AMPHIBIAN. Land the solid and safe, To welcome again (confess!) When, high and dry, we chafe The body, and don the dress. Does she look, pity, wonder Yet always earth in sight? BROWNING. 41 THE HOUSEHOLDER. SAVAGE I was sitting in my house, late, lone: Dreary, weary with the long day's work: Head of me, heart of me, stupid as a stone: Tongue-tied now, now blaspheming like a Turk; When, in a moment, just a knock, call, cry, Half a pang, and all a rapture, there again were we! 66 What, and is it really you again?" quoth I: “I again, what else did you expect?" quoth She. “Never mind, hie away from this old house — Every crumbling brick embrowned with sin and shame! Quick, in its corners ere certain shapes arouse ! Let them every devil of the night-lay claim, Make and mend, or rap and rend, for me! Good-by! God be their guard from disturbance at their glee, 42 THE HOUSEHOLDER. Till, crash, comes down the 66 heap!" quoth I: 43 Nay, but there's a decency required! quoth She. "Ah, but if you knew how time has dragged, days, nights! All the neighbor-talk with man and maidsuch men ! All the fuss and trouble of street-sounds, window-sights: All the worry of flapping door and echoing roof; and then, leave, dared try Who were they had Darker arts that almost struck despair in me? If you knew but how I dwelt down here!" quoth I: 66 "And was I so better off up there?" quoth She. Help and get it over! Reunited to his wife (How draw up the paper lets the parishpeople know!) Lies M. or N., departed from this life, Day the this or that, month and year the so and so, What i' the way of final flourish? Prose, verse? Try! 44 THE HOUSEHOLDER. Affliction sore, long time he bore, or what is it to be? Till God did please to grant him ease. Do end!" quoth I: "I end with Love is all and Death is naught!" quoth She. BROWNING. "AND THOU, THOUGH STRONG IN LOVE." AND thou, though strong in love, art all too weak In reason, in self-government too slow; I counsel thee by fortitude to seek Our blest reunion in the shades below. The invisible world with thee hath sympathized; Be thy affections raised and solemnized. Learn, by a mortal yearning, to ascend,— Seeking a higher object. Love was given, Encouraged, sanctioned, chiefly for that end; For this the passion to excess was driven, That self might be annulled her bondage prove The fetters of a dream, opposed to love. 45 WORDSWORTH. |