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Orval, or The Fool of Time

And Other Imitations and Paraphrases. By Robert Lytton
Lytton, Edward Robert Bulwer Lytton (1831-1891)

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[dedication]
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ORVAL;
 I. 
FIRST EPOCH. BRIDE AND BRIDEGROOM.
 2. 
SECOND EPOCH. HUSBAND AND WIFE.
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THIRD EPOCH. FATHER AND SON.
 I. 
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 II. 
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 III. 
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 IV. 
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 V. 
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 VI. 
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 VII. 
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 VIII. 
Scene VIII.
 IV. 
FOURTH EPOCH. MAN AND MAN.
 5. 
FIFTH EPOCH. MAN AND FATE.
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IMITATIONS AND PARAPHRASES.
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NONNOS.
  
EUROPA.
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VIRGIL.
  
THE BEES OF ARISTÆUS.
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LUCRETIUS.
  
INVOCATION TO VENUS
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DANTE.
  
THE FIRST CANTO OF THE INFERNO.
  
FRANCESCA DA RIMINO.
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MICHELAGNOLO BUONARROTI
  
THE BIRTH OF LOVE.
  
LOVE VINDICATED.
  
MADRIGALS.
  
CANZONE.
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RONSARD.
 I. 
“Voici le bois que ma saincte Angelette.”
 II. 
“Cache pour cest nuict.”
 III. 
“Page suy moy.”
 IV. 
“Les espics sont à Ceres.”
 V. 
“Ma douce jouvence.”
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DANISH.
  
THE ELVES.
  
LORD OLAF.
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SERVIAN.
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THE BATTLE OF KOSSOVO.
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV.
 V. 
V.
 VI. 
VI.
 VII. 
VII.
 I. 
I.THE STAG AND THE VILA.
 II. 
II.LOVE AND SLEEP.
 III. 
III.TITTLE-TATTLE.
 IV. 
IV.MATRIMONIAL CONSIDERATIONS.
 V. 
V.LOVE CONFERS NOBILITY.
 VI. 
VI.A SOUL'S SWEETNESS.
 VII. 
VII.REMINISCENCES.
 VIII. 
VIII.SLEEP AND DEATH.
 IX. 
IX.A CONJUGAL DISPUTE.
 X. 
X.DEGREES OF AFFECTION.
 XI. 
XI.THE FAIR IKONIA.
 XII. 
XII.A WISH.
 XIII. 
XIII.IMPERFECTION.
 XIV. 
XIV.EMANCIPATION.
 XV. 
XV.THE VOICE OF NATURE; OR, WHAT THE FISH SAID TO THE MAIDEN.
 XVI. 
XVI.THE MALADY OF MOIO.
 XVII. 
XVII.A SERVIAN BEAUTY.
 XVIII. 
XVIII.A DISCREET YOUNG WOMAN.
 XIX. 
XIX.BOLOZÀNOVITCH THE KNAVE.
 XX. 
XX.THE WIFE OF HASSAN AGA.
 XXI. 
XXI.SLEEPLESSNESS.
 XXII. 
XXII.NEGLECTED FLOWERS.
 XXIII. 
XXIII.PLUCKING A FLOWER.
 XXIV. 
XXIV.TRANSPLANTING A FLOWER.
 XXV. 
XXV.A MESSAGE.
 XXVI. 
XXVI.ISOLATION.
 XXVII. 
XXVII.A REGRET.
 XXVIII. 
XXVIII.THE BAN OF VARADIN.
 XXIX. 
XXIX.FATIMA AND MEHMED.

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425

XXIII.PLUCKING A FLOWER.

He.
O maiden, vermeil rose!
Unplanted, unsown,
Blooming alone
As the wild-flower blows,
With a will of thine own!
Neither grafted nor grown,
Neither gather'd nor blown,
O maiden, O rose!
Blooming alone
In the green garden-close,
Unnoticed, unknown,
Unpropt, unsupported,
Unwater'd, unfed,
Unkist, and uncourted,
Unwoo'd, and unwed,
O sweet wild rose,
Who knows? Who knows?
Might I kiss thee, and court thee?
My kiss would not hurt thee!
O sweet, sweet rose,
In the green garden-close,
If a gate were undone,
And if I might come to thee,
And meet thee alone?
Sue thee, and woo thee,
And make thee my own?
Clasp thee, and cull thee,—what harm would be done?

426

She.
Beside thy field my garden blows.
Were a gate in the garden left open . . . who knows?
And I water'd my garden at eventide?
(Who knows?)
And if somebody silently happen'd to ride
That way? And a horse to the gate should be tied?
And if somebody (who knows who?), unespied,
Were to enter my garden to gather a rose?
Who knows? . . . I suppose
No harm need be done. My belovèd one,
Come lightly, come softly, at set of the sun!
Come, and caress me!
Kiss me, and press me!
Fold me, and hold me!
Kiss me with kisses that leave not a trace,
But set not the print of thy teeth on my face,
Or my mother will see it, and scold me.

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