Part 10 (1/2)

”And seek out twenty men that know All babel tongues which flaunt and flow; And stay! Impress those learned two, Old Aflatun, and Aristu.

”And set your prow South-western ways A thousand bright and dimpling days, And find me lion-hearted Lords With b.r.e.a.s.t.s to feed Our rusting swords.”

The Captain of the s.h.i.+ps bowed low.

”Sir,” he replied, ”I will do so.”

And down he rode to the harbour mouth, To choose a boat to carry him South.

And he launched a s.h.i.+p of silver mail, With fifty lads to hoist the sail, And twenty wise--all tongues they knew, And Aflatun, and Aristu.

There had not dawned the second day But the glittering galleon sailed away, And through the night like one great bell The marshalled armies sang farewell.

In twenty days the silver s.h.i.+p Had pa.s.sed the Isle of Serendip, And made the flat Araunian coasts Inhabited, at noon, by Ghosts.

In thirty days the s.h.i.+p was far Beyond the land of Calcobar, Where men drink Dead Men's Blood for wine, And dye their beards alizarine.

But on the hundredth day there came Storm with his windy wings aflame, And drave them out to that Lone Sea Whose sh.o.r.es are near Eternity.

For seven years and seven years Sailed those forgotten mariners, Nor could they spy on either hand The faintest level of good red land.

Bird or fish they saw not one; There swam no s.h.i.+p beside their own, And day-night long the lilied Deep Lay round them, with its flowers asleep.

The beams began to warp and crack, The silver plates turned filthy black, And drooping down on the carven rails Hung those once lovely silken sails.

And all the great s.h.i.+p's crew who were Such n.o.ble lads to do and dare Grew old and tired of the changeless sky And laid them down on the deck to die.

And they who spake all tongues there be Made antics with solemnity, Or closely huddled each to each Talked ribald in a foreign speech.

And Aflatun and Aristu Let their Beards grow, and their Beards grew Round and about the mainmast tree Where they stood still, and watched the sea.

And day by day their Captain grey Knelt on the rotting p.o.o.p to pray: And yet despite ten thousand prayers They saw no s.h.i.+p that was not theirs.

When thrice the seven years had pa.s.sed They saw a s.h.i.+p, a s.h.i.+p at last!

Untarnished glowed its silver mail, Windless bellied its silken sail.

With a shout the grizzled sailors rose Cursing the years of sick repose, And they who spake in tongues unknown Gladly reverted to their own.

The Captain leapt and left his prayers And hastened down the dust-dark stairs, And taking to hand a brazen Whip He woke to life the long dead s.h.i.+p.

But Aflatun and Aristu, Who had no work that they could do, Gazed at the stranger s.h.i.+p and Sea With their beards around the mainmast tree.