The boy set up betwixt his grandsire's knees,
Who thrust him in the hollows of his arm,
And clapt him on the hands and on the cheeks,
Like one that loved him: and the lad stretch'd out
And babbled for the golden seal, that hung
From Allan's watch, and sparkled by the fire.
Then they came in: but when the boy beheld
His mother, he cried out to come to her:
And Allan set him down, and Mary said:
"O Father!-if you let me call you so-
I never came a-begging for myself,
Or William, or this child; but now I come
For Dora: take her back; she loves you well.
O Sir, when William died, he died at peace
With all men; for I asked him, and he said,
He could not ever rue his marrying me-
I had been a patient wife: but, Sir, he said
That he was wrong to cross his father thus:
'God bless him!' he said, and may he never know
The troubles I have gone thro'!' Then he turn'd
His face and pass'd-unhappy that I am!

6

But, now, Sir, let me have my boy, for you
Will make him hard, and he will learn to slight

His father's memory; and take Dora back,

And let all this be as it was before. "

So Mary said, and Dora hid her face

By Mary. There was silence in the room;

And all at once the old man burst in sobs:

"I have been to blame -to blame. I have kill'd

my son.

I have kill'd him-but I loved him-my dear son.
May God forgive me!-I have been to blame.

Kiss me, my children.

Then they clung about

The old man's neck, and kiss'd him many times.

And all the man was broken with remorse;

And all his love came back a hundred-fold;

And for three hours he sobb'd o'er William's child,
Thinking of William.

So those four abode

Within one house together; and as years
Went forward, Mary took another mate;
But Dora lived unmarried till her death.

LADY CLARE

I

IT was the time when lilies blow,
And clouds are highest up in air,
Lord Ronald brought a lily-white doe
To give his cousin, Lady Clare.

II

I trow they did not part in scorn:
Lovers long-betroth'd were they:
They two will wed the morrow morn;
God's blessing on the day!

"He does not love me for my birth,
Nor for my lands so broad and fair;
He loves me for my own true worth,
And that is well,'
said Lady Clare.

IV

In there came old Alice the nurse,

Said, "Who was this that went from thee?" "It was my cousin, " said Lady Clare;

"To-morrow he weds with me.

V

"O God be thank'd!" said Alice the nurse,
"That all comes round so just and fair:
Lord Ronald is heir of all your lands,
And you are not the Lady Clare.

"Are you out of your mind, my nurse, my nurse?" Said Lady Clare, "that ye speak so wild?"

"As God's above, " said Alice the nurse,

"I speak the truth: you are my child.

VII

"The old Earl's daughter died at my breast;
I speak the truth, as I live by bread!
I buried her like my own sweet child,
And put my child in her stead. "

VIII

"Falsely, falsely have ye done,

O mother, she said, "if this be true,
To keep the best man under the sun
So many years from his due.

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IX

(1)

Nay now, my child, " said Alice the nurse,
"But keep the secret for your life,

And all you have will be Lord Ronald's
When you are man and wife."

X

"If I'm a beggar born," she said,
"I will speak out, for I dare not lie.
Pull off, pull off the brooch of gold,
And fling the diamond necklace by.

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XI

Nay now, my child," said Alice the nurse,
"But keep the secret all ye can.

She said,

66

66

Not so: but I will know

If there be any faith in man.

Nay now, what faith? "The man will cleave "And he shall have it,

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XII

said Alice the nurse. unto his right ".

the lady replied,

Tho' I should die to-night.'

(1) Nel privare per tanti anni il miglior uomo che è sotto la cappa del cielo (cioè Lord Ronald) di ciò che gli spettava (ossia dei beni di cui era diventata indebitamente proprietaria Donna Clara stessa).

XIII

"Yet give one kiss to your mother dear!
Alas, my child! I sinned for thee.
"O mother, mother, mother" she said,
"So strange it seems to me.

XIV

"Yet here's a kiss for my mother dear,
My mother dear, if this be so;

And lay your hand upon my head,
And bless me, mother, ere I go.

XV

She clad herself in a russet gown,
She was no longer Lady Clare:

She went by dale, and she went by down,
With a single rose in her hair.

XVI

The lily-white doe Lord Ronald had brought
Leapt up from where she lay,
Dropt her head in the maiden's hand,
And follow'd her all the way.

XVII

Down stept Lord Ronald from his tower:
"O Lady Clare, you shame your worth!
Why come you drest like a village maid,
That are the flower of the earth?" (1)

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XVIII

If I come drest like a village maid,
I am but as my fortunes are:

I am a beggar born," she said,

"And not the Lady Clare.

(1) Perchè, tu che sei il fiore della terra, 'en vieni vestita come una contadinella?

XIX

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Play me no tricks," said Lord Ronald,

"For I am yours Play me no tricks,

in word and in deed.
said Lord Ronald,

"Your riddle is hard to read.

XX

O and proudly stood she up!

Her heart within her did not fail: She look'd into Lord Ronald's eyes, And told him all her nurse's tale.

XXI

He laughed a laugh of merry scorn:

66

He turn'd and kissed her where she stood:

If you are not the heiress born,

And I," said he, "the next in blood

XXII

"If you are not the heiress born,
And I," said he, "the lawful heir,
We two will wed to-morrow morn,
And you shall still be Lady Clare. "

THE FALLING OUT OF HUSBAND AND

WIFE (1).

As thro' the land at eve we went,
And pluck'd the ripen'd ears,

We fell out, my wife and I,

O we fell out I know not why,

And kiss'd again with tears.

(1) Questa e le quattro brevi poesie che seguono sono tratte dal poema The Princess ».