e　for　the　love　of　an　innocent　wife　All　that　such　love　deserved　in　the　heart　and　the　life　Of　the　man　to　whose　heart　and　whose　life　you　alone　Can　with　safety　confide　the　pure　trust　of　your　own。〃
  She　turn'd　to　Matilda；　and　lightly　laid　on　her　Her　soft　quiet　hand　。　。　。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃'Tis；　O　lady；　the　honor　Which　that　man　has　confided　to　you；　that；　in　spite　Of　his　friend；　I　now　trust　I　may　yet　save　to…night　Save　for　both　of　you；　lady！　for　yours　I　revere；　Duc　de　Luvois；　what　say　you？my　place　is　not　here？〃
  XII。
  And；　so　saying；　the　hand　of　Matilda　she　caught；　Wound　one　arm　round　her　waist　unresisted　and　sought　Gently；　softly；　to　draw　her　away　from　the　spot。　The　Duke　stood　confounded；　and　follow'd　them　not；　But　not　yet　the　house　had　they　reach'd　when　Lucile　Her　tender　and　delicate　burden　could　feel　Sink　and　falter　beside　her。　　Oh；　then　she　knelt　down；　Flung　her　arms　round　Matilda；　and　press'd　to　her　own　The　poor　bosom　beating　against　her。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　moon；　Bright；　breathless；　and　buoyant；　and　brimful　of　June；　Floated　up　from　the　hillside；　sloped　over　the　vale；　And　poised　herself　loose　in　mid…heaven；　with　one　pale；　Minute；　scintillescent；　and　tremulous　star　Swinging　under　her　globe　like　a　wizard…lit　car；　Thus　to　each　of　those　women　revealing　the　face　Of　the　other。　　Each　bore　on　her　features　the　trace　Of　a　vivid　emotion。　　A　deep　inward　shame　The　cheek　of　Matilda　had　flooded　with　flame。　With　her　enthusiastic　emotion；　Lucile　Trembled　visibly　yet；　for　she　could　not　but　feel　That　a　heavenly　hand　was　upon　her　that　night；　And　it　touch'd　her　pure　brow　to　a　heavenly　light。　〃In　the　name　of　your　husband；　dear　lady；〃　she　said；　〃In　the　name　of　your　mother；　take　heart！　　Lift　your　head；　For　those　blushes　are　noble。　　Alas！　do　not　trust　To　that　maxim　of　virtue　made　ashes　and　dust；　That　the　fault　of　the　husband　can　cancel　the　wife's。　Take　heart！　and　take　refuge　and　strength　in　your　life's　Pure　silence；there；　kneel；　pray；　and　hope；　weep；　and　wait！〃　〃Saved；　Lucile！〃　sobb'd　Matilda；　〃but　saved　to　what　fate？　Tears；　prayers；　yes！　not　hopes。〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Hush！〃　the　sweet　voice　replied。　〃Fool'd　away　by　a　fancy；　again　to　your　side　Must　your　husband　return。　　Doubt　not　this。　　And　return　For　the　love　you　can　give；　with　the　love　that　you　yearn　To　receive；　lady。　　What　was　it　chill'd　you　both　now？　Not　the　absence　of　love；　but　the　ignorance　how　Love　is　nourish'd　by　love。　　Well！　henceforth　you　will　prove　Your　heart　worthy　of　love；since　it　knows　how　to　love。〃
  XIII。
  〃What　gives　you　such　power　over　me；　that　I　feel　Thus　drawn　to　obey　you？　　What　are　you；　Lucile？〃　Sigh'd　Matilda；　and　lifted　her　eyes　to　the　face　Of　Lucile。　　　　　　　　　　　　　There　pass'd　suddenly　through　it　the　trace　Of　deep　sadness；　and　o'er　that　fair　forehead　came　down　A　shadow　which　yet　was　too　sweet　for　a　frown。　〃The　pupil　of　sorrow；　perchance；〃　。　。　。　she　replied。　〃Of　sorrow？〃　Matilda　exclaim'd　。　。　。　〃O　confide　To　my　heart　your　affliction。　　In　all　you　made　known　I　should　find　some　instruction；　no　doubt；　for　my　own！〃
