URSULA. Am I still dreaming, or awake? Thou speakest carelessly of death, ELSIE. 'T is the cessation of our breath. Silent and motionless we lie; And no one knoweth more than this. She left off breathing, and no more I smoothed the pillow beneath her head. By this we knew that she was dead. Through the open window looked the skies. Into the chamber where she lay, And the wind was like the sound of wings, I longed to die, as she had died, And go forth with her, side by side. And Mary, and our Lord; and I The way by them illumined! URSULA. My child! my child! thou must not die! ELSIE. Why should I live? Do I not know The life of woman is full of woe? Toiling on and on and on, With breaking heart, and tearful eyes, And silent lips, and in the soul The secret longings that arise, Which this world never satisfies! Some more, some less, but of the whole Not one quite happy, no, not one! URSULA. It is the malediction of Eve! ELSIE. In place of it, let me receive The benediction of Mary, then. GOTTLIEB. Ah, woe is me! Ah, woe is me! URSULA. Alas! that I should live to see Thy death, beloved, and to stand Above thy grave! Ah, woe the day! ELSIE. Thou wilt not see it. I shall lie Beneath the flowers of another land, For at Salerno, far away Over the mountains, over the sea, It is appointed me to die! And it will seem no more to thee Than if at the village on market-day I should a little longer stay Than I am used. URSULA. Even as thou sayest! And how my heart beats, when thou stayest! I cannot rest until my sight Is satisfied with seeing thee. What, then, if thou wert dead? GOTTLIEB. Ah me! Of our old eyes thou art the light! The joy of our old hearts art thou! And wilt thou die? URSULA. Not now! not now! ELSIE Christ died for me, and shall not I Be willing for my Prince to die? You both are silent; you cannot speak. This said I, at our Saviour's feast, After confession, to the priest, And even he made no reply. Does he not warn us all to seek The happier, better land on high, GOTTLIEB. In God's own time, my heart's delight! ELSIE. I heard him call. When Christ ascended Triumphantly, from star to star, He left the gates of heaven ajar. I had a vision in the night, And saw him standing at the door Of his Father's mansion, vast and splendid, And beckoning to me from afar. I cannot stay! GOTTLIEB. She speaks almost As if it were the Holy Ghost Spake through her lips, and in her stead! What if this were of God? |