第13章

DEPROFUNDIS

I

\"Percussussumsicutfoenum，etaruitcormeum。\"

—Ps。ciWintertimenighs;

Butmybereavement—painItcannotbringagain:

Twicenoonedies。

Flower—petalsflee;

But，sinceitoncehathbeen，NomorethatseveringsceneCanharrowme。

Birdsfaintindread:

IshallnotloseoldstrengthInthelonefrost\'sblacklength:

Strengthlongsincefled！

Leavesfreezetodun;

ButfriendscannotturncoldThisseasonasofoldForhimwithnone。

Tempestsmayscath;

ButlovecannotmakesmartAgainthisyearhisheartWhonohearthath。

Blackisnight\'scope;

ButdeathwillnotappalOnewho，pastdoubtingsall，Waitsinunhope。

DEPROFUNDIS

II

\"Considerabamaddexteram，etvidebam;etnoneratquicognosceretmeNonestquirequiratanimammeam。\"—Ps。cxli。

Whentheclouds\'swolnbosomsechobacktheshoutsofthemanyandstrongThatthingsareallastheybestmaybe，saveafewtoberighterelong，Andmyeyeshavenotthevisioninthemtodiscernwhattotheseissoclear，Theblotseemsstraightwayinmealone;onebetterhewerenothere。

Thestoutupstanderssay，All\'swellwithus:ruershavenoughttorue！

Andwhatthepotentsaysooft，canitfailtobesomewhattrue？

Breezilygothey，breezilycome;theirdustsmokesaroundtheircareer，TillIthinkIamonehornoutofduetime，whohasnocallinghere。

Theirdawnsbringlustyjoys，itseems;theirevesexultancesweet;

Ourtimesareblessedtimes，theycry:Lifeshapesitasismostmeet，Andnothingismuchthematter;therearemanysmilestoatear;

ThenwhatisthematterisI，Isay。Whyshouldsuchanonebehere？……

Lethimtowhoseearsthelow—voicedBestseemsstilledbytheclashoftheFirst，WhoholdsthatifwaytotheBettertherebe，itexactsafulllookattheWorst，Whofeelsthatdelightisadelicategrowthcrampedbycrookedness，custom，andfear，Gethimupandbegoneasoneshapedawry;hedisturbstheorderhere。

1895—96。

DEPROFUNDIS

III

\"Heumihi，quiaincolatusmeusprolongatusest！HabitavicumhabitantibusCedar;multumincolafuitaniniamea。\"—Ps。cxix。

TherehavebeentimeswhenIwellmighthavepassedandtheendinghavecome

Pointsinmypathwhenthedarkmighthavestolenonme，artless，unrueing

EreIhadlearntthattheworldwasawelteroffutiledoing:

SuchhadbeentimeswhenIwellmighthavepassed，andtheendinghavecome！

Say，onthenoonwhenthehalf—sunnyhourstoldthatAprilwasnigh，AndIupgatheredandcastforththesnowfromthecrocus—border，Fashionedandfurbishedthesoilintoasummer—seemingorder，GlowingingladsomefaiththatIquickenedtheyearthereby。

Oronthatloneliestofeveswhenafarandbenightedwestood，ShewhoupheldmeandI，inthemidmostofEgdontogether，ConfidentIinherwatchingandwardthroughtheblackeningheather，Deeminghermatchlessinmightandwithmeasurelessscopeendued。

Oronthatwinter—wildnightwhen，reclinedbythechimney—nookquoin，Slowlyadrowseovergatme，thesmallestandfeeblestoffolkthere，Weakfrommybaptismofpain;whenattimesandanonIawokethere

Heardofaworldwheelingon，withnolistingorlongingtojoin。

Eventhen！whileunweetingthatvisioncouldvexorthatknowledgecouldnumb，Thatsweetstothemouthinthebellyarebitter，andtart，anduntoward，Then，onsomedim—colouredsceneshouldmybrieflyraisedcurtainhavelowered，ThenmighttheVoicethatislawhavesaid\"Cease！\"andtheendinghavecome。

1896。

THECHURCH—BUILDER

I

ThechurchflingsforthabattledshadeOverthemoon—blanchedsward;

Thechurch;mygift;wheretoIpaidMyallinhandandhoard:

LavishedmygainsWithstintlesspainsToglorifytheLord。

II

IsquaredthebroadfoundationsinOfashlaredmasonry;

Imouldedmullionsthickandthin，Hewedfilletandogee;

IcircletedEachsculpturedheadWithnimbandcanopy。

III

IcalledinmanyacraftsmasterTofixemblazonedglass，TofigureCrossandSepulchreOndossal，boss，andbrass。

Mygoldallspent，MyjewelswentTogemthecupsofMass。

IV

IborroweddeeptocarvethescreenAndraisetheivoriedRood;

IpartedwithmysmalldemesneTomakemyowingsgood。

Heir—loomsunpricedIsacrificed，Untildebt—freeIstood。

V

Soclosedthetask。\"DeathlesstheCreedHeresubstanced！\"saidmysoul:

\"Iheardmebiddentothisdeed，Andstraightobeyedthecall。

Illumethisfane，ThatnotinvainIbuildit，Lordofall！\"

VI

But，asitchancedme，thenandthereDiddiremisfortunesburst;

Myhomewentwasteforlackofcare，Mysonsrebelledandcurst;

TillIconfessedThataimsthebestWerelookingliketheworst。

VII

EnkindledbymyvotiveworkNoburningfaithIfind;

Thedeeperthinkerssneerandsmirk，Andgivemytoilnomind;

FromnodandwinkIreadtheythinkThatIamfoolandblind。

VIII

MygifttoGodseemsfutile，quite;

Theworldmovesaserstwhile;

AndpowerfulwrongonfeeblerightTramplesinoldenstyle。

Myfaithburnsdown，Iseenocrown;

ButCares，andGriefs，andGuile。

IX

Sonow，theremedy？Yea，this:

IgentlyswingthedoorHere，ofmyfane—nosoultowis

AndcrossthepatternedfloorTotherood—screenThatstandsbetweenThenaveandinnerchore。