首页 >出版文学> M119>第12章

第12章

  Iheldthellagelilycheap,Andthedreamaroundheridle:
  Lo,quietlyasIlaytosleep,Thebellsledmeofftoabridal。
  MybrideworethehoodofaBeguine,Andminewasthefoottofalter;
  Threecowledmonks,rat-eyed,wereseen;
  TheCrosswasofboneso’erthealtar。
  TheCrosswasofbones;thepriestthatread,Aspectaclednecromancer:
  Butatthefourthword,thebrideIledChangedtoanOperadancer。
  Ayoungballet-beauty,whoperkedinherplace,Adarlingofpinkandspangles;
  Onefairfootlevelwithherface,Andtheheartsofmenatherankles。
  Shewhirled,shetwirled,themock-priestgrinned,Andquicklyhismaskunriddled;
  ’TwasAdrian!loudhisoldlaughterdinned;
  Thenheseizedafiddle,andfiddled。
  Hefiddled,heglowedwiththebottomlessfire,LikeSathanasinfeature:
  AllthroughmehefiddledawolfishdesireTodancewiththatbrightcreature。
  AndgatheringcourageIsaidtomysoul,Throttlethethingthathinders!
  Whenthethreecowledmonks,fromblackascoal,Waxedhotasfurnace-cinders。
  Theycaughtherup,twirling:theyleaptbetween-whiles:
  Thefiddlerflickeredwithlaughter:
  Profanelytheyflewdowntheawfulaisles,WhereIwentslidingafter。
  Downtheawfulaisles,bythefrettedwalls,BeneaththeGothicarches:-
  KingSkullintheblackconfessionalsSatrub-a-dub-dubbinghismarches。
  Thenthesilentcoldstonewarriorsfrowned,Thepicturedsaintsstrodeforward:
  Awhirlwindsweptthemfromholyground;
  Atempestpuffedthemnor’ward。
  Theyshotthroughthegreatcathedraldoor;
  Likemallardstheytraversedocean:
  Andgazingbelow,onitsboilingfloor,Imarkedahorridcommotion。
  Downaforest’slongalleystheyspunliketops:
  Itseemedthatforagesandages,Thro’theBookofLifebereftofstops,Theywaltzedcontinuouspages。
  Andagesafter,scarceawake,Andmybloodwiththefeverfretting,Istoodalonebyaforest-lake,Whoseshadowsthemoonwerenetting。
  Lilies,goldenandwhite,bythecurlsOftheirbroadflatleaveshungswaying。
  AwreathoflanguidtwininggirlsStreamedupward,longlocksdisarraying。
  Theircheekshadthesatinfrost-glowofthemoon;
  TheireyesthefireofSirius。
  Theycircled,anddronedamonotonoustune,Abandonedtolovedelirious。
  Likelengthsofconvolvulustornfromthehedge,Andtrailingthehighwayover,Thedreamy-eyedmistressescircledthesedge,Andcalledforalover,alover!
  Isank,Irosethroughseasofeyes,Inodorousswathesdelicious:
  Theyfannedmewithimpetuoussighs,Theyhitmewithkissescious。
  Myearswerespelled,myneckwascoiled,AndIwiththeirfurywasglowing,WhenthemarblywatersbubbledandboiledAtawaterynoiseofcrowing。
  Theydraggedmelowandlowtothelake:
  Theirkissesmorestormilyshowered;
  Ontheemeraldbrink,inthewhitemoon’swake,Anearthlydamselcowered。
  Freshheart-sobsshookherknittedhandsBeneathatinysuckling,AsonebyoneofthedolefulbandsDedlikeafairyduckling。
  Andnowmyturnhadcome——Ome!
  Whatwisdomwasminethatsecond!
  Idroppedontheadorer’sknee;
  TothatsweetfigureIbeckoned。
  Saveme!saveme!fornowIknowThepowersthatNaturegaveme,AndthevalueofhonestloveIknow:-
  Myllagelily!saveme!
  Come’twtmeandthesisterhood,Whilethepassion-bornphantomsarefleeing!
