III. Oh we 're sunk enough here, God knows! but not quite so sunk that moments, Sure tho' seldom, are denied us, when the spirit's true endowments Stand out plainly from its false ones, and apprise it if pursuing Or the right way or the wrong way, to its triumph or undoing. IV. There are flashes struck from midnights, there are fireflames noondays kindle, Whereby piled-up honours perish, whereby swollen ambitions dwindle, While just this or that poor impulse, which for once had play unstifled, Seems the sole work of a life-time that away the rest have trifled. V. Doubt you if, in some such moment, as she fixed me, she felt clearly, Ages past the soul existed, here an age 't is resting merely, And hence fleets again for ages: while the true end, sole and single, It stops here for is, this love way, with some other soul to mingle? VI. Else it loses what it lived for, and eternally must lose it ; Better ends may be in prospect, deeper blisses (if you choose it), But this life's end and this love-bliss have been lost here. Doubt you whether This she felt as, looking at me, mine and her souls rushed together? VII. Oh, observe! Of course, next moment, the world's honours, in derision, Trampled out the light for ever. Never fear but there's provision Of the devil's to quench knowledge, lest we walk the earth in rapture ! -Making those who catch God's secret, just so much more prize their capture! VIII. Such am I the secret 's mine now! She has lost me, I have gained her; Her soul's mine: and thus, grown perfect, I shall pass life's remainder. my Life will just hold out the proving both our powers, alone and blended: And then, come next life quickly! will have been ended. This world's use COUNT GISMOND. AIX IN PROVENCE. I. CHRIST God who savest man, save most II. And doubtlessly, ere he could draw All points to one, he must have schemed ! That miserable morning saw Few half so happy as I seemed, While being dressed in queen's array III. I thought they loved me, did me grace If showing mine so caused to bleed My cousins' hearts, they should have dropped A word, and straight the play had stopped. IV. They, too, so beauteous! Each a queen V. But no they let me laugh, and sing My birthday song quite through, adjust The last rose in my garland, fling A last look on the mirror, trust My arms to each an arm of theirs, And so descend the castle-stairs VI. And come out on the morning troop VII. And they could let me take my state My queen's-day-Oh I think the cause Of much was, they forgot no crowd Makes up for parents in their shroud! VIII. However that be, all eyes were bent Theirs down; 'twas time I should present The victor's crown, but . . . there, 't will last No long time . . . the old mist again IX. See! Gismond 's at the gate, in talk "Bring torches! X. Wind the penance-sheet "About her! Let her shun the chaste, "Or lay herself before their feet! "Shall she, whose body I embraced "A night long, queen it in the day? XI. I? What I answered? As I live, I never fancied such a thing As answer possible to give. What says the body when they spring Some monstrous torture-engine's whole Strength on it? No more says the soul. |