Volume I Part 33 (1/2)

XXII.

”The castle and its lands are thine-- The poor's--it shall be done.

Go, _man_, to love! I go to live In Courland hall, alone: The bats along the ceilings cling, The lizards in the floors do run, And storms and years have worn and reft The stain by human builders left In working at the stone.”

PART THE THIRD.

SHOWING HOW THE VOW WAS KEPT.

I.

He dwelt alone, and sun and moon Were witness that he made Rejection of his humanness Until they seemed to fade; His face did so, for he did grow Of his own soul afraid.

II.

The self-poised G.o.d may dwell alone With inward glorying, But G.o.d's chief angel waiteth for A brother's voice, to sing; And a lonely creature of sinful nature It is an awful thing.

III.

An awful thing that feared itself; While many years did roll, A lonely man, a feeble man, A part beneath the whole, He bore by day, he bore by night That pressure of G.o.d's infinite Upon his finite soul.

IV.

The poet at his lattice sate, And downward looked he.

Three Christians wended by to prayers, With mute ones in their ee; Each turned above a face of love And called him to the far chapelle With voice more tuneful than its bell: But still they wended three.

V.

There journeyed by a bridal pomp, A bridegroom and his dame; He speaketh low for happiness, She blusheth red for shame: But never a tone of benison From out the lattice came.

VI.

A little child with inward song, No louder noise to dare, Stood near the wall to see at play The lizards green and rare-- Unblessed the while for his childish smile Which cometh unaware.

PART THE FOURTH.

SHOWING HOW ROSALIND FARED BY THE KEEPING OF THE VOW.

I.

In death-sheets lieth Rosalind As white and still as they; And the old nurse that watched her bed Rose up with ”Well-a-day!”