  Oh,hethatistruetofleshandbloodIstruetohisownbeing!
  AndhethatisfalsetofleshandbloodIsfalsetothestarwithinhim:
  AndthemadandhungrysisterhoodAllunderthetidesshallwinhim!
  Myllagelily!saveme!save!
  Forstrengthiswiththeholy:-
  AlreadyIshudderedtofeelthewave,AsIkeptsinkingslowly:-
  Ifeltthecoldwaveandtheunder-tugOftheBrides,when——startingandshrinking-
  Lo,Adriantiltsthewater-jug!
  AndBrugeswithmornisblinking。
  MerrilysparklessunnyprimeOngabledpeakandarbour:
  Merrilyrattlesbelfry-chimeThesongofSella’sBarber。
  Whate’erIbe,oldEnglandismydam!
  Sothere’smyanswertothejudges,clear。
  I’mnothingofafox,norofalamb;
  Idon’tknowhowtobleatnorhowtoleer:
  I’mforthenation!
  That’swhyyouseemebythewaysidehere,Returninghomefromtransportation。
  It’sSummerinherbaththismorn,Ithink。
  I’mfreshasdew,andchirpyasthebirds:
  AndjustforjoytoseeoldEnglandwinkThro’leavesagain,Icouldharanguetheherds:
  Isn’titsomethingTospeakoutlikeamanwhenyou’vegotwords,Andproveyou’renotastupiddumbthing?
  Theyshipp’dmeofforit;I’mhereagain。
  OldEnglandismydam,whate’erIbe!
  SaysI,I’lltrampithome,andseethegrain:
  Ifyouseewell,you’rekingofwhatyousee:
  Eyesightishang,Ifyou’renotgen,Isaid,togluttony。
  Suchtalktoignorancesoundsasrang。
  Youdearoldbrook,thatfromhisGrace’sparkComebounding!onyourunnearmyoldtown:
  Mylordcan’tlockthewater;northelark,Unlesshekillshim,canmylordkeepdown。
  Up,isthesong-note!
  I’vetriedit,too:-forcomfortandrenown,Iratherpitch’duponthewrongnote。
  I’mnotashamed:Notbeaten’sstillmyboast:
  AgainI’llrousethepeopleuptostrike。
  Buthome’swheredifferentpoliticsjarmost。
  Respectabilitythewomenlike。
  Thisform,orthatform,-
  TheGovernmentmaybehungrypike,Butdon’tyoumountaChartistplatform!
  Well,well!Notbeaten——spiteofthem,Ishout;
  AndmyestateissufferingfortheCause-
  No,——whatisyonbrownwater-ratabout,Whowasheshisoldpollwithbusypaws?
  Whatdoeshemeanby’t?
  It’slikedefyingallournaturallaws,Forhimtohopethathe’llgetcleanby’t。
  Hisseatisonamud-bank,andhistradeIsdirt:-he’squitecontemptible;andyetThefellow’sallasanousasamaidToshowadecentdress,anddrythewet。
  Nowit’shiswhisker,Andnowhisnose,andear:heseemstogetEachmomentatthemotionbrisker!
  Toseehimsquatlikelittlechapsatschool,Icouldletflyalaughwithallmymight。
  Hepeers,hangsbothhisfore-paws:-blessthatfool,He’sbobbingathisfrillnow!——whatasight!
  Lickingthedishup,Asifhethoughttopassfromblacktowhite,Likeparsonintolawnybishop。
  Theelmsandyellowreed-flagsinthesun,Lookonquitegrave:-thesunlightfleckshisside;
  Andlinksofbindweed-flowersroundhimrun,Andshineupdoubledwithhiminthetide。
  I’Mnearlysplitting,Butnatureseemslikesecondinghispride,Andthinksthathisbehaour’sfitting。
  Thatisleo’mudlooksbakingdrywithgold。
  Hisneedle-muzzlestillworksoutandin。
  Itreallyisawondertobehold,Andmakesmefeelthebristlesofmychin。
  Judgedbyappearance,IfancyofthetwoI’mnearerSin,Andmightaswellcommenceaclearance。
  Andthat’swhatmyfinedaughtersaid:-shemeant:
  Pray,holdyourtongue,andwearaSundayface。
  Herhusband,theyounglinendraper,spentMuchargumentthereon:-I’mtheirdisgrace。
  Botherthecouple!
