robert falconer-第78部分

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they　do；　though　the　words　are　ugly。'



'Ah！　but　if　you　had　tried　it　as　I've　tried　it；　you　would　know

better；　Eric。'



'I　think　I　should；　dear。　　But　it's　too　late　now。　　I　must　just　go　and

see。　　There's　no　other　way　left。'



The　terrible　cough　came　again。　　As　soon　as　the　fit　was　over；　with　a

grand　despair　in　his　heart；　Robert　went　from　behind　the　screen。



Ericson　was　on　a　couch。　　His　head　lay　on　Mary　St。　John's　bosom。

Neither　saw　him。



'Perhaps；'　said　Ericson；　panting　with　death；　'a　kiss　in　heaven　may

be　as　good　as　being　married　on　earth；　Mary。'



She　saw　Robert　and　did　not　answer。　　Then　Eric　saw　him。　　He　smiled；

but　Mary　grew　very　pale。



Robert　came　forward；　stooped　and　kissed　Ericson's　forehead；　kneeled

and　kissed　Mary's　hand；　rose　and　went　out。



》From　that　moment　they　were　both　dead　to　him。　　Dead；　I　saynot　lost；

not　estranged；　but　deadthat　is；　awful　and　holy。　　He　wept　for　Eric。

He　did　not　weep　for　Mary　yet。　　But　he　found　a　time。



Ericson　died　two　days　after。



Here　endeth　Robert's　youth。









CHAPTER　XXV。



IN　MEMORIAM。



In　memory　of　Eric　Ericson；　I　add　a　chapter　of　sonnets　gathered　from

his　papers；　almost　desiring　that　those　only　should　read　them　who

turn　to　the　book　a　second　time。　　How　his　papers　came　into　my

possession；　will　be　explained　afterwards。



Tumultuous　rushing　o'er　the　outstretched　plains；

A　wildered　maze　of　comets　and　of　suns；

The　blood　of　changeless　God　that　ever　runs

With　quick　diastole　up　the　immortal　veins；

A　phantom　host　that　moves　and　works　in　chains；

A　monstrous　fiction　which；　collapsing；　stuns

The　mind　to　stupor　and　amaze　at　once；

A　tragedy　which　that　man　best　explains

Who　rushes　blindly　on　his　wild　career

With　trampling　hoofs　and　sound　of　mailed　war；

Who　will　not　nurse　a　life　to　win　a　tear；

But　is　extinguished　like　a　falling　star：

Such　will　at　times　this　life　appear　to　me；

Until　I　learn　to　read　more　perfectly。



HOM。　　IL。　v。　403。



If　thou　art　tempted　by　a　thought　of　ill；

Crave　not　too　soon　for　victory；　nor　deem

Thou　art　a　coward　if　thy　safety　seem

To　spring　too　little　from　a　righteous　will：

For　there　is　nightmare　on　thee；　nor　until

Thy　soul　hath　caught　the　morning's　early　gleam

Seek　thou　to　analyze　the　monstrous　dream

By　painful　introversion；　rather　fill

Thine　eye　with　forms　thou　knowest　to　be　truth：

But　see　thou　cherish　higher　hope　than　this；

A　hope　hereafter　that　thou　shalt　be　fit

Calm…eyed　to　face　distortion；　and　to　sit

Transparent　among　other　forms　of　youth

Who　own　no　impulse　save　to　God　and　bliss。



And　must　I　ever　wake；　gray　dawn；　to　know

Thee　standing　sadly　by　me　like　a　ghost？


I　am　perplexed　with　thee；　that　thou　shouldst　cost

This　Earth　another　turning：　all　aglow

Thou　shouldst　have　reached　me；　with　a　purple　show

Along　far…mountain　tops：　and　I　would　post

Over　the　breadth　of　seas　though　I　were　lost

In　the　hot　phantom…chase　for　life；　if　so

Thou　camest　ever　with　this　numbing　sense

Of　chilly　distance　and　unlovely　light；

Waking　this　gnawing　soul　anew　to　fight

With　its　perpetual　load：　I　drive　thee　hence

I　have　another　mountain…range　from　whence

Bursteh　a　sun　unutterably　bright。



GALILEO。



'And　yet　it　moves！'　　Ah；　Truth；　where　wert　thou　then；

When　all　for　thee　they　racked　each　piteous　limb？

Wert　though　in　Heaven；　and　busy　with　thy　hymn；

When　those　poor　hands　convulsed　that　held　thy　pen？

Art　thou　a　phantom　that　deceivest　men

To　their　undoing？　or　dost　thou　watch　him

Pale；　cold；　and　silent　in　his　dungeon　dim？

And　wilt　thou　ever　speak　to　him　again？

'It　moves；　it　moves！　　Alas；　my　flesh　was　weak；

That　was　a　hideous　dream！　　I'll　cry　aloud

How　the　green　bulk　wheels　sunward　day　by　day！

Ah　me！　ah　me！　perchance　my　heart　was　proud

That　I　alone　should　know　that　word　to　speak；

And　now；　sweet　Truth；　shine　upon　these；　I　pray。'



