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第16章

  SONGFROMHEINE
  Iscannedherpicturedreaming,TilleachdearlineandhueWasimaged,tomyseeming,Asifitlivedanew。
  HerlipsbegantoborrowTheirformerwondroussmile;
  Herfaireyes,faintwithsorrow,Grewsparklingaserstwhile。
  SuchtearsasoftenrannotRanthen,mylove,forthee;
  AndO,believeIcannotThatthouarelosttome!
  FROMVICTORHUGO
  Child,wereIking,I'dyieldmyroyalrule,Mychariot,sceptre,vassal—servicedue,Mycrown,myporphyry—basinedwaterscool,Myfleets,wheretotheseaisbutapool,Foraglancefromyou!
  Love,wereIGod,theearthanditsheavingairs,Angels,thedemonsabjectunderme,Vastchaoswithitsteemingwombylairs,Time,space,allwouldIgive—aye,upperspheres,Forakissfromthee!
  CARDINALBEMBO'SEPITAPHONRAPHAEL
  Here'soneinwhomNaturefeared—faintatsuchvying
  Eclipsewhilehelived,anddeceaseathisdying。
  "IHAVELIVEDWITHSHADES"
  I
  Ihavelivedwithshadessolong,Andtalkedtothemsooft,SinceforthfromcotandcroftIwentmankindamong,ThatsometimestheyIntheirdimstyleWillpauseawhileTohearmysay;
  II
  Andtakemebythehand,AndleadmethroughtheirroomsIntheTo—be,whereDoomsHalf—woveandshapelessstand:
  AndshowfromthereThedwindleddustAndrotandrustOfthingsthatwere。
  III
  "Nowturn,"spaketheytomeOneday:"Lookwhencewecame,AndsignifyhisnameWhogazesthenceatthee。"
  —"NornamenorraceKnowI,orcan,"
  Isaid,"OfmanSocommonplace。
  IV
  "Hemovesmenotatall;
  InotenorayorjotOfrarenessinhislot,Orstarexceptional。
  IntothedimDeadthrongsaroundHe'llsink,norsoundBeleftofhim。"
  V
  "Yet,"saidthey,"hisfrailspeech,Hathaccentspitchedlikethine
  ThymouldandhisdefineAlikenesseachtoeach
  Butgo!DeeppainAlas,wouldbeHisnametothee,Andtoldinvain!"
  Feb。2,1899。
  MEMORYANDI
  "Omemory,whereisnowmyyouth,Whousedtosaythatlifewastruth?"
  "IsawhiminacrumbledcotBeneathatotteringtree;
  ThatheasphantomlingersthereIsonlyknowntome。"
  "OMemory,whereisnowmyjoy,Wholivedwithmeinsweetemploy?"
  "Isawhimingauntgardenslone,Wherelaughterusedtobe;
  ThatheasphantomwandersthereIsknowntononebutme。"
  "OMemory,whereisnowmyhope,Whochargedwithdeedsmyskillandscope?"
  "Isawherinatomboftomes,Wheredreamsarewonttobe;
  ThatsheasspectrehaunteththereIsonlyknowntome。"
  "OMemory,whereisnowmyfaith,Onetimeachampion,nowawraith?"
  "Isawherinaravagedaisle,Boweddownonbendedknee;
  ThatherpoorghostoutflickersthereIsknowntononebutme。"
  "OMemory,whereisnowmylove,Thatrayedmeasagodabove?"
  "IsawhimbyanageingshapeWherebeautyusedtobe;
  ThathisfondphantomlingersthereIsonlyknowntome。"
  [GREEKTITLE]
  LonghaveIframedweakphantasiesofThee,OWillermaskedanddumb!
  WhomakestLifebecome,
  Asthoughbylabouringall—unknowingly,Likeonewhomreveriesnumb。
  HowmuchofconsciousnessinformsThywillThybiddings,asifblind,Ofdeath—inducingkind,NoughtshowstousephemeraloneswhofillButmomentsinThymind。
  PerhapsThyancientrote—restrictedwaysThyripeningruletranscends;
  ThatlistlessefforttendsTogrowpercipientwithadvanceofdays,Andwithpercipiencemends。
  For,inunwontedpurlieus,farandnigh,Atwhilesorshortorlong,MaybediscernedawrongDyingasofself—slaughter;whereatI
  Wouldraisemyvoiceinsong。
  Footnotes:
  {1}The"Race"istheturbulentsea—areaofftheBillofPortland,wherecontrarytidesmeet。
  {2}Pronounce"Loddy。"
  {3}Onalonelytable—landabovetheValeofBlackmore,betweenHigh—StoyandBubb—Downhills,andcommandinginclearweatherviewsthatextendfromtheEnglishtotheBristolChannel,standsapillar,apparentlymediaeval,calledCross—and—HandorChrist—in—Hand。Amongotherstoriesofitsoriginalocaltraditionpreservestheoneheregiven。