"Alone," I said, "from earlier than I know, Immersed in rich foreshadowings of the world, I loved the woman: he, that doth not, lives 295 A drowning life, besotted in sweet self, Or pines in sad experience worse than death, 300 Not perfect, nay, but full of tender wants, 305 On tiptoe seem'd to touch upon a sphere 310 Beats with his blood, and trust in all things high Said Ida, tremulously, "so all unlike "But I," It seems you love to cheat yourself with words : 315 This mother is your model. I have heard Of your strange doubts: they well might be: I seem A mockery to my own self. Never, Prince; You cannot love me." "Nay but thee," I said, "From yearlong poring on thy pictured eyes, 320 Ere seen I loved, and loved thee seen, and saw Thee woman thro' the crust of iron moods That mask'd thee from men's reverence up, and forced Sweet love on pranks of saucy boyhood: now, Giv'n back to life, to life indeed, thro' thee, 325 Indeed I love: the new day comes, the light 330 Look up, and let thy nature strike on mine, 335 Is morn to more, and all the rich to-come And so thro' those dark gates across the wild 345 Lay thy sweet hands in mine and trust to me." CONCLUSION So closed our tale, of which I give you all The random scheme as wildly as it rose: The words are mostly mine; for when we ceased There came a minute's pause, and Walter said, 5 "I wish she had not yielded!" then to me, "What, if you drest it up poetically!" So pray'd the men, the women: I gave assent: Yet how to bind the scatter'd scheme of seven Together in one sheaf? What style could suit? 10 The men required that I should give throughout That sort of mock-heroic gigantesque, With which we banter'd little Lilia first : The women and perhaps they felt their power, For something in the ballads which they sang, 15 Or in their silent influence as they sat, Had ever seem'd to wrestle with burlesque, 20 Not make her true-heroic true-sublime? 25 And I, betwixt them both, to please them both, |