His eyes had to live under! - clear as flint On either side the formidable nose Curved, cut, and coloured, like an eagle's claw. Had he to do with A.'s surprising fate? When altogether old B. disappeared And What paid the bloodless man for so much pains? Did the man love his office? frowned our Lord, Too far above my people, I set the watch, "Beseech me not! beneath Me! - how should the people know? Forget them, keep Me all the more in mind!" Was some such understanding 'twixt the Two? I found no truth in one report at least That if you tracked him to his home, down lanes Beyond the Jewry, and as clean to pace, You found he ate his supper in a room Blazing with lights, four Titians on the wall, And twenty naked girls to change his plate! Poor man, he lived another kind of life In that new, stuccoed, third house by the bridge, Ten, struck the church clock, straight to bed went he. My father, like the man of sense he was, Who blew a trumpet and proclaimed the news, He had a great observance from us boys— I was in error; that was not the man. I'd like now, yet had haply been afraid, Thro' a whole campaign of the world's life and death, Doing the King's work all the dim day long, And now the day was won, relieved at once! No further show or need for that old coat, You are sure, for one thing! Bless us, all the while How sprucely we are dressed out, you and I! A second, and the angels alter that. Well, I could never write a verse, could you? Let's to the Prado and make the most of time. THE LAST RIDE TOGETHER. I SAID 1. Then, dearest, since 'tis so, Since now at length my fate I know, Since all my life seemed meant for, fails, Since this was written and needs must be My whole heart rises up to bless -And this beside, if you will not blame, 2. My mistress bent that brow of hers, Those deep dark eyes where pride demurs With life or death in the balance - Right! The blood replenished me again: My last thought was at least not vain. Who knows but the world may end to-night? 3. Hush! if you saw some western cloud And moon's and evening-star's at once And so, you, looking and loving best, Conscious grew, your passion drew Cloud, sunset, moonrise, star-shine too Down on you, near and yet more near, Till flesh must fade for heaven was here! Thus leant she and lingered-joy and fear! Thus lay she a moment on my breast. 4. Then we began to ride. My soul Past hopes already lay behind. What need to strive with a life awry? Had I said that, had I done this, Might she have loved me? just as well |