If　thou　wouldst　live　the　Truth　in　very　deed；

Thou　hast　thy　joy；　but　thou　hast　more　of　pain。

Others　will　live　in　peace；　and　thou　be　fain

To　bargain　with　despair；　and　in　thy　need

To　make　thy　meal　upon　the　scantiest　weed。

These　palaces；　for　thee　they　stand　in　vain；

Thine　is　a　ruinous　hut；　and　oft　the　rain

Shall　drench　thee　in　the　midnight；　yea　the　speed

Of　earth　outstrip　thee　pilgrim；　while　thy　feet

Move　slowly　up　the　heights。　　Yet　will　there　come

Through　the　time…rents　about　thy　moving　cell；

An　arrow　for　despair；　and　oft　the　hum

Of　far…off　populous　realms　where　spirits　dwell。



TO　*　*　*　*



Speak；　Prophet　of　the　Lord！　　We　may　not　start

To　find　thee　with　us　in　thine　ancient　dress；

Haggard　and　pale　from　some　bleak　wilderness；

Empty　of　all　save　God　and　thy　loud　heart：

Nor　with　like　rugged　message　quick　to　dart

Into　the　hideous　fiction　mean　and　base：

But　yet；　O　prophet　man；　we　need　not　less；

But　more　of　earnest；　though　it　is　thy　part

To　deal　in　other　words；　if　thou　wouldst　smite

The　living　Mammon；　seated；　not　as　then

In　bestial　quiescence　grimly　dight；

But　thrice　as　much　an　idol…god　as　when

He　stared　at　his　own　feet　from　morn　to　night。8



THE　WATCHER。



》From　out　a　windy　cleft　there　comes　a　gaze

Of　eyes　unearthly　which　go　to　and　fro

Upon　the　people's　tumult；　for　below

The　nations　smite　each　other：　no　amaze

Troubles　their　liquid　rolling；　or　affrays

Their　deep…set　contemplation：　steadily　glow

Those　ever　holier　eye…balls；　for　they　grow

Liker　unto　the　eyes　of　one　that　prays。

And　if　those　clasped　hands　tremble；　comes　a　power

As　of　the　might　of　worlds；　and　they　are　holden

Blessing　above　us　in　the　sunrise　golden；

And　they　will　be　uplifted　till　that　hour

Of　terrible　rolling　which　shall　rise　and　shake

This　conscious　nightmare　from　us　and　we　wake。



THE　BELOVED　DISCIPLE。



I



One　do　I　see　and　twelve；　but　second　there

Methinks　I　know　thee；　thou　beloved　one；

Not　from　thy　nobler　port；　for　there　are　none

More　quiet…featured；　some　there　are　who　bear

Their　message　on　their　brows；　while　others　wear

A　look　of　large　commission；　nor　will　shun

The　fiery　trial；　so　their　work　is　done：

But　thou　hast　parted　with　thine　eyes　in　prayer

Unearthly　are　they　both；　and　so　thy　lips

Seem　like　the　porches　of　the　spirit　land；

For　thou　hast　laid　a　mighty　treasure　by；

Unlocked　by　Him　in　Nature；　and　thine　eye

Burns　with　a　vision　and　apocalypse

Thy　own　sweet　soul　can　hardly　understand。



II



A　Boanerges　too！　　Upon　my　heart

It　lay　a　heavy　hour：　features　like　thine

Should　glow　with　other　message　than　the　shine

Of　the　earth…burrowing　levin；　and　the　start

That　cleaveth　horrid　gulfs。　　Awful　and　swart

A　moment　stoodest　thou；　but　less　divine

Brawny　and　clad　in　ruin！till　with　mine

Thy　heart　made　answering　signals；　and　apart

Beamed　forth　thy　two　rapt　eye…balls　doubly　clear；

And　twice　as　strong　because　thou　didst　thy　duty；

And　though　affianced　to　immortal　Beauty；

Hiddest　not　weakly　underneath　her　veil

The　pest　of　Sin　and　Death　which　maketh　pale：

