Agreed to, this, the day fled on thro' all Its range of duties to the appointed hour. Then summon'd to the porch we went. She stood Among her maidens, higher by the head, Her back against a pillar, her foot on one Of those tame leopards. Kitten-like he roll'd And paw'd about her sandal. I drew near; I gazed. On a sudden my strange seizure came Upon me, the weird vision of our house. The Princess Ida seem'd a hollow show, Her gay-furr'd cats a painted fantasy, Her college and her maidens empty masks, And I myself the shadow of a dream, For all things were and were not. Yet I felt My heart beat thick with passion and with awe; Brake, as she smote me with the light of eyes I rode beside her and to me she said: 'O friend, we trust that you esteem'd us not Too harsh to your companion yestermorn; Unwillingly we spake.' 'No- not to her,' I answer'd, but to one of whom we spake Your Highness might have seem'd the thing you say.' 'Again?' she cried, are you ambassadresses From him to me? we give you, being strange, A license; speak, and let the topic die.' I stammer'd that I knew him could have wish'd Our king expects was there no precontract? There is no truer-hearted — ah, you seem All he prefigured, and he could not see To follow. Surely, if your Highness keep Your purport, you will shock him even to death, 'Poor boy,' she said, 'can he not read books? Quoit, tennis, ball — no games? nor deals in that Methinks he seems no better than a girl; ✓✓ To lift the woman's fallen divinity Upon an even pedestal with man.' She paused, and added with a haughtier smile, And as to precontracts, we move, my friend, At no man's beck, but know ourself and thee, 'Alas, your Highness breathes full East,' I said, You grant me license; might I use it? think; And she exclaim'd, 'Peace, you young savage of the Northern wild! You are bold indeed; we are not talk'd to thus. They with the sun and moon renew their light Children - that men may pluck them from our hearts, Kill us with pity, break us with ourselves — O children there is nothing upon earth More miserable than she that has a son And sees him err. Nor would we work for fame; might reap the applause of Who learns the one POU STO whence after-hands By frail successors. Would, indeed, we had been, Of giants living each a thousand years, That we might see our own work out, and watch The sandy footprint harden into stone.' I answer'd nothing, doubtful in myself If that strange poet-princess with her grand Imaginations might at all be won. And she broke out interpreting my thoughts: No doubt we seem a kind of monster to you; We are used to that; for women, up till this Cramp'd under worse than South-sea-isle taboo, Dwarfs of the gynæceum, fail so far In high desire, they know not, cannot guess By slow approaches than by single act We were as prompt to spring against the pikes, Or down the fiery gulf as talk of it, She bow'd as if to veil a noble tear; And up we came to where the river sloped O'er it shook the woods, And danced the color, and, below, stuck out The bones of some vast bulk that lived and roar'd Before man was. She gazed awhile and said, 'As these rude bones to us, are we to her That will be.' 'Dare we dream of that,' I ask'd, 'Which wrought us, as the workman and his work, That practice betters?' How,' she cried, 'you love The metaphysics! read and earn our prize, Of hemlock-our device, wrought to the life— For there are schools for all.' And yet,' I said, 'Methinks I have not found among them all |