Are left me, work's my ware, and what's it worth? 225 I'll pay my fancy. Only let me sit The gray remainder of the evening out, Idle, you call it, and muse perfectly How I could paint, were I but back in France, One picture, just one more—the Virgin's face, 230 Not yours this time! I want you at my side Finish the portrait out of hand-there, there, 235 Beside, What's better and what's all I care about, 240 Get you the thirteen scudi for the ruff! Love, does that please you? Ah, but what does he, The cousin! what does he to please you more? I am grown peaceful as old age to-night. I regret little, I would change still less. 245 Since there my past life lies, why alter it? The very wrong to Francis !—it is true I took his coin, was tempted and complied, And built this house and sinned, and all is said. My father and my mother died of want. 250 Well, had I riches of my own? you see How one gets rich! Let each one bear his lot. They were born poor, lived poor, and poor they died: And I have labored somewhat in my time And not been paid profusely. Some good son 255 Paint my two hundred pictures-let him try! No doubt, there's something strikes a balance. Yes, This must suffice me here. What would one have? In heaven, perhaps, new chances, one more chance- 260 265 Again the cousin's whistle! Go, my Love. "How They Brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix." [16-.] The "good news" of this stirring ballad is intended for that of the Pacification of Ghent, a treaty of union entered into by Holland, Zealand, and the southern Netherlands against the tyrannical Philip II., in 1576. The incident of the poem is not historical. "I wrote it," says Mr. Browning, “under the bulwark of a vessel off the African coast, after I had been at sea long enough to appreciate even the fancy of a gallop on the back of a certain good horse 'York' then in my stable at home." I SPRANG to the stirrup, and Joris, and he; I galloped, Dirck galloped, we galloped all three; "Good speed!" cried the watch, as the gate-bolts undrew ; "Speed!" echoed the wall to us galloping through; Behind shut the postern, the lights sank to rest, And into the midnight we galloped abreast. Not a word to each other; we kept the great pace 263. Leonard.-Leonardo da Vinci. 5 ΙΟ 'Twas moonset at starting; but while we drew near At Aershot, up leaped of a sudden the sun, The haze, as some bluff river headland its spray: 15 20 And his low head and crest, just one sharp ear bent back 25 And one eye's black intelligence,- -ever that glance By Hasselt, Dirck groaned; and cried Joris, "Stay spur!" As down on her haunches she shuddered and sank. So we were left galloping, Joris and I, Past Looz and past Tongres, no cloud in the sky; The broad sun above laughed a pitiless laugh, 30 35 'Neath our feet broke the brittle bright stubble like chaff; 40 14. Lokeren.-This town and the others mentioned in the poem will be found upon any good map, in a general line from Ghent to Aix-la-Chapelle. The whole distance is about ninety miles. 17. Mecheln.-The Flemish form of the more common French Malines. Till over by Dalhem a dome-spire sprang white, "How they'll greet us!"—and all in a moment his roan 45 Then I cast loose my buff-coat, each holster let fall, 50 Called my Roland his pet-name, my horse without peer; Clapped my hands, laughed and sang, any noise, bad or good, Till at length into Aix Roland galloped and stood. And all I remember is, friends flocking round 55 Was no more than his due who brought good news from Ghent. The Boy and the Angel. MORNING, evening, noon and night, Then to his poor trade he turned, 60 41. Dalhem.-Probably Dalheim, a town about midway between Tongres and Aix. 16. Save Aix from her fate.-The reader is to imagine that Aix has resolved upon self-destruction, rather than yield to the Spaniards, Said Blaise, the listening monk, "Well done; "As well as if thy voice to-day Were praising God the Pope's great way. "This Easter Day, the Pope at Rome Praises God from Peter's dome." Said Theocrite, "Would God that I Might praise him, that great way, and die!" Night passed, day shone, 5 ΙΟ 15 And Theocrite was gone. With God a day endures alway, A thousand years are but a day. God said in heaven, "Nor day nor night 20 Then Gabriel, like a rainbow's birth, 25 Entered, in flesh, the empty cell, Lived there, and played the craftsman well; And morning, evening, noon and night, Praised God in place of Theocrite. 30 |