Henceforward　be　thy　spirit　doubly　dear。9



THE　LILY　OF　THE　VALLEY。



There　is　not　any　weed　but　hath　its　shower；

There　is　not　any　pool　but　hath　its　star；

And　black　and　muddy　though　the　waters　are；

We　may　not　miss　the　glory　of　a　flower；

And　winter　moons　will　give　them　magic　power

To　spin　in　cylinders　of　diamond　spar；

And　everything　hath　beauty　near　and　far；

And　keepeth　close　and　waiteth　on　its　hour。

And　I　when　I　encounter　on　my　road

A　human　soul　that　looketh　black　and　grim；

Shall　I　more　ceremonious　be　than　God？

Shall　I　refuse　to　watch　one　hour　with　him

Who　once　beside　our　deepest　woe　did　bud

A　patient　watching　flower　about　the　brim。



'Tis　not　the　violent　hands　alone　that　bring

The　curse；　the　ravage；　and　the　downward　doom

Although　to　these　full　oft　the　yawning　tomb

Owes　deadly　surfeit；　but　a　keener　sting；

A　more　immortal　agony；　will　cling

To　the　half…fashioned　sin　which　would　assume

Fair　Virtue's　garb。　　The　eye　that　sows　the　gloom

With　quiet　seeds　of　Death　henceforth　to　spring

What　time　the　sun　of　passion　burning　fierce

Breaks　through　the　kindly　cloud　of　circumstance；

The　bitter　word；　and　the　unkindly　glance；

The　crust　and　canker　coming　with　the　years；

Are　liker　Death　than　arrows；　and　the　lance

Which　through　the　living　heart　at　once　doth　pierce。



SPOKEN　OF　SEVERAL　PHILOSOPHERS。



I　pray　you；　all　ye　men；　who　put　your　trust

In　moulds　and　systems　and　well…tackled　gear；

Holding　that　Nature　lives　from　year　to　year

In　one　continual　round　because　she　must

Set　me　not　down；　I　pray　you；　in　the　dust

Of　all　these　centuries；　like　a　pot　of　beer；

A　pewter…pot　disconsolately　clear；

Which　holds　a　potful；　as　is　right　and　just。

I　will　grow　clamorousby　the　rood；　I　will；

If　thus　ye　use　me　like　a　pewter　pot。

Good　friend；　thou　art　a　toper　and　a　sot

I　will　not　be　the　lead　to　hold　thy　swill；

Nor　any　lead：　I　will　arise　and　spill

Thy　silly　beverage；　spill　it　piping　hot。



Nature；　to　him　no　message　dost　thou　bear；

Who　in　thy　beauty　findeth　not　the　power

To　gird　himself　more　strongly　for　the　hour

Of　night　and　darkness。　　Oh；　what　colours　rare

The　woods；　the　valleys；　and　the　mountains　wear

To　him　who　knows　thy　secret；　and　in　shower

And　fog；　and　ice…cloud；　hath　a　secret　bower

Where　he　may　rest　until　the　heavens　are　fair！

Not　with　the　rest　of　slumber；　but　the　trance

Of　onward　movement　steady　and　serene；

Where　oft　in　struggle　and　in　contest　keen

His　eyes　will　opened　be；　and　all　the　dance

Of　life　break　on　him；　and　a　wide　expanse

Roll　upward　through　the　void；　sunny　and　green。



TO　JUNE。



Ah；　truant；　thou　art　here　again；　I　see！

For　in　a　season　of　such　wretched　weather

I　thought　that　thou　hadst　left　us　altogether；

Although　I　could　not　choose　but　fancy　thee

Skulking　about　the　hill…tops；　whence　the　glee

Of　thy　blue　laughter　peeped　at　times；　or　rather

Thy　bashful　awkwardness；　as　doubtful　whether

Thou　shouldst　be　seen　in　such　a　company

Of　ugly　runaways；　unshapely　heaps

Of　ruffian　vapour；　broken　from　restraint