear,AndsitonSundaysinmychair,AndreadthatmoderatemanVoltaire。