WhereGrisnezwinksatDungenessAcrosstheruffledstripofsalt,Youlook,andliketheprospectless。
Onmenandgunswouldyoulaystress,TobidtheIsland’sfoemenhalt。
WhileloudtheYearisraisingcryAtbirthtoknowifitmustbearInhistorythebloodydye,AnEnglishheart,asoldier’seye,Fortheoldcountryfirstwillcare。
Andhowstandsshe,artillerist,Amongthevapourswangdense,Withcannoncharged?’Tishist!andhist!
Andnowshescrewsagoutyfist,Andnowshecountstoclutchherpence。
Withshudderschillasaconite,ThecouchantchewerofthecudWillstartattimesinpussyfrightBeforethedogs,whenreadsherspriteThestreakspredictingstreamsofblood。
Shethinkstheymaymeansomething;thinksTheymaymeannothing:haplyboth。
Wheredarknessallherdaylightdrinks,Shefainwouldfindaleaderlynx,Nottoomuchtangmentalsloth。
Cleftlikethefatedhouseintwain,Onehalfis,Arm!andone,Retrench!
Gambetta’swordondullMacMahon:
’Thecowthatseesapassingtrain’:
SospiessheRussian,German,French。
She?no,herweakness:sheunbracedAmongthoseathletesfrontingstorms!
Themuscleslessofsteelthanpaste,Why,theyofnaturefeeldistasteForflash,muchmoreforpush,ofarms。
Thepoetsings,andwellknowwe,That’irondrawsmenafterit。’
ButtoweringwealthmayseemthetreeWhichbearsthefruitINDEMNITY,Anddrawasfastasbattle’sfit,X
Iffeeblebethehandonguard,Alas,alas!AndnationsareStillthemadforces,thoughthescarred。
ShouldtheyoncedeemouremblemPardWaggeroftailforallsavewar;-
MechanicallyscrewedtoflailHisflanksbyPressesconjuringfear;-
Amoney-bagwithheadandtail;-
Toolatemayvalourthenavail!
Asyoubeheld,mycannonier,X
WhenwiththestaffofBenedek,OntheplateauofKoniggratz,Yousawbelowthatwedgeingspeck;
ForesawproudAustriarammedtowreck,WhereChlumdrovedeepinsmokyjets。
February1887。
Strikenotthydogwithastick!
Ididityesterday:
NottoundothoughIgainedTheParadise:heavyitrainedOnKobold’sflanks,andhelay。
LittleBruno,ourlong-earpup,Fromhishunthadcomebacktomyheel。
Iheardasharpworryingsound,AndBrunofoamedontheground,WithKobyasmakingameal。
IdidwhatIcouldnotundoWerethegatesoftheParadiseshutBehindme:Ideemeditwasjust。
IleftKobycrouchedinthedust,Someyardsfromthewoodman’shut。
Hebewhimperedhiswelting,andI
Scarcethoughtitenoughforhim:so,Bydegrees,throughtheupperbox-grove,Withinmeanoldstoryhove,Ofamanandadog:youshallknow。
Thedogwasofnovelbreed,TheShannonretriever,untried:
Hismaster,anoldIrishlord,InanoakenarmchairsnoredAtmidnight,whiskybeside。
Perchedupadesolatetower,Wheretheblackstorm-windwasawhipTosetitnighspinning,thesetwoWerealone,likethelastofacrew,Outworninawave-beatenship。
Thedogliftedmuzzle,andsniffed;
Hequittedhiscouchontherug,Nosetofloor,nosealoft;whined,barked;
And,findingthesignalsunmarked,Caughtahandinadeath-grappletug。
HepulledtillhismasterjumpedForfuryofwrath,andlaidonWiththelengthofatoughknottedstaff,Fittodrethelifeflyinglikechaff,Andleaveasheercarcaseanon。
Thatdone,hesat,panted,andcursedThelecrossofthisbrute:nevermoreWouldhehouseittorearsuchacur!
Thedogdraggedhislegs,painedtostir,Eyedhismaster,dropped,barkedatthedoor。
Thenhismasterraisedheadtoo,andsniffed:
ItstruckhimthedoghadasenseThathonouredbothdamandsire。
Youhaveguessedhowthetowerwasafire。
TheShannonretrieverdatesthence。
Imused:sawthepupeasehisheartOfhisinstinctforchasing,andsinkOverwroughtbyexcitementsonew:
AscenethatforKobytoewWastheseizureofnervesinalink。
Andpartsympathetic,andpartImitately,ragedmypoorbrute;
AndI,notthinkingofill,Doingeller:nervesarestillOursavagetooquickattheroot。
Theyspringus:Iprovedit,albeitIplayedexecutionerthenFordiscipline,justice,thelike。
YonstickIhadhandytostrikeShouldhavewarnedofthetyrantinmen。
YoureadinyourHistorybooks,HowthePrinceinhisyouthhadamindForgoverninggentlyhisland。
Ah,theuseofthatweaponathand,Whenthetemperisotherthankind!
Athomeallwaswell;Koby’sribsNotsosoreasmythoughts:if,beguiled,Heforgesme,hiscriminalairThrowsashadeofLlewellyn’sdespairForthehoundslainforsanghischild。
Entertheseenchantedwoods,Youwhodare。
NothingharmsbeneaththeleavesMorethanwavesaswimmercleaves。
Tossyourheartupwiththelark,Footatpeacewithmouseandworm,Fairyoufare。
OnlyatadreadofdarkQuaver,andtheyquittheirform:
ThousandeyeballsunderhoodsHaveyoubythehair。
Entertheseenchantedwoods,Youwhodare。
HerethesnakeacrossyourpathStretchesinhisgoldenbath:
Mossy-footedsquirrelsleapSoftaswinnowingplumesofSleep:
YafflesonachuckleskimLowtolaughfrombranchesdim:
Upthepine,wheresitsthestar,Rattlesdeepthemoth-wingedjar。
Eachhasbusinessofhisown;
Butshouldyoudistrustatone,Thenbeware。
Shudderallthehauntedroods,AlltheeyeballsunderhoodsShroudyouintheirglare。
Entertheseenchantedwoods,Youwhodare。
Openhither,openhence,Scarceabrambleweavesafence,Wherethestrawberryrunsred,Withwhitestar-floweroverhead;
Cumberedbydrytwigandcone,Shreddedhusksofseedlingsflown,Mineofmoleandspottedflint:
Ofdirewizardrynohint,SavemayhaptheprintthatshowsHastyoutward-trippingtoes,Heelstoterroronthemould。
These,thewoodsofWestermain,Areasotherstobehold,Richofwreathingsunandrain;
FoliagelustrefularoundShadowedleaguesofslumberingsound。
Wavytree-tops,yellowwhins,Sheltereagerminikins,Myriads,freetopeckandpipe:
Wouldyoubetter?wouldyouworse?
YouwiththemmaygatherripePleasuresflowingnotfrompurse。
QuickandfarasColourfliesTakingthedelightedeyes,YouofanywellthatspringsMayunfoldtheheavenofthings;
Haveithomelyandwithin,Andthereofitslikenesswin,Willyousoinsoul’sdesire:
Thisdosagesgrantt’thelyre。
Thisisbeingbirdandmore,Morethangladmusicianthis;
GranariesyouwillhaveastorePasttheworldofwoeandbliss;
Sharingstillitsblissandwoe;
Harnessedtoitshungers,no。
OnthethroneSuccessusurps,YoushallseatthejoyyoufeelWherearaceofwaterchirps,Twistinghuesofflourishedsteel:
OrwherelightiscaughtinhoopUpaclearing’sleafyrise,WherethecrossingdeerherdstroopClassicsplendours,knightlydyes。
Or,whereold-eyedoxenchewSpeculationwiththecud,Readtheirpoolofsionthrough,Backtohourswhenmindwasmud;
Nightheknot,whichdiduntwineTimelesslytodrowsysuns;
SeeingEarthaslimyspine,Heavenaspaceforwingingtons。
Farther,deeper,mayyouread,Haveyousightforthingsafield,Wherepeepsshe,theNurseofseed,Cloaked,butinthepeeprevealed;
Showingakindfaceandsweet:
Lookyouwiththesoulyousee’t。
Glorynarrowingtograce,Gracetoglorymagnified,FollowingthatwillyouembraceCloseinarmsoraerywide。
BanishedisthewhiteFoam-bornNotfromhere,norunderbanPhoebuslyrist,Phoebe’shorn,PipingsofthereedyPan。
LovedofEarthofoldtheywere,Longdidinterprether;
AndthesternerworshipbarsNonewhomSonghasmadeherstars。
YouhaveseenthehuntressmoonRadiantlyfacingdawn,DuskymeadsbetweenthemstrewnGlimmeringlikedownyawn:
ArgentWestwardglowsthehunt,Easttheblushabouttoclimb;
Oneanotherfairtheyfront,Transient,yetoutshinethetime;
EvenasdewlightofftheroseInthemindajewelsows。
ThusopposinggrandeursleHereifBeautybetheirdower:
Dothsheofherspiritge,Fleetingnesswillspareherflower。
Thisisinthetuneweplay,Whichnospringofstrengthwouldquell;
Insubduingdoesnotslay;
Guidesthechannel,guardsthewell:
Temperedholdstheyoungblood-heat,Yetthroughmeasuredgraveaccord,HearstheheartofwildnessbeatLikeacentaur’shoofonsward。
Drinkthesensethenotesinfuse,Youalargerselfwillfind:
SweetestfellowshipensuesWiththecreaturesofyourkind。
Ay,andLove,ifLoveitbeFlamingoverIandME,LovemeettheywhodonotshoveCrangsinthevanofLove。
Courtlydamesareheretowoo,Knowingloveifitbetrue。
Reverencetheblossom-shootFervently,theyarethefruit。
Markthemstepping,hearthemtalk,Goddess,isnomythinane,YouwillsayofthosewhowalkInthewoodsofWestermain。
WatersthatfromthroatandthighDartthesunhisarrowsback;
LeavesthatonawoodlandsighChatofsecretthingsnolack;
Shadowybranch-leaves,watersclear,Bareorveiledtheymovesincere;
NotbyslashterrorstrippedBeinganewinnaturedipped,Growthsofwhattheystepon,these;
Withtherootsthegraceoftrees。
Casket-breaststheyge,norhide,Foratyrant’sflatteredpride,Mind,whichnourishednotbylight,Lurkstheshufflingtrickstersprite:
Whereofarestrangetalestotell;
Someinbloodwrit,tombedinbell。
Heretheancientbattleends,Joiningtwoastonishedfriends,WhothekisscangeandtakeWithmorewarmththaninthatworldWherethetigerclawsthesnake,Snakehertigerclaspsinfurled,AndtheissueoftheirfightPeoplelandsinsnarlingplight。
HerehersplendidbeastsheleadsSilken-leashedanddeckedwithweedsWildashe,butbreathingfaintSweetnessofunfeltconstraint。
Love,thegreatvolcano,flingsFiresoflowerEarthtosky;
Love,thesolepermitted,singsSovereignlyofMEandI。
Bowershehasofsacredshade,Spacesofsuperbparade,Voiceful……ButbringyouanoteWrangling,howsoe’erremote,DiscordsoutofdiscordspinRoundandroundderisedin:
SuddenwillapallorpantChillatscreechesmiscreant;
Owlsorspectres,thicktheyflee;
Nightmareuponhorrorbroods;
Hoodedlaughter,monkishglee,Gapsthetalair。
EntertheseenchantedwoodsYouwhodare。
YoumustlovethelightsowellThatnodarknesswillseemfell。
LoveitsoyoucouldaccostFellowlyalidghost。
Whish!thephantomwispsaway,Ownshimsmoketococksofday。
InyourbreastthelightmustburnFedofyou,likecorninquernEverplumpingwhilethewheelSpeedsthemillanddrainsthemeal。
第23章