For to me spoke the Duke, as I told you before; Trickle, but anon, in such muddy driblets, Is pumped up brisk now, through the main ventricle, And genially floats me about the giblets. I'll tell you what I intend to do: I must see this fellow his sad life through- And I, as he says, but a serf and thrall. But there's no mine to blow up and get done with : And breast in a hauberk, his heels he 'll kick up, Slain by an onslaught fierce of hiccup. And then, when red doth the sword of our Duke rust, Then I shall scrape together my earnings; It's a long lane that knows no turnings. So, just one stout cloak shall I indue : With which his boars my father pinned you? And then, for a purpose you shall hear presently, I shall go journeying, who but I, pleasantly! Sorrow is vain and despondency sinful. What's a man's age? He must hurry more, that's all; Cram in a day, what his youth took a year to hold: And arrive one day at the land of the Gipsies, His forehead chapleted green with wreathy hop, And when my Cotnar begins to operate And the tongue of the rogue to run at a proper rate, The same wise judge of matters equine SONG FROM "PIPPA PASSES" THE year's at the spring, And day 's at the morn; Morning 's at seven ; The hill-side 's dew-pearled; God 's in His heaven- All 's right with the world. "HOW THEY BROUGHT THE GOOD NEWS FROM GHENT TO AIX" [16] I SPRANG to the stirrup, and Joris, and he; I galloped, Dirck galloped, we galloped all three ; "Good speed!" cried the watch, as the gate-bolts undrew ; "Speed!" echoed the wall to us galloping through ; Behind shut the postern, the lights sank to rest, And into the midnight we galloped abreast. II Not a word to each other; we kept the great pace III 'T was moonset at starting; but while we drew near Lokeren, the cocks crew and twilight dawned clear; At Boom, a great yellow star came out to see; At Düffeld, 't was morning as plain as could be ; And from Mecheln church-steeple we heard the half chime, So, Joris broke silence with, "Yet there is time!" IV At Aershot, up leaped of a sudden the sun, V And his low head and crest, just one sharp ear bent back VI By Hasselt, Dirck groaned; and cried Joris "Stay spur! "Your Roos galloped bravely, the fault 's not in her, "We'll remember at Aix "—for one heard the quick wheeze Of her chest, saw the stretched neck and staggering knees, And sunk tail, and horrible heave of the flank, As down on her haunches she shuddered and sank. VII So, we were left galloping, Joris and I, Past Looz and past Tongres, no cloud in the sky ; The broad sun above laughed a pitiless laugh, 'Neath our feet broke the brittle bright stubble like chaff; Till over by Dalhem a dome-spire sprang white, And "Gallop," gasped Joris, " for Aix is in sight! VIII "How they'll greet us !”—and all in a moment his roan Rolled neck and croup over, lay dead as a stone; And there was my Roland to bear the whole weight Of the news which alone could save Aix from her fate, With his nostrils like pits full of blood to the brim, And with circles of red for his eye-sockets' rim. IX Then I cast loose my buffcoat, each holster let fall, Called my Roland his pet-name, my horse without peer; good, Till at length into Aix Roland galloped and stood. X And all I remember is, friends flocking round As I sat with his head 'twixt my knees on the ground; SONG FROM "PARACELSUS." I HEAP cassia, sandal-buds and stripes Smeared with dull nard an Indian wipes |