ld　in　the　ingots；　the　silk　in　the　bales。
  〃From　the　gardens　of　Pleasure　where　reddens　the　rose；　　　　And　the　scent　of　the　cedar　is　faint　on　the　air；　Past　the　harbors　of　Traffic；　sublimely　she　goes；　　　　Man's　hopes　o'er　the　world　of　the　waters　to　bear！
  〃Where　the　cheer　from　the　harbors　of　Traffic　is　heard；　　　　Where　the　gardens　of　Pleasure　fade　fast　on　the　sight；　O'er　the　rose；　o'er　the　cedar；　there　passes　a　bird；　　　　'Tis　the　Paradise　Bird；　never　known　to　alight。
  〃And　that　bird；　bright　and　bold　as　a　poet's　desire；　　　　Roams　her　own　native　heavens；　the　realms　of　her　birth。　There　she　soars　like　a　seraph；　she　shines　like　a　fire；　　　　And　her　plumage　hath　never　been　sullied　by　earth。
  〃And　the　mariners　greet　her；　there's　song　on　each　lip；　　　　For　that　bird　of　good　omen；　and　joy　in　each　eye。　And　the　ship　and　the　bird；　and　the　bird　and　the　ship；　　　　Together　go　forth　over　ocean　and　sky。
  〃Fast；　fast　fades　the　land！　far　the　rose…gardens　flee；　　　　And　far　fleet　the　harbors。　　In　regions　unknown　The　ship　is　alone　on　a　desert　of　sea；　　　　And　the　bird　in　a　desert　of　sky　is　alone。
  〃In　those　regions　unknown；　o'er　that　desert　of　air；　　　　Down　that　desert　of　waterstremendous　in　wrath　The　storm…wind　Euroclydon　leaps　from　his　lair；　　　　And　cleaves；　thro'　the　waves　of　the　ocean；　his　path。
  〃And　the　bird　in　the　cloud；　and　the　ship　on　the　wave；　　　　Overtaken；　are　beaten　about　by　wild　gales；　And　the　mariners　all　rush　their　cargo　to　save；　　　　Of　the　gold　in　the　ingots；　the　silk　in　the　bales。
  〃Lo！　a　wonder；　which　never　before　hath　been　heard；　　　　For　it　never　before　hath　been　given　to　sight；　On　the　ship　bath　descended　the　Paradise　Bird；　　　　The　Paradise　Bird；　never　known　to　alight！
  〃The　bird　which　the　mariners　bless'd；　when　each　lip　　　　Had　a　song　for　the　omen　that　gladden'd　each　eye；　The　bright　bird　for　shelter　hath　flown　to　the　ship　　　　From　the　wrath　on　the　sea　and　the　wrath　in　the　sky。
  〃But　the　mariners　heed　not　the　bird　any　more。　　　　They　are　felling　the　maststhey　are　cutting　the　sails；　Some　are　working；　some　weeping；　and　some　wrangling　o'er　　　　Their　gold　in　the　ingots；　their　silk　in　the　bales。
  〃Souls　of　men　are　on　board；　wealth　of　man　in　the　hold；　　　　And　the　storm…wind　Euroclydon　sweeps　to　his　prey；　And　who　heeds　the　bird？　　'Save　the　silk　and　the　gold！'　　　　And　the　bird　from　her　shelter　the　gust　sweeps　away！
  〃Poor　Paradise　Bird！　on　her　lone　flight　once　more　　　　Back　again　in　the　wake　of　the　wind　she　is　driven　To　be　'whelmed　in　the　storm；　or　above　it　to　soar；　　　　And；　if　rescued　from　ocean；　to　vanish　in　heaven！
  〃And　the　ship　rides　the　waters　and　weathers　the　gales：　　　　From　the　haven　she　nears　the　rejoicing　is　heard。　All　hands　are　at　work　on　the　ingots；　the　bales；　　　　Save　a　child　sitting　lonely；　who　missesthe　bird！〃
  CANTO　III。
  I。
  With　stout　iron　shoes　be　my　Pegasus　shod！　For　my　road　is　a　rough　one：　flint；　stubble；　and　clod；　Blue　clay；　and　black　quagmire；　brambles　no　few；　And　I　gallop　up…hill；　now。
