 | Gerard's Monument |  |
Gerard on the grey door-stone
Waiting watching all alone;
Chafing hands whose trembling hold
Ached to close upon the gold.
Valery, who as she flew,
Scarcely shook the morning dew
Which filled the chalice of the rose
That her passage did oppose.
Waiting watching all alone;
Chafing hands whose trembling hold
Ached to close upon the gold.
Valery, who as she flew,
Scarcely shook the morning dew
Which filled the chalice of the rose
That her passage did oppose.
“Give to me thy hand, good brother,
So I fill it, and the other
Shall be even-weighted; truly
Did I flatter thee unduly?”
So I fill it, and the other
Shall be even-weighted; truly
Did I flatter thee unduly?”
Gerard took the gold and weighed it,
Then upon the step he laid it,—
Laid it in a shining heap,
Scattered it with scornful sweep,
Showed it laughing to the day,
And hid it in his pouch away.
Then upon the step he laid it,—
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Scattered it with scornful sweep,
Showed it laughing to the day,
And hid it in his pouch away.
Never had she learned to prize
Gold, until in Gerard's eyes
She beheld its worth imputed
Into light of hope transmuted.
Then her face against his knee
She laid, and softly whispered she:
“The gold for you,—a gem for me.”
Gold, until in Gerard's eyes
She beheld its worth imputed
Into light of hope transmuted.
Then her face against his knee
She laid, and softly whispered she:
“The gold for you,—a gem for me.”
But e'en the gold as gold no more
In Gerard's thought a semblance bore;
Sublimed in crucible, or smelted,
In airy visions it had melted.
In Gerard's thought a semblance bore;
Sublimed in crucible, or smelted,
In airy visions it had melted.
She took his hand so long and lean,
She lightly shook his gaberdine,
And a little louder whispered she:
“The gold for you,—a gem for me.”
But he neither said her yea nor nay,
His thoughts had floated far away.
She lightly shook his gaberdine,
And a little louder whispered she:
“The gold for you,—a gem for me.”
But he neither said her yea nor nay,
His thoughts had floated far away.
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Then up she starts and firm she stands,
And crowning him with two fair hands:
“Gerard, my brother, times now three—
The gold for you—a gem for me!
The proffer of a heart as great
As sunk and poor is our estate.”
She paused, then added, something loth,—
“A heart for me,—a home for both.”
And crowning him with two fair hands:
“Gerard, my brother, times now three—
The gold for you—a gem for me!
The proffer of a heart as great
As sunk and poor is our estate.”
She paused, then added, something loth,—
“A heart for me,—a home for both.”
Keen eyes, keen ears were now intent,
And keenly was the answer spent:
“It is the goldsmith, in his pride,
Would get himself a noble bride.”
And keenly was the answer spent:
“It is the goldsmith, in his pride,
Would get himself a noble bride.”
“He is a king of men,” quoth she,
“And whatsoever her degree
Who weds with him, she'll count her state
The nobler that she is his mate!”
“And whatsoever her degree
Who weds with him, she'll count her state
The nobler that she is his mate!”
He turned towards her, warped and weak,
Pale eager lips, pale sunken check:
As she had learnt what gold might be
From Gerard's eyes, so Gerard, he
Saw all of love that he might know
From her's, that were with love a-glow.
Pale eager lips, pale sunken check:
As she had learnt what gold might be
From Gerard's eyes, so Gerard, he
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From her's, that were with love a-glow.
His cheek waxed whiter as he gazed
With effluence of light bedazed;
And, as a sickly blossom grown
In twilight withers in the sun,—
Whose mid-day splendours will abase
The growths his early beams made proud,—
His spirit fell before her face,
More than his stricken body bowed.
Two angels fought for him amain,
And he was sore betwixt the twain.
With effluence of light bedazed;
And, as a sickly blossom grown
In twilight withers in the sun,—
Whose mid-day splendours will abase
The growths his early beams made proud,—
His spirit fell before her face,
More than his stricken body bowed.
Two angels fought for him amain,
And he was sore betwixt the twain.
He clutched her wrist; “Whence came the gold!”
She showed him of the necklet sold.
He wept—“Your heart is gone from me.”
She said—“From twain we shall be three,
And stronger so the world to face.”
He moaned—“It is a weary place.”
She showed him of the necklet sold.
He wept—“Your heart is gone from me.”
She said—“From twain we shall be three,
And stronger so the world to face.”
He moaned—“It is a weary place.”
He groaned: “How happy are the dead,
O had the crypt but been our bed!”
Then laid his hand upon her hair
And blest, and called her good and fair;
When holding down his swelling heart,
He felt the treasure, with a start
He turned, and like a wayward child,
Flashed it before her face, and smiled:
O had the crypt but been our bed!”
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And blest, and called her good and fair;
When holding down his swelling heart,
He felt the treasure, with a start
He turned, and like a wayward child,
Flashed it before her face, and smiled:
“Here lies what shall our wrongs atone:
God's life! I all but hold the stone.”
God's life! I all but hold the stone.”
| Gerard's Monument | |