AndovertheGermanbenchesthebeardedwhisperran:——
“Lager,dergirlsundderdollars,deymakesordeybreaksaman。
IfSchmitthafcollaredderdollars,hecollarsdergirlderemit;
ButifSchmittbustinderpizness,wecollarsdergirlfromSchmitt。”
Theypassedoneresolution:——“Yoursub-committeebelieveYoucanlightenthecurseofAdamwhenyou’velightenedthecurseofEve。
Buttillwearebuiltlikeangels,withhammerandchiselandpen,Wewillworkforourselfandawoman,foreverandever,amen。”
NowthisisthetaleoftheCounciltheGermanKaiserheld——
ThedaythattheyrazoredtheGrindstone,thedaythattheCatwasbelled,ThedayoftheFigsfromThistles,thedayoftheTwistedSands,ThedaythatthelaughofamaidenmadelightoftheLordsofTheirHands。
TOMLINSON
NowTomlinsongaveuptheghostinhishouseinBerkeleySquare,AndaSpiritcametohisbedsideandgrippedhimbythehair——
ASpiritgrippedhimbythehairandcarriedhimfaraway,Tillheheardastheroarofarain-fedfordtheroaroftheMilkyWay:
TillheheardtheroaroftheMilkyWaydiedownanddroneandcease,AndtheycametotheGatewithintheWallwherePeterholdsthekeys。
“Standup,standupnow,Tomlinson,andanswerloudandhighThegoodthatyedidforthesakeofmenoreveryecametodie——
Thegoodthatyedidforthesakeofmeninlittleearthsolone!”
AndthenakedsoulofTomlinsongrewwhiteasarain-washedbone。
“OIhaveafriendonearth。”hesaid,“thatwasmypriestandguide,Andwellwouldheanswerallformeifhewerebymyside。”——
“Forthatyestroveinneighbour-loveitshallbewrittenfair,ButnowyewaitatHeaven’sGateandnotinBerkeleySquare:
Thoughwecalledyourfriendfromhisbedthisnight,hecouldnotspeakforyou,Fortheraceisrunbyoneandoneandneverbytwoandtwo。”
ThenTomlinsonlookedupanddown,andlittlegainwasthere,Forthenakedstarsgrinnedoverhead,andhesawthathissoulwasbare:
TheWindthatblowsbetweentheworlds,itcuthimlikeaknife,AndTomlinsontookuphistaleandspokeofhisgoodinlife。
“ThisIhavereadinabook。”hesaid,“andthatwastoldtome,AndthisIhavethoughtthatanothermanthoughtofaPrinceinMuscovy。”
Thegoodsoulsflockedlikehomingdovesandbadehimclearthepath,AndPetertwirledthejanglingkeysinwearinessandwrath。
“Yehaveread,yehaveheard,yehavethought。”hesaid,“andthetaleisyettorun:
Bytheworthofthebodythatonceyehad,giveanswer——whatha’
yedone?”
ThenTomlinsonlookedbackandforth,andlittlegooditbore,FortheDarknessstayedathisshoulder-bladeandHeaven’sGatebefore:——
“OthisIhavefelt,andthisIhaveguessed,andthisIhaveheardmensay,AndthistheywrotethatanothermanwroteofacarlinNorroway。”——
“Yehaveread,yehavefelt,yehaveguessed,goodlack!
YehavehamperedHeaven’sGate;
There’slittleroombetweenthestarsinidlenesstoprate!
Ononemayreachbyhiredspeechofneighbour,priest,andkinThroughborroweddeedtoGod’sgoodmeedthatliessofairwithin;
Gethence,gethencetotheLordofWrong,fordoomhasyettorun,And。thefaiththatyesharewithBerkeleySquareupholdyou,Tomlinson!”。
TheSpiritgrippedhimbythehair,andsunbysuntheyfellTilltheycametothebeltofNaughtyStarsthatrimthemouthofHell:
Thefirstareredwithprideandwrath,thenextarewhitewithpain,Butthethirdareblackwithclinkeredsinthatcannotburnagain:
Theymayholdtheirpath,theymayleavetheirpath,withneverasoultomark,Theymayburnorfreeze,buttheymustnotceaseintheScornoftheOuterDark。
TheWindthatblowsbetweentheworlds,itnippedhimtothebone,AndheyearnedtotheflareofHell-Gatethereasthelightofhisownhearth-stone。
TheDevilhesatbehindthebars,wherethedesperatelegionsdrew,ButhecaughtthehastingTomlinsonandwouldnotlethimthrough。
“Wotyethepriceofgoodpit-coalthatImustpay?”saidhe,“Thatyerankyoursel’sofitforHellandasknoleaveofme?