  〃And　I　some　consolation；　no　doubt；　for　the　tears　Of　another　have　not　flow'd　for　me　many　years。〃
  It　was　then　that　Matilda　herself　seized　the　hand　Of　Lucile　in　her　own；　and　uplifted　her；　and　Thus　together　they　enter'd　the　house。
  XIV。
  'Twas　the　room　Of　Matilda。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　languid　and　delicate　gloom　Of　a　lamp　of　pure　white　alabaster；　aloft　From　the　ceiling　suspended；　around　it　slept　soft。　The　casement　oped　into　the　garden。　　The　pale　Cool　moonlight　stream'd　through　it。　　One　lone　nightingale　Sung　aloof　in　the　laurels。　　And　here；　side　by　side；　Hand　in　hand；　the　two　women　sat　down　undescried；　Save　by　guardian　angels。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　As　when；　sparkling　yet　From　the　rain；　that；　with　drops　that　are　jewels；　leaves　wet　The　bright　head　it　humbles；　a　young　rose　inclines　To　some　pale　lily　near　it；　the　fair　vision　shines　As　one　flower　with　two　faces；　in　hush'd；　tearful　speech；　Like　the　showery　whispers　of　flowers；　each　to　each　Link'd；　and　leaning　together；　so　loving；　so　fair；　So　united；　yet　diverse；　the　two　women　there　Look'd；　indeed；　like　two　flowers　upon　one　drooping　stem；　In　the　soft　light　that　tenderly　rested　on　them。　All　that　soul　said　to　soul　in　that　chamber；　who　knows？　All　that　heart　gain'd　from　heart？　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Leave　the　lily；　the　rose；　Undisturb'd　with　their　secret　within　them。　　For　who　To　the　heart　of　the　floweret　can　follow　the　dew？　A　night　full　of　stars！　　O'er　the　silence；　unseen；　The　footsteps　of　sentinel　angels　between　The　dark　land　and　deep　sky　were　moving。　　You　heard　Pass'd　from　earth　up　to　heaven　the　happy　watchword　Which　brighten'd　the　stars　as　amongst　them　it　fell　From　earth's　heart；　which　it　eased　。　。　。　〃All　is　well！　all　is　well！〃
  CANTO　IV。
  I。
  The　Poets　pour　wine；　and；　when　'tis　new；　all　decry　it；　But；　once　let　it　be　old；　every　trifler　must　try　it。　And　Polonius；　who　praises　no　wine　that's　not　Massic；　Complains　of　my　verse；　that　my　verse　is　not　classic。　And　Miss　Tilburina；　who　sings；　and　not　badly；　My　earlier　verses；　sighs　〃Commonplace　sadly！〃
  As　for　you；　O　Polonius；　you　vex　me　but　slightly；　But　you；　Tilburina；　your　eyes　beam　so　brightly　In　despite　of　their　languishing　looks；　on　my　word；　That　to　see　you　look　cross　I　can　scarcely　afford。　Yes！　the　silliest　woman　that　smiles　on　a　bard　Better　far　than　Longinus　himself　can　reward　The　appeal　to　her　feelings　of　which　she　approves；　And　the　critics　I　most　care　to　please　are　the　Loves。
  Alas；　friend！　what　boots　it；　a　stone　at　his　head　And　a　brass　on　his　breast；when　a　man　is　once　dead？　Ay！　were　fame　the　sole　guerdon；　poor　guerdon　were　then　Theirs　who；　stripping　life　bare；　stand　forth　models　for　men。　The　reformer's？a　creed　by　posterity　learnt　A　century　after　its　author　is　burnt！　The　poet's？a　laurel　that　hides　the　bald　brow　It　hath　blighted！　　The　painter's？Ask　Raphael　now　Which　Madonna's　authentic！　　The　stateman's？a　name　For　parties　to　blacken；　or　boys　to　declaim！　The　soldier's？three　lines　on　the　cold　Abbey　pavement！　