The Complete Poetical Works. Томас Харди

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      The Dame of Athelhall

       Table of Contents

      I

      “Soul! Shall I see thy face,” she said,

       “In one brief hour?

       And away with thee from a loveless bed

       To a far-off sun, to a vine-wrapt bower,

       And be thine own unseparated,

       And challenge the world’s white glower?”

      II

      She quickened her feet, and met him where

       They had predesigned:

       And they clasped, and mounted, and cleft the air

       Upon whirling wheels; till the will to bind

       Her life with his made the moments there

       Efface the years behind.

      III

      Miles slid, and the sight of the port upgrew

       As they sped on;

       When slipping its bond the bracelet flew

       From her fondled arm. Replaced anon,

       Its cameo of the abjured one drew

       Her musings thereupon.

      IV

      The gaud with his image once had been

       A gift from him:

       And so it was that its carving keen

       Refurbished memories wearing dim,

       Which set in her soul a throe of teen,

       And a tear on her lashes’ brim.

      V

      “I may not go!” she at length upspake,

       “Thoughts call me back—

       I would still lose all for your dear, dear sake;

       My heart is thine, friend! But my track

       I home to Athelhall must take

       To hinder household wrack!”

      VI

      He appealed. But they parted, weak and wan:

       And he left the shore;

       His ship diminished, was low, was gone;

       And she heard in the waves as the daytide wore,

       And read in the leer of the sun that shone,

       That they parted for evermore.

      VII

      She homed as she came, at the dip of eve

       On Athel Coomb

       Regaining the Hall she had sworn to leave . . .

       The house was soundless as a tomb,

       And she entered her chamber, there to grieve

       Lone, kneeling, in the gloom.

      VIII

      From the lawn without rose her husband’s voice

       To one his friend:

       “Another her Love, another my choice,

       Her going is good. Our conditions mend;

       In a change of mates we shall both rejoice;

       I hoped that it thus might end!

      IX

      “A quick divorce; she will make him hers,

       And I wed mine.

       So Time rights all things in long, long years—

       Or rather she, by her bold design!

       I admire a woman no balk deters:

       She has blessed my life, in fine.

      X

      “I shall build new rooms for my new true bride,

       Let the bygone be:

       By now, no doubt, she has crossed the tide

       With the man to her mind. Far happier she

       In some warm vineland by his side

       Than ever she was with me.”