And　sculptures　crude　。　。　。　Would　Jove　they　could　be　removed！〃
  〃Repress；　O　lady　proud；　your　traditional　ires；
  You　know　not　by　what　a　frail　thread　we　equally　hang；
  It　is　said　we　are　images　bothtwitched　by　people's　desires；
  And　that　I；　like　you；　fail　as　a　song　men　yesterday　sang！〃
  *　*　*
  And　the　olden　dark　hid　the　cavities　late　laid　bare；
  And　all　was　suspended　and　soundless　as　before；
  Except　for　a　gossamery　noise　fading　off　in　the　air；
  And　the　boiling　voice　of　the　waters'　medicinal　pour。
  BATH。
  SEVENTY…FOUR　AND　TWENTY
  Here　goes　a　man　of　seventy…four；
  Who　sees　not　what　life　means　for　him；
  And　here　another　in　years　a　score
  Who　reads　its　very　figure　and　trim。
  The　one　who　shall　walk　to…day　with　me
  Is　not　the　youth　who　gazes　far；
  But　the　breezy　wight　who　cannot　see
  What　Earth's　ingrained　conditions　are。
  THE　ELOPEMENT
  〃A　woman　never　agreed　to　it！〃　said　my　knowing　friend　to　me。
  〃That　one　thing　she'd　refuse　to　do　for　Solomon's　mines　in　fee：
  No　woman　ever　will　make　herself　look　older　than　she　is。〃
  I　did　not　answer；　but　I　thought；　〃you　err　there；　ancient　Quiz。〃
  It　took　a　rare　one；　true；　to　do　it；　for　she　was　surely　rare　…
  As　rare　a　soul　at　that　sweet　time　of　her　life　as　she　was　fair。
  And　urging　motives；　too；　were　strong；　for　ours　was　a　passionate
  case；
  Yea；　passionate　enough　to　lead　to　freaking　with　that　young　face。
  I　have　told　no　one　about　it；　should　perhaps　make　few　believe；
  But　I　think　it　over　now　that　life　looms　dull　and　years　bereave；
  How　blank　we　stood　at　our　bright　wits'　end；　two　frail　barks　in
  distress；
  How　self…regard　in　her　was　slain　by　her　large　tenderness。
  I　said：　　〃The　only　chance　for　us　in　a　crisis　of　this　kind
  Is　going　it　thorough！〃〃Yes；〃　she　calmly　breathed。　　〃Well；　I　don't
  mind。〃
  And　we　blanched　her　dark　locks　ruthlessly：　　set　wrinkles　on　her
  brow；
  Ayshe　was　a　right　rare　woman　then；　whatever　she　may　be　now。
  That　night　we　heard　a　coach　drive　up；　and　questions　asked　below。
  〃A　gent　with　an　elderly　wife；　sir；〃　was　returned　from　the　bureau。
  And　the　wheels　went　rattling　on；　and　free　at　last　from　public　ken
  We　washed　all　off　in　her　chamber　and　restored　her　youth　again。
  How　many　years　ago　it　was！　　Some　fifty　can　it　be
  Since　that　adventure　held　us；　and　she　played　old　wife　to　me？
  But　in　time　convention　won　her；　as　it　wins　all　women　at　last；
  And　now　she　is　rich　and　respectable；　and　time　has　buried　the　past。
  〃I　ROSE　UP　AS　MY　CUSTOM　IS〃
  I　rose　up　as　my　custom　is
  On　the　eve　of　All…Souls'　day；
  And　left　my　grave　for　an　hour　or　so
  To　call　on　those　I　used　to　know
  Before　I　passed　away。
  I　visited　my　former　Love
  As　she　lay　by　her　husband's　side；
  I　asked　her　if　life　pleased　her；　now
  She　was　rid　of　a　poet　wrung　in　brow；
  And　crazed　with　the　ills　he　eyed；
  Who　used　to　drag　her　here　and　there
  Wherever　his　fancies　led；
  And　point　out　pale　phantasmal　things；
  And　talk　of　vain　vague　purposings
  That　she　discredited。
  She　was　quite　civil；　and　replied；
  〃Old　comrade；　is　that　you？
  Well；　on　the　whole；　I　like　my　life。　…
