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A dismal hostel in a dismal land, A flat malarian world of reed and rush! But there from fever and my care of him Sprang up a friendship that may help us yet.

For while we roam'd along the dreary coast,

And waited for her message, piece by piece I learnt the drearier story of his life; And, tho' he loved and honour'd Lionel, Found that the sudden wail his lady made Dwelt in his fancy did he know her worth,

Her beauty even ? should he not be taught, Ev'n by the price that others set upon it, The value of that jewel he had to guard?

Suddenly came her notice and we past, I with our lover to his native Bay.

This love is of the brain, the mind, the soul:

That makes the sequel pure; tho' some

of us

Beginning at the sequel know no more. Not such am I: and yet I say, the bird That will not hear my call, however sweet,

But if my neighbour whistle answers him

What matter? there are others in the wood.

Yet when I saw her (and I thought him crazed,

Tho' not with such a craziness as needs
A cell and keeper), those dark eyes of

hers

Oh! such dark eyes! and not her eyes

alone,

But all from these to where she touch'd

on earth,

For such a craziness as Julian's look'd

No less than one divine apology.

So sweetly and so modestly she came To greet us, her young hero in her arms! 'Kiss him,' she said. You gave me life

again.

He, but for you, had never seen it once. His other father you! Kiss him, and then

Forgive him, if his name be Julian too.'

Talk of lost hopes and broken heart!

his own

Sent such a flame into his face, I knew Some sudden vivid pleasure hit him there.

But he was all the more resolved to go, And sent at once to Lionel, praying him By that great love they both had borne

the dead,

To come and revel for one hour with him
Before he left the land for evermore;
And then to friends-they were not many
-who lived

Scatteringly about that lonely land of his,
And bade them to a banquet of farewells.

And Julian made a solemn feast: I

never

Sat at a costlier; for all round his hall From column on to column, as in a wood, Not such as here-an equatorial one, Great garlands swung and blossom'd; and beneath,

Heirlooms, and ancient miracles of Art, Chalice and salver, wines that, Heaven knows when,

Had suck'd the fire of some forgotten sun, And kept it thro' a hundred years of

gloom,

Yet glowing in a heart of ruby-cups Where nymph and god ran ever round in

gold

Others of glass as costly-some with gems Moveable and resettable at will,

And trebling all the rest in value—Åh

heavens !

Why need I tell you all ?—suffice to say That whatsoever such a house as his, And his was old, has in it rare or fair Was brought before the guest and they, the guests,

Wonder'd at some strange light in Julian's eyes

(I told you that he had his golden hour), And such a feast, ill-suited as it seem'd To such a time, to Lionel's loss and his, And that resolved self-exile from a land He never would revisit, such a feast

So rich, so strange, and stranger ev'n than rich,

But rich as for the nuptials of a king.

And stranger yet, at one end of the hall Two great funereal curtains, looping down,

Parted a little ere they met the floor,
About a picture of his lady, taken

Some years before, and falling hid the frame.

And just above the parting was a lamp : So the sweet figure folded round with night

Seem'd stepping out of darkness with a smile.

Well then-our solemn feast-we ate and drank,

And might-the wines being of such nobleness

Have jested also, but for Julian's eyes, And something weird and wild about it

all :

What was it? for our lover seldom spoke, Scarce touch'd the meats; but ever and

anon

A priceless goblet with a priceless wine Arising, show'd he drank beyond his use;

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He falling sick, and seeming close on death,

His master would not wait until he died, But bade his menials bear him from the door,

And leave him in the public way to die. I knew another, not so long ago,

Who found the dying servant, took him home,

And fed, and cherish'd him, and saved his life.

I ask you now, should this first master claim

His service, whom does it belong to? him Who thrust him out, or him who saved his life?'

This question, so flung down before

the guests,

And balanced either way by each, at length

When some were doubtful how the law

would hold,

Was handed over by consent of all To one who had not spoken, Lionel.

Fair speech was his, and delicate of phrase.

And he beginning languidly-his loss Weigh'd on him yet-but warming as he

went,

Glanced at the point of law, to pass it by,
Affirming that as long as either lived,
By all the laws of love and gratefulness,
The service of the one so saved was due
All to the saver-adding, with a smile,
The first for many weeks-a semi-smile
As at a strong conclusion-body and soul
And life and limbs, all his to work his
will.'

Then Julian made a secret sign to me To bring Camilla down before them all.

And crossing her own picture as she came, And looking as much lovelier as herself Is lovelier than all others-on her head A diamond circlet, and from under this A veil, that seem'd no more than gilded air, Flying by each fine ear, an Eastern gauze With seeds of gold-so, with that grace of hers,

Slow-moving as a wave against the wind, That flings a mist behind it in the sunAnd bearing high in arms the mighty babe,

The younger Julian, who himself was crown'd

With roses, none so rosy as himself And over all her babe and her the jewels Of many generations of his house Sparkled and flash'd, for he had decked them out

As for a solemn sacrifice of love

So she came in :-I am long in telling it,

I never yet beheld a thing so strange, Sad, sweet, and strange together-floated in

While all the guests in mute amazement

rose

And slowly pacing to the middle hall, Before the board, there paused and stood,

her breast

Hard-heaving, and her eyes upon her feet,
Not daring yet to glance at Lionel.
But him she carried, him nor lights nor

feast

Dazed or amazed, nor eyes of men; who

cared

Only to use his own, and staring wide And hungering for the gilt and jewell'd

world

About him, look'd, as he is like to prove, When Julian goes, the lord of all he saw.

'My guests,' said Julian: 'you are honour'd now

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