第16章

SONGFROMHEINE

Iscannedherpicturedreaming,TilleachdearlineandhueWasimaged,tomyseeming,Asifitlivedanew。

HerlipsbegantoborrowTheirformerwondroussmile;

Herfaireyes,faintwithsorrow,Grewsparklingaserstwhile。

SuchtearsasoftenrannotRanthen,mylove,forthee;

AndO,believeIcannotThatthouarelosttome!

FROMVICTORHUGO

Child,wereIking,I\'dyieldmyroyalrule,Mychariot,sceptre,vassal—servicedue,Mycrown,myporphyry—basinedwaterscool,Myfleets,wheretotheseaisbutapool,Foraglancefromyou!

Love,wereIGod,theearthanditsheavingairs,Angels,thedemonsabjectunderme,Vastchaoswithitsteemingwombylairs,Time,space,allwouldIgive—aye,upperspheres,Forakissfromthee!

CARDINALBEMBO\'SEPITAPHONRAPHAEL

Here\'soneinwhomNaturefeared—faintatsuchvying

Eclipsewhilehelived,anddeceaseathisdying。

\"IHAVELIVEDWITHSHADES\"

I

Ihavelivedwithshadessolong,Andtalkedtothemsooft,SinceforthfromcotandcroftIwentmankindamong,ThatsometimestheyIntheirdimstyleWillpauseawhileTohearmysay;

II

Andtakemebythehand,AndleadmethroughtheirroomsIntheTo—be,whereDoomsHalf—woveandshapelessstand:

AndshowfromthereThedwindleddustAndrotandrustOfthingsthatwere。

III

\"Nowturn,\"spaketheytomeOneday:\"Lookwhencewecame,AndsignifyhisnameWhogazesthenceatthee。\"

—\"NornamenorraceKnowI,orcan,\"

Isaid,\"OfmanSocommonplace。

IV

\"Hemovesmenotatall;

InotenorayorjotOfrarenessinhislot,Orstarexceptional。

IntothedimDeadthrongsaroundHe\'llsink,norsoundBeleftofhim。\"

V

\"Yet,\"saidthey,\"hisfrailspeech,Hathaccentspitchedlikethine

ThymouldandhisdefineAlikenesseachtoeach

Butgo!DeeppainAlas,wouldbeHisnametothee,Andtoldinvain!\"

Feb。2,1899。

MEMORYANDI

\"Omemory,whereisnowmyyouth,Whousedtosaythatlifewastruth?\"

\"IsawhiminacrumbledcotBeneathatotteringtree;

ThatheasphantomlingersthereIsonlyknowntome。\"

\"OMemory,whereisnowmyjoy,Wholivedwithmeinsweetemploy?\"

\"Isawhimingauntgardenslone,Wherelaughterusedtobe;

ThatheasphantomwandersthereIsknowntononebutme。\"

\"OMemory,whereisnowmyhope,Whochargedwithdeedsmyskillandscope?\"

\"Isawherinatomboftomes,Wheredreamsarewonttobe;

ThatsheasspectrehaunteththereIsonlyknowntome。\"

\"OMemory,whereisnowmyfaith,Onetimeachampion,nowawraith?\"

\"Isawherinaravagedaisle,Boweddownonbendedknee;

ThatherpoorghostoutflickersthereIsknowntononebutme。\"

\"OMemory,whereisnowmylove,Thatrayedmeasagodabove?\"

\"IsawhimbyanageingshapeWherebeautyusedtobe;

ThathisfondphantomlingersthereIsonlyknowntome。\"

[GREEKTITLE]

LonghaveIframedweakphantasiesofThee,OWillermaskedanddumb!

WhomakestLifebecome,

Asthoughbylabouringall—unknowingly,Likeonewhomreveriesnumb。

HowmuchofconsciousnessinformsThywillThybiddings,asifblind,Ofdeath—inducingkind,NoughtshowstousephemeraloneswhofillButmomentsinThymind。

PerhapsThyancientrote—restrictedwaysThyripeningruletranscends;

ThatlistlessefforttendsTogrowpercipientwithadvanceofdays,Andwithpercipiencemends。

For,inunwontedpurlieus,farandnigh,Atwhilesorshortorlong,MaybediscernedawrongDyingasofself—slaughter;whereatI

Wouldraisemyvoiceinsong。

Footnotes:

{1}The\"Race\"istheturbulentsea—areaofftheBillofPortland,wherecontrarytidesmeet。

{2}Pronounce\"Loddy。\"

{3}Onalonelytable—landabovetheValeofBlackmore,betweenHigh—StoyandBubb—Downhills,andcommandinginclearweatherviewsthatextendfromtheEnglishtotheBristolChannel,standsapillar,apparentlymediaeval,calledCross—and—HandorChrist—in—Hand。Amongotherstoriesofitsoriginalocaltraditionpreservestheoneheregiven。