  I　know　I　swore　I'd　be　no　wife；
  But　what　was　I　to　do？
  〃You　see；　of　all　men　for　my　sex
  A　poet　is　the　worst；
  Women　are　practical；　and　they
  Crave　the　wherewith　to　pay　their　way；
  And　slake　their　social　thirst。
  〃You　were　a　poetquite　the　ideal
  That　we　all　love　awhile：
  But　look　at　this　man　snoring　here　…
  He's　no　romantic　chanticleer；
  Yet　keeps　me　in　good　style。
  〃He　makes　no　quest　into　my　thoughts；
  But　a　poet　wants　to　know
  What　one　has　felt　from　earliest　days；
  Why　one　thought　not　in　other　ways；
  And　one's　Loves　of　long　ago。〃
  Her　words　benumbed　my　fond　frail　ghost；
  The　nightmares　neighed　from　their　stalls
  The　vampires　screeched；　the　harpies　flew；
  And　under　the　dim　dawn　I　withdrew
  To　Death's　inviolate　halls。
  A　WEEK
  On　Monday　night　I　closed　my　door；
  And　thought　you　were　not　as　heretofore；
  And　little　cared　if　we　met　no　more。
  I　seemed　on　Tuesday　night　to　trace
  Something　beyond　mere　commonplace
  In　your　ideas；　and　heart；　and　face。
  On　Wednesday　I　did　not　opine
  Your　life　would　ever　be　one　with　mine；
  Though　if　it　were　we　should　well　combine。
  On　Thursday　noon　I　liked　you　well；
  And　fondly　felt　that　we　must　dwell
  Not　far　apart；　whatever　befell。
  On　Friday　it　was　with　a　thrill
  In　gazing　towards　your　distant　vill
  I　owned　you　were　my　dear　one　still。
  I　saw　you　wholly　to　my　mind
  On　Saturdayeven　one　who　shrined
  All　that　was　best　of　womankind。
  As　wing…clipt　sea…gull　for　the　sea
  On　Sunday　night　I　longed　for　thee；
  Without　whom　life　were　waste　to　me！
  HAD　YOU　WEPT
  Had　you　wept；　had　you　but　neared　me　with　a　frail　uncertain　ray；
  Dewy　as　the　face　of　the　dawn；　in　your　large　and　luminous　eye；
  Then　would　have　come　back　all　the　joys　the　tidings　had　slain　that
  day；
  And　a　new　beginning；　a　fresh　fair　heaven；　have　smoothed　the　things
  awry。
  But　you　were　less　feebly　human；　and　no　passionate　need　for　clinging
  Possessed　your　soul　to　overthrow　reserve　when　I　came　near；
  Ay；　though　you　suffer　as　much　as　I　from　storms　the　hours　are
  bringing
  Upon　your　heart　and　mine；　I　never　see　you　shed　a　tear。
  The　deep　strong　woman　is　weakest；　the　weak　one　is　the　strong；
  The　weapon　of　all　weapons　best　for　winning；　you　have　not　used；
  Have　you　never　been　able；　or　would　you　not；　through　the　evil　times
  and　long？
  Has　not　the　gift　been　given　you；　or　such　gift　have　you　refused？
  When　I　bade　me　not　absolve　you　on　that　evening　or　the　morrow；
  Why　did　you　not　make　war　on　me　with　those　who　weep　like　rain？
  You　felt　too　much；　so　gained　no　balm　for　all　your　torrid　sorrow；
  And　hence　our　deep　division；　and　our　dark　undying　pain。
  BEREFT；　SHE　THINKS　SHE　DREAMS
  I　dream　that　the　dearest　I　ever　knew
  Has　died　and　been　entombed。
  I　am　sure　it's　a　dream　that　cannot　be　true；
  But　I　am　so　overgloomed
  By　its　persistence；　that　I　would　gladly
  Have　quick　death　take　me；
  Rather　than　longer　think　thus　sadly；
  So　wake　me；　wake　me！
  It　has　lasted　days；　but　minute　and　hour
  I　expect　to　get　aroused
  And　find　him　as　usual　in　the　bower
  Where　we　so　happily　housed。
  Yet　stays　this　nightmare　too　appalling；