Iamallo’er-sibtoAdam’sbreedthatyeshouldgivemescorn,ForIstrovewithGodforyourFirstFatherthedaythathewasborn。
Sitdown,sitdownupontheslag,andanswerloudandhighTheharmthatyedidtotheSonsofMenoreveryoucametodie。”
AndTomlinsonlookedupandup,andsawagainstthenightThebellyofatorturedstarblood-redinHell-Mouthlight;
AndTomlinsonlookeddownanddown,andsawbeneathhisfeetThefrontletofatorturedstarmilk-whiteinHell-Mouthheat。
“OIhadaloveonearth。”saidhe,“thatkissedmetomyfall,AndifyewouldcallmylovetomeIknowshewouldanswerall。”——
“Allthatyedidinloveforbiditshallbewrittenfair,ButnowyewaitatHell-MouthGateandnotinBerkeleySquare:
Thoughwewhistledyourlovefromherbedto-night,Itrowshewouldnotrun,Forthesinyedobytwoandtwoyemustpayforonebyone!”
TheWindthatblowsbetweentheworlds,itcuthimlikeaknife,AndTomlinsontookupthetaleandspokeofhissininlife:——
“OnceIha’laughedatthepowerofLoveandtwiceatthegripoftheGrave,AndthriceIha’pattedmyGodontheheadthatmenmightcallmebrave。”
TheDevilheblewonabranderedsoulandsetitasidetocool:——
“DoyethinkIwouldwastemygoodpit-coalonthehideofabrain-sickfool?
IseenoworthinthehobnailedmirthorthejoltheadjestyedidThatIshouldwakenmygentlementhataresleepingthreeonagrid。”
ThenTomlinsonlookedbackandforth,andtherewaslittlegrace,ForHell-GatefilledthehouselessSoulwiththeFearofNakedSpace。
“Nay,thisIha’heard。”quo’Tomlinson,“andthiswasnoisedabroad,AndthisIha’gotfromaBelgianbookonthewordofadeadFrenchlord。”——
“Yeha’heard,yeha’read,yeha’got,goodlack!
andthetalebeginsafresh——
Haveyesinnedonesinfortheprideo’theeyeorthesinfullustoftheflesh?”
ThenTomlinsonhegrippedthebarsandyammered,“Letmein——
ForImindthatIborrowedmyneighbour’swifetosinthedeadlysin。”
TheDevilhegrinnedbehindthebars,andbankedthefireshigh:
“Didyereadofthatsininabook?”saidhe;andTomlinsonsaid,“Ay!”
TheDevilheblewuponhisnails,andthelittledevilsran,Andhesaid:“Gohuskthiswhimperingthiefthatcomesintheguiseofaman:
Winnowhimout’twixtstarandstar,andsievehisproperworth:
There’ssoredeclineinAdam’slineifthisbespawnofearth。”
Empusa’screw,sonaked-newtheymaynotfacethefire,Butweepthattheybintoosmalltosintotheheightoftheirdesire,OverthecoaltheychasedtheSoul,andrackeditallabroad,Aschildrenrifleacaddis-caseortheraven’sfoolishhoard。
AndbacktheycamewiththetatteredThing,aschildrenafterplay,Andtheysaid:“ThesoulthathegotfromGodhehasbarteredcleanaway。
Wehavethreshedastookofprintandbook,andwinnowedachatteringwindAndmanyasoulwherefromhestole,buthiswecannotfind:
Wehavehandledhim,wehavedandledhim,wehavesearedhimtothebone,Andsureiftoothandnailshowtruthhehasnosoulofhisown。”
TheDevilhebowedhisheadonhisbreastandrumbleddeepandlow:——
“I’mallo’er-sibtoAdam’sbreedthatIshouldbidhimgo。
Yetclosewelie,anddeepwelie,andifIgavehimplace,Mygentlementhataresoproudwouldfloutmetomyface;
They’dcallmyhouseacommonstewsandmeacarelesshost,And——Iwouldnotangermygentlemenforthesakeofashiftlessghost。”
TheDevilhelookedatthemangledSoulthatprayedtofeeltheflame,AndhethoughtofHolyCharity,buthethoughtofhisowngoodname:——
“Nowyecouldhastemycoaltowaste,andsityedowntofry:
Didyethinkofthattheftforyourself?”saidhe;andTomlinsonsaid,“Ay!”
