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。
第12章