Were　this　all　the　life　of　the　wise　and　the　brave　meant；　All　it　ends　in；　thrice　better；　Neaera；　it　were　Unregarded　to　sport　with　thine　odorous　hair；　Untroubled　to　lie　at　thy　feet　in　the　shade　And　be　loved；　while　the　roses　yet　bloom　overhead；　Than　to　sit　by　the　lone　hearth；　and　think　the　long　thought；　A　severe；　sad；　blind　schoolmaster；　envied　for　naught　Save　the　name　of　John　Milton！　　For　all　men；　indeed；　Who　in　some　choice　edition　may　graciously　read；　With　fair　illustration；　and　erudite　note；　The　song　which　the　poet　in　bitterness　wrote；　Beat　the　poet；　and　notably　beat　him；　in　this　The　joy　of　the　genius　is　theirs；　whilst　they　miss　The　grief　of　the　man：　Tasso's　songnot　his　madness！　Dante's　dreamsnot　his　waking　to　exile　and　sadness！　Milton's　musicbut　not　Milton's　blindness！　。　。　。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Yet　rise；　My　Milton；　and　answer；　with　those　noble　eyes　Which　the　glory　of　heaven　hath　blinded　to　earth！　Saythe　life；　in　the　living　it；　savors　of　worth：　That　the　deed；　in　the　doing　it；　reaches　its　aim：　That　the　fact　has　a　value　apart　from　the　fame：　That　a　deeper　delight；　in　the　mere　labor；　pays　Scorn　of　lesser　delights；　and　laborious　days：　And　Shakespeare；　though　all　Shakespeare's　writings　were　lost；　And　his　genius；　though　never　a　trace　of　it　crossed　Posterity's　path；　not　the　less　would　have　dwelt　In　the　isle　with　Miranda；　with　Hamlet　have　felt　All　that　Hamlet　hath　uttered；　and　haply　where；　pure　On　its　death…bed；　wrong'd　Love　lay；　have　moan'd　with　the　Moor！
  II。
  When　Lord　Alfred　that　night　to　the　salon　return'd　He　found　it　deserted。　　The　lamp　dimly　burn'd　As　though　half　out　of　humor　to　find　itself　there　Forced　to　light　for　no　purpose　a　room　that　was　bare。　He　sat　down　by　the　window　alone。　　Never　yet　Did　the　heavens　a　lovelier　evening　beget　Since　Latona's　bright　childbed　that　bore　the　new　moon！　The　dark　world　lay　still；　in　a　sort　of　sweet　swoon；　Wide　open　to　heaven；　and　the　stars　on　the　stream　Were　trembling　like　eyes　that　are　loved　on　the　dream　Of　a　lover；　and　all　things　were　glad　and　at　rest　Save　the　unquiet　heart　in　his　own　troubled　breast。　He　endeavor'd　to　thinkan　unwonted　employment；　Which　appear'd　to　afford　him　no　sort　of　enjoyment。
  III。
  〃Withdraw　into　yourself。　　But；　if　peace　you　seek　there　for；　Your　reception；　beforehand；　be　sure　to　prepare　for；〃　Wrote　the　tutor　of　Nero；　who　wrote；　be　it　said；　Better　far　than　he　actedbut　peace　to　the　dead！　He　bled　for　his　pupil：　what　more　could　he　do？　But　Lord　Alfred；　when　into　himself　he　withdrew；　Found　all　there　in　disorder。　　For　more　than　an　hour　He　sat　with　his　head　droop'd　like　some　stubborn　flower　Beaten　down　by　the　rush　of　the　rainwith　such　force　Did　the　thick；　gushing　thoughts　hold　upon　him　the　course　Of　their　sudden　descent；　rapid；　rushing；　and　dim；　From　the　cloud　that　had　darken'd　the　evening　for　him。　At　one　moment　he　roserose　and　open'd　the　door；　And　wistfully　look'd　down　the　dark　corridor　Toward　the　room　of　Matilda。　　Anon；　with　a　sigh　Of　an　incomplete　purpose；　he　crept　quietly　Back　again　to　his　place　in　a　sort　of　submission　To　doubt；　and　return'd　to　his　former　position；　That　loose　fall　of　the　arms；　that　dull　droop　of　the　face；　And　the　eye　vaguely　fix'd　on　impalpable　space。　Th