TheDevilheblewanoutwardbreath,forhisheartwasfreefromcare:——
“Yehavescarcethesoulofalouse。”hesaid,“buttherootsofsinarethere,AndforthatsinshouldyecomeinwereIthelordalone。
Butsinfulpridehasruleinside——andmightierthanmyown。
HonourandWit,fore-damnedtheysit,toeachhispriestandwhore:
Nay,scarceIdaremyselfgothere,andyouthey’dtorturesore。
Yeareneitherspiritnorspirk。”hesaid;“yeareneitherbooknorbrute——
Go,getyebacktothefleshagainforthesakeofMan’srepute。
I’mallo’er-sibtoAdam’sbreedthatIshouldmockyourpain,Butlookthatyewintoworthiersinereyecomebackagain。
Gethence,thehearseisatyourdoor——thegrimblackstallionswait——
Theybearyourclaytoplaceto-daySpeed,lestyecometoolate!
GobacktoEarthwithalipunsealed——gobackwithanopeneye,AndcarrymywordtotheSonsofMenoreveryecometodie:
Thatthesintheydobytwoandtwotheymustpayforonebyone——
And。theGodthatyoutookfromaprintedbookbewithyou,Tomlinson!”
BARRACK-ROOMBALLADS
DedicationToTA。
Ihavemadeforyouasong,Anditmayberightorwrong,Butonlyyoucantellmeifit’strue;
IhavetriedfortoexplainBothyourpleasureandyourpain,And,Thomas,here’smybestrespectstoyou!
Othere’llsurelycomeadayWhenthey’llgiveyouallyourpay,AndtreatyouasaChristianoughttodo;
So,untilthatdaycomesround,Heavenkeepyousafeandsound,And,Thomas,here’smybestrespectstoyou!
RK。
DANNYDEEVER
“Whatarethebuglesblowin’for?”saidFiles-on-Parade。
“Toturnyouout,toturnyouout“,theColour-Sergeantsaid。
“Whatmakesyoulooksowhite,sowhite?”saidFiles-on-Parade。
“I’mdreadin’whatI’vegottowatch“,theColour-Sergeantsaid。
Forthey’rehangin’DannyDeever,youcanheartheDeadMarchplay,Theregiment’sin’ollowsquare——they’rehangin’himto-day;
They’vetakenofhisbuttonsoffan’cuthisstripesaway,An’they’rehangin’DannyDeeverinthemornin’。
“Whatmakestherear-rankbreatheso’ard?”saidFiles-on-Parade。
“It’sbittercold,it’sbittercold“,theColour-Sergeantsaid。
“Whatmakesthatfront-rankmanfalldown?”saidFiles-on-Parade。
“Atoucho’sun,atoucho’sun“,theColour-Sergeantsaid。
Theyarehangin’DannyDeever,theyaremarchin’of’imround,They’ave’altedDannyDeeverby’iscoffinontheground;
An’’e’llswingin’arfaminuteforasneakin’shootin’hound——
Othey’rehangin’DannyDeeverinthemornin’!
“’Iscotwasright-’andcottomine“,saidFiles-on-Parade。
“’E’ssleepin’outan’farto-night“,theColour-Sergeantsaid。
“I’vedrunk’isbeerascoreo’times“,saidFiles-on-Parade。
“’E’sdrinkin’bitterbeeralone“,theColour-Sergeantsaid。
Theyarehangin’DannyDeever,youmustmark’imto’isplace,For’eshotacomradesleepin’——youmustlook’imintheface;
Nine’undredof’iscountyan’theregiment’sdisgrace,Whilethey’rehangin’DannyDeeverinthemornin’。
“What’sthatsoblackagin’thesun?”saidFiles-on-Parade。
“It’sDannyfightin’’ardforlife“,theColour-Sergeantsaid。
“What’sthatthatwhimpersover’ead?”saidFiles-on-Parade。
“It’sDanny’ssoulthat’spassin’now“,theColour-Sergeantsaid。
Forthey’redonewithDannyDeever,youcan’earthequickstepplay,Theregiment’sincolumn,an’they’remarchin’usaway;
Ho!theyoungrecruitsareshakin’,an’they’llwanttheirbeerto-day,Afterhangin’DannyDeeverinthemornin’。