satires of circumstance-第9节
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Often I see her pale…faced form there
Brushing her hair's bright bands。
〃There； too； at pallid midnight moments
Quick she will come to my call；
Smile from the frame withal
Ponderingly； as she used to regard me
Passing her father's wall。
〃So that it was for its revelations
I brought it oversea；
And drag it about with me 。 。 。
Anon I shall break it and bury its fragments
Where my grave is to be。〃
THE RE…ENACTMENT
Between the folding sea…downs；
In the gloom
Of a wailful wintry nightfall；
When the boom
Of the ocean； like a hammering in a hollow tomb；
Throbbed up the copse…clothed valley
From the shore
To the chamber where I darkled；
Sunk and sore
With gray ponderings why my Loved one had not come before
To salute me in the dwelling
That of late
I had hired to waste a while in …
Vague of date；
Quaint； and remotewherein I now expectant sate；
On the solitude； unsignalled；
Broke a man
Who； in air as if at home there；
Seemed to scan
Every fire…flecked nook of the apartment span by span。
A stranger's and no lover's
Eyes were these；
Eyes of a man who measures
What he sees
But vaguely； as if wrapt in filmy phantasies。
Yea； his bearing was so absent
As he stood；
It bespoke a chord so plaintive
In his mood；
That soon I judged he would not wrong my quietude。
〃Ahthe supper is just ready；〃
Then he said；
〃And the years'…long binned Madeira
Flashes red！〃
（There was no wine； no food； no supper…table spread。）
〃You will forgive my coming；
Lady fair？
I see you as at that time
Rising there；
The self…same curious querying in your eyes and air。
〃Yet no。 How so？ You wear not
The same gown；
Your locks show woful difference；
Are not brown：
What； is it not as when I hither came from town？
〃And the place 。 。 。 But you seem other …
Can it be？
What's this that Time is doing
Unto me？
YOU dwell here； unknown woman？ 。 。 。 Whereabouts； then； is she？
〃And the housethings are much shifted。 …
Put them where
They stood on this night's fellow；
Shift her chair：
Here was the couch： and the piano should be there。〃
I indulged him； verily nerve…strained
Being alone；
And I moved the things as bidden；
One by one；
And feigned to push the old piano where he had shown。
〃Ahanow I can see her！
Stand aside：
Don't thrust her from the table
Where； meek…eyed；
She makes attempt with matron…manners to preside。
〃She serves me： now she rises；
Goes to play 。 。 。
But you obstruct her； fill her
With dismay；
And embarrassed； scared； she vanishes away！〃
And； as 'twere useless longer
To persist；
He sighed； and sought the entry
Ere I wist；
And retreated； disappearing soundless in the mist。
That here some mighty passion
Once had burned；
Which still the walls enghosted；
I discerned；
And that by its strong spell mine might be overturned。
I sat depressed； till； later；
My Love came；
But something in the chamber
Dimmed our flame； …
An emanation； making our due words fall tame；
As if the intenser drama
Shown me there
Of what the walls had witnessed
Filled the air；
And left no room for later passion anywhere。
So came it that our fervours
Did quite fail
Of future consummation …
Being made quail
By the weird witchery of the parlour's hidden tale；
Which I； as years passed； faintly
Learnt to trace； …
One of sad love； born full…winged
In that place
Where the predestined sorrowers first stood face to face。
And as that month of winter
Circles round；
And the evening of the date…day
Grows embrowned；
I am conscious of those presences； and sit spellbound。
There； oftenlone； forsaken …
Queries breed
Within me； whether a phantom
Had my heed
On that strange night； or was it some wrecked heart indeed？
HER SECRET
That love's dull smart distressed my heart
He shrewdly learnt to see；
But that I was in love with a dead man
Never suspected he。
He searched for the trace of a pictured face；
He watched each missive come；
And a note that seemed like a love…line
Made him look frozen and glum。
He dogged my feet to the city street；
He followed me to the sea；
But not to the neighbouring churchyard
Did he dream of following me。
〃SHE CHARGED ME〃
She charged me with having said this and that
To another woman long years before；
In the very parlour where we sat； …
Sat on a night when the endless pour
