 | The Baroness of New York |  |
XX.
A ripple rustled through the crowd,
Then all eyes left the leaning wall,
And all did reach their necks, and all
Did whisper eagerly and loud,
She leaned reliant on his arm,
As if she felt that never harm
Or accident or any shame
Could touch her now, whatever came.
She moved beside him like a dream,
And calm as some deep, sea-bound stream.
Then all eyes left the leaning wall,
And all did reach their necks, and all
Did whisper eagerly and loud,
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As if she felt that never harm
Or accident or any shame
Could touch her now, whatever came.
She moved beside him like a dream,
And calm as some deep, sea-bound stream.
A dense and crowded night it was.
Now bear in mind, my duty is,
And was, and will be, touching this,
To give the facts, and not the cause.
Now bear in mind, my duty is,
And was, and will be, touching this,
To give the facts, and not the cause.
Well, they were packed and jammed that night,
The noblest of the Avenue,
Till all seemed so uncommon tight,
They scarce could twist them through and through.
The noblest of the Avenue,
Till all seemed so uncommon tight,
They scarce could twist them through and through.
I know not why, yet one might guess,
They came that night because they knew
The lion and the lioness
That sultry eve would come to view
These grand gifts of the Avenue.
They came that night because they knew
The lion and the lioness
That sultry eve would come to view
These grand gifts of the Avenue.
And this might argue there were spies
To tell not only what they did,
But what they meant to do.
The lid
On Dame Pandora's box, or Miss
Pandora, I much fear me, lies
Quite loose and careless; blown about
By any counter winds that rise;
And my conclusion of it is,
The greatest evils she lets out
Are lover's secrets. What say you,
Fair ladies of the Avenue?
To tell not only what they did,
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The lid
On Dame Pandora's box, or Miss
Pandora, I much fear me, lies
Quite loose and careless; blown about
By any counter winds that rise;
And my conclusion of it is,
The greatest evils she lets out
Are lover's secrets. What say you,
Fair ladies of the Avenue?
The lovers passed from hall to hall,
And sudden, in a bright room, faced
A man, with many a friend around.
'Twas Doughal; he whom we have traced
Through flood and flame; whom we have found
A brigand, cursed, damned and disgraced.
He stood up comely, proud and tall;
A stalwart, sort of second Saul,
A man that overtopt them all.
And sudden, in a bright room, faced
A man, with many a friend around.
'Twas Doughal; he whom we have traced
Through flood and flame; whom we have found
A brigand, cursed, damned and disgraced.
He stood up comely, proud and tall;
A stalwart, sort of second Saul,
A man that overtopt them all.
He seemed to see, yet saw her not;
His eyes ranged distant as his thought,
She started, shrunk back in her place,
As if a flame had struck her face.
“'Tis Doughal! and the man does live!
The one man lives that now can give
The lie to my pretentious life,
Before I be Sir Francis wife!
His eyes ranged distant as his thought,
She started, shrunk back in her place,
As if a flame had struck her face.
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The one man lives that now can give
The lie to my pretentious life,
Before I be Sir Francis wife!
“Now must one perish: 'tis not I,
But cold, cursed, Doughal, that shall die!”
But cold, cursed, Doughal, that shall die!”
Sir Jain was drunk with love. He bent
His head, his eyes with fond intent
But did not hear her, did not see
Her grief, nor guess her agony.
His head, his eyes with fond intent
But did not hear her, did not see
Her grief, nor guess her agony.
The two passed on. Her face was white.
Sir Francis nothing saw but light
And love, bright shining like a star
In his broad firmament of bliss.
Men are not shrewd as women are;
A woman feels an atmosphere,
Sees all, where men see naught at all.
Her instincts lead where reasons fall.
Now it may be the reason is,
Her little feet are set more near
The light of golden gates ajar.
Sir Francis did not choose just then
To front his friend in crowds of men;
But bided better time and place
To bring the two first face to face.
And so the lovers silent passed.
Her eyes upon the floor steadfast,
Were burning flame. No tear, no sigh,
No livid lip, no pallid brow,
No starting back, no trembling now.
She only murmured, “he must die!”
Sir Francis nothing saw but light
And love, bright shining like a star
In his broad firmament of bliss.
Men are not shrewd as women are;
A woman feels an atmosphere,
Sees all, where men see naught at all.
Her instincts lead where reasons fall.
Now it may be the reason is,
Her little feet are set more near
The light of golden gates ajar.
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To front his friend in crowds of men;
But bided better time and place
To bring the two first face to face.
And so the lovers silent passed.
Her eyes upon the floor steadfast,
Were burning flame. No tear, no sigh,
No livid lip, no pallid brow,
No starting back, no trembling now.
She only murmured, “he must die!”
| The Baroness of New York | |