  IfeelsuperiortoachapwhoseplaceCommandshimtobeneatandsupple。
  ButifIgoandsaytomyoldhen:
  I’llmendthegentry’sboots,andkeepdiscreet,UntiltheygrowTOOolent,——why,then,AwarmerwelcomeImightchancetomeet:
  Warmerandbetter。
  Andifshefanciesheroldcockisbeat,Anddropsuponherknees——solether!
  Shesufferedforme:-women,you’llobserve,Don’tsufferforaCause,butforaman。
  WhenIwasinthedocksheshow’dhernerve:
  Isawbeneathhershawlmyoldtea-canTrembling……shebroughtitToscrewmeformywork:sheloath’dmyplan,AndthereforedoublykindIthoughtit。
  I’veneverlostthetasteofthatsametea:
  Thatliquoronmylogicfloatslikeoil,WhenIstatefacts,andfellowsdisagree。
  Forhumancreaturesallareinacoil;
  Allmaywantpardon。
  IseeadaywheneverypotwillboilHarmoniousinonegreatTea-garden!
  WewaitthesettingoftheDandy’sday,Beforethattime!——He’sfurbishinghisdress,-
  HeWILLbereadyforit!——andIsay,Thatyonolddandyratamidthecress,-
  Thankstohardlabour!-
  Ifcleanlinessisnexttogodliness,Theoldfatfellow’sheaven’sneighbour!
  Youteachmeafinelesson,myoldboy!
  I’velookedonmysuperiorsfartoolong,Andsmallhasbeenmyprofitasmyjoy。
  You’vedonetherightwhileI’vedenouncedthewrong。
  Prospermelater!
  LikeyouIwilldespisethesniggeringthrong,AndpleasemyselfandmyCreator。
  I’llbringthelinendraperandhiswifeSomedaytoseeyou;takingoffmyhat。
  Shouldtheyaskwhy,I’llanswer:inmylifeIneverfoundsotrueademocrat。
  BaseoccupationCan’trobyouofyourownesteem,oldrat!
  I’llpreachyoutotheBritishnation。
  Shouldthylovedie;
  Oburyitnotunderice-blueeyes!
  Andlipsthatdeny,Withascornfulsurprise,Thelifeitonceledinthybreastwhenitworenodisguise。
  Shouldthylovedie;
  Oburyitwherethesweetwild-flowersblow!
  Andbreezesgoby,Withnowhisperofwoe;
  Andstrangefeetcannotguessoftheanguishthatslumbersbelow。
  Shouldthylovedie;
  Owanderoncemoretothehauntofthebee!
  WherethefoliagedskyIsmostsacredtosee,Andthybeingfirstfeltitswildbirthlikeawind-wakenedtree。
  Shouldthylovedie;
  Odissembleit!smile!lettherosehidethethorn!
  Whilethelarksingsonhigh,Andnothinglooksforlorn,Buryit,buryit,buryitwhereitwasborn。
  TOALEX。SMITH,THE’GLASGOWPOET,’ONHISSONNETTO’FAME’
  NotvainlydoththeearnestvoiceofmanCallforthethingthatishispuredesire!
  Fameisthebirthrightofthelinglyre!
  TonobleimpulseNatureputsnoban。
  NorvainlytotheSphinxthyvoicewasraised!
  Tho’allthygreatemotionslikeasea,Againstherstonyimmortality,Shatterthemselvesunheededandamazed。
  Timemovesbehindherinablindeclipse:
  YetifinhercoldeyestheendofallBesible,asonherlargeclosedlipsHangsdumbtheawfulriddleoftheearth;-
  Shesees,andshemightspeak,sincethatwildcall,ThemightywarningofaPoet’sbirth。