This hair is his she cut it off and gave it, 890 But now my mind is changed, for I shall see him, 895 It will moreover be a token to her, That I am he.' He ceased; and Miriam Lane Made such a voluble answer promising all, That once again he roll'd his eyes upon her She promised. Then the third night after this, While Enoch slumber'd motionless and pale, There came so loud a calling of the sea, He woke, he rose, he spread his arms abroad I am saved'; and so fell back and spoke no more. So past the strong heroic soul away. And when they buried him the little port 900 905 910 LOCKSLEY HALL. COMRADES, leave me here a little, while as yet 't is early morn: Leave me here, and when you want me, sound upon the bugle-horn. 2 'Tis the place, and all around it, as of old, the curlews call, Dreary gleams about the moorland flying over Locksley Hall; 4 Locksley Hall, that in the distance overlooks the sandy tracts, And the hollow ocean-ridges roaring into cataracts. Many a night from yonder ivied casement, ere I went to rest, Did I look on great Orion sloping slowly to the West. 8 Many a night I saw the Pleiads, rising thro' the mellow shade, Glitter like a swarm of fire-flies tangled in a silver braid. Here upon the beach I wander'd, nourishing a youth sublime With the fairy tales of science, and the long result of Time; 12 When the centuries behind me like a fruitful land re posed; When I clung to all the present for the promise that it closed: 14 When I dipt into the future far as human eye could see; Saw the Vision of the world, and all the wonder that would be. 16 In the Spring a fuller crimson comes upon the robin's breast; In the Spring the wanton lapwing gets himself another crest; 18 In the Spring a livelier iris changes on the burnish'd dove; In the Spring a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love. 20 Then her cheek was pale and thinner than should be for one so young, And her eyes on all my motions with a mute observance hung. 22 And I said, My cousin Amy, speak, and speak the truth to me, Trust me, cousin, all the current of my being sets to thee.' 24 On her pallid cheek and forehead came a colour and a light, As I have seen the rosy red flushing in the northern night. 26 And she turn'd her bosom shaken with a sudden storm of sighs All the spirit deeply dawning in the dark of hazel eyes 28 Saying, 'I have hid my feelings, fearing they should do me wrong'; Saying, Dost thou love me, cousin?' weeping, ‘I have loved thee long.' 30 Love took up the glass of Time, and turn'd it in his glowing hands; Every moment, lightly shaken, ran itself in golden sands. Love took up the harp of Life, and smote on all the chords with might; Smote the chord of Self, that, trembling, pass'd in music out of sight. 34 Many a morning on the moorland did we hear the copses ring, And her whisper throng'd my pulses with the fulness of the Spring. 36 Many an evening by the waters did we watch the stately ships, And our spirits rush'd together at the touching of the lips. 38 O my cousin, shallow-hearted! O my Amy, mine no more ! O the dreary, dreary moorland! O the barren, barren shore ! 40 Falser than all fancy fathoms, falser than all songs have sung, Puppet to a father's threat, and servile to a shrewish tongue ! 42 Is it well to wish thee happy?—having known me to decline On a range of lower feelings and a narrower heart than mine ! 44 Yet it shall be: thou shalt lower to his level day by day, What is fine within thee growing coarse to sympathize with clay. 46 As the husband is, the wife is thou art mated with a clown, : And the grossness of his nature will have weight to drag thee down. 48 He will hold thee, when his passion shall have spent its novel force, Something better than his dog, a little dearer than his horse. 50 What is this? his eyes are heavy: think not they are glazed with wine. Go to him it is thy duty: kiss him take his hand in thine. 52 It may be my lord is weary, that his brain is over wrought : Soothe him with thy finer fancies, touch him with thy lighter thought. 54 |