Of rain on the roof and the road below
Bent the spring of the spirit more and more 。 。 。
… So charged she me； and the Cupid's bow
Of her mouth was hard； and her eyes； and her face；
And her white forefinger lifted slow。
Had she done it gently； or shown a trace
That not too curiously would she view
A folly passed ere her reign had place；
A kiss might have ended it。 But I knew
From the fall of each word； and the pause between；
That the curtain would drop upon us two
Ere long； in our play of slave and queen。
THE NEWCOMER'S WIFE
He paused on the sill of a door ajar
That screened a lively liquor…bar；
For the name had reached him through the door
Of her he had married the week before。
〃We called her the Hack of the Parade；
But she was discreet in the games she played；
If slightly worn； she's pretty yet；
And gossips； after all； forget。
〃And he knows nothing of her past；
I am glad the girl's in luck at last；
Such ones； though stale to native eyes；
Newcomers snatch at as a prize。〃
〃Yes； being a stranger he sees her blent
Of all that's fresh and innocent；
Nor dreams how many a love…campaign
She had enjoyed before his reign！〃
That night there was the splash of a fall
Over the slimy harbour…wall：
They searched； and at the deepest place
Found him with crabs upon his face。
A CONVERSATION AT DAWN
He lay awake； with a harassed air；
And she； in her cloud of loose lank hair；
Seemed trouble…tried
As the dawn drew in on their faces there。
The chamber looked far over the sea
From a white hotel on a white…stoned quay；
And stepping a stride
He parted the window…drapery。
Above the level horizon spread
The sunrise； firing them foot to head
From its smouldering lair；
And painting their pillows with dyes of red。
〃What strange disquiets have stirred you； dear；
This dragging night； with starts in fear
Of me； as it were；
Or of something evil hovering near？〃
〃My husband； can I have fear of you？
What should one fear from a man whom few；
Or none； had matched
In that late long spell of delays undue！〃
He watched her eyes in the heaving sun：
〃Then what has kept； O reticent one；
Those lids unlatched …
Anything promised I've not yet done？〃
〃O it's not a broken promise of yours
（For what quite lightly your lip assures
The due time brings）
That has troubled my sleep； and no waking cures！〃 。 。 。
〃I have shaped my will； 'tis at hand；〃 said he；
〃I subscribe it to…day； that no risk there be
In the hap of things
Of my leaving you menaced by poverty。〃
〃That a boon provision I'm safe to get；
Signed； sealed by my lord as it were a debt；
I cannot doubt；
Or ever this peering sun be set。〃
〃But you flung my arms away from your side；
And faced the wall。 No month…old bride
Ere the tour be out
In an air so loth can be justified？
〃Ahhad you a male friend once loved well；
Upon whose suit disaster fell
And frustrance swift？
Honest you are； and may care to tell。〃
She lay impassive； and nothing broke
The stillness other than； stroke by stroke；
The lazy lift
Of the tide below them； till she spoke：
〃I once had a frienda Love； if you will …
Whose wife forsook him； and sank until
She was made a thrall
In a prison…cell for a deed of ill 。 。 。
〃He remained alone； and we metto love；
But barring legitimate joy thereof
Stood a doorless wall；
Though we prized each other all else above。
〃And this was why； though I'd touched my prime；
I put off suitors from time to time …
Yourself with the rest …
Till friends； who approved you； called it crime；
〃And when misgivings weighed on me
In my lover's absence； hurriedly；
And much distrest；
I took you 。 。 。 Ah； that such could be！ 。 。 。
〃Now； saw you when crossing from yonder shore
At yesternoon； that the packet bore
On a white…wreathed bier
A coffined body towards the fore？
〃Well； while you stood at the other end；
The loungers talked； and I could but lend
A listening ear；
For they named the dead。 'Twas the wife of my friend。
〃He was there； but did not note me； veiled；
Yet I saw that a joy； as of one unjailed；
Now shone in his gaze；
He knew not his hope of me just had failed！
〃They had brought her home： she was born in this isle；
And he will return to his domicile；
And pass his days
Alone； and not as he dreamt erstwhile！〃
〃So you've lost a sprucer spouse than I！〃
She held her
