Helen Redeemed and Other Poems. Maurice Hewlett

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СКАЧАТЬ for grace upon my faring:

       For thou wert by to hear me, false arm bearing

       Upon my shoulder, glowing, lying cheek

       Next unto mine. Ay, and thou prayedst, with meek

       Fair seeming, prosperous send-off and return.

       Tell me what then, tell all, and let me learn

       With what pretence that dog-souled slaked his thirst

       In thy sweet liquor. Tell me that the first."

       Then Helen lifted up her head, and beamed

       Clear light upon him from her eyes, which seemed

       That blue which, lying on the white sea-bed

       And gazing up, the sunbeam overhead

       Would show, with green entinctured, and the warp

       Inwoven of golden shafts, blended yet sharp;

       So that a glory mild and radiant

       Transfigured them. Upon him fell aslant

       That lovely light, while in her cheeks the hue

       Of throbbing dawn came sudden. So he knew

       Her best before she spoke; for when she spoke

       It was as if the nightingale should croak

       In April midst the first young leaves, so bleak,

       So harsh she schooled her throat, that it should speak

       Dry matter and hard logic—as if she

       Were careful lest self-pity urged a plea

       Which was not hers to make; or as one faint

       And desperate lays down all his argument

       Like bricks upon a field, let who will make

       A house of them; so drily Helen spake

       With a flat voice. "Thou hadst been nine days gone,

       Came my lord Alexandros, Priam's son,

       And hailed me in the hall whereas I sat,

       And claimed his guest-right, which not wondering at

       I gave as fitting was. Then came the day

       I was beguiled. What more is there to say?"

       Fixt on her fingers playing on the wall

       Her eyes were. But the King said: "Tell me all.

       Thou wert beguiled: by his desire beguiled,

       Or by thine own?" She shook her head and smiled

       Most sadly, pitying herself. "Who knoweth

       The ways of Love, whence cometh, whither goeth

       The heart's low whimper? This I know, he loved

       Me then, and pleasured only where I moved

       About the house. And I had pleasure too

       To know of me he had it. Then we knew

       The day at hand when he must take the road

       And leave me; and its eve we close abode

       Within the house, and spake not. But I wept."

       She stayed, and whispering down her next word crept:

       "I was beguiled, beguiled." And then her lip

       She bit, and rueful showed her partnership

       In sinful dealing.

       But he, in his esteem

       Bleeding and raw, urged on. "To Kranai's deme

       He took thee then?"

       Speechless she bent her head

       Towards her tender breasts whereon, soft shed

       As upon low quiet hills, the dawn light played,

       And limned their gentle curves or sank in shade.

       So gazing, stood she silent, but the King

       Urged on. "From thence to Ilios, thou willing,

       He took thee?"

       Then, "I was beguiled," again

       She said; and he, who felt a worthier strain

       Stir in his gall compassion, and uplift

       Him out of knowledge, saw a blessed rift

       Upon his dark horizon, as tow'rds night

       The low clouds break and shafted shows the light.

       "Ten years beguiled!" he said, "but now it seems

       Thou art——" She shook her head. "Nay, now come dreams;

       Nay, now I think, remember, now I see."

       "What callest thou to mind?" "Hermione,"

       She said, "our child, and Sparta my own land,

       And all the honour that lay to my hand

       Had I but chosen it, as now I would"—

       And sudden hid her face up in her hood,

       Her courage ebbed in grief, all hardness drowned

       In bitter weeping.

       Noble pity crowned

       The greater man in him; so for a space

       They wept together, she for loss; for grace

       Of gain wept he. "No more," he said, "my sweet,

       Tell me no more."

       "Ah, hear the whole of it

       Before my hour is gone," she cried. But he

       Groaning, "I dare not stay here lest I see

       Him take thee again."

       Both hands to fold her breast,

       She shook her head; like as the sun through mist

       Shone triumph in her eyes. "Have no more fear

       Of him or any——" Then, hearing a stir

       Within the house, her finger toucht her lip,

       And one fixt look she gave of fellowship

       Assured—then turned СКАЧАТЬ