Ranolf and Amohia A dream of two lives. By Alfred Domett. New edition, revised |
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Ranolf and Amohia | ||
IV.
Scarce on the gunwale had he laid
His hand, and scarce the words were said,
Ere, slipping from her loosened dress,
Her simple kilt and cloak of flax,—
Just as a chestnut you may press
With careful foot ere ripened well,
Shoots from its green and prickly shell,
With tender rind so tawny-clean
And dainty-pure and smooth as wax,—
She shot into the blue serene;
A moment gleamed, then out of sight,
Swift as a falling flash of light!
His hand, and scarce the words were said,
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Her simple kilt and cloak of flax,—
Just as a chestnut you may press
With careful foot ere ripened well,
Shoots from its green and prickly shell,
With tender rind so tawny-clean
And dainty-pure and smooth as wax,—
She shot into the blue serene;
A moment gleamed, then out of sight,
Swift as a falling flash of light!
All round he seeks with anxious mien
The Naiad—nowhere to be seen.
A fearful time he seems to spy—
His heart beats quick—when lo, hard by,
A mermaid! risen on the rocks,
Whose diamond glances archly play
Through shaken clouds of glittering locks,
And glancing showers of diamond-spray:
The Naiad—nowhere to be seen.
A fearful time he seems to spy—
His heart beats quick—when lo, hard by,
A mermaid! risen on the rocks,
Whose diamond glances archly play
Through shaken clouds of glittering locks,
And glancing showers of diamond-spray:
“You are not Apakúra! O, no, no, not you!”
She cries—and dives beneath the blue.
She cries—and dives beneath the blue.
He follows, watching where she glides
Beneath a drooping pall profound
Of boughs, that all the water hides.
Into the gloom he pushes: sound
Or sight of her is none around.
But hark!—'twas somewhere near the bank
That sudden plash! it takes his ear
As startlingly as sometimes, near
A stream where June's hot grass is rank,
You hear the coiled-up water-snake
Your unsuspecting footsteps wake,
Flop down upon the wave below,
And wabbling through the water go.
Beneath a drooping pall profound
Of boughs, that all the water hides.
Into the gloom he pushes: sound
Or sight of her is none around.
But hark!—'twas somewhere near the bank
That sudden plash! it takes his ear
As startlingly as sometimes, near
A stream where June's hot grass is rank,
You hear the coiled-up water-snake
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Flop down upon the wave below,
And wabbling through the water go.
Again to the mid lake she hies;
In swift pursuit again he flies:
And see! she waits with face, how meek!
Till he can touch and almost clasp,
The shining shoulders, laughing cheek;
Then, diving swift, eludes his grasp:
Just as, with quick astonished eye,
A wild-duck waits, until well-nigh
The ruddy-curled retriever's snap
Is gently closing like a trap
On its poor neck and broken wing,
Before with sudden jerk she dips,
Beneath the ripple vanishing.
From Ranolf so the Maiden slips.
In swift pursuit again he flies:
And see! she waits with face, how meek!
Till he can touch and almost clasp,
The shining shoulders, laughing cheek;
Then, diving swift, eludes his grasp:
Just as, with quick astonished eye,
A wild-duck waits, until well-nigh
The ruddy-curled retriever's snap
Is gently closing like a trap
On its poor neck and broken wing,
Before with sudden jerk she dips,
Beneath the ripple vanishing.
From Ranolf so the Maiden slips.
Ranolf and Amohia | ||