  And　like　a　web　shakes　me；
  And　piteously　I　keep　on　calling；
  And　no　one　wakes　me！
  IN　THE　BRITISH　MUSEUM
  〃What　do　you　see　in　that　time…touched　stone；
  When　nothing　is　there
  But　ashen　blankness；　although　you　give　it
  A　rigid　stare？
  〃You　look　not　quite　as　if　you　saw；
  But　as　if　you　heard；
  Parting　your　lips；　and　treading　softly
  As　mouse　or　bird。
  〃It　is　only　the　base　of　a　pillar；　they'll　tell　you；
  That　came　to　us
  From　a　far　old　hill　men　used　to　name
  Areopagus。〃
  …　〃I　know　no　art；　and　I　only　view
  A　stone　from　a　wall；
  But　I　am　thinking　that　stone　has　echoed
  The　voice　of　Paul；
  〃Paul　as　he　stood　and　preached　beside　it
  Facing　the　crowd；
  A　small　gaunt　figure　with　wasted　features；
  Calling　out　loud
  〃Words　that　in　all　their　intimate　accents
  Pattered　upon
  That　marble　front；　and　were　far　reflected；
  And　then　were　gone。
  〃I'm　a　labouring　man；　and　know　but　little；
  Or　nothing　at　all；
  But　I　can't　help　thinking　that　stone　once　echoed
  The　voice　of　Paul。〃
  IN　THE　SERVANTS'　QUARTERS
  〃Man；　you　too；　aren't　you；　one　of　these　rough　followers　of　the
  criminal？
  All　hanging　hereabout　to　gather　how　he's　going　to　bear
  Examination　in　the　hall。〃　　She　flung　disdainful　glances　on
  The　shabby　figure　standing　at　the　fire　with　others　there；
  Who　warmed　them　by　its　flare。
  〃No　indeed；　my　skipping　maiden：　　I　know　nothing　of　the　trial　here；
  Or　criminal；　if　so　he　be。I　chanced　to　come　this　way；
  And　the　fire　shone　out　into　the　dawn；　and　morning　airs　are　cold　now；
  I；　too；　was　drawn　in　part　by　charms　I　see　before　me　play；
  That　I　see　not　every　day。〃
  〃Ha；　ha！〃　then　laughed　the　constables　who　also　stood　to　warm
  themselves；
  The　while　another　maiden　scrutinized　his　features　hard；
  As　the　blaze　threw　into　contrast　every　line　and　knot　that　wrinkled
  them；
  Exclaiming；　〃Why；　last　night　when　he　was　brought　in　by　the　guard；
  You　were　with　him　in　the　yard！〃
  〃Nay；　nay；　you　teasing　wench；　I　say！　　You　know　you　speak　mistakenly。
  Cannot　a　tired　pedestrian　who　has　footed　it　afar
  Here　on　his　way　from　northern　parts；　engrossed　in　humble　marketings；
  Come　in　and　rest　awhile；　although　judicial　doings　are
  Afoot　by　morning　star？〃
  〃O；　come；　come！〃　laughed　the　constables。　　〃Why；　man；　you　speak　the
  dialect
  He　uses　in　his　answers；　you　can　hear　him　up　the　stairs。
  So　own　it。　　We　sha'n't　hurt　ye。　　There　he's　speaking　now！　　His
  syllables
  Are　those　you　sound　yourself　when　you　are　talking　unawares；
  As　this　pretty　girl　declares。〃
  〃And　you　shudder　when　his　chain　clinks！〃　she　rejoined。　　〃O　yes；　I
  noticed　it。
  And　you　winced；　too；　when　those　cuffs　they　gave　him　echoed　to　us
  here。
  They'll　soon　be　coming　down；　and　you　may　then　have　to　defend
  yourself
  Unless　you　hold　your　tongue；　or　go　away　and　keep　you　clear
  When　he's　led　to　judgment　near！〃
  〃No！　　I'll　be　damned　in　hell　if　I　know　anything　about　the　man！
  No　single　thing　about　him　more　than　everybody　knows！
  Must　not　I　even　warm　my　hands　but　I　am　charged　with　blasphemies？〃　。
  。　。
  …　His　face　convulses　as　the　morning　cock　t