  There's　terror　that's　true　In　that　tale　of　a　youth　who；　one　night　at　a　revel；　Amidst　music　and　mirth　lured　and　wiled　by　some　devil；　Follow'd　ever　one　mask　through　the　mad　masquerade；　Till；　pursued　to　some　chamber　deserted　（'tis　said）；　He　unmasked；　with　a　kiss；　the　strange　lady；　and　stood　Face　to　face　with　a　Thing　not　of　flesh　nor　of　blood。　In　this　Mask　of　the　Passions；　call'd　Life；　there's　no　human　Emotion；　though　mask'd；　or　in　man　or　in　woman；　But；　when　faced　and　unmask'd；　it　will　leave　us　at　last　Struck　by　some　supernatural　aspect　aghast。　For　truth　is　appalling　and　eldrich；　as　seen　By　this　world's　artificial　lamplights　and　we　screen　From　our　sight　the　strange　vision　that　troubles　our　life。　Alas！　why　is　Genius　forever　at　strife　With　the　world；　which；　despite　the　world's　self；　it　ennobles？　Why　is　it　that　Genius　perplexes　and　troubles　And　offends　the　effete　life　it　comes　to　renew？　'Tis　the　terror　of　truth！　'tis　that　Genius　is　true！
  II。
  Lucile　de　Nevers　（if　her　riddle　I　read）　Was　a　woman　of　genius：　whose　genius；　indeed；　With　her　life　was　at　war。　　Once；　but　once；　in　that　life　The　chance　had　been　hers　to　escape　from　this　strife　In　herself；　finding　peace　in　the　life　of　another　From　the　passionate　wants　she；　in　hers；　failed　to　smother。　But　the　chance　fell　too　soon；　when　the　crude　restless　power　Which　had　been　to　her　nature　so　fatal　a　dower；　Only　wearied　the　man　it　yet　haunted　and　thrall'd；　And　that　moment；　once　lost；　had　been　never　recall'd。　Yet　it　left　her　heart　sore：　and；　to　shelter　her　heart　From　approach；　she　then　sought；　in　that　delicate　art　Of　concealment；　those　thousand　adroit　strategies　Of　feminine　wit；　which　repel　while　they　please；　A　weapon；　at　once；　and　a　shield　to　conceal　And　defend　all　that　women　can　earnestly　feel。　Thus；　striving　her　instincts　to　hide　and　repress；　She　felt　frighten'd　at　times　by　her　very　success：　She　pined　for　the　hill…tops；　the　clouds；　and　the　stars：　Golden　wires　may　annoy　us　as　much　as　steel　bars　If　they　keep　us　behind　prison　windows：　impassion'd　Her　heart　rose　and　burst　the　light　cage　she　had　fashion'd　Out　of　glittering　trifles　around　it。
  Unknown　To　herself；　all　her　instincts；　without　hesitation；　Embraced　the　idea　of　self…immolation。　The　strong　spirit　in　her；　had　her　life　been　but　blended　With　some　man's　whose　heart　had　her　own　comprehended；　All　its　wealth　at　his　feet　would　have　lavishly　thrown。　For　him　she　had　struggled　and　striven　alone；　For　him　had　aspired；　in　him　had　transfused　All　the　gladness　and　grace　of　her　nature；　and　used　For　him　only　the　spells　of　its　delicate　power：　Like　the　ministering　fairy　that　brings　from　her　bower　To　some　maze　all　the　treasures；　whose　use　the　fond　elf；　More　enrich'd　by　her　love；　disregards　for　herself。　But　standing　apart；　as　she　ever　had　done；　And　her　genius；　which　needed　a　vent；　finding　none　In　the　broad　fields　of　action　thrown　wide　to　man's　power；　She　unconsciously　made　it　her　bulwark　and　tower；　And　built　in　it　her　refuge；　whence　lightly　she　hurl'd　Her　contempt　at　the　fashions　and　forms　of　the　world。
  And　the　permanent　cause　why　she　now　miss'd　and　fail'd　That　firm　hold　upon　life　she　so　keenly　assail'd；　Was；　in　all　those　diurnal　occasions　that　place　Saythe　world　and　the　woman　opposed　face　to　face；　Where　the　woman　must　yield；　she；　refusing　to　stir；　Offended　the　world；　which　in　turn　wounded　her。
  As　before；　in　the　old…fashion'd　manner；　I　fit　To　this　character；　also；　its　moral：　to　wit；　Saythe　world　is　a　nettle；　disturb　it；　it　stings：　Grasp　it　firmly；　it　stings　not。　　On　one　of　two　things；　If　you　would　not　be　stung；　it　behoves　you　to　settle　Avoid　it；　or　crush　it。　　She　crush'd　not　the　nettle；　For　she　could　not；　nor　would　she　avoid　it：　she　tried　With　the　weak　hand　of　woman　to　thrust　it　aside；　And　it　stung　her。　　A　woman　is　too　slight　a　thing　To　trample　the　world　without　feeling　its　sting。
  III。
  One　lodges　but　simply　at　Luchon；　yet；　thanks　To　the　season　that　changes　forever　the　banks　Of　the　blossoming　mountains；　and　shifts　the　light　cloud　O'er　the　valley；　and　hushes　or　rouses　the　loud　Wind　that　wails　in　the　pines；　or　creeps　murmuring　down　The　dark　evergreen　slopes　to　the　slumbering　town；　And　the　torrent　that　falls；　faintly　heard　from　afar；　And　the　blue…bells　that　purple　the　dapple…gray　scaur；　One　sees　with　each　month　of　the　many…faced　year　A　thousand　sweet　changes　of　beauty　appear。　The　chalet　where　dwelt　the　Comtesse　de　Nevers　Rested　half　up　the　base　of　a　mountain　of　firs；　In　a　garden　of　roses；　reveal'd　to　the　road；　Yet　withdrawn　from　its　noise：　'twas　a　peaceful　abode。　And　the　walls；　and　the　roofs；　with　their　gables　like　hoods　Which　the　monks　wear；　were　built　of　sweet　resinous　woods。　The　sunlight　of　noon；　as　Lord　Alfred　ascended　The　steep　garden　paths；　every　odor　had　blended　Of　the　ardent　carnations；　and　faint　heliotropes；　With　the　balms　floated　down　from　the　dark　wooded　slopes：　A　light　breeze　at　the　window　was　playing　about；　And　the　white　curtains　floated；　now　in；　and　now　out。　The　house　was　all　hush'd　when　he　rang　at　the　door；　Which　was　open'd　to　him　in　a　moment；　or　more；　By　an　old　nodding　negress；　whose　sable　head　shined　In　the　sun　like　a　cocoa…nut　polished　in　Ind；　'Neath　the　snowy　foulard　which　about　it　was　wound。
  IV。
  Lord　Alfred　sprang　forward　at　once；　with　a　bound。　He　remembered　the　nurse　of　Lucile。　　The　old　dame；　Whose　teeth　and　whose　eyes　used　to　beam　when　he　came；　With　a　boy's　eager　step；　in　the　blithe　days　of　yore；　To　pass；　unannounced；　her　young　mistress's　door。　The　old　woman　had　fondled　Lucile　on　her　knee　When　she　left；　as　an　infant；　far　over　the　sea；　In　India；　the　tomb　of　a　mother；　unknown；　To　pine；　a　pale　flow'ret；　in　great　Paris　town。　She　had　sooth'd　the　child's　sobs　on　her　breast；　when　she　read　The　letter　that　told　her；　her　father　was　dead。　An　astute；　shrewd　adventurer；　who；　like　Ulysses；　Had　studied　men；　cities；　laws；　wars；　the　abysses　Of　statecraft；　with　varying　fortunes；　was　he。　He　had　wander'd　the　world　through；　by　land　and　by　sea；　And　knew　it　in　most　of　its　phases。　　Strong　will；　Subtle　tact；　and　soft　manners；　had　given　him　skill　To　conciliate　Fortune；　and　courage　to　brave　Her　displeasure。　　Thrice　shipwreck'd；　and　cast　by　the　wave　On　his　own　quick　resources；　they　rarely　had　fail'd　His　command：　often　baffled；　he　ever　prevail'd；　In　his　combat　with　fate：　to…day　flatter'