Laid it on flowers, and watch'd it lying bathed In the green gleam of dewy-tassell'd trees: What were those fancies? wherefore break her troth? Proud look'd the lips: but while I meditated A wind arose and rush'd upon the South, And shook the songs, the whispers, and the shrieks Of the wild woods together; and a Voice Went with it Follow, follow, thou shalt win.' Then, ere the silver sickle of that month Became her golden shield, I stole from court His name was Gama; crack'd and small his voice, But bland the smile that pucker'd up his cheeks; A little dry old man, without a star, Not like a king: three days he feasted us, : And on the fourth I spake of why we came, And betroth'd. You do us, Prince,' he said, my Airing a snowy hand and signet gem, • All honour. We remember love ourselves In our sweet youth: there did a compact pass I think the year in which our olives fail'd. I would you had her, Prince, with all my heart, Maintaining that with equal husbandry The woman were an equal to the man. They harp'd on this; with this our banquets rang; Our dances broke and buzz'd in knots of talk ; Nothing but this; my very ears were hot To hear them knowledge, so my daughter held, : Was all in all; they had but been, she thought, Beyond all reason: these the women sang; And they that know such things-I sought but peace; No critic I would call them masterpieces: They master'd me. At last she begg❜d a boon A certain summer-palace which I have Hard by your father's frontier: I said no, Yet being an easy man, gave it; and there, For maidens, on the spur she fled; and more Her brethren, tho' they love her, look upon her As on a kind of paragon; and I (Pardon me saying it) were much loth to breed Dispute betwixt myself and mine: but since (And I confess with right) you think me bound In some sort, I can give you letters to her; And yet, to speak the truth, I rate your chance Almost at naked nothing.' Thus the king; And I, tho' nettled that he seem'd to slur Our formal compact, yet not less all frets Close at the boundary of the liberties; There enter'd an old hostel, call'd mine host He, with a long low sibilation, stared As blank as death in marble; then exclaim'd Averring it was clear against all rules For any man to go: but as his brain Began to mellow, 'If the king,' he said, 'Had given us letters, was he bound to speak? The king would bear him out ;' and at the last— The summer of the vine in all his veins 'No doubt that we might make it worth his while. She once had past that way; he heard her speak; She look'd as grand as doomsday and as grave; And he, he reverenced his liege-lady there; He always made a point to post with mares ; His daughter and his housemaid were the boys. Was till'd by women; all the swine were sows, But while he jested thus, A thought flash'd thro' me which I clothed in act, Remembering how we three presented Maid |