 |
|
 | Studies in verse (1865) |  |
Now Andrew's heart was wholly bent on Ruth;
But since he talked with Lucy more than Ruth,
With her he loved not more than her he loved,
From that excessive tenderness and awe
With which his fancy had environed Ruth:
And since that he, more wholly at his ease
With Lucy, talked to Lucy, looked at Ruth;
It came in very truth the girls believed
That Lucy was his sweet-heart: she herself
Believed it; and the perfect sister love
Of Ruth, in Lucy's welfare chiefly blest,
Strove that their suit should prosper: since she knew
Andrew was good and gentle, one to make
Her Lucy happy. Bitter at the first
Had this thing been to Ruth with all her love
For Lucy; Ruth had guess'd not how she cared
For Andrew till she fancied he had made
His choice in Lucy: then since love denied
Is bitter always, though a dearest hand
Reap in our own misfortune; for a time
She lost the light and colour in her cheek:
But patiently she conquered it at last
And nobly beat it down; in nobleness
Indignant at her weakness, for she mused,
‘Shall sister be to sister traitress then,
Shall I, the next to him of all the world,
In love and trust with Lucy, come between
And spoil it all in utter selfishness?
And reap myself, save hatred, no reward
At either of their hands whom I would slave
A lifetime long to prosper.’
But since he talked with Lucy more than Ruth,
With her he loved not more than her he loved,
From that excessive tenderness and awe
With which his fancy had environed Ruth:
And since that he, more wholly at his ease
With Lucy, talked to Lucy, looked at Ruth;
It came in very truth the girls believed
That Lucy was his sweet-heart: she herself
Believed it; and the perfect sister love
Of Ruth, in Lucy's welfare chiefly blest,
Strove that their suit should prosper: since she knew
89
Her Lucy happy. Bitter at the first
Had this thing been to Ruth with all her love
For Lucy; Ruth had guess'd not how she cared
For Andrew till she fancied he had made
His choice in Lucy: then since love denied
Is bitter always, though a dearest hand
Reap in our own misfortune; for a time
She lost the light and colour in her cheek:
But patiently she conquered it at last
And nobly beat it down; in nobleness
Indignant at her weakness, for she mused,
‘Shall sister be to sister traitress then,
Shall I, the next to him of all the world,
In love and trust with Lucy, come between
And spoil it all in utter selfishness?
And reap myself, save hatred, no reward
At either of their hands whom I would slave
A lifetime long to prosper.’
When she found
That she was wholly mistress of herself,
She went to Lucy, and she kissed her brow,
And took her hand and talked of Andrew then;
And how that she would come and live with them
When they were man and wife, aid in the house
And tend the children.
90
She went to Lucy, and she kissed her brow,
And took her hand and talked of Andrew then;
And how that she would come and live with them
When they were man and wife, aid in the house
And tend the children.
Then and afterwards
The girls would talk together in this strain:
And neither doubted Lucy should be wed
To Andrew in the bloomy days to be.
The girls would talk together in this strain:
And neither doubted Lucy should be wed
To Andrew in the bloomy days to be.
| Studies in verse (1865) | |