"Are bliss unutterable-despair, and death!
"Ye crown'd eternities, whose will is fate,
"Ye, sitting in your high Olympian halls,

"Know only bliss for ever-not as we,

Shades of an hour, whose days are dark with death, "That perish with the lapse of fleeting years. "What is our life to your eternity?

"What were it, though we sat on golden thrones,
"And lived the lives of heaven? a passing dream.
"Have mercy, Gods! I sought not for this life,
"This mortal capability of pain:

"Ye gave this air-drawn being to my frame,

"This hunger of the soul ye gave to me,

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Unasking. Gods! from you, I took this thirst

"Of beauty, which, unquenched, what prayers were mine,

"But for forgetfulness-for peace and rest,

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Deep ease, sweet rest, within a peaceful urn!

"What were it, Gods, though ye should bid her live! "O let her live! What were it unto you "To lift this cup of joy unto my lips? "O sweeter draught than ever Hebe bore! "That I might drink and be even as a God,

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Knowing nor care nor sorrow of the earth, "But only bliss-bliss for how brief a space, "Ere Hades hold me, shade amid pale shades, "Yet, spite of Lethe, wailing still for her,

"Ever for her-for her-alone for her!

Why are ye deaf? my prayer is in your ears "In the still night-at rise and set of sun,

"And through the glaring watches of the day, Crying this cry for ever-let her live!

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Olympian throne above all thrones of Gods! "Hear me ! for thou hast known this fire of love, "This burning passion to be clasp'd of one:

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Panting to Danaë in a rain of gold;

"Protean, in Amphitryon's bearded form,

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Quaffing deep raptures in Alcmena's arms. "Did not Eurotas see thee as a swan

"Burn unto Leda? Thou whom Semele
"Saw a consuming splendour, hear thou-hear!

"In dear remembrance of those fever'd hours
"Of supermortal passion, make this shape
"Perfect with motion and all gifts of sense,

"Feeling, and thought, that I may know her love!
"O thou, foam-born! thou, whom the heavens have heard
Wailing the lost Adonis ! unto thee

“I turn, beseeching! Goddess! unto thee
"This beating fever of the burning blood
"Is worship, and pale passion's pains and tears
"Thou view'st exultant; therefore, Goddess, hear!
"And I will worship thee-thee, only thee,

Grasping thy snowy altars evermore.

"Lo! a deep vow I vow thee; hear my vow!
"Give this white silence breathing to my arms,
"And ever shall a chorus chant thy praise,

"With solemn songs, within thy temple's bounds,
"Heard of the heavens, and earth, and rounding sea;
"And, in the sunshine, Aphrodite, here,

Shall Cyprus bow before thy robeless self,

"Perfect in marble, by my chisel wrought,

"Fair as the blue waves saw thee, from the sea

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Rising, the glory and desire of earth."

So rose my prayer ere the cold morning glared
Athwart the east, and when the last faint flush
Of latest evening died from off the west,
In the hot noon and through the hush of night;
And lo! I cried not unto deafen'd ears
Regardless. O my joy, sing forth their praise,
And let thy thanks go up, even as my cry
Pulsed from the inmost beatings of the heart!
She lived! she lived! O life above all life
Heaven-sent! I gazed on life; along her cheek
Life flushed; life beat within her bosom's swell,
In quivering eyelid and in softening lip,
In rosy limb and every violet vein.

Gods! what a soul dreamed from her dewy eyes!
What life within the tendrils of her hair
Awed me with joy-with joy, even as I gazed,
To stillness-but with joy-excess of joy!
What could I do but gaze-but gaze and gaze,

With fearful hope, beholding that fair dream?
Breathing to heaven, if it were but a dream,
So might I dream for ever! But that fear
Each moment mingled more its night with light,
Hope-drawn; joy whispered that I lived awake;
Awake! O never slumber had such dream!
The sculptured creature of my hands was gone;
A new Pandora there before me stood.
Gods! what a beauty sat upon her brow!
Not the white glory on great Herè's own,
Not laughing Hebe's whiter! O that smile-

The very smile that burns love into Gods
From Aphrodite's face! O glistening smile!
O burst of sunlight on a darken'd world,
That smites its sobs to gladness! Lips as red
As Hyacinthus' blood!

Ye heavens! her words-
Honey more sweet than ever Hybla hived,
You heard the Sirens seize Odysseus' ear
With Circe's breathings! Such a rounded arm
Won Zeus to Maia! Tresses-nets of gold,
Fit as lorn Ariadne's streaming hair

To catch flush'd Dionusus ! One such look-
For one I had laughed to outdare Alcides' self,
And beard swart Hades! Blessed gods! she lived,
And I had hearing but to drink her words;
Mine eyes had vision but to feed on her.
Hope-memory-thought-existence-from

my brain

She smote the world-earth-heaven-and all but her, And joy and grief-life-death-and all but her!

LINA. You hear me, Ninette; not a word of this!
NINETTE. No, Madam.

LINA.

If they ask you why I left

So suddenly, and wish'd not one good-night,
Say-say-say anything: I'm reading-tired-
I'd try this dress on-I am nervous— -vexed-
But not a word of this-this foolish fit.

NINETTE. No, Madam.

LINA.

And I dare say he'll not ask

But tell me if Sir Vivian ask, or not,
The reason of my leaving. Mind, I'm well.
Good night. (A pause.)

Ninette! yes, put my pearls away Into their case. That's right. (A pause.)

And, stay! before

I sleep (I'll read a little), let me know
How long Sir Vivian stays. And-'tis a whim-
See if he talks much, Ninette—if he talks
To any one for long. 'Tis a mere whim,
A foolish fancy; but you'll let me know.
He has not gone?

NINETTE.

LINA.

No, Madam.

No?-why no ?

You speak as if he stood here; I have left

An hour; what makes him stay? There's in your eyes
A something that I'd hear straight out in words.
Speak out! I'd know why you are sure he's here.
NINETTE. Madam, I saw him, as you left the room
LINA. Speak to my sister-well?

NINETTE.

The casement's open;

A moment since I'm certain that I caught
Their whispers on the terrace.

LINA.

Whispers ! fool?

They talk-they talk aloud; why should they whisper ?
Then it is so; at last, I am not blind.

NINETTE. Madam, I only said, I thought
LINA.

I will know all.

NINETTE.

LINA.

All? That is all-what

Speak out;

All?

Well-you may go; good night! Put by that book;
I will not read. The night is strangely hot;
Throw wide the casement. All? You do not go !

NINETTE. O Madam! Madam! will you let me speak?
LINA. None of your pity—I've not fallen to that.
Not to have seen it! Slighted! spurn'd! cast off!
And she-this sister-smiling in my face!

I know your meaning: well, what would you say? NINETTE. O Madam, have some pity on your sister! I've known her from a girl, for we were girls

Together; and her nature is as kind

LINA.

She would not tread

Sister? Ends the sentence so?

Girl, I'm no worm ; and let them have a care

On what they tread! The fiery South has fangs-
I'm of the South-that, trodden on, you die.

NINETTE. O talk not so, my lady! I have watch'd,
Shuddering to think that it must come to this,
This evil love from its first growth. Believe me,