 | The heavenly guest with other unpublished writings |  |
THE PRINCESS HERMIONE
O but the Princess was proud and fair!
Slow she moved with a royal air.
A great King's daughter as all might see,
The fair-haired lady, Hermione.
Slow she moved with a royal air.
A great King's daughter as all might see,
The fair-haired lady, Hermione.
A little foot-page her train upbore
Lest film of dust from the polished floor
Should soil her garments of velvet fine,
Soft and lustrous and red as wine.
Lest film of dust from the polished floor
Should soil her garments of velvet fine,
Soft and lustrous and red as wine.
The little foot-page was filled with awe:
Seldom the Princess's face he saw—
'Twas honor too much for such as he
To carry her rich train carefully.
Seldom the Princess's face he saw—
'Twas honor too much for such as he
To carry her rich train carefully.
They left the palace and went outside
To the terrace, marble-paved and wide;
Up and down for the air they paced
And he watched the back of her slender waist,
To the terrace, marble-paved and wide;
Up and down for the air they paced
And he watched the back of her slender waist,
And he saw the glint of her sunny hair
'Neath the floating ostrich feathers rare,
And the lace and muslin about her neck,
White as a blossom without speck.
'Neath the floating ostrich feathers rare,
And the lace and muslin about her neck,
White as a blossom without speck.
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The heart of that little foot-page beat loud
As he gazed at the maiden so sweet and proud.
There never could be such another one!
No Princess like his beneath the sun.
As he gazed at the maiden so sweet and proud.
There never could be such another one!
No Princess like his beneath the sun.
They walked on the terrace up and down,
And safe he guarded the velvet gown.
But how could he know, that dear little page,
That the lady was lost in a weary rage.
And safe he guarded the velvet gown.
But how could he know, that dear little page,
That the lady was lost in a weary rage.
Bored and tired almost to death,
Fretting and whispering, under her breath,
“O to be off and away, and fly
Where yonder fields in the sunshine lie!
Fretting and whispering, under her breath,
“O to be off and away, and fly
Where yonder fields in the sunshine lie!
To gather the flowers like other girls
Out of the sight of dukes and earls!
And leap the brook and climb the hill,
And wander wide at my own sweet will!
Out of the sight of dukes and earls!
And leap the brook and climb the hill,
And wander wide at my own sweet will!
So tired am I and I may not scold,
Every hour in the day I'm told
Sit thus, stand so, speak this, do that
Till I feel as if I were ironed flat.
Every hour in the day I'm told
Sit thus, stand so, speak this, do that
Till I feel as if I were ironed flat.
O to do something not planned before!
Not the same old routine o'er and o'er
From the morning light to the evening red,
And never a thought in my empty head—”
Not the same old routine o'er and o'er
From the morning light to the evening red,
And never a thought in my empty head—”
She stopped in the midst of her stately walk—
“I'd even like with a page to talk:”
And sadly into his face she gazed,
That dear little face that looked up amazed:
“I'd even like with a page to talk:”
And sadly into his face she gazed,
That dear little face that looked up amazed:
| The heavenly guest